New York State has recognized the critical role that native plants play in supporting local ecosystems by signing into law a new bill that will boost native seed supply and encourage native plant growth across the state.
The bill (S7849), which was proposed by Sen. Rachel May of Syracuse, Cayuga County, was signed into law by Gov. Kathy Hochul at the beginning of the year, as per a press release by the New York State Senate Newsroom.Â
Part of this bill includes establishing a grant program to support government-run and private growing operations to increase the state's stock of native plant seeds. The legislation also mandates that New York's state government makes planting native plants a priority where possible, including in reforestation activities.
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Often 😇 The bill should also help to strengthen New York's agricultural market. Federal funds will be allocated to developing a native plant seed supply chain to increase the supply of native seeds and plants, which are currently not keeping up with the demand. This will bring jobs to local communities while also helping those communities to restore important ecosystems.
Native plants play a crucial role in local ecosystems by supporting wildlife such as birds, bats, bees, and small mammals while also cleaning the air we breathe and improving soil quality. Native plants are hardier than other plants and don't require a lot of upkeep because, once established, they thrive in local soil and weather conditions. In New York State, this includes plants and trees such as purple asters, red maples, and the cattails that are found along waterways.Â
Rewilding areas with native flora also provides food and shelter for local wildlife and is important for supporting pollinator populations, which are currently in decline. Boosting pollinator numbers is crucial because of the key role they play in pollinating the plants that we cultivate to grow food.Â
Rewilding areas and creating green spaces in cities also provide a nature-based solution to support communities in mitigating and adapting to the human-induced warming of the planet we are currently experiencing.Â
"The Native Seed Supply, Development, and Enhancement Program will support the propagation of seeds and seedlings that can be used to expand our urban forests, stabilize soils along our waterways, provide habitat for pollinators and other native species, and beautify areas throughout the state. It will also support an important and growing sector of our agricultural economy," Sen. Rachel May said in a statement to the New York State Senate Newsroom.
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