Riverhead - Chairman of the Suffolk County Legislature's Environment, Planning, and Agriculture Committee Jay Schneiderman, along with the Nature Conservancy on Long Island, have announced that there will be a Native Plant Sale to benefit the Long Island Native Grass Initiative that will continue on Friday, June 26, and Saturday, June 27, between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. at the Suffolk County Community College Eastern Campus Greenhouse in Riverhead.

The use of native plants in landscaping and restoration activities on Long Island is being increasingly encouraged by local government, environmental organizations and scientists, as the impact of invasive species and development on biodiversity are understood. In response, there is an increasing demand for such plant material by the public. Unfortunately, such sales have been stifled due to a lack of the initial source of plant material needed to create commercially available native plants.

The Long Island Native Grass Initiative, (LINGI) is a cooperative effort of over 30 non-profit organizations, governmental agencies, and nursery professionals whose mission is to bridge the gap between supply and demand by providing and producing the initial source of plant material that is native to Long Island for use by seed producers, nursery growers, and in habitat restorations.

Suffolk County continues to be a leader in invasive species control policies and funding - the need to keep waters open for fishing, boating and swimming, lands walkable, and natural areas rich in biodiversity is critical for the county's future. Through resolution 985-2005, the County convened the Water and Land Invasives Control Task Force in an effort to define the critical components needed for an effective county-wide invasives program. A set of strategies to reduce and manage invasive plants and animals and their harmful impacts, to prevent new invasions through early detection and rapid response measures, and to promote public education on issues related to invasive species were developed.

The Suffolk County Water and Land Invasives Advisory Board was created in 2009 to implement the county-wide invasives program. The Board has members from County agencies, Legislature, industry and environmental communities and works together with The Nature Conservancy, Long Island Invasive Species Management Area (LIISMA), Long Island Nursery and Landscapers Association, Long Island Farm Bureau, Cornell Cooperative Extension, Soil & Water Conservation District, Suffolk County Department of Parks, Nassau County Department of Parks, Nassau County Department of Public Works, New York City Department of Parks, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Long Island Botanical Society, and many individual botanists and field scientists. The Board is well represented by its members' interests, training and knowledge to develop and implement a vision for better action and coordination for invasive species management.

This plant sale is one of LINGI's efforts to provide this plant material to the public. The program operates solely on volunteer support.

The species currently available for sale include Indian grass (Sorghastrum nutans), Little Bluestem (Schizachryium scoparium), Big Blue Stem (Andropogon gerardii), Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum), Purple Top (Tridens flavus) and various forbs.

For further information on the plant sale, contact Polly Weigand, coordinator and soil district technician for the Suffolk County Soil and Water Conservation District at 631-727-2315, ext. 3, or at Polly.Weigand@suffolkcountyny.gov.