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Asclepias tuberosa (Illustration by Christina Sun)

If you take a visit to Downs Farm Preserve in Cutchogue this spring, you’ll be greeted by a vibrant garden bursting with native goldenrods, milkweeds, white wood asters and more. There, monarch butterflies flutter around freely and bumblebees dart from one blossom to the next, pollinating nearby shrubs and trees as they collect nectar. 

Next to the plant beds is a pocket meadow full of assorted native grasses and perennials, as well as a thicket area with shrubs and small trees. Planted last fall, they nourish wildlife and harbor a diverse community of insects. 

The site is a small part of Southold Town’s habitat restoration efforts managed by Group for the East End, a North Fork-based nonprofit that has spent over 50 years protecting and advocating for the local environment. 

Since 2020, the organization has been working to bring back native species to the site, which had long been overrun by invasive plants. Offering little to no food value for wildlife, these invasive species create ecological deserts by outcompeting native plants and disrupting local food chains. The restored site at Downs Farm Preserve is a visual reminder of the importance that native plant species hold for pollinators and other essential insects. 

“We want as many insects as possible,” said Group for the East End outreach director Taralynn Reynolds. Though insects are often seen as pests, they’re vital to the North Fork’s food chains, serving as a source of nutrition for birds and other wildlife. They’re also key players in the North Fork’s economy. “Think about the North Fork’s agriculture and viticulture,” Reynolds said. “Who do you think pollinates those plants?” 

Across Suffolk County, advocates are making strides to protect these pollinators. 

In 2021, Suffolk County Legislators Kara Hahn, Bridget Fleming and Sarah Anker, along with former legislator Susan Berland, introduced a resolution that was unanimously approved to establish a pollinator task force. Composed of county agencies, horticulturists and environmentalists, the advisory group has been working to develop a plan to support pollinators. 

“Pollinators are critical to our ecosystem. These creatures are inextricably linked, not only with every home flower garden, but also with the success of our region’s over a quarter of a billion dollar per year agricultural industry,” Hahn said in a press release issued by her office in 2021. “It is often said that ‘without pollinators, we don’t eat,’ so this is one issue we can’t ignore.” 

As pollinators rely on native plants to survive, the task force advocates for growing native plants throughout the county, particularly in open green space and roadways. 

“We’re under tremendous pressure from large-scale development projects that are really looking to build up the North Fork and denigrate that rural identity,” said Reynolds. “A lot of our insects are being threatened and their populations are declining because of pesticides and loss of habitat.” 

As more and more green space is taken over by development, the preservation of native plants, Reynolds says, is essential. The Long Island Native Plant Initiative is doing exactly that; The volunteer-based cooperative is made up of over 30 nonprofit organizations, governmental agencies, nursery professionals and citizens working together to protect the genetic heritage and biodiversity of plant populations on Long Island. 

“We used to have grasslands from the western end of Nassau County all the way to Montauk and those genetics used to be able to freely move amongst those populations,” explained Anthony Marinello, a member of LINPI’s board of directors. “Because development has pretty much consumed the island, our ecosystems are now very broken up and no longer connected.” 

LINPI’s main initiative is to distribute native ecotype seeds to the nursery industry. These are seeds that come from plants that have evolved and adapted over a long time to the soil and climate of a particular area, like Long Island. Oftentimes, explained Marinello, nurseries import seeds from other regions, like the Midwest or New England. Seeds that come directly from native plants on Long Island, however, are better suited to the local environment and have a better chance of survival, especially in the face of climate change. 

The cooperative’s executive board uses a special permit to collect native berries and seeds at state parks and nature preserves across Long Island. Once collected, these seeds are processed at the cooperative’s greenhouse at Sisters of St. Joseph in Brentwood. Some are saved as genetic samples and put in cold storage for future use, while others are grown in founder’s pots at the greenhouse. Once their genetics are mixed through reproduction, the cooperative is able to obtain seeds that represent the entire island. 

Though most of LINPI’s energy is focused on integrating these native seeds into the larger gardening industry and restoration, it also hosts a biannual plant sale where the public can purchase native plants for their home gardens. 

As pollinators rely on native plants to survive, the task force advocates for growing native plants throughout the county, particularly in open green space and roadways. 

“We’re under tremendous pressure from large-scale development projects that are really looking to build up the North Fork and denigrate that rural identity,” said Reynolds. “A lot of our insects are being threatened and their populations are declining because of pesticides and loss of habitat.” 

As more and more green space is taken over by development, the preservation of native plants, Reynolds says, is essential. The Long Island Native Plant Initiative is doing exactly that; The volunteer-based cooperative is made up of over 30 nonprofit organizations, governmental agencies, nursery professionals and citizens working together to protect the genetic heritage and biodiversity of plant populations on Long Island. 

