Soil & Water Conservation news

April is Ohio's Official Native Plant Month. This is the second year for Ohio's Official Native Plant Month, which begins April 1 and is dedicated to native plants. In July 2019, Gov. Mike DeWine signed House Bill 59 that designates April as Ohio's Official Native Plant Month. Ohio is among the first states to commit a month to the promotion of native flora. The purpose of House Bill 59 is to increase public awareness of native plants, benefiting pollinators, Ohio's economy and the health of our state's environment. Why are native plants so important? Native trees and wildflowers not only offer aesthetic beauty, but also add valuable ecological benefits to our local landscape. One irreplaceable benefit they provide is critical habitat for pollinators. In recent years, scientists from around the world have expressed concerns regarding the decline in pollinator populations and how it will affect global agricultural food production and local plant communities. A major contributor to the decline in pollinator populations is the loss of native plant abundance and diversity due to land use changes. Native plant species have co-evolved with pollinators (bees, moths, butterflies, flies, beetles) forming exclusive life-cycle interactions that are codependent upon each other. In other words, if there is a decline in native plant species, there will be a decline in pollinator numbers. A local example of this would be the symbiotic relationship between milkweed and monarch butterflies. Milkweed is the sole host for monarch caterpillar eggs and the rearing of young. It is the only plant that monarch larvae, or caterpillars, eat to survive. Adult monarchs in return pollinate milkweed by traveling between plants searching for food. This leads to the increased production of milkweed seeds, creating more milkweed plants and eventually, more habitat for monarchs and their young. The importance of these codependent relationships has been observed by organizations like the Ohio Pollinator Habitat Initiative (OPHI). Its goal is to improve and create pollinator habitat in the state of Ohio, as well as raise awareness for all Ohioans regarding the importance of pollinators. You may notice the positive impacts of this initiative while driving past ODOT's native pollinator plantings along some of Lorain County's highways. Native plantings also have positive impacts on water quality and the reduction of stormwater runoff. These trees and wildflowers are well adapted to our local growing conditions which reduces the amount of fertilizer and pesticide applications needed (if any) for optimum growth. Limiting the amount of fertilizer applied on our properties reduces excess phosphorus and nitrogen from leaving our yards during storm events and entering our lakes and rivers. Native plants also have much deeper roots compared to nonnative varieties. Their deep root systems reduce watering needs, provide greater infiltration of stormwater and help filter out pollutants. Landowners can install rain gardens to both enhance biodiversity in their area while increasing stormwater infiltration and removing pollutants by using native plants that like their feet wet. The positive impacts of native plants on pollinators and water quality are only two, but very important benefits these species provide, making them worth celebrating. How can you celebrate Native Plant Month? 1. April is an excellent time to take a hike and search for wildflowers. Many of these species are only in bloom for a short time. Do not miss your opportunity. There are many books, publications and apps that can help you identify the plants. The Ohio Department of Natural resources also releases a weekly bloom report online. 2. Dedicate an area of your property or landscaping beds to establish a native planting. This area can be as big or small as you like. Consider a rain garden for the wetter areas of your yard and downspout outlet locations. 3. Replace nonnative landscaping varieties with native alternatives. An example would be replacing Japanese barberry with winterberry. 4. Spread the word! Share information about Ohio's Native Plant Month and the benefits of native plant species with your friends and family. If you would like to find out more information on Ohio Native Plant Month, visit ohionativeplantmonth.org. The website is a great resource for information on Ohio's native plant species, events, distributors, and much more! John Schwartz is the district technician/outreach specialist for the Lorain Soil & Water Conservation District. He may be reached at 440-326-5803 or jschwartz@loraincounty.us.