OCP file photo
Native plant program set for Saturday, Jan. 17, at Oceana Conservation District in Shelby
Picture this — you are a native seed, maybe a lupine, coreopsis or Black-Eyed Susan, cast loose on the winds or carried on the coat of a woodland creature. You’ve got to find a place to propagate, to bloom and reproduce as you intended. Where is it safe to land? Where can you germinate? Where can you put down roots? Because really, you’re the answer to a lot of environmental concerns.
Wild Ones members have an idea or two about how to help native seedlings take hold locally. Wild Ones West Michigan Shore-to-Prairie is the local chapter of the non-profit Wild Ones Natural Landscapers. The tri-county group of enthusiasts is inviting people to go native by building a community of gardeners and landscapers to help restore native plants to their rightful place in Muskegon, Newaygo and Oceana counties.
Wild Ones promotes the understanding that a healthy planet starts with native plants. Massive building projects and the subsequent loss of farm and forest land have led to a loss of biodiversity.
“Native plants have a naturally beautiful quality about them,” said acting President Connie Crancer, a native plant specialist. “They’re hardy, rewarding to grow and provide a multitude of beneficial impacts. Native plants help protect and restore biodiversity, improve air and water quality and provide wildlife with quality food and shelter. Wild Ones West Michigan Shore-to-Prairie envision native plants and natural landscapes in every community. Our goal is to encourage gardeners to consider incorporating native species into their gardens and landscapes.”
OCP file photo
The local Wild Ones chapter will offer gardeners and landscapers the camaraderie of working together, teaching and sharing expertise within the three counties. Presentations, field trips and hands-on activities are scheduled monthly throughout the year, rotating within the three counties. January’s program will include an introduction to the Wild Ones West Michigan Shore-to-Prairie chapter and a brief tutorial about seed stratification, including a take-home project. This inaugural program will take place in each of the three counties, running from 10 a.m. to noon each of those Saturdays. The first program is set for Saturday, Jan. 17, at the Oceana Conservation District in Shelby, followed by a Jan. 24 session at the Muskegon Conservation District in Twin Lake and a program Jan. 31 at the Fremont Area Public Library. All subsequent gatherings will take place on the third Saturday of each month.
In February, participants will view two short films from Michigan State University, including Smart Reasons to Choose Native and Matching Native Plants to Your Yard’s Needs. This program is set for Feb. 21, beginning at 10 a.m., at the Oceana Conservation District. Nancy Roggers will explain why to Plant This, Not That, March 21 at the Muskegon Conservation District office. Roggers’ presentation introduces people to a number of native Michigan species that are a rewarding replacement for typical non-native, and often invasive, ornamentals.
Rounding out the spring programming will be an April 18 webinar Next Steps for Nature, featuring Doug Tallamy. Tallamy is an inspirin speaker and leading proponent of using native species for gardening and landscaping to support native insect species, which in turn support birds. He is the founder of the Home Grown National Park Program. The program is offered at the Fremont Public Library beginning at 10 a.m.
The push for sustainability in a gardener’s choice of plants is part of a global movement meant to combat the loss of biodiversity. Native plants are sustainable and are adapted to thrive in a specific region’s soil and weather conditions. Native plants restore a healthy, natural environment and create wildlife habitat. Since many natives are deep-rooted, they sequester carbon and work to slow stormwater runoff, reducing erosion and improving water quality by filtering out excess nutrients. And if that’s not enough, natives need no fertilizer or extra watering once established. They act as natural pest controls and reduce the need for pesticides; many are deer resistant. Critically, native plants provide quality food and shelter for birds and wildlife, and a welcome source of pollen and nectar for butterflies, bees and other pollinators.
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