1. Check your back yard. Identify any native plants to keep and any invasive plants to remove. (Some helpful definitions – “Native plants” are naturally occurring in our ecosystems. “Invasive plants” are not native to Florida and spread so much that they negatively impact our environment.) Here’s why native plants are so desirable:
   • Native plants help create a stable environment for our native wildlife, starting from the smallest insect all the way to our biggest native animals like the Florida Panther, Black Bear, and even our wildlife in the Gulf of Mexico.
   • Native plants require less maintenance: less trimming, less watering, less fertilizing. This means there will be less fertilizer run-off going into our saltwater paradise.
   • Visit the Florida Natural Areas Inventory website for help identifying some of our native plants and their invasive look-a-likes. Check out the Florida Native Plant Society website for book recommendations and more resources.
2. Once you have identified the invasive plants, it’s time for removal.
   • Some invasive plant seedlings can be removed by hand. Wear gloves and clothing to protect your skin. Invasive plants that have grown very large can be removed by machine or herbicide treatment. Seeking professional help is recommended. Learn more about invasive plants from the University of Florida Extension Office>
   • Remember, if you have an overwhelming job and there is too much to do in one day, break it in to smaller parts. Sometimes a grid system can help you break the job down in to more manageable pieces.
3. Visit your local plant nursery and ask for plants that are native to Southwest Florida.
   • Shopping local may give you a better chance of actually getting local plants and will help support our local businesses.
   • If there are no native plants in stock, please keep asking! Increased demand will lead to greater availability of native plants.
   • Check out these nearby native plant nurseries:
     • All Native Garden Center (Fort Myers)
     • Cutting Horse Eco-Center, the Coccoloba Chapter’s native plant nursery (Bonita Springs)
     • Good Roots (Estero)
     • SCCF Native Garden Center (Sanibel)
     • Subtropical Native Trees (Naples)
4. Replace excess lawn space with native plants. Doing so will decrease cost of lawn maintenance, decrease water usage, and increase biodiversity in your home landscape. Winning all around!
   • If you live in a gated community, make sure you follow the guidelines listed by your HOA. And it never hurts to become a part of the HOA to see if there are rules that can be modified to include more native plants in the landscape.

Thank you for doing YOUR part to preserve, conserve, and restore native plants in Collier County!