Once again, the Sydenham Field Naturalists are encouraging Chatham-Kent residents to plant local.
The group will have a few hundred plants for sale at the Peers Wetland on Kimball Side Road Saturday morning, where board members are especially focusing on promoting native plants for local residents.
Long-time board member Larry Cornelis said there is a clear difference in the ecological value of planting a White Oak, which is native to Chatham-Kent, versus a different variety.
"If you plant an English Oak from Europe, perhaps two or three or four species can make use of it as far as the butterflies and moths go," said Cornelis. "So, you go from 540 [that are supported by a native plant] to like three or four and that's right across the board with introduced plants."
Most of the plants the group is selling are woodland species or sunny meadow species, but they do have a few small trees and small shrubs and some native grasses.
The sale will run from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday. The proceeds from the sale go to help fund the club's projects in addition to supporting their efforts to save ecologically important properties.
Some of the group's notable projects in the past include saving the Wallaceburg Sycamore Woods as well as supporting the Peers Wetland, and the Sydenham River Nature Reserve.
You can find more details on Saturday's Native Plant Sale by clicking here.