North American Native Plant Society

The North American Native Plant Society (NANPS) is a volunteer-operated, registered charitable organization concerned with conserving native plants in wild areas and restoring indigenous flora to developed areas. It is noted for its work in educating business and the public about the benefits of using native plants, and its work in promoting native species through plant sales and seed exchanges has been credited with the resurgence of some species. It also maintains a list of local native plant societies across the United States and Canada. Encouraging the use of native plants helps safeguard traditional ecological knowledge, as numerous North American species have long served indigenous peoples for medicinal, cultural, and economic reasons. Using native plants can also increase biodiversity especially in suburban areas containing many non-native species.