BURNSVILLE, N.C. — A bit of a green thumb is all you need to help combat climate change, according to nursery operators in Burnsville, who say that growing plants native to North Carolina can aid in repairing a damaged ecosystem. 

 

What You Need To Know 

Carolina Native Nursery is a native plant nursery located in Burnsville

Bill Jones left the corporate scene to open the native nursery and help combat the challenges our ecosystems are facing through his native trees, perennials and plants 

There are 380 bird species at risk in North America due to invasive plants and an out-of-balance ecosystem 

 

A balanced ecosystem is made up of animals, plants, insects and other organisms, all of which rely on one another to survive. Throw any of those components out of whack, and all will suffer.

Often nature finds a way to adapt and heal itself following a disaster of some kind, but that's not always the case. 

Nursey Owner Bill Jones traded in his suit and tie from the corporate scene for soil and trimmers in the greenhouse that boosts a sprawling property.

“We have approximately 100,000 plants on the ground. We service retail clients from within a 200-mile radius. We’re sort of like a destination nursery," Jones said.

Jones founded Carolina Native Nursery in Burnsville about 20 years ago, and more than 200 types of native shrubs, perennials and trees thrive under his care. The decision to choose this life was an easy one for him.

He can see the impact climate change is having on our ecosystems, and he knows landscaping with native plants helps combat it.

He starts by educating gardeners on the need to replace any invasive species with native plants.

“For every invasive species that finds a home in a place that is not native to that, it in essence a lot of times out-competes the native plants because they don't have any natural predators or natural diseases or anything like that, nor have they evolved with the wildlife in that area," Jones said.

Invasive plants not only destroy native growth, they're deadly for birds. Scientists at the Audubon Society track bird population, and they reported nearly 400 bird species are at risk, some from invasive plants, others because the ecosystem is out of balance.

Alisha Conde manages the nursery greenhouses at Carolina Native Nursery. Over the past four years, she's gained a huge appreciation for the role of native plants.

“It’s actually easier … They are used to the climate and the changes of season, so they're honestly less low maintenance than some other non-native ornamental," Conde said.

An ecosystem out of balance takes its toll on native plants and birds, and it doesn't stop there. The Wildlife Society says that fewer birds means fewer insects, and when North American bird populations are down 39% over the past 50 years, you can imagine the impact. 

According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, only 737 native plant species are protected by the Endangered Species Act.

About 25% of the 20,000 total native plant species in North America are at risk of extinction.

How can one person make a difference? Conde told us her strategy.

“I just bought a house, so I'm planting lots of azaleas, lots of perennials. Getting rid of privette, getting rid of ivy, prever, duckweed. It's a slow, but sure process," Conde said.

Whether it's one seed, or one person, big changes start small.