Benefits of Native Plants
What are the benefits of Native Plants?
- plants are at the bottom of the food chain and provide food for higher life forms
- provides food and habitat for all forms of wildlife such as insects, birds, and mammals
- provides forage for domestic livestock
- showy flowers are used for ornamental/landscaping uses
- some plants have medicinal uses
- provides a carbon sink to store green house gases
- prevents erosion and filters our water
- genetic resources not yet discovered for treating disease, improving crops
- renewable energy source (biomass)
- trees provide lumber and firewood
- provide food for human consumption (fruits/nuts)
- best adapted to local conditions of water, wind, and climate extremes
- preserving them provides for greater biodiversity
