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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><blockquote style='margin-top:5.0pt;margin-bottom:5.0pt'><div><div><p class=MsoNormal>Native Plant Conservation Campaign News: Support for native plant conservation is expanding dramatically among elected officials and environmental groups<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>New pro-native plant legislation, research projects, and advocacy initiatives demonstrate an unprecedented surge in support for native plant <!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shapetype id="_x0000_t75" coordsize="21600,21600" o:spt="75" o:preferrelative="t" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" filled="f" stroked="f">
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</v:shape><![endif]--><![if !vml]><img width=550 height=367 style='width:5.7291in;height:3.8229in' src="https://ymlpmail2.net/imgz/09yp_SubalpineWildflowersGlacierNPWeatherfordsm.jpg" align=right v:shapes="Picture_x0020_2"><![endif]>conservation in the states, in Congress, and among wildlife conservation groups. Consider these developments:<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><strong><span style='font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'>Three Bipartisan Pro - Native Plant Bills in now Congress:</span></strong><o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>In February, Rep. Matt Cartwright (D-PA) and Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) <a href="https://cartwright.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/reps-cartwright-stefanik-introduce-bill-to-protect-native-plants-in">introduced the Native Plant Species Pilot Program Act( H.R. 6024) in the House of Representatives</a> to protect and preserve native plant species and fight invasive plants in U.S. national parks. There is already a companion bill (S. 3150) in the Senate.<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>The National Parks bills join the <a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/senate-bill/2918/text">Monarch and Pollinator Highway Act of 2019</a> (MPH, Act; S 2918). That legislation would establish a federal grant program to assist state departments of transportation and Indian tribes to carry out pollinator-friendly practices on roadsides and highway rights-of-way. <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>These bills follow the “Botany Bill” (<a href="https://botanybill.weebly.com/">the Botanical Sciences and Native Plant Materials Research, Restoration, and Promotion Act, H.R. 1572/S. 2384</a>), first introduced in 2016, which seeks to improve funding and support for federal botany programs and increase research into locally appropriate native plants.<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><strong><span style='font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'>All three bills explicitly call for priority to be given to locally adapted native plants in land managemnt </span></strong>in order best to conserve and restore wildlife habitat and deliver ecosystem services such as water and air purification, greenhouse gas sequestration, and buffering of floods and severe weather.<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><strong><span style='font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'>All three bills have bipartisan cosponsors. </span></strong><o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>We will share information on how you can support these three bills in an upcoming NPCC News.<o:p></o:p></p></div><ul type=disc><li class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'>Read more about the new National Parks bill at <a href="https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/news/local/sen-collins-cantwell-introduce-bill-to-restore-native-plants-in-national-parks/97-f7381891-0e44-4083-8558-19e2c6c40cc4">NewsCenter Maine</a><o:p></o:p></li><li class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'>Read an <a href="https://www.currypilot.com/news/trending-butterfly-highways-congressional-action-to-help-monarchs/article_41871a1e-0bcb-11ea-9c3b-1b4029833f06.html">article about the Monarch and Pollinator Highway Act</a><o:p></o:p></li><li class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'>Learn more about the “Botany Bill” at its <a href="https://botanybill.weebly.com/">website</a><o:p></o:p></li><li class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'>Read the <a href="https://plantsocieties.cnps.org/images/Native_Plant_Conservation_Campaign_Testimony_on_HR_1572_7.2019.pdf">Native Plant Conservation Campaign House Testimony</a> on the “Botany Bill”<o:p></o:p></li></ul><div><p class=MsoNormal><strong><span style='font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'>Support for the National Seed Strategy grows:</span></strong><o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>In 2015, by adopting the historic <a href="https://plantsocieties.cnps.org/index.php/initiatives-main/u-s-plant-initiatives#SeedStrategy">National Seed Strategy</a>, the U.S. became the first country on the planet to prioritize the use of locally adapted native plants in the restoration and other management of federal lands. There are now a number of efforts underway to support implementation of the Strategy:<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>The National Parks Pilot bill referenced above specifically requires coordination with the <a href="https://www.blm.gov/programs/natural-resources/native-plant-communities/national-seed-strategy">Seed Strategy</a>.<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>At the end of 2019, the <a href="https://www.nationalacademies.org/our-work/an-assessment-of-native-seed-needs-and-capacities">National Academies of Sciences, Medicine, and Engineering, convened a committee</a> to “assess federal, state, tribal and private sector needs and capacity for supplying native plant seeds for ecological restoration and other purposes” One goal of this <a href="https://www.nationalacademies.org/our-work/an-assessment-of-native-seed-needs-and-capacities">Assessment</a> is to assist in implementation of the Seed Strategy.<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>In May, <a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSepn5hi1xW9YmnPqoLEPEgwd0si5lVqm6zSl6S686k6O4XUng/viewform">207 environmental groups asked Congress</a> to include “full funding” for the National Seed Strategy in future economic stimulus bills to respond to the Covid-19 economic crisis.<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>Further, in 2019, more than 85 environmental groups<a href="https://www.dropbox.com/s/ugifxnl3nqlz99s/Final%20NRCS%20practice%20standard%20comments_86%20groups.pdf?dl=0"> asked the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service</a> to prioritize the use of local native plants in its National Handbook of Conservation Practices.<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><strong><span style='font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'>This is significant because historically, <a href="https://plantsocieties.cnps.org/images/Science_Plant_Conservation_Response_to_Malcom_et_al_2019_published_11720.pdf">the broader environmental community has often overlooked plant conservation in its outreach and advocacy</a>.</span></strong><o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><strong><span style='font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'>Proliferation Of Native Plant Weeks, Months And License Plate Programs:</span></strong><o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>At least five states (FL, OK, TX, VA, GA) sell some form of native plant or wildflower license plate.<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>In April, Ohio became the latest state to declare a <a href="https://www.ohionativeplantmonth.org/">native plant month</a>, creating a beautiful Ohio native plant website and joining numerous other states celebrating native plant weeks and months each year.<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>These are a few of the ways we are seeing public support for native plant conservation grow in the U.S. Similar trends are happening internationally. The United Nations, for example, has declared <a href="http://www.fao.org/plant-health-2020/about/en/">2020 the “Year of Plant Health”</a> and has declared <a href="https://www.decadeonrestoration.org/">2021-2030 the “Decade of Ecosystem Restoration”</a>.<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'>Due to Covid-19 and other crises, we have temporarily suspended some advocacy operations.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'>We will share information on how you and we can support these pro-plant efforts in upcoming issues of NPCC News.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><strong><span style='font-size:15.0pt;color:green'>Watch this space for information on Getting Out The Vote for the crucial 2020 election!</span></strong><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'> <o:p></o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><strong><span style='font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'>Photo: Wildflowers, Glacier National Park (c) Michael Weatherford, Arkansas Native Plant Society</span></strong><o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>________________________________________<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>Emily B. Roberson, Ph.D.<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><a href="http://plantsocieties.cnps.org/">Native Plant Conservation Campaign</a><o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>415 531 4439<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><a href="mailto:emilyr@plantsocieties.org">emilyr@</a><a href="mailto:emilyr@plantsocieties.org">plantsocieties.org</a><o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>#<span style='color:green'>SavePlantsSaveThePlanet</span><o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><em><span style='font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'>The mission of the Native Plant Conservation Campaign is to promote the conservation of native plants and their habitats through collaboration, research, education, and advocacy.</span></em><o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><b><a href="http://signup.ymlpmail2.net/xghwwhjjgmgb">Sign up for NPCC News</a>! </b> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/plantsocieties"><b>Like us on Facebook!</b></a> <b><a href="http://plantsocieties.cnps.org/index.php/action-main/donate-to-campaign">Donate</a>!</b><o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>Please forward this message to any interested individuals or organizations. <o:p></o:p></p></div><div class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><span style='font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black'><hr size=0 width="50%" noshade style='color:black' align=center></span></div><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><span style='font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:black'><a href="https://ymlpmail2.net/ughwwhjjgsgbeguhqusggwebbq"><span style='color:black'>Unsubscribe / Change Profile</span></a> <br><a href="https://ymlpmail2.net/m/"><span style='color:black'>Powered by YMLP</span></a> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><img border=0 width=1 height=1 style='width:.0104in;height:.0104in' id="_x0000_i1027" src="https://ymlpmail2.net/77548obelrhbuyqpmqwc/footer.gif" alt=" "><o:p></o:p></p></div></blockquote></div></body></html>