Plant Rescue
The Plant Rescue program is a major effort and an integral part of the Georgia Native Plant Society, and it was a motivating factor in the formation of the GNPS. The purpose of the rescue program is to relocate native plants that are in the direct path of development. It is a community effort undertaken with the developer’s written permission and with many hours of volunteer labor. Rescued plants go to nature centers, parks, schools, public gardens and backyard habitats.
Plant rescues are available to GNPS members. Check out the FAQ link for some of the most common questions regarding our plant rescues.
Click on the rescue schedule link to find out what rescues are scheduled for this month. Rescues are not usually held in the months of July, August or January.
If you know of a site that might be available for rescue, click on the report a new site link to give us the information and we’ll check it out with the property owner or the developer.
News & Events
Curious about the GNPS Plant Rescue Program? A true benefit of GNPS membership
On rescuing native plants… “Saving them from certain destruction not only perpetuates their lives, it educates and enriches ours.” – Jeane Reeves, founder of the GNPS rescue program
The plant rescue program is an important part of GNPS, and the work we do to save plants from destruction is rewarding to everyone who participates. At every rescue, the diggers are collecting plants not only for their own gardens but to donate to schools, churches, one of GNPS’s many restoration projects, and public as well as private neighborhood gardens. Thousands of the plants available at the GNPS Spring and Fall plant sales were also rescued from destruction. A number of these are plants are difficult to obtain, or simply unavailable, in the nursery trade.
There is more to rescues than just saving native plants. We are all teaching and learning every time we set foot on a rescue site. We also build relationships with others who share a common interest in these wonderful plants along with the pollinators and wildlife who depend on them for their existence.
If you are a new member or have just never gone on a plant rescue, now is the time. Fall is the perfect planting season, and there are plenty of plants that need saving. On a rescue, we’ll help you identify plants, show how to dig them, and share ideas about their aftercare. The rescue schedule is available on our calendar with rescue events noted with a bright blue stripe on them. We hope to see you on a rescue soon!
Remember, never dig native plants on public property, or on private property without the permission of the owner, and dig only if the plants will be lost to development. Join a GNPS rescue instead and help us save the plants legally and ethically with other people who love native plants.