Nursery Professionals Play a Vital Role in Promoting Healthy, Resilient Landscapes
With biodiversity under pressure from many stressors, greater use of native plants is crucial to creating healthy, resilient landscapes. Research comparing the performance of native to non-native plants in developed landscapes shows that native plants support significantly higher wildlife abundance and diversity than non-natives. Given >90% of Maryland’s land is privately owned, current and future restoration heavily dependent on the nursery supply chain.
Historically, native plant sales account for only a small fraction of total plant sales in the US (10% in 2018), so are underrepresented in residential and commercial landscapes. However, the market is changing. The 2024 National Gardening Survey reported 17% of consumers purchased plants native to their region; and 28% bought plants to support pollinators, birds, and other wildlife.
