Fox Valley Area Chapter - Plant Rescue Dos and Dont's

Plant Rescue Dos and Don'ts

As a member of the Fox Valley Area Chapter of Wild OnesŪ, you are encouraged to:

• Network with friends who are landowners, real estate agents, contractors, developers and excavators and ask them to notify a FVAC Dig Chair when a site is to be excavated. We would appreciate the opportunity to survey the site for any native plants which can be rescued. Assure them that we will not hold up any scheduled construction.
• Encourage landowners, contractors, developers and excavators to minimize land damage and utilize natural landscaping in their construction projects.
• Contact a FVAC Dig Chair when you become aware of a potential rescue site. Provide the name of the owner or developer and a description of plants if possible.
• Offer assistance to our volunteer Dig Chairs in getting the word out by phoning or e-mailing members in your locality who are on our list of members to be contacted for digs.
• Learn the site requirements of local native plants BEFORE attending digs to improve the survival of our rescued plants. Not all plants will grow successfully on all sites due to differences in soil, moisture, and light, among other factors.
• Plan to attend the annual Dig Training session provided by FVAC, if you are a novice at identifying and rescuing plants. Training will help you learn how to identify plants, what to expect when you participate in a dig, and how to handle the plants once you have removed them from the site.
• DON'T BE GREEDY -- especially when there are limited numbers of some species of plants.
• Remember that native plant rescues are a privilege of membership in the Wild OnesŪ. Rescued plants are not to be resold or given away to non-members - that includes relatives and friends.
• Also, remember that Wild OnesŪ is able to rescue native plants at targeted dig sites because we have gotten the permission from the Owner, and that all participants are expected to sign a Waiver of Liability for the Owner, the Wild OnesŪ and the FVAC. For this reason, do not share the location of dig sites with family, friends or relatives. Again, this is a privilege of membership.
• Properly supervise children you bring along to plant rescues. Because the children hold the future of preserving our native plants in their hands, we do not want to keep young people away from our digs. We request that only WELL-SUPERVISED children participate in our digs to minimize damage to the plants we are there to rescue.
• Keep your participant registration form up to date. (If there are no changes to be made, you DO NOT have to send in a new form annually.)

If you have any comments regarding the above, please e-mail your concerns to FVAC Dig Coordinator