Update: On February 12, SB 547 passed the Senate Rules Committee with a “do pass” recommendation. The bill will now be sent to the Senate President’s desk for a second and third reading and then a floor vote. If it passes on the Senate floor it will be sent to the House and assigned to a House Committee to start the process again. Please see “You can help” below, and ask your Oregon legislator to support this bill.
For several years, the Native Plant Society of Oregon (NPSO) has worked with the Governor’s office to draft a Proclamation which declares April as Native Plant Month in Oregon. But proclamations must be renewed each and every year, so NPSO wishes to move ahead to the next step: Pass a law that will make Oregon’s Native Plant Appreciation Month permanent. Senate Bill 547 in the 2025 Oregon Legislature would do just that. The bill has been referred to the Senate Committee on Rules.
The purpose of a native plant appreciation month is education. Educating the public about the importance of native plants is crucial for the future of the planet. Because they co-evolved with native fauna over millennia, native plants are absolutely essential to support and sustain local and regional biodiversity. And, they require no chemicals, less water, and maintain clean air, water, and soil stability. Non-native, ornamental plants cannot replace them. But most people and landscaping companies do not know these facts, or are just learning, so raising public awareness is necessary and establishment of a permanent Native Plant Appreciation Month will help. To learn more about why we need this legislation in Oregon: Why legislate a native plant appreciation month.
YOU CAN HELP by reaching out to your Oregon legislators to encourage them to support SB547. Chief sponsors are Senator Janeen Sollman and Senator Sara Gelser Blouin; regular sponsors include Senators Broadman, Campos, Lieber, Meek, Reynolds, and Weber, and Representatives McLain and Nathanson. To find your legislators’ names and email addresses, click here and type in your address.
You can use this template to request a legislator’s support (but please put text in your own words as much as possible): https://docs.google.com/document/d/17Cnd4H1AZTBtJ5IRcntG3nA0Iz-AGd8x/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=102619858849365963669&rtpof=true&sd=true.
On behalf of NPSO and the Portland Garden Club, thank you!
Poster from 2022 …
