our story

Adapt Community Supported Ecology began in 2019 with a simple goal: to bring native plants to neighbors’ homes in Ann Arbor and help them plant small gardens together. What began as a small local effort has grown to serve communities across three states, offering education, programming, and hands-on ecological outreach while putting thousands of native plants in the ground, free of charge, each year. Through crowdfunding, hands-on education, and dedicated volunteer involvement, Adapt Community Supported Ecology builds connected communities that restore native plant and perennial food landscapes and create long-term pathways for ongoing ecological stewardship.

As this work grew, so did the requests for more in-depth services—larger-scale designs, complex installations, and ongoing stewardship support. In response, Adapt Landscapes emerged as the professional design-and-build branch of the Adapt ecosystem. The work of Adapt Landscapes helps support the ongoing projects of Adapt Community Supported Ecology. We’re thankful for our amazing clients and hope you’ll take a moment to check out the work we’re doing through our Community Supported Ecology efforts.

Katelyn Baskin, joined Adapt in 2022 after volunteering with the crew and realizing how much she loved hands-on ecological work—especially cutting back invasive plants and helping landscapes recover. Katelyn co-leads landscape design, installation, and care for homeowners, businesses, and organizations across Southeast Michigan.

Her gardening background was in food production. That work has grown into a love for creating integrated landscapes—combining foodscapes, native plant gardens, and perennial edibles that are thoughtfully designed and functional. Her connection to ecology began in childhood while wandering the Cleveland Metroparks, where she first found a sense of calm and belonging in the natural world. She enjoys the hands-on work of building outdoor spaces—whether that’s operating larger machines, shaping materials, or helping bring a design to life. She brings heart, intention, and a quiet love of beauty to everything she builds.

William Kirst is the founder of Adapt Landscapes and Adapt Community Supported Ecology, bringing over 20 years of experience as an ecologist to his work. At Adapt, William co-leads full-service landscape design, stewardship and maintenance planning, installation, and care for homeowners, businesses, and organizations across Southeast Michigan. He combines ecological knowledge with hands-on experience to create landscapes that are beautiful and naturally resilient. Passionate about teaching, William frequently speaks on ecological topics, sharing his knowledge and inspiring others to engage with their local environment. He LOVES working with clients to see their dreams realized.

A lifelong gardener and Chicago native, William studied Botany at the University of Illinois and spent many years with Ann Arbor’s Natural Area Preservation, where he developed deep expertise in ecological restoration and native plant systems. In 2019, he founded Adapt Community Supported Ecology to connect people with the land through education, volunteerism, and community-driven projects. He brings a passion for teaching and a commitment to creating landscapes that are resilient, expressive, and rooted in place.