On March 27th, 2026, Senate Resolution 665 was approved with unanimous bipartisan consent in the United States Senate designating April 2026 as National Native Plant Month! This year, Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS) was the lead sponsor and Senator Mazie Hirono (D-HI) the bipartisan cosponsor of this important native plant resolution. Thank you Senators Hyde-Smith and […] Continue reading "April 2026 is National Native Plant Month!!!"
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources is seeking public comment on the 2025-2035 Maryland State Wildlife Action Plan (SWAP). This wide-ranging document examines the state’s plants and animals, outlining ways to support species of greatest conservation need – species which are rare, declining, or at risk of declining in Maryland – along with the key […] Continue reading "Maryland State Wildlife Action Plan"
The first week of spring saw a flurry of activities for Wild Ones Chesapeake Bay, from creating a welcoming display case at the local library, to winter sowing and seed sharing at the College of Southern Maryland (CSM), to advocating for legislation in Maryland. Twin Beaches Display Case On Monday, several chapter members converted the […] Continue reading "Welcome Spring! 2026"
National Invasive Species Awareness Week (NISAW) is here! NISAW is happening from February 23–27, 2026, and is an international event dedicated to raising awareness about invasive species, the threats they pose, and the actions that can be taken to prevent their spread. NISAW is led by The North American Invasive Species Management Association (NAISMA) in […] Continue reading "National Invasive Species Awareness Week 2026"
2026 is off to a mission-aligned start for Wild Ones Chesapeake. Our January Garden Chat focused on the Wild Ones mission to promote native landscapes through education, advocacy and collaborative action. Our Garden Chat attendees were treated to a presentation by Unity Gardens, followed by an update on the “Make May Maryland Native Plant Month” […] Continue reading "January 2026 Garden Chat – Grants for Gardens and Maryland Native Plant Month"
October is a perfect time to adopt some wildlife-friendly fall gardening practices. While its common practice to bag leaves as “yard waste” and send them to landfills, it’s actually incredibly valuable habitat for wildlife and nutrients for plants. Making the shift to use your fallen leaves in your garden rather than throwing them out can […] Continue reading "October is National Leave the Leaves Month!"
Wild Ones Chesapeake Bay would like to encourage you to support Bona Terra Nursery’s zoning request for on-site nursery sales in its new location in Charles County, Maryland. The Bona Terra native plant nursery is carefully maintained by experts, focusing on growing local ecotypes within 100 miles of the nursery in Charles County, using minimal […] Continue reading "Support Zoning for On-Site Nursery Sales at Bona Terra"
Celebrate Earth Day with us! Join us as Kirsten Hoffman and Judy Fulton share the details of recent legislation that promotes native plants by creating the Maryland Native Plants Program and legislation that strengthened Maryland’s invasive plant laws. Both bills are currently being implemented, and they will provide updates on new resources that these laws […] Continue reading "April 2025 is National Native Plant Month!!!"
Happy Mother’s Day to Mother Nature (also known as Mother Earth or the Earth Mother)! I can think of no better gift than the signing of the 2024 Biodiversity and Agriculture Protection Act (HB979/SB917) by Governor Wes Moore on Thursday, May 9, 2024. Sponsored by Del. Linda Foley, Sen. Ben Brooks, and the Maryland Native […] Continue reading "Maryland Governor Wes Moore signs 2024 Biodiversity and Agriculture Protection Act (HB979/SB917)"
Thank you to everyone who called or wrote in to your representatives in support of the bill to ban the sale of invasive plants in Maryland! And thank you to the Maryland Native Plant Coalition for leading the effort! “We have passed through both chambers of the Maryland legislature! HB979 is going to the Governor’s […] Continue reading "Ban the Sale of Invasive Plants in Maryland ~ Update"