Photos and text by Ben Graham (except where noted) reporting for Native Plant News
North Carolina has seen a trio of breakthrough native plants policies since last summer, thanks to years of grassroots advocacy and leadership from key state officials. The end result of these policies will be more native plants in the ground across North Carolina and on the shelves at local garden stores and nurseries.
The first policy was announced last July by the N.C. Department of Cultural and Natural Resources which oversees state parks and historic sites. The policy requires that native plants be used for landscaping on all of the agency’s properties, and also applies to projects funded by the Parks and Recreation Trust Fund, one of the state’s most important conservation funding tools.
The agency policy came at the same time that a similar native plants bill was making its way through the legislature. The Native Plants Act, sponsored by Senator Bill Rabon of Brunswick County, requires that the state use native plants in landscaping on state highways, parks, and historic sites. In September, the bill passed as part of the state budget, thanks to leadership from Senator Rabon. The bill is the strongest native plants legislation ever passed in the state and gives the force of law to the DCNR policy.
Then, in March of this year, Gov. Roy Cooper announced a sweeping conservation executive order, committing the state to conserving and restoring forests and wetlands across the state. Included in the order was a strong native plants component, requiring native plants on all future state-owned projects.
All of this begs the question: why are native plants suddenly becoming public policy in North Carolina? Part of the answer is because the benefits of going native are just common sense. Native trees, shrubs, and flowers provide habitat for wildlife, are more resilient, and require less fertilizer and other maintenance.
But these policies are also the result of years of advocacy by Audubon members and our partners, who have lobbied their city councils and local lawmakers, signed petitions, and recruited nurseries and garden stores as supporters.
When Audubon North Carolina launched its native plants program ten years ago, we started a monthly campaign highlighting different species that members could plant to support birds. One of the first plants we promoted was the Spicebush (Lindera benzoin), whose fatty berries are an important food for long-traveling migrants like the Wood Thrush. The plant was so popular with our members that, within a few days, you couldn’t find Spicebush for sale in the state–they were sold out.
The campaign showed the potential demand for native plants, once people learn about the benefits. But it also showed that supply is a constraint. By putting the state’s buying power behind native plants, we can help grow supply and make them more available.
Audubon and our partners also looked for help promoting native plants, and turned to a partnership with First Lady Kristin Cooper, who installed a native plants garden at the Executive Mansion in Raleigh and has continued to highlight the ecological and aesthetic value of gardening with North Carolina’s native flora.
Audubon also partnered with Senator Rabon on a series of bills that promoted the use of native plants along state roadways. At the same time, Audubon chapters and other groups were out in their communities, doing on-the-ground outreach and passing local native plants policies. The end result has been a growing movement of people, groups, and public officials who recognize the value of North Carolina’s native flora for birds and people.
Going forward, Audubon and our partners look forward to working with the state and the nursery industry to help make native plants more widely available and ensure the state has the plants it needs to meet the new state statute.
Ben Graham is a long-time birder and Engagement Director at Audubon North Carolina, where he works with chapters across the state to advocate for birds.
Editor’s Note: To see the nurseries listed by the NC Native Plant Society, click here. Customers should endeavor to verify they’re buying native species. Nursery plants must be identified by common and botanical names. Also, see “A Nursery View of the NC Native Plants Act” and “Greensboro, the First NC City with a Native Plants Policy,” Native Plant News Summer 2024.