Report on the Role of Native Plants in Achieving Sustainable Development Goals

Introduction: Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation Findings

A report from the Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation (SCCF) underscores the critical importance of utilizing native plants in landscaping and gardening. The implementation of native flora offers significant environmental benefits over nonnative species, directly contributing to the advancement of several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The following analysis outlines five key areas where planting native species aligns with global sustainability targets.

1. Enhancement of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Integrity

The integration of native plants is fundamental to creating healthy, functioning ecosystems, providing essential resources for local wildlife. This practice directly supports the targets of SDG 15 (Life on Land) and SDG 2 (Zero Hunger).

• Habitat and Food Source: Native plants and local wildlife have co-evolved, creating symbiotic relationships where many species, particularly insects like butterflies and moths, depend on specific native host plants for reproduction and survival. This supports robust local food webs.
• Support for Pollinators: Native plants bloom and fruit in sync with the needs of local pollinators. The health of these pollinators is crucial, as over 85% of the world’s flowering plants and approximately one-third of the global food supply rely on them.
• SDG Alignment:
  • SDG 15 (Life on Land): By providing habitat and sustenance, native plants help halt biodiversity loss and restore terrestrial ecosystems.
  • SDG 2 (Zero Hunger): Supporting pollinators ensures the production of fruits, nuts, and vegetables, contributing to food security.

2. Promotion of Sustainable Land Management and Consumption

Native plants are inherently adapted to local environmental conditions, which reduces the need for resource-intensive maintenance and promotes responsible land use, aligning with SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), and SDG 14 (Life Below Water).

• Reduced Chemical Inputs: Adaptation to local soil, rainfall, and climate means native plants require fewer fertilizers and pesticides.
• Protection of Waterways: Eliminating the use of chemical inputs prevents harmful nutrient runoff (phosphorus and nitrogen) that causes algal blooms and degrades water quality. It also protects beneficial, non-target species from pesticide exposure.
• SDG Alignment:
  • SDG 6 & SDG 14: Reducing chemical runoff protects freshwater sources and marine ecosystems from pollution.
  • SDG 12: This practice embodies responsible consumption and production patterns by minimizing chemical use in landscaping.

3. Increased Climate Resilience

Choosing plants adapted to a specific ecoregion builds resilience against local climate patterns and extreme weather events, a key objective of SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) and SDG 13 (Climate Action).

• Natural Adaptation: Native flora has evolved to withstand regional environmental stressors. For example, Southwest Florida’s coastal plants are better adapted to survive salt spray and saltwater inundation from hurricane events than nonnative species.
• SDG Alignment:
  • SDG 11 & SDG 13: Utilizing resilient native species is a nature-based solution that helps communities adapt to the impacts of climate change, making landscapes and infrastructure more sustainable.

4. Advancement of Water Conservation

The reduced water requirements of native plants are a direct contribution to the sustainable management of freshwater resources, a primary goal of SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation).

• Drought Tolerance: Once established, native plants are adapted to local rainfall patterns and require little to no supplemental irrigation.
• SDG Alignment:
  • SDG 6: This practice directly supports targets for water-use efficiency and helps conserve freshwater, a finite and vital resource.

5. Prevention of Invasive Species and Pests

Opting for native plants mitigates the risk of introducing nonnative pests and diseases that can devastate local ecosystems, which is a core target within SDG 15 (Life on Land).

• Biosecurity: The horticultural trade of nonnative plants is a known pathway for the introduction of invasive pests (e.g., croton scale) and diseases (e.g., lethal bronzing disease), which harm both native and cultivated plants.
• Ecosystem Protection: By planting native species, property owners help prevent the spread of invasive alien species that threaten biodiversity and ecosystem health.
• SDG Alignment:
  • SDG 15: This practice directly supports the target to prevent the introduction of and reduce the impact of invasive alien species on land and water ecosystems.

Additional Native Plant Resources

• Florida Native Plant Society: https://www.fpns.org/
• Florida Wildflower Foundation: https://www.flawildflowers.org/
• Native Plant Atlas by State: https://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/
• Xerces Society: https://xerces.org/

Identified Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

• SDG 2: Zero Hunger
• SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation
• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
• SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
• SDG 13: Climate Action
• SDG 15: Life on Land

Specific SDG Targets Identified

1. SDG 2: Zero Hunger

   • Target 2.4: By 2030, ensure sustainable food production systems and implement resilient agricultural practices that increase productivity and production, that help maintain ecosystems…

     The article supports this target by highlighting the critical role of pollinators, which are sustained by native plants. It states, “around one-third of the world’s food supply relies on pollination, such as fruits, nuts and vegetables.” Promoting native plants is presented as a way to maintain the ecosystems that support food production.

2. SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation

   • Target 6.3: By 2030, improve water quality by reducing pollution… minimizing release of hazardous chemicals and materials…

     The article directly addresses this by explaining that planting natives reduces the need for fertilizers. This prevents “excess nutrients from fertilizers — primarily phosphorus and nitrogen — in local waterways” which can “lead to harmful algal blooms, compromising water sources.”

   • Target 6.4: By 2030, substantially increase water-use efficiency across all sectors and ensure sustainable withdrawals and supply of freshwater…

     This target is addressed under the “Water Conservation” section, which states, “Because native plants are adapted to their environments, they require less water. Once established, native plants will require little to no supplemental water, conserving freshwater…”

3. SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

   • Target 11.5: By 2030, significantly reduce… the direct economic losses… caused by disasters… with a focus on protecting the poor and people in vulnerable situations.

     The article connects native plants to community resilience, stating that “many of Southwest Florida’s coastal species are adapted to survive salt spray and saltwater inundation, making them more resilient to potential hurricane events compared to nonnative or inland species.” This contributes to mitigating the impacts of natural disasters on communities.

4. SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

   • Target 12.4: By 2020, achieve the environmentally sound management of chemicals… and significantly reduce their release to… water and soil…

     This is supported by the article’s argument that native plants “require less maintenance, fertilizers and pesticides.” By promoting a reduction in the use of these chemicals, the article advocates for more responsible and sustainable landscaping practices.

5. SDG 13: Climate Action

   • Target 13.1: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries.

     The article explicitly links native plants to climate resilience. Under the “Resilience” section, it notes that “local native plants have evolved in their specific habitats, they are much better adapted to withstand the weather patterns of that environment,” specifically mentioning resilience to “potential hurricane events.”

6. SDG 15: Life on Land

   • Target 15.1: By 2020, ensure the conservation, restoration and sustainable use of terrestrial and inland freshwater ecosystems and their services…

     The entire article is a call to action for restoring local ecosystems. It posits that “Native plants are the foundation of a healthy ecosystem” and encourages their use to rebuild natural environments.

   • Target 15.5: Take urgent and significant action to reduce the degradation of natural habitats, halt the loss of biodiversity and… protect and prevent the extinction of threatened species.

     The article addresses this by explaining how native plants provide “essential habitat and food to insects, birds and other wildlife.” It gives a specific example: “many butterfly and moth species will only lay their eggs on certain native plants. Without the plants, there is the threat of losing native butterflies.”

   • Target 15.8: By 2020, introduce measures to prevent the introduction and significantly reduce the impact of invasive alien species on land and water ecosystems…

     This is a key point in the “Pest Prevention” section. The article warns that nonnative plants can introduce “nonnative pest species that can wreak havoc,” citing “croton scale” and “lethal bronzing disease” as examples of invasive pests spread through nonnative plants.

Implied Indicators for Measuring Progress

1. Biodiversity and Ecosystem Health Indicators:

   The article implies the use of indicators such as the population trends of native pollinators (bees, butterflies), the diversity of wildlife species in landscaped areas, and the rate of survival of specific native plants that support dependent species. This would measure progress towards halting biodiversity loss (Target 15.5).

2. Water Quality and Conservation Indicators:

   Progress can be measured by monitoring the concentration of nutrients like phosphorus and nitrogen in local waterways to track the reduction of fertilizer runoff. Additionally, measuring the volume of supplemental water used for residential and public landscaping would indicate progress in water conservation (Targets 6.3 and 6.4).

3. Invasive Species Indicators:

   The article points to the need to track the introduction and spread of nonnative pests. Indicators could include the number of new documented cases of nonnative pests (like croton scale) and the extent of damage to native palms from diseases like lethal bronzing (Target 15.8).

4. Resilience and Adaptation Indicators:

   To measure resilience to climate events, one could track the percentage of coastal landscapes replanted with salt- and flood-tolerant native species, as recommended in the Post-Hurricane Ian Replanting Guide mentioned in the article. The survival rate of these native plants after a storm compared to nonnatives would be a direct indicator of success (Targets 11.5 and 13.1).

5. Sustainable Practices Indicators:

   The reduction in the use of harmful chemicals can be measured by tracking the sales and usage data for pesticides and fertilizers in the region. This would serve as an indicator for progress towards responsible consumption and production (Target 12.4).

Summary of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: captivasanibel.com