Preserving Long Island’s Biodiversity

 
 
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Who We Are

The Long Island Native Plant Initiative (LINPI) is an all-volunteer cooperative effort of over 30 non-profit organizations, governmental agencies, nursery professionals, and citizens.

 

Mission

LINPI strives to preserve Long Island's biodiversity by cultivating ethically sourced ecotypic plants to ensure commercial availability of native plants for nurseries, communities, and habitat restorations.

We fuel the native plant supply by driving demand through volunteer efforts, education, and outreach programs.

Our Goals

 

the SOURCE

Establish a commercial source of ecotypic seed for native plant production

SEED BANKING

Contribute to and manage a regional seed bank

Guiding the way

Foster a demand for native plants through education and outreach with the community

 
 

“Bridging the gap, by going to seed.”

Polly Weigand |  Founder

 
 
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Why Native Plants?

Native Plants are:

  • Ecologically beneficial (pollination, food source, shelter)

  • Promote biodiversity

  • More resilient than exotic species to disease, climate

  • Require fewer resources like water, soil amendments, and fertilizer

Ecotypic Natives - How Native is Native?

Long Island’s ecoregion is 59 and 84, shared by parts of NJ, CT, and MA.

Ecotypic natives are organisms native to our ecoregion, as defined by the EPA. Ecoregions are areas where ecosystems (and the type, quality, and quantity of environmental resources are generally similar (source).

Ecotypic native plants are best adapted to our:

  • Climate - Seasonality, Weather, Temperature

  • Unique Environmental Stressors - Coastal, Drought, Soils, Fire Tolerance

  • Most resistant to Pests and Disease

  • Best Pollination & Food Sources to our indigenous fauna

  • Best at Competition = Resilient to Invasive Species

  • Support Symbiotic Relationships with other species