“We see the demand for native plants growing as all levels of government
seek to meet climate and biodiversity restoration targets. It’s imperative that
governments and the private sector act quickly to ensure we develop a flourishing
native plant sector that advances reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples, grows
healthy landscapes, and re-introduces the beauty and diversity of native plants to
the millions of people who call southern Ontario home.”
Sarah Winterton, Lead Author, Carolinian Canada
“Indigenous stewardship of our lands and waters is a tradition
that
spans millennia, embodying a deep respect for the interconnectedness of all living
things. In stepping forward to address the urgent needs of our ecosystems through
the cultivation and propagation of native plants, we are not only working towards
climate resilience and biodiversity restoration but are also honoring a legacy of
ecological harmony. This report lights the path for a future where Indigenous wisdom
and leadership are central to the healing and flourishing of our natural world.
Together, through collaboration and mutual respect, we can cultivate landscapes that
are not only resilient but also reflective of the rich cultural heritage and
ecological knowledge that Indigenous Peoples bring to the table. It is time for us
to grow together, nurturing the seeds of hope for a sustainable and reconciled
future.”
Sam Whiteye, Indigenous Leadership Director,
Carolinian Canada
“Growing native plants is the greenest job on earth. A sustainable
future is within our grasp. We need to unleash the potential of our local economies
and diverse businesses to accelerate healthy landscapes in the spirit and practice
of reconciliation.”
Michelle Kanter, Executive Director, Carolinian
Canada
“It has been identified that existing native plant and seed resources
are insufficient to meet the demand needed to address both the climate and
biodiversity crises. It is crucial that we continue to grow our capacity for
providing sustainable native plant and seed resources to meet these increasing
demands. By working together to address the challenges facing the native plant and
seed industry we can ensure a sustainable future, preserving the beauty and
diversity of Mother Earth for generations to come.”
Dan Werner, Operations Manager, Kayanase Greenhouse
“Ontario’s Greenbelt safeguards the vital resources that clean our air,
which protects watersheds and provides wildlife habitat and valuable ecosystem
services such as pollination for crops. As one of the most biologically rich areas
in all of Canada, crop pollination by wild pollinators in the Greenbelt provides $48
million in crop resiliency benefits to the agriculture sector. As Ontario continues
to grow, we must take steps now to stop the decline in native plants that provide
food for wild pollinators, and ultimately, for Ontarians.”
Edward McDonnell, CEO, Greenbelt Foundation
“We all talk about the benefits of native plants. There is an intrinsic
value we know and feel. Those inherent benefits are why so many of us are so heavily
involved in the business of promoting, profiling, and growing native plants.
Collectively, we need to encourage and facilitate investment in a range of research
topics that address the ecological goods and services value of native plants, their
value in supporting sectors like agriculture, business, recreation and of course the
environment, and the real costs incurred by their losses.”
Rob Messervey, Vice-Chair, Ontario Native Plant
Growers Association
“Too often plant diversity is overlooked in sustainable development
goals, but achieving restoration targets needs advanced planning for and
coordination of native plant materials-- seeds and seedlings—the building blocks of
new ecosystems. We need to stop thinking of restoration in general terms and start
outlining specific needs for revegetation with native plants, as well as policies
that promote the use of ecologically appropriate seed sources.”
Stefan Weber, Ecologist, Canadian Wildlife
Federation
