Letter to the editor: Plants native to Florida have numerous benefits
A native cycad coontie is the only host plant of the atala butterfly
May 15, 2022
I would like to respond to the letter submitted by the landscapers in last Sunday’s paper ['Town's new native-plant rules are too onerous, need revision,' May 8 Palm Beach Daily News]. First of all, if we look at the big picture, I think we all want the same things: clean air, clean water and clean soil in which to grow healthy food.
We have lost over 3 billion (that’s with a 'B') birds since 1970, and most of the remaining species are endangered. Birds need insects as food to survive; a nesting bird feeds her chicks upward of 300 caterpillars a day. Native species are the only plants that support the insects crucial to the survival of birds and wildlife; natives also provide essential habitat and do not require the excessive chemical support needed by exotic and non-native species.
The landscapers decry the use of pesticides, yet they continue to use species such as schefflera, ficus and podocarpus in their designs, all of which require pesticides. In order to repair our island’s damaged ecosystems, it is essential that we incorporate plants that do not demand toxic chemicals to survive, and I think a mandate of at least 35% in all new landscapes is not excessive. I do agree that the list of Florida natives should be as inclusive as possible; we need a large palette from which to draw diverse material. “Florida friendly” exotics are fine to use if they don’t require chemicals, but let’s not limit our natives.
If our common goal is to restore the health of our air, soil and water, we need native material to support the pollinators, butterflies, birds and wildlife that sustain healthy ecosystems on our fragile barrier island. And we need to stop spraying toxic chemicals that kill these vital pollinators, along with the essential micronutrients in our soils, all while poisoning the air we breathe and the water we drink.
-Kim Frisbie
Original article on the Palm Beach Daily News is HERE.