Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers signed a Proclamation March 6 declaring April Native Plant
Month in Wisconsin. Its purpose is to raise public awareness of the important role that native
plants play in preserving the state's fragile ecosystem, and to encourage all Wisconsinites to be partners in protecting the state's rich biological heritage.
Native plants are indigenous species of natural occurring plants that are fundamental to the
survival of healthy, diverse, and sustainable ecosystems. Unlike non-native plants, they clean
the air, filter the water, stabilize the soil, and provide food and shelter in the form of pollen,
seeds, nectar, and foliage for native wildlife.
The Wisconsin Native Inventory (NHI) Working List includes over 300 trees, shrubs, perennials, vines, grasses, wildflowers, and other vascular plants that are native to the state, many of which are tracked by the NHI and protected by the federal Endangered Species Act of 1973 due to their rarity and endangerment.
State residents are encouraged to get involved by removing non-native, invasive plants from
yards and communities, planting native trees, shrubs, and flowers, and educating others on the many benefits of native plants. Find more information on the Door County Master Gardeners website at: https://www.dcmga.org/invasive-plants.html and the Door County Invasive Species Team website at https://doorinvasives.org .
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