Write a comment
Outreach initiative spotlights how everyday gardeners can protect landscapes by planting native and preventing the spread of invasives.
A simple garden choice can have far-reaching effects. That’s the message from the St. Lawrence Eastern Lake Ontario Partnership for Regional Invasive Species Management (SLELO PRISM), whose Pledge to Protect outreach initiative is highlighting climate-smart gardening as a practical way to support resilient ecosystems across New York State.
As spring planting season begins, SLELO PRISM is encouraging residents to explore climate-smart gardening practices that prioritize native plants, reduce ecological disruption, and promote long-term landscape health. The Gardener Protector Toolkit, part of the Pledge to Protect’s suite of free resources, provides practical guides to help individuals choose native alternatives to invasive and ornamental plants and support local biodiversity.
“Invasive species are often introduced unknowingly through landscaping and garden choices,” said Megan Pistolese-Shaw, Education Outreach, & Communications Coordinator for SLELO PRISM. “Climate-smart gardening gives people a way to take meaningful action right in their own yards, helping prevent the spread of invasive species and creating more climate resilient habitats for native wildlife.”
The approach emphasizes using plants adapted to local conditions, avoiding known invaders, and rethinking popular ornamentals that pose long-term ecological risks.
Visitors to the Gardener Protector Toolkit can also find resources such as the New York Flora Atlas, Native Plant Finder, Alternatives to Invasive Ornamentals (Cornell CALS), and easy-to-use guides from the NYS DEC to support landscape decisions that align with local ecosystems.
For more information on how to get involved, visit sleloinvasives.org. To sign up for the Pledge to Protect, please visit ipledgetoprotect.org.
