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Spring 2025
Environment

Tough on Turf

Conservation scientist Becky Barak looks for greener alternatives to traditional lawns.

Becky Barak sits cross-legged in the dirt with a green clipboard on her lap and a pen in hand. Native plants can be seen in the forefront of the image, with tall green trees in the background.
Becky Barak is an advocate for native plants and flowers.Image: Robin Carlson

By Becky Barak
Spring 2025
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After studying ecology in undergrad, I became a high school science teacher. But I always wanted to go to graduate school. When I learned about the field of ecological restoration, which involves revitalizing degraded, damaged or destroyed ecosystems, I was inspired to join Northwestern’s Program in Plant Biology and Conservation, which is a partnership between the University and the Chicago Botanic Garden. I soon fell in love with the research opportunities. 

Ruellia flower, also known as wild petunia. Credit: Robin Carlson

Currently I am co-founder of the Rethinking Lawns project, a collaboration with the Chicago Botanic Garden, the Chicago Park District and several other universities to explore alternatives to conventional turf lawns.  

Replacing turf lawns with alternative plantings — a mix of short native grasses and wildflowers, for instance — can make outdoor urban spaces more welcoming to people, pollinators and other organisms. Native plants can also reduce flooding and limit the need for watering and mowing when compared with turf lawns.  

Sometimes the field of ecology can feel like it’s all about documenting declines in species and habitats. But conservation and restoration are important ways that we can be proactive about helping our environment. 

Becky Barak ’12 MS, ’17 PhD is a conservation scientist at the Chicago Botanic Garden and an adjunct assistant professor in Northwestern’s Program in Plant Biology and Conservation. She has worked at the Chicago Botanic Garden since 2017. 

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Reader Responses

  • So great that you are pursuing this type of work! The planet needs more like you. Although my undergrad was in bio, it involved very little plant work. Currently I am converting all my beds to natives along with some grass. Hoping to do my part for the pollinators.

    —Joan Baird '80, '10 MMI, Fort Wayne, Ind., via Northwestern Magazine

  • Cheers to Dr. Barak on such an exciting and necessary endeavor!

    —Ellen Stolar '05, '10 MD, Long Beach, Calif.

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