Mission
Wild Ones: Native Plants, Natural Landscapes promotes environmentally sound landscaping practices to preserve biodiversity through the preservation, restoration and establishment of native plant communities.
Core Values
Our culture is built on
- Respect – Our mission stems from our respect for the other species on this planet and future generations. We will treat each other – our staff, members and volunteers – with respect at all times. We respect different tastes in landscaping but also ask that others show respect for the common good by considering how they can conserve resources and improve the environment via the inclusion of native plants in their landscapes.
- Personalized Support – Our members value the opportunity for direct contact with other Wild Ones members and the ability to “learn locally.” This sets Wild Ones apart from many similar organizations. Networking and education are our most important functions.
- Appreciation – Volunteers R Us – To keep our dues low and our efforts local, Wild Ones is a grassroots organization that runs primarily on volunteer effort. We will continue to rely on volunteers to carry our mission forward. We will support our volunteers and recognize their efforts, especially those in volunteer leadership positions.
- All Members are Valuable Members – At the national level our income is largely derived from member dues and donations. We appreciate all members, respecting that everyone has varying priorities and demands on their time which impact their ability to volunteer.
- Fresh and Malleable – While we stay focused on our core abilities and goals we will continually look for and solicit ideas from our Board, our members and honorary directors for new strategies that we might use to further our goal of promoting sustainable landscape practices.
Vision for the Future
- To become the most widely recognized voice for native plants and the sustainable landscaping movement promoting increased use of native plantings that create living landscapes through grassroots efforts by example, education, marketing, and personalized support.
- We will raise public awareness regarding the benefits that native plants, including trees, shrubs, wildflowers and grasses, offer in a variety of settings so landscaping with native plants becomes the norm rather than the exception.
- We will convince the general public that including native plants in home and public landscapes is aesthetically pleasing and healthier for our environment, and that reducing unnecessary turf grass reduces storm-water runoff and unnecessary use of water, fuel, and lawn chemicals.
- We will see the use of native plants extend into an increasing number of areas where plants touch the soil – applications such as agriculture (pollinator support) and public places.
- We will join forces with others to preserve native plants and biodiversity from loss due to development and other forces, including displacement by non-native invasive plants.
Interpretation of Our Vision
- Widely recognized: Means getting our name and what we do in front of the general public over and over until it is as commonly understood as “Audubon Society = Birds.”
- Leading voice: Means that we are the group most people think of first when they need information, advice, or support on the “how to” or benefits of landscaping with native plants.
- Join forces: When it comes to preserving native plants from loss due to habitat destruction and other related causes we will collaborate with other groups who take on such efforts as their primary mission to lend our support. We understand that the survival of native plants in the long term may depend on these efforts. However, Wild Ones’ core focus will be to support native-plant community restoration through education.
Wild Ones Natural Landscapers, Ltd. is a nonprofit, environmental education and advocacy corporation registered in the State of Wisconsin.
- We are a 501(c)(3) organization, registered under Tax ID# 39-1695443.
- All membership dues and donations are 100% tax deductible to the extent of the law.
- Our Executive Committee is made up of the national officers — President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Past President — and the Executive Director.
- Except for the Executive Director, all members of the Executive Committee, Board of Directors and chair people are volunteers. Each person brings their own unique expertise to our organization for the purpose of implementing the Board’s directives and guiding chapter operations.
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