It’s National Native Plant month. On March 25, Senate Resolution 109 was passed, which designated April of 2021 the first National Native Plant Month. The resolution recognizes “the benefits of native plants to the environment and economy of the United States.”
Over 17,000 plants are native to the United States. Experts say the importance of native plants to wildlife cannot be overstated. Plants provide the base of the food web. Some wildlife depend on them directly for food, like herbivores.
The Hoosier National Forest manages 204,000 acres of public land, with the goal of restoring and maintaining ecosystems comprised of the native plants, shrubs, vines, and trees.
As yards, roadsides and even natural areas become increasingly overrun with non-native invasive plants, they say it is important to plant native species to support local biodiversity.
