Avid community volunteer Barry Krebs submitted the following report and photos from a Saturday cleanup event on Nickajack Creek:

The Georgia Native Plant Society, Mableton City Council Member Patty Auch and Cobb County Water Dept along with other volunteers removed a bunch of trash and debris from Nickajack Creek on Saturday. We met at Heritage Park equipped with waders and mosquito repellent. The weather was perfect and we all enjoyed returning Nickajack Creek to its beautiful, natural state.

About Native Plants

Over the past few decades, much has been written about the need to encourage native plants and discourage the spread of invasive non-native species. But what exactly does that mean?

What is a native plant?

Native plants are those that arose and thrived naturally within their local environment. Native plants existed in a particular region before humans began introducing plants from other areas or continents.

What are the advantages of native plants?

Native plants coexist harmoniously with their local climate, soil, and seasons.  

In contrast, non-native plants often push out other plants in a region. Two good examples are the common invasive non-native species: kudzu and privet. Invasive non-native plants spread rapidly and compete with local species for resources, often choking the native plants out entirely.

Even non-native species that are not fast-spreading and invasive require special attention and increased resources (water, fertilizer, extensive soil amendment) to survive in a hostile environment.

Gardeners can help the environment by choosing native plants, which will improve the local genetic diversity and avoid the spread of invasive species, which can disrupt ecosystems.

How do I tell which plants are native and which are non-native?

Most states have websites devoted to native plants.  Here in Georgia, the Georgia Native Plant Society (GNPS) maintains a website with a long list of plants native to Georgia.

Visit the GNPS website to browse and search for native plants in Georgia.