“We used to have grasslands from the western end of Nassau County all the way to Montauk and those genetics used to be able to freely move amongst those populations,” explained Anthony Marinello, a member of LINPI’s board of directors. “Because development has pretty much consumed the island, our ecosystems are now very broken up and no longer connected.” 

LINPI’s main initiative is to distribute native ecotype seeds to the nursery industry. These are seeds that come from plants that have evolved and adapted over a long time to the soil and climate of a particular area, like Long Island. Oftentimes, explained Marinello, nurseries import seeds from other regions, like the Midwest or New England. Seeds that come directly from native plants on Long Island, however, are better suited to the local environment and have a better chance of survival, especially in the face of climate change. 

The cooperative’s executive board uses a special permit to collect native berries and seeds at state parks and nature preserves across Long Island. Once collected, these seeds are processed at the cooperative’s greenhouse at Sisters of St. Joseph in Brentwood. Some are saved as genetic samples and put in cold storage for future use, while others are grown in founder’s pots at the greenhouse. Once their genetics are mixed through reproduction, the cooperative is able to obtain seeds that represent the entire island. 

Though most of LINPI’s energy is focused on integrating these native seeds into the larger gardening industry and restoration, it also hosts a biannual plant sale where the public can purchase native plants for their home gardens. 

While most Long Islanders don’t have the space to grow a meadow in their backyards, they can still create important habitats for wildlife by adding native plants to their private properties. 

Marinello first began home gardening with native plants in high school, when he transformed the front lawn of his parents’ suburban West Hempstead home into a mini oasis for songbirds. 

“I used to feed the birds in high school, and then I learned that you could grow a better bird feeder,” he explained. After some research, he realized that he would need to grow native plants to attract caterpillars as a food source. “If you don’t have native plants in your landscapes, those birds don’t have a way to feed their chicks, so they actually starve in their nests during the breeding season.” 

Today, Marinello is the founder of Dropseed Native Landscapes, a mobile company that helps individuals transform their yards into ecological safe havens. He offers online and in-person consultations to home gardeners across Long Island, selling native plants that he purchases from local wholesale nurseries like Glover Perennials in Cutchogue. 

Whether Long Island residents have a large backyard or a second-floor balcony, planting natives for pollinators and other wildlife, Marinello says, is for everyone. 

“If you have a small section of your yard that you don’t use, instead of keeping it as a lawn, you can make it a pocket prairie with native plants,” he explained. 

When Reynolds first moved back to Long Island, she had to work with a small apartment patio. “I didn’t have the space and didn’t want to put the money into beautifying a place that wasn’t mine,” she explained. “I got containers and planted swamp milkweed in one of them. In one season, I had about 30 caterpillars on that one plant.” 

Native plants can also save gardeners time and money. Unlike the exotic plant species that people often use in their gardens, native plants are well adapted to the environment, so they fare well without regular watering and maintenance. They also don’t require pesticides, a benefit for both the environment and communities’ health. 

Though native planting has become increasingly popular among gardeners over the last decade, environmentalists like Marinello and Reynolds continue to see some apprehension from within their community. One common misconception is that native flower gardens are less “aesthetic” than exotic flower-filled gardens. 

“Some of our native plants are absolutely gorgeous,” said Reynolds. Butterfly weed, she named as an example, is a bright orange flowering plant. “It really gives you that shock of color.” 

“A lot of times when we speak about native plants people think that we’re speaking about some abandoned lot on the side of the road,” Marinello added. “That abandoned lot is filled with the non-native, invasive species. That’s not what we’re doing. We’re talking about vibrant wildflowers and shrubs that flower and smell fragrant.” 

Tips for planting a native garden

Contact your local garden centers

There are several garden centers on the North Fork that sell native plants, including Peconic Herb Farm in Calverton, Chick’s Southold Agway and Trimble’s Nursery in Cutchogue. Contact your local garden center and express your interest in planting native plant species. 

Do your research

Make sure that you are purchasing a plant that’s native to your region, not just the USA. As a rule of thumb, you’ll want to find plants that are native to an area that is within 250 miles from your home. 

Educate yourself on the botanical names of native plants to ensure that you are purchasing the exact species that you are looking to grow. Oftentimes, plants at nurseries are either not properly labeled or common names may be misleading. For example, Montauk Daisies — scientific name Nipponanthemum nipponicum — originate from the coastal regions of Japan. 

The New York Flora Atlas is an online resource that allows users to search for plants that are native to New York by their common name, scientific name, county, genus or family. 

Choose the right plant for the right place

Some conditions to consider are sunlight, soil type, water availability and exposure to temperatures. Be sure to remove pesky invasive species from the area, which can destroy native plant species. 

Join a community

Visit local parks and preserves, like Downs Farm Preserve or the native rain garden at Inlet Pond Park in Greenport for inspiration. Reach out to local nonprofits and other organizers that plant native species for advice. There are also several online communities dedicated to native planting, like the Long Island Native Plant Gardening Group on Facebook.

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