Designates the month of April of each year as Oregon Native Plant Appreciation Month.

83rd OREGON LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY--2025 Regular Session
Enrolled
Senate Bill 547
Sponsored by Senators SOLLMAN, GELSER BLOUIN; Senators BROADMAN, CAMPOS, LIEBER,
MEEK, REYNOLDS, WEBER, Representatives MCLAIN, NATHANSON, WALTERS (at the re-
quest of Luci Moody) (Presession filed.)
CHAPTER .................................................
AN ACT
Relating to Oregon Native Plant Appreciation Month; and declaring an emergency.
Whereas Oregon has more than 4,700 plant species that grow in the wild without cultivation,
72.5 percent of which are native to this state and more than 115 of which are endemic to and only
grow in this state; and
Whereas native plants in Oregon are those that have established in the landscape independently
from direct or indirect human intervention, including those that are new to science or that existed
prior to European arrival, and that have adapted to and evolved in the local environment; and
Whereas Oregon’s native plants provide unique environmental, economic and cultural value to
this state, including forming the foundation of this state’s food chain and providing food to our na-
tive animals, including birds, mammals, amphibians, reptiles and insects; and
Whereas Oregon’s native plants are essential to this state’s healthy, diverse and sustainable
ecosystems and help create and maintain clean air and water and stable soil; and
Whereas Oregon’s native plants are well established in the ecosystems of this state and have
very little potential to become invasive pests in our wild and natural areas, thus requiring minimal
fertilizer, soil amendment, water and pesticide to maintain; and
Whereas Oregon currently contends with over 1,300 wild non-native plants, including more than
150 invasive species (including noxious weeds) growing in our wild and natural areas; and
Whereas noxious weeds displace and compete with native and desirable economic plants, nega-
tively affect agricultural and forest economies, impact natural resources such as fish and wildlife
and overall watershed health, threaten cultural resources and first foods and can contribute to ex-
treme wildfire behavior; and
Whereas The Oregon Biodiversity Information Center ranks 633 of Oregon’s native vascular
plants as uncommon, threatened, vulnerable, imperiled or critically imperiled in this state; and
Whereas