Photo and Text by Sarah Flores Reporting for Native Plant News
Fast on the heels of recent North Carolina state native plants policies, the Greensboro City Council on March 5, 2024, voted unanimously to pass a resolution that will make native plants a key component of all city plantings by 2025.
Representatives from the North Carolina Native Plant Society Triad Chapter submitted public comments to the council in support of the resolution. Triad Chapter chairperson Sarah Flores expressed gratitude to the city council and noted the NC Native Plant Society “is available to share educational resources and advice from years of experience caring for native plants.” In its statement, the City of Greensboro cited the NC Native Plant Society’s recommended species list and the USDA plants database for more information.
The T. Gilbert Pearson Audubon Chapter played an integral role in bringing the resolution to a vote. The Audubon chapter has been working to promote the use of native plants since 2021 when Greensboro announced its first Native Plants Week.
Robin Davis, T. Gilbert Pearson Audubon board member and a member of the NCNPS Triad Chapter, credited “the entire team at the [city’s] Office of Sustainability and Resiliency for their enthusiasm and eagerness to move our city forward. With their diligent efforts, they are bringing visible, measurable, and meaningful changes to our city.” The new Greensboro policy, which prioritizes the use of native plants and discourages the use of invasive and non-native species, is expected to showcase the diversity and beauty of native plants in landscape design, save money, and protect waterways and wildlife habitats.
Greensboro is the first city in North Carolina to adopt such a policy for city-owned and maintained properties and facilities. Hopefully, more cities will follow Greensboro’s lead by instituting similar resolutions. It is encouraging to see organizations like Audubon, Wild Ones, NC Wildlife Federation, and others working together to carry out their shared mission of environmental stewardship.
If habitat restoration is important to you, reach out to your city and let them know. You can submit a public comment or connect with someone in Parks and Rec. Connect with your friends to build momentum so the benefits of native plants become more widely understood.
Sarah Flores lives in Greensboro, NC with her husband, two daughters, and golden retriever. With a degree in hospitality management from the University of South Carolina, she has worked in the food and beverage industry, and as an event planner. A passion for farm-to-table food and foraging led her to advocate for native plants. She is a freelance social media specialist and copywriter and served as the co-chair of the Triad Chapter of NCNPS. Contact her.
Editor’s Note: Since the Greensboro policy was announced in March 2024, Winston-Salem passed a new native plant policy after years of work by local Audubon chapters and other partners. The nursery industry is also paying attention, as noted in “A Nursery View of the NC Native Plants Act.” Also see “A Partnership Bears Fruit.”