A bill before the Maryland Legislature would classify harmful invasive plants and encourage the use of beneficial native species that support local wildlife and ecosystems.
Invasives plants will be listed according to their level of destructiveness. The plants will be drawn from the National Park Service’s and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Plant Invaders of Mid-Atlantic Natural Areas. Additional invasive plants may be added by the Secretary of Agriculture if needed.
The proposed legislation also requires the Department of Natural Resources to “create, maintain, and publish” a list of plant species native to Maryland on its website.
The bill further states that organizations receiving state funding and state agencies must prioritize the use of plants native to Maryland for every planting project.
If the bill becomes law, plants native to Maryland will be exempt from sales and use tax.
“Our natural world is composed of countless incredible and interdependent systems that exist in balance. And while it is not always obvious, we influence these systems daily. In the case of the introduction of invasive plant species into an ecosystem, we jeopardize the balance of these systems which has far-reaching consequences,” says Del. Eric G. Luedtke, District 14, Montgomery County.
Continue reading Time to Voice Your Views on Invasives, Natives