The Loma Prietan
July/August 2001
Native Plants for People & Wildlife
by Georgia Stigall
Are you an apartment dweller? Live in a single family home? High rise? On several acres? Love the city? Love the wilds? Please join us!
As a matter of policy, the Sierra Club supports use, preservation and restoration of native plants: “The key to wildlife and native plant conservation is the continued existence of diverse natural ecosystems and the preservation of native biodiversity.
“The Sierra Club is committed to maintaining the world’s remaining natural ecosystems, and, where feasible, to the restoration and rehabilitation of degraded ecosystems. Wildlife, plants, and their ecosystems have value in their own right, as well as value to humans and to the health of the biosphere.”
You will note in the above Sierra Club policy that wildlife and native plants are treated together. This is because of the simple fact that “native critters need native plants.” They need them for shelter, food, cover and more.
If you love color, variety, low maintenance and creating a home for wildlife, including butterflies, dragonflies, hummingbirds, amphibians, mammals, reptiles and songbirds—native plants are the sustainable method for attracting wildlife and providing habitat.
By providing native plants, we provide critical niches for local native species that are losing habitat at an alarming rate. Native plants are also naturally beautiful, and provide tremendous pleasure to those who plant them, whether in containers, rooftop gardens, suburban backyards or restoration projects.
We in the Loma Prieta Chapter are fortunate to live in a bioregion that very much lends itself—based on climate, soil and available resources—to growing native plants. While care must be taken not to introduce non-genetically local native plants into wildlands, a native plant garden can be a few containers on a balcony or in a window, a patio with containers and borders or a yard that is completely planted.
It is also important to preserve and restore native plants in their natural habitat. Opportunities to help with this abound in our Chapter’s area, including working to save areas that are still naturally intact. There are also many restoration opportunities in this region. The Sierra Club has a tremendous opportunity to help spread the word on the importance
of native plants to humans, wildlife and native ecosystems.
If you are interested in knowing more about the joy and benefits of growing native plants, and helping restore native ecosystems, please contact the Loma Prieta Chapter Native Plants Chair Georgia Stigall via e-mail at gstigall@aol.com or phone 650/941-1068. Or write to 17287 Skyline Blvd #102, Woodside, CA 94062-3780.