About Us
Nurture Natives is a 501(c)(3) youth-led nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering youth through environmental initiatives that promote native biodiversity. The embodiment of youthful energy, Nurture Natives strives to create an environment of hope and empowerment for the next generation. Join us as we inspire change, empower youth, and preserve native ecosystems and landscapes, one plant at a time.
01
The Beginning: Attending the Summit
In March 2022, our cofounders, Esther Bonney and Samantha Rutherford, were selected to attend the National 4-H Youth Summit on Agriscience, at which they learned about the science of agriculture, ag-related social and environmental issues, and the future of sustainable ag. Inspired, Esther and Samantha returned to Southern Maryland to address an agricultural issue in our community.
02
Identifying and Addressing the Issue
Our team designed Nurture Natives to address a prevalent agricultural issue in the Southern Maryland community: invasive plant species. Invasive plants choke out native species and are a major cause of crop loss and food insecurity. In the U.S. alone, invasive species cause $40 billion worth of production losses to crops and forests per year.
03
A Youth-Led Environmental Initiative
Nurture Natives is dedicated to empowering youth through environmental initiatives that enhance native biodiversity. Since our founding, Nurture Natives has been featured on the National 4-H and University of Maryland Extension websites, won a Wild Ones SFE Grant, and was selected by the National 4-H Council as one of two projects nationwide to receive the Scale for Success Award.
Our Vision
Nurture Natives has two core objectives:
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1) Empower youth. We aim to cultivate an environment in which young individuals can ignite their passions, find their voices, and drive positive change. We strive to convince every youth of their inimitable purpose and impact.
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2) Increase biodiversity. Our team is passionately working to raise biodiversity levels across the East Coast by supporting local nurseries and farmers and educating communities on native species, biodiversity, and pollinators.
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04
Inspiring Environmental Action
An integral component of Nurture Natives is education and outreach. Our team travels across the East Coast to educate community members of all ages about biodiversity, native species, pollinators, and sustainable agriculture, as well as the dangers of invasive horticulture. Our programs inspire youth to ignite their passion and drive change.
05
The Nurture Natives Guide
In July 2022, our team designed and published Nurture Natives: A Guide to Invasive Species and Their Native Look-Alikes. Our guide is designed to help individuals identify invasive species and select suitable native alternatives for their landscapes. We are currently distributing hundreds of our guides to nurseries across Maryland, Washington D.C., Virginia, West Virginia, New Jersey, and Massachusetts.
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06
Community Nurture Natives Giveaways
In 2022, our team distributed 150 native saplings at our inaugural Nurture Natives Giveaway. In October 2023, Nurture Natives hosted the first-ever Community Led Satellite Giveaway, sponsored by the Bona Terra LLC Plant Grant. In 2024, Nurture Natives won a Wild Ones Seedling for Education Grant. Nurture Natives continues to partner with dozens of local nurseries and organizations to provide homeowners with local ecotypes of 56,380+ native seedlings.
07
Civic Engagement and Advocacy
Our team has met with professionals from the Alice Ferguson Foundation, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, the Southern Maryland Audobon Society, and the College of Southern Maryland, among others. We've spoken with President Biden, Governor Wes Moore and Lt. Governor Aruna Miller of MD, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, the UMD Dean of Agriculture and Natural Resources Dr. Craig Beyrouty, TIME’s 2020 Kid of the Year Gitanjali Rou, and other esteemed leaders.
08
UMD Maryland Day
In April 2023 and 2024, Nurture Natives partnered with the University of Maryland (UMD), College Park, for Maryland Day. We hosted activities, crafts, and an information table, in addition to giving away 400 native saplings and shrubs and thousands of native seedlings. Our generous sponsors include Bona Terra LLC and Chesapeake Natives Inc. We are grateful for the opportunity to share our mission with hundreds of Marylanders and the faculty of UMD.
09
Petitioning Against Invasive Species
Nurture Natives is passionately working to engage youth in the protection of native species through advocacy and civic engagement. Our team successfully worked with legislators to pass a bill prohibiting the propagation, importation, selling, and purchasing of the Callery pear tree (Pyrus calleryana) in Maryland.
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The Future
Nurture Natives has grown from a 4-H club in rural Southern Maryland into a nationally-recognized nonprofit dedicated to empowering youth through environmental initiatives that promote native biodiversity. As Nurture Natives grows, our resolve remains resolute: to inspire, educate, and advocate for a future in which our youth and environment thrive.