Ohio Legislature passes bill to promote native plants throughout state

The Ohio Legislature passed legislation that allows individuals, conservation organizations and non-profits, to collect and share native plant seeds with other like-minded organizations. This will encourage groups and individuals to plant more native plants and create more native plant habitats to ensure Ohio’s natural spaces thrive.

The Ohio House passed HB 364 on a unanimous vote in June. The Ohio Senate followed suit on Dec. 19 on a vote of 30-0. The legislation, at press time, was awaiting Gov. Mike DeWine’s signature.

“I want to thank lawmakers in the Ohio House and Senate for passing this commonsense legislation,” said Mary Turocy, director of policy and government relations for The Nature Conservancy (TNC) in Ohio. “Once signed into law, this will have a significant impact on efforts throughout the state to remove invasive plants and replace them with plants native to Ohio, provide more habitat to threatened insects and even help individuals who want to create their own pollinator garden.”… Continue reading