PA LEEF – Native Plant Conservation Experts

Pennsylvania Lake Erie Environmental Forum Meeting Summary

June 26, 2025

 

Successful native plant conservation efforts in local, regional, and statewide Pennsylvania watersheds were the focus of the Pennsylvania Lake Erie Environmental Forum (PA LEEF), hosted in-person on June 26, 2025, at 1:00PM Eastern at the Beach 1 pavilion on Presque Isle State Park, in Erie, PA. The forums are hosted by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PA DEP) and Pennsylvania Sea Grant.

Participants gained insight into native plant conservation efforts across the commonwealth. Native plants are attractive, require minimal maintenance, and provide food, shelter, and nesting habitat for birds, wildlife, pollinators and insects. Native plants are also used to stabilize streambanks, improve water quality, and increase biodiversity. While native plants have evolved to exist in their local ecosystem, their continued existence is threatened by land-use practices, habitat destruction and fragmentation, pollution, and the introduction of invasive species.

Invited speakers included staff from the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation of Natural Resources (DCNR) who discussed the Pennsylvania Invasive Replace-ive Program, which incentivizes homeowners to remove invasive tree and shrub species and replace them with native species, provided by DCNR at no cost. Representatives from Ernst Conservation Seeds, located in Meadville, shared the story of their success using native seeds to increase biodiversity and restore habitat in Northwest Pennsylvania and beyond. Presque Isle State Park staff discussed ongoing invasive species removal and the successes and challenges of replacing invasive species with native species at the highly visited park. Finally, the Pennsylvania Native Plant Society (PNPS) provided an overview of local and statewide initiatives and opportunities to get involved.

All attendees received free resources including the recently published Choose Native Guide, developed by Pennsylvania Sea Grant and Penn State Extension.

Agenda:

• Great Lakes Updates – Tim Bruno, PA DEP
• Presque Isle State Park: Native Plant Conservation Efforts – Holly Best, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
• Ernst Conservation Seeds: Establishing a Native Meadow in the Erie Community – Greg Kedzierski, Ernst Conservation Seeds
• Pennsylvania Native Plant Society Initiatives – Jaci Braund, Pennsylvania Native Plant Society
• Pennsylvania Invasive Replace-ive (PAIR) Initiative – Celine Colbert, Department of Conservation of Natural Resources