The City of Greensboro, in partnership with the T. Gilbert Pearson Audubon chapter of the National Audubon Society, is celebrating North Carolina Native Plants Week, October 20–26, 2025. The observance aligns with Governor Josh Stein’s 2025 resolution recognizing the importance of native plants to the state’s biodiversity, natural heritage, and environmental resilience.
Throughout the week, the City and its partners will highlight the vital role native plants play in supporting local ecosystems, including providing food and shelter for birds, butterflies, bees, and other pollinators essential to North Carolina’s environment.
What Are Native Plants?
Native plants are species that occur naturally within a region, having evolved and adapted over thousands of years to local soils, climate, and wildlife. North Carolina is home to thousands of native plant species—many of which are uniquely beautiful and found nowhere else in the world. These plants form the ecological foundation for healthy wildlife populations and thriving natural landscapes.
Why Are Native Plants Important for Birds?
A one word answer to that question, “insects.” Nearly 96 percent of land birds rely on insects, such as caterpillars, to feed their young. Native plants sustain these insect populations, providing essential food sources for breeding birds. In contrast, many non-native plants contain chemical compounds that local insects cannot digest—creating an ecological imbalance that threatens the survival of birds and other wildlife.
By planting and protecting native species in our yards, parks, and community spaces, residents can help restore natural food webs, reduce the spread of invasive species, and build a more resilient local ecosystem.
Native Plants Week is an opportunity for residents, schools, and organizations to learn about local native flora and explore ways to incorporate them into landscaping and restoration projects. For more information, email the T. Gilbert Pearson Audubon Society at contact@tgpearsonaudubon.org, or fill out the form at www.tgpearsonaudubon.org/contact.
