JOIN THE #GONATIVE MOVEMENT!

Bring back native plants

Invasive burning bush.
Native plants are crucial to our county! We have woodlands filled with oaks, hickories, maples, and walnuts and fields full of milkweed for the Monarch butterfly. Let's keep it that way!
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Lawrence County is home to over 25 invasive species of plants and insects. These bad plants and insects are knocking on our backdoors, trying to break into our woodlands, agriculture fields, and yards. 

It's not too late to join the fight against invasive plants and GO NATIVE. Join us as we share information, host workshops and workdays to take back out lands from the clutches of bad plants. 
Native and Invasive?   What's the Difference? 
An invasive species is a species that is not originally from the area and causes harm to our economy, environment, or human health.

A native species is one that occurs naturally in an area and has evolved in harmony with the species nearby to form complex relationships that depend on one another to thrive.

Most invasives were brought in from Asia or Europe for landscaping or in packing materials and have spread into our natural areas. 
Why should you care about invasives? 
  • Invasive plants crowd out native plants that provide food and shelter for our wildlife. 
  • Invasive plants do not support our native insects or are in some cases toxic to them; which reduces the insects available for birds to feed their young. 
  • You depend on native species. The food you eat is pollinated largely by native species, not just honeybees. 
  • Invasive species reduce your ability to enjoy the outdoors. Their growth can crowd forest trails, entangle favorite fishing spots, reduce habitat for bird watching and reduce habitat for species like deer and turkey. 
  • Invasive species, like poison hemlock and beefsteak plant, can poison cattle. 
  • Some invasives emit a chemical that deters the growth of native species, which allows them to create a monoculture in the understory and can also slow tree growth, effecting our forest stands.
  • The annual cost in the United States of invasive control is estimated to be $120 billion.

Why do we care about native plants?

WILDLIFE NEED THEM
POLLINATORS NEED THEM
BEE KEEPERS NEED THEM
FARMERS NEED THEM
DEER HUNTERS NEED THEM
HIKERS NEED THEM
BIRDWATCHERS NEED THEM
AND MUCH MORE

GO NATIVE WITH US​​

We are here to help you take back your space from the clutches of invasive plants so check us out below.