Designating May of 2026 as “Rhode Island Native Plant Month”

WHEREAS, Native plants support local ecosystems, providing habitat and food for wildlife, help maintain soil and water quality and are crucial for a balanced and sustainable environment; and

WHEREAS, Rhode Island is home to more than 1300 native plant species, which include trees, shrubs, vines, grasses, and wildflowers; and

WHEREAS, Rhode Island's native plant species provide food, such as nectar, pollen, seeds, and foliage, and prime habitat, including essential shelter and nesting sites, for various types of wildlife in the State in ways that non-native plants cannot, making the expanded cultivation of native plants in Rhode Island a viable and effective means by which the State can both preserve its existing wildlife habitats and populations and effectively offset and mitigate any prior losses in wildlife habitat or populations that have occurred in the State as a result of development; and

WHEREAS, Native plants are well-adapted to Rhode Island's soils, wetlands, temperatures, precipitation, and environmental conditions; and, consequently, are the best at conserving and protecting our environment against flooding and erosion while maintaining and restoring the State's air, water, and soil quality; and

WHEREAS, Native plants are vital to Rhode Island's biodiversity and enable the State's wildlife to prosper; and

WHEREAS, Native plants incorporated into the landscaping in our yards and communities help increase the amount of habitat available to our native wildlife and are necessary for biodiversity and a healthy ecosystem, and require far fewer fertilizers, soil amendments, or pesticides, and use less water than conventional landscapes; and

WHEREAS, On May 3, 2023, the 118th Congress passed Senate Resolution 152, declaring May as "National Native Plant Month”; and

WHEREAS, According to U.S. Senate Resolution 152, "native plants are indigenous species that have evolved and occur naturally in a particular region, ecosystem, and habitat” and “are essential components of resilient ecosystems and the natural heritage of the United States"; and

WHEREAS, According to Rhode Island's Native Plant Society, native plants preserve our rich biological heritage; and provide shelter, as well as nectar, pollen, and seeds that serve as food for native butterflies, insects, birds, and other wildlife in ways that non-native plants cannot provide; provide diversity in form, texture, and color to fit any landscape style and are hardy and easy to grow once established; and

WHEREAS, It is important to recognize the value of Rhode Island's native plants and encourage public awareness of the many benefits they provide to Rhode Island's economy, to pollinators, and the health of Rhode Island's environment; now, therefore be it

RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island hereby designates May of 2026 as "Rhode Island Native Plant Month" in order to preserve the heritage and the importance of native plants for clean air, water, and soil stability in the State of Rhode Island; and be it further

RESOLVED, That this House hereby respectfully requests the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) to urge all citizens to educate themselves about the importance and history of Rhode Island's native plants and the many benefits they provide to pollinators, and to preserve Rhode Island's biological heritage in aiding in the prevention of flooding and erosion and maintaining and preserving the health of Rhode Island's economy and environment; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to Terrence Gray, Director of the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management.