What Can I do about invasive species?
- Join NC-IPC.
- Take an interest in invasive plant issues.
- Learn to identify invasive plants, especially those that are not yet in NC but have been selected as early detection targets, and report them to any member of the NC-IPC Board of Directors or to the NC Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services at 1-800-206-WEED or [email protected].
- Participate in local conservation groups and volunteer for coordinated invasive plant activities in your community. This will provide you with great opportunities to learn about plants, how to identify them, and manage them.
- Find out what is growing in your yard, and remove invasive plants.
- Select native and/or non-invasive plant alternatives for new landscaping. Check out the North Carolina Native Plant Society website for suggestions, or the NC State University "Going Native: Urban Landscaping for Wildlife with Native Plants" program.
Native Alternatives
- The North Carolina Native Plant Society has a list of native plants which it recommends for landscaping
- North Carolina State University "Going Native" has a comprehensive guide to landscaping with native plants, including how to design yards to attract wildlife and birds
- The North Carolina Botanical Garden also has lists of recommended species for your garden
- The US Fish and Wildlife Service has a list of recommended native species for planting: Native Plants for Your Backyard
- NC Audubon has lists of plants native to North Carolina that are great for birds along with growing guides: 400 Recommended Bird-Friendly Native Plants for NC, Coastal Plain Native Plants, Piedmont Native Plants, Mountain Native Plants, Coastal Plain Native Plants (Spanish Version), Piedmont Native Plants (Spanish Version), Mountain Native Plants (Spanish Version), Coastal Plain Native Plants Growing Guide, Piedmont Native Plants Growing Guide, and Mountain Native Plants Growing Guide
- Native Plants for Coastal North Carolina Landscapes (produced through the North Carolina State University Herbarium, the US Fish and Wildlife Service, the National Fish & Wildlife Federation, and other collaborators)
To find local nurseries that sell native plants, please see:
- The North Carolina Native Plant Society's list of recommended and approved nurseries
- The North Carolina Botanical Garden's list of recommended sources of native plants
- The North Carolina Forest Service's list of nurseries that sell native trees
- The Botanical Gardens at Asheville list of native plant suppliers
Resources
Landscaping for Wildlife with Native Plants (published by the NC Cooperative Extension Service)
Nursery Calling Card (Card for notifying nurseries that they are selling invasive species)
SACWMP Pocket Guide - Do Not Buy list & Prefered Alternatives list
Mecklenburg Soil & Water - Do Not Purchase list
Resource List for Management and Native Alternatives
Nursery Calling Card (Card for notifying nurseries that they are selling invasive species)
SACWMP Pocket Guide - Do Not Buy list & Prefered Alternatives list
Mecklenburg Soil & Water - Do Not Purchase list
Resource List for Management and Native Alternatives