Grow Native!

Grow Native!
Name	Grow Native!
Formation	1993
Type	Nonprofit organization
Headquarters	St. Louis, Missouri
Area served	Missouri, Illinois
Focus	Native plant conservation, habitat restoration, environmental education

Grow Native!

Grow Native! is a regional nonprofit initiative promoting the use of native plants in landscaping, restoration, and habitat enhancement across Missouri and Illinois. The program collaborates with botanical institutions, universities, government agencies, and community groups to advance native plant knowledge, conservation practice, and public engagement. Activities emphasize ecological restoration, pollinator support, and resilient urban and suburban green infrastructure.

Overview

Grow Native! operates as a partnership-driven program linking the Missouri Department of Conservation, Missouri Botanical Garden, Forest ReLeaf of Missouri, University of Missouri, and local land trusts. The initiative provides plant lists, demonstration gardens, volunteer training, and certification for native plant projects. By focusing on regionally appropriate species, Grow Native! aligns with restoration priorities established by entities such as the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, The Nature Conservancy, Missouri Prairie Foundation, and municipal park districts.

History

Founded in 1993 through collaboration among botanical and conservation organizations, Grow Native! emerged during a period of expanding interest in native plant movements influenced by figures and organizations like Aldo Leopold, Rachel Carson, Ladybird Johnson, and the conservation programs at the Missouri Botanical Garden. Early partners included the Missouri Department of Conservation and the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. Over the following decades the initiative expanded its scope in response to regional challenges documented by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, academic research at Washington University in St. Louis, and restoration case studies from the Missouri Prairie Foundation and Forest ReLeaf of Missouri.

Mission and Programs

Grow Native!'s mission emphasizes the establishment of native plant communities for ecological benefit, aesthetic landscaping, and wildlife support. Core programs include native plant certification, demonstration garden networks, and seed propagation guidance based on best practices modeled by the Missouri Botanical Garden, Missouri Department of Conservation, and university extension programs at the University of Missouri Extension. Programmatic offerings reflect standards promoted by conservation coalitions such as The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, the Audubon Society, and municipal sustainability offices like City of St. Louis urban forestry initiatives.

Native Plant Conservation and Restoration

Restoration efforts promoted by Grow Native! target prairie, savanna, woodland, and wetland habitats recognized in state inventories maintained by the Missouri Department of Conservation and federal datasets from the United States Geological Survey and Natural Resources Conservation Service. The initiative supports native seed sourcing, genetic provenance guidelines informed by research at institutions such as Missouri State University and Saint Louis University, and restoration techniques used by practitioners associated with the Missouri Prairie Foundation and regional chapters of The Nature Conservancy. Projects often address ecological concerns raised in assessments by the Environmental Protection Agency and peer-reviewed studies from journals affiliated with the Botanical Society of America.

Education and Community Outreach

Education programs include workshops, webinars, school curricula partnerships, and volunteer engagement modeled after outreach by the Missouri Botanical Garden, the Saint Louis Zoo, and university extension offices. Grow Native! collaborates with K–12 initiatives connected to the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and community college programs at institutions like St. Louis Community College to promote citizen science, pollinator monitoring with protocols from Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, and native gardening practices. Public events often coincide with national observances such as National Pollinator Week and local conservation festivals hosted by organizations like Great Rivers Greenway.

Partnerships and Funding

Grow Native! is funded through a mix of grants, corporate sponsorships, member contributions, and partnerships with agencies such as the Missouri Department of Conservation, the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, and philanthropic organizations including Missouri Foundation for Health and regional community foundations. Collaborative partners include academic institutions—University of Missouri, Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri State University—and nonprofit organizations like Forest ReLeaf of Missouri, Missouri Prairie Foundation, The Nature Conservancy, Audubon Society, and the Missouri Botanical Garden. Funding and technical support also come via federal grant programs administered by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and conservation initiatives connected to the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.

Impact and Recognition

Grow Native! has contributed to the establishment of demonstration sites, native plant sales, and restoration projects across metropolitan and rural landscapes, with measurable outcomes reported in partnership assessments conducted with University of Missouri Extension and municipal partners such as the City of St. Louis. The program has been recognized by regional conservation awards and highlighted in publications associated with the Missouri Botanical Garden, the Missouri Department of Conservation, and academic journals produced by Washington University in St. Louis and Saint Louis University. Its influence is reflected in growing adoption of native landscaping practices by schools, parks, developers, and homeowners throughout the service region.

Category:Conservation organizations based in the United States Category:Environmental organizations established in 1993