About
Our Vision
NativeBiota is rooted in our belief that, with the help of science, humans and nature can thrive in harmony. However, given the magnitude and scope of the threats that face native species today, we also believe that conservation can only ever be effective if it is rooted in sound science and driven by the community. We envision a world where native species are viewed as valuable and crucial components of our communities and conservation is put into practice by stakeholders at every level.
Our Mission
The NativeBiota project seeks to promote solutions for conserving native species, especially birds, and their habitats, through science research, by developing and disseminating educational and informational materials to stakeholders, and by empowering the community through activism and advocacy.
About the Founder
Ashwin is a high school senior and nature enthusiast from Southern California. He works on ecological research concerning bird migration, endangered species conservation, and climate change and is particularly passionate about native landscaping as a tool for restoring habitats at the community level.
Growing up in the Pacific Northwest where pristine wilderness and the city stood side by side, he noticed the huge dichotomy in biodiversity and vivacity between urban spaces where plants from the surrounding wilderness were allowed to go free, and those that were carefully manicured and placed for ornamentation. When Ashwin moved to Southern California in 2018, he found himself in a metropolis dominated by the latter and came to understand the scope of the threat posed by loss of native habitat to urban development, watching bird species like the California Gnatcatcher and Cactus Wren disappear in front of his eyes.
However, it was also here where he saw a possible solution to this conflict between city and wild - native landscaping. Since 2018, Ashwin has made it his passion to promote the use of native landscaping in urban environments with the Go Native! initiative, which aims to produce and distribute educational materials to help members of urban communities learn about, and participate in, the native landscaping phenomenon.
