In the summer of 2020, the Oakland County Board of Commissioners launched the Native Plant Initiative. The program is designed to educate residents about the ecological benefits of cultivating native plants. Native plants help prevent the spread of invasive species, which can crowd out other local species, contribute to erosion, promote the use of toxic pesticides and cause other problems for natural habitats.
Events hosted in the fall of 2020 and spring of 2021 have helped distribute 700 bundles, each containing dozens of native plants, to residents from many cities, villages and townships across Oakland County. Participants signed an environmental stewardship pledge and received kits with native flora along with information on how to plant and care for these beneficial species in their own gardens.