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5 <br /> 1 Commissioner Richards read the following proclamation: <br /> 2 <br /> 3 ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br /> 4 <br /> 5 NATIVE PLANT MONTH <br /> 6 PROCLAMATION <br /> 7 <br /> 8 WHEREAS, native plants are indigenous species that have evolved and occur naturally in a <br /> 9 particular region, ecosystem, and habitat; and <br /> 10 <br /> 11 WHEREAS, native plants are vital for maintaining and restoring the healthy ecosystem needed <br /> 12 to sustain our environment, including but not limited to seed dispersal; pollination of crops and <br /> 13 natural vegetation; prevention of flooding, drought, and erosion; regulation of disease-carrying <br /> 14 organisms; and moderation of weather extremes; and <br /> 15 <br /> 16 WHEREAS, native plants provide shelter as well as nectar, pollen, and seeds that serve as food <br /> 17 for native butterflies, insects, birds, amphibians and other wildlife in ways that non-native plants <br /> 18 cannot; and <br /> 19 <br /> 20 WHEREAS, there are more than 17,000 native plant species in the United States, which include <br /> 21 trees, shrubs, vines, grasses, and wildflowers; and <br /> 22 <br /> 23 WHEREAS, North Carolina is home to more than 3,900 native plant species, including trees, <br /> 24 shrubs, vines, grasses, and wildflowers, making it one of the most diverse states for native <br /> 25 plants in the Southeast; <br /> 26 <br /> 27 WHEREAS, 969 of the native plant species in North Carolina have been designated as <br /> 28 significantly rare and/or in decline and may be in danger of extinction; and <br /> 29 <br /> 30 WHEREAS, 94 of those 969 imperiled plants have been found in Orange County; and <br /> 31 <br /> 32 WHEREAS, habitat loss and degradation, extreme weather events, and invasive species have <br /> 33 contributed to the decline of native plants in the United States; and <br /> 34 <br /> 35 WHEREAS, native plants are essential components of resilient ecosystems and our natural <br /> 36 heritage; <br /> 37 <br /> 38 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Orange County Board of Commissioners <br /> 39 hereby designates April 2022 as "Native Plant Month" in Orange County, and recognizes the <br /> 40 benefits of native plants to the environment and economy of Orange County, the state of North <br /> 41 Carolina, and the United States. <br /> 42 <br /> 43 THIS THE 5T" DAY OF APRIL, 2022. <br /> 44 <br /> 45 <br /> 46 Renee Price, Chair <br /> 47 Orange County Board of Commissioners <br /> 48 <br /> 49 A motion was made by Commissioner Richards, seconded by Commissioner McKee, to <br /> 50 approve the proclamation and authorize the Chair to sign it. <br /> 51 <br />