Governor Andy Beshear has proclaimed April 2023 as “Native Plant Month in Kentucky.” In his proclamation the Governor said:
“Now, therefore, I, Andy Beshear, Governor of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, do hereby proclaim April, 2023, as Native Plant Month in Kentucky and encourage Kentucky citizens to observe this occasion by removing non-native invasive plants in our yards and communities, planting native trees, shrubs, and flowers, and educating our citizens about the many benefits of native plants.“
In the fall of 2022, The Garden Club of America launched an initiative to request proclamations from all 50 Governors to make April 2023 Native Plant Month in every state! As of April 4, 2023, 42 of the 50 states have issued such a proclamation. You can see all of the state proclamations here: Native Plant Laws and Proclamations by State.
In addition to the state proclamations, The Garden Club of America, beginning in 2021 has worked with Senators Rob Portman (R-OH retired), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), and Mike Braun (R-IN) to introduce and pass resolutions in the US Senate to declare April as National Native Plant Month. Resolutions were passed in 2021 and 2022. Senators Hirono and Braun introduced the resolution for 2023 in March and the expectation is that the Senate will pass the proclamation as soon as it returns from the Easter recess. You can read the press release from Senator Hirono’s office here: Hirono, Braun Introduce Resolution Designating April 2023 as National Native Plant Month.
There are over 150 organizations in 49 states supporting the Senate resolution, including the Kentucky Native Plant Society. In our supporting email, the Society said “The Kentucky Native Plant Society is in full support of the Senate resolution to designate the month of April as National Native Plant Month! Native plants are essential to both the well-being of our natural ecosystems and the public enjoyment of these native ecosystems. This resolution is in full alignment with our organizational purpose to promote conservation of native plants and natural plant communities and to promote public education in botanical science.”