Wild Ones: Native Plants, Natural Landscapes promotes environmentally sound landscaping practices to preserve biodiversity through the preservation, restoration and establishment of native plant communities. Wild Ones is a not-for-profit environmental education and advocacy organization.
To become a widely recognized voice for native
plants and the sustainable landscaping movement,
promoting increased use of native plantings
that create living landscapes through grassroots
efforts by example, education, marketing, and
personalized support.
• We will raise public
awareness regarding the benefits that native
plants, including trees, shrubs, wildflowers
and grasses, offer in a variety of settings
so landscaping with native plants becomes the
norm rather than the exception.
• We will persuade
the general public that including native plants
in home and public landscapes is aesthetically
pleasing and healthier for our environment,
and that reducing unnecessary turf grass reduces
stormwater runoff and unnecessary use of water,
fuel, and lawn chemicals.
• We will see the
use of native plants extend into an increasing
number of areas where plants touch the soil
- such as pollinator support and public places.
•
We will join forces with others to preserve
native plants and biodiversity from loss due
to development and other forces, including
displacement by non-native invasive plants.
• Widely recognized: Means getting our name
and what we do in front of the general public
over and over until it is as commonly understood
as "Audubon Society = Birds."
• Leading
voice: Means that we are the group most people
think of first when they need information,
advice, or support on the "how to" or
benefits of landscaping with native plants.
•
Join forces: When it comes to preserving native
plants from loss due to habitat destruction
and other related causes we will collaborate
with other groups who take on such efforts
as their primary mission to lend our support.
We understand that the survival of native plants
in the long term may depend on these efforts.
However, Wild Ones' core focus will be to support
native-plant community restoration through
education.
Respect: Our mission stems from our respect for the other species on this planet and future generations. We will treat each other – our staff, members and volunteers – with respect at all times. We respect different tastes in landscaping but also ask that others show respect for the common good by considering how they can conserve resources and improve the environment via the inclusion of native plants in their landscapes.
Personalized support: our members value the opportunity for direct contact with other Wild Ones members and the ability to "learn locally." This sets Wild Ones apart from many similar organizations. Networking and education are our most important functions.
Appreciation – Volunteers R Us: To keep our dues low and our efforts local, Wild Ones is a grass-roots organization that runs primarily on volunteer effort. We will continue to rely on volunteers to carry our mission forward. We will support our volunteers and recognize their efforts, especially those in volunteer leadership positions.
All members are valuable members: At the national level our income is largely derived from member dues and donations. We appreciate all members, respecting that everyone has varying priorities and demands on their time which impact their ability to volunteer.
Fresh and Adaptable: While we stay focused on our core abilities and goals we will continually look for and solicit ideas from our Board, our members and honorary directors for new strategies that we might use to further our goal of promoting sustainable landscape practices.
