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Find non-invasive plant alternatives that may be appropriate in your region.

The worldwide decline in bee populations is threatening the delivery of pollination services, thus leading to the development of pollinator restoration strategies. In the United States, one way to protect and restore bee populations is to use seed mixes composed of pollinator-friendly native plants to revegetate federal lands following disturbance.

Scientists assessed the attractiveness and use by bees of 24 native plant species that are standard for revegetation projects (focal plants) on national forest lands in western Montana.

In 2003, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service released the publication, Native Plants for Wildlife Habitat and Conservation Landscaping: Chesapeake Bay Watershed. Citizens, schools, non profit organizations, communities and government agencies used this resource to find the native plants that met their local conditions and interests in order to create landscapes to attract wildlife and reduce the amount of pollutants going into the Chesapeake Bay.

To reach more citizens and organizations, the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service envisioned an online version of the guide, the Native Plants Center Chesapeake Region. This expanded online guide includes a geo-locator feature to identify plants suited to your location, a searchable database of the native plants that meet your conditions, and (coming soon) an online network to interact with other Chesapeake Bay stewards.

Find plants native to New England that will thrive in your garden.

Kick the invasive exotic gardening habit by planting native plant alternatives. Provides native plant recommendations for the Mid-Atlantic region.

Use this infographic resource to learn which pollinator -attractive plants are native to your region.

A new 9-part series 'Native Seeds: Supplying Restoration' about the native seed supply chain in the Western U.S. by the International Network for Seed-Based Restoration. Filmed over four seasons, this series weaves together footage of seed collectors, farmers, researchers, and land managers working to scale up the supply of native seeds to meet the growing restoration demand. Several USDA Rocky Mountain Research Station researchers are featured in these videos. Videos were released June 29, 2023 - August 24, 2023.

Bees are declining in the U.S. and with them the pollination services on which people and wildlife depend. Several national forests have begun to include habitat restoration for bees in their forest plans. Justin Runyon, a Rocky Mountain Research Station research entomologist, and Montana State University scientists identified the most pollinator-friendly plants to include in seed mixes for use in restoration projects in the Northern Rockies.

The researchers developed a scorecard that managers can use to select pollinator-friendly mixes based on local factors such as budget, habitat type, or plant availability.

Plant Invaders of Mid-Atlantic Natural Areas, Field Guide is a portable resource for both novice and expert. This practical book is intended for people interested in maintaining or restoring natural areas - from parks and preserves to residential landscapes. Use this book as an introduction to invasive plants to help you recognize, report, prevent, control and teach others about them. Managing invasive plants is crucial if we want our native plants and animals to thrive. Plant Invaders provides information on 92 aquatic and terrestrial invasive species threatening our region, guidance on control methods, discussion of the effects of climate change on invasive plants, explanations and maps of ecoregions and physiographic provinces, and suggestions for native plant alternatives.

Citation: Swearingen, J.M. and J.P. Fulton. 2022. Plant Invaders of Mid-Atlantic Natural Areas, Field Guide. Passiflora Press. 200 pp.

Climate change is likely to bring dozens of new invasive plants to the Northeast. Despite their invasive tendencies, many of these species are sold as ornamental plants in slightly warmer climates, but are not yet a large part of nursery sales in the Northeast. By avoiding these species, we protect our native ecosystems from future invasive species impacts. We also present alternative native plants that provide similar aesthetics while also supporting biodiversity.
See also: Environmental Conversation Education Materials for additional educational materials (2011 to present)

Provides planting recommendations for present and future conditions using native species adapted to both current and future hardiness zones. An estimated 80% of ornamental plants for sale are non-native. This means that the average yard does a poor job of supporting native flora and fauna. By shifting our plantings towards natives, we can dramatically increase the diversity of bees, butterflies, birds and other animals. In contrast, non-native plants do not support local food webs and can become invasive. Native plants increase biodiversity and reduce risks associated with invasive species, which supports resilient ecosystems in the face of climate change.
See also: Environmental Conversation Education Materials for additional educational materials (2011 to present)

Native plants dramatically increase the diversity of bees, butterflies, birds and other native animals. Native plants increase biodiversity and reduce risks associated with invasive species, which supports resilient ecosystems in the face of climate change.
See also: Environmental Conversation Education Materials for additional educational materials (2011 to present)