Our native plants, having evolved here, are best suited to perform the macro tasks that plants do, such as manufacturing oxygen and filtering impurities from our water. These plants also do the best job of providing food and shelter for native wild animals. Maximum diversity in animal populations requires maximum diversity of plants. Biological diversity is vital to humans, because ultimately, we all live off the land, whether we admit it or not. Native plants continue to play a crucial role in the development of new foods, medicines and industrial products.
Native plants are also a major element in the natural beauty for which California is famous.
Others take over natural areas and out-compete or smother native plants. They can do this because the natural pests, diseases or weather conditions which kept the plants in check in their homeland are missing in California. These weeds deprive our wild animals of food and shelter, since native animals cannot make much use of them. Weeds do damage in waterways, as well as on dry land, clogging water flow and choking out aquatic plants essential to wildlife. Please check under Programs in the navigation bar at left for more in-depth information on a variety of topics.