[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 40 (Wednesday, March 3, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1027-S1028]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Ms. COLLINS (for herself and Ms. Cantwell):
  S. 557. A bill to establish a pilot program for native plant species, 
and for other purposes; to the Committee on Energy and Natural 
Resources.
  Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce the Native 
Plant Species Pilot Program Act. I am pleased to be partnering with 
Senator Cantwell on this initiative. Our bipartisan bill would create a 
new pilot program at the National Park Service to support the use of 
native plants, and would direct the Park Service to review existing 
data and study the cost-effectiveness of using native plants.
  Native plants are species found naturally in regions and can add 
beauty and value to our National Park System. Benefits range from using 
less water and pesticides, purifying the air, and recharging 
groundwater in wetlands. By using native species, the Park Service can 
also improve habitat for wildlife and restore important species of 
birds and butterflies to their natural environment.
  In Acadia National Park, native plants are an important part of the 
ongoing conservation efforts undertaken by Superintendent Kevin 
Schneider and all those who work to encourage the use of native plants. 
Acadia National Park protects more than 900 plant species, including 
some that are globally, nationally, and locally rare.
  Acadia is home to the vibrant rhodoras that flower along wetland 
edges in the spring and stunning wood lilies that bloom on the mountain 
tops

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in August, helping to attract the more than 3.5 million visitors a year 
to the seventh most-visited national park in the United States. The 
Wild Gardens of Acadia, located at Sieur de Monts, are a collection of 
more than 400 native plants maintained almost exclusively by park 
volunteers and represent the natural plant communities found within 
Acadia National Park. This partnership project with Friends of Acadia 
allows visitors to easily step through the park's myriad habitats and 
learn about the splendor of Acadia's native plant species. The Wild 
Gardens celebrates its 60th anniversary in 2021.
  Native plants, however, face many threats, such as non-native pests, 
non-native plants, diseases, and a changing climate. Today, almost one 
quarter of Acadia National Park's species are non-native to the park. 
The red spruce, iconic to Acadia, is projected to lose a substantial 
amount of its habitat in coming decades because of climate change. In 
addition, invasive pests, such as the Emerald Ash Borer and the hemlock 
woolly adelgid are affecting northern forests and have expanded into 
Maine. Hemlock woolly adelgid recently infested hemlock trees just 
outside of the park on Mount Desert Island.
  Our bipartisan bill has earned endorsements from the Garden Club of 
America, Friends of Acadia, Scenic America, and the Native Plant Center 
at Westchester Community College. I urge my colleagues to support this 
legislation to help protect the natural landscapes at our national 
parks for years to come.
                                 ______