44.0°,
Mostly Cloudy Native garden plants to bloom in East Meadow
Cornell Cooperative Extension’s East Meadow farm was the recent beneficiary of a $5,000 grant to benefit the Grow Native Live Native project, CCE’s ongoing initiative that encourages residents to plant gardens to naturally improve Long Island’s water and overall ecosystems, with a focus on plants that are native to Long Island.
The grant is from New York American Water, and was presented by Vice President of Operations Brian Bruce, and Water Quality Manager Mike Nofi.
“We are excited to award this year’s environmental grant to the Cornell Cooperative Extension,” Bruce said. “Long Island’s water is our business and our passion, and we are committed to supporting programs that help educate the public on improving water quality and environmental health.”
The CCE was selected for the company’s grant from a pool of applicants with community-based environmental projects that aim to improve, restore or protect watersheds, surface water and/or groundwater supplies. The Grow Native Live Native project aims to continue improving Long Island water by encouraging residents to create native plant gardens that will ultimately improve ecosystem health and preserve underground water aquifers. Planting native wildflowers and grasses uses less fertilizer, herbicides and pesticides, and is more sustainable.
“The Grow Native Live Native project, a partnership between CCE Nassau County and Friends of Hempstead Plains at Nassau Community College, encourages county residents to think about the health of their environment,” said Bonnie Klein, a CCE horticulturist and community educator. “It engages participants in learning about and incorporating native plants in their homes, businesses and community gardens, and hopes to improve water quality on Long Island.”
For more information regarding the Grow Native Live Native project, visit
www.ccenassau.org.
