Pennsylvania Native Species Day

The Pennsylvania Governor's Invasive Species Council and partners around the state celebrated the second annual Pennsylvania Native Species Day on Thursday, May 18

Leaders from the state Departments of Agriculture, Transportation, Environmental Protection, and Conservation and Natural Resources; the Pennsylvania Game Commission and Fish and Boat Commission; and the Pennsylvania Landscape and Nursery Association visited North Creek Nurseries in Landenburg, Chester County.

They highlighted actions state agencies are taking to help counter the proliferation of invasive species and their increasing ecological, economic, and public health impacts in Pennsylvania. North Creek owner Steve Castorani gave a tour of the grounds of this 70 percent native plant grower and wholesaler.

Full recap

Big thank you to those below and other partners around the state who joined in with public education and volunteer activities:

Nescopeck State Park
Chester County Parks and Recreation and Penn State Extension Chester County Master Gardeners
Promised Land State Park
Carnegie Museum of Natural History Powdermill Nature Preserve
Parker Dam State Park
Penn State Extension Erie County Master Watershed Stewards and Master Gardeners
Hawk Mountain Sanctuary
Clyde Peeling’s Reptiland
Longwood Gardens
Delaware Canal State Park
Loyalhanna Watershed Association, Westmoreland County Penn State Master Gardeners and Master Watershed Stewards, Forbes State Forest, Westmoreland County Master Naturalists, and Weeders and Seeders Garden Club
Beltsville State Park
Charlestown Township Environmental Advisory Council
Native Fish Coalition Pennsylvania Chapter
Wild Ones Southcentral Pennsylvania Chapter and Appalachian Audubon Society
Wild Ones Western Pennsylvania Chapter
Michaux Forest Association
Peace Valley Nature Center
Philadelphia County Master Watershed Stewards
Ricketts Glen State Park

Why protect Pennsylvania’s native species?

Pennsylvania is home to diverse native plants, trees, insects, fish, birds, and mammals that originated thousands of years ago and thrive in mutual dependence. This native ecosystem provides us with natural resources that benefit our lives by enabling agricultural food production, recreation, fisheries, timber, and more.

As humans have increased worldwide commerce and travel, nonnative species have crisscrossed the world with us. When species are transported to areas outside their native range, they have no natural predators. They often invade, crowding out and threatening the survival of native species.

The council created Pennsylvania Native Species Day to celebrate the state’s diverse native species and increase Pennsylvanians’ understanding of the importance of protecting them against the proliferation of invasive species.

Resources on Pennsylvania Native Species and Invasive Species

While not meant to be an exhaustive list, these sources may help you learn which species are native and more.

Native:

Pennsylvania-responsibility species: Members of the Pennsylvania Biological Survey compile comprehensive lists of native and invasive species statewide and determine the conservation status of each. Check out their website to find out about rare, threatened, and endangered Pennsylvania native species of all kinds.
Native plant fact sheets - From the Pennsylvania Natural Heritage Program.
Biota of North America Program - an authoritative academic native plant atlas, listing genus and species and what states they're native to.
Native plant information sheets and native plant identification and use webinar - From Penn State Extension. The Extension website offers many other resources as well.
Pennsylvania Native Plant Society - Offers lists of information sources and native plant garden centers and nurseries.
Landscaping with native plants - Templates for shade, sunny, dry, and wet locations and more, from the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.
Native plant finder - From the National Wildlife Federation; search by zip code.
Threatened and endangered fish species - From the Fish and Boat Commission.
Pennsylvania native reptile and amphibian species - from the Fish and Boat Commission.

Invasive:

Invasive species of concern in Pennsylvania - The Governor's Invasive Species Council identifies the approximately 300 invasive plants, insects, pathogens, and animals with the current or potential greatest negative impacts for Pennsylvania.
Center for Rural PA legislative hearing on invasives, August 2021: State, business, and academic leaders described the impacts that invasive species are having on Pennsylvania and called for invasive management statewide.
Aquatic invasive species of concern - From the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission.
What happens when a butterfly native to Pennsylvania mistakes nonnative invasive garlic mustard for its host plant, native toothwort - Helpful example of native species' mutual dependence, written for a general audience.
Hemlock woolly adelgid: How the Pennsylvania state tree and state fish are harmed by this one nonnative insect - A look at the ripple effects from one invasive species.
How aquatic biologists are working to protect threatened freshwater mussels in French Creek, Crawford County - Video from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.

For more information:

If you have any questions about Pennsylvania Native Species Day, contact Deb Klenotic, Governor's Invasive Species Council Communications Chair, at dklenotic@pa.gov or (717) 649-9136.