Mission Statement:
To increase awareness of the importance of
using native plant species in the Erie Community.
T
he mission of Go Native Erie! (GNE) is to educate the public about the importance of native plants, while discouraging the use, sale and trade of invasive plant species. While native plants are the foundation of a healthy and diverse ecosystem, invasive plants are commonly, yet unintentionally, promoted and sold by landscapers and
greenhouses. Founded in 2014 by Jen Salem, RSC Plant Lab and Greenhouse Manager, GNE provides outreach, education and hands-on workshops to adults and students in our community. Here are a few highlights of the GNE program:
- Go Native Erie! is a working group which operates under the Regional Science Consortium, located in the Tom Ridge Environmental Center (TREC)
- One of the keystone projects of GNE is to donate locally grown native plants to public greenspace projects
- Since its inception, GNE has donated over 2500 individual plants to projects throughout Western Pennsylvania
- GNE grows its plants in the RSC Greenhouse at TREC and at the Greenhouse located on the campus of Gannon University
- GNE hosts the ONLY all-native annual plant sale in Erie County
- GNE is the sole producer of native plants for Wetland and Dune restoration projects on Presque Isle State Park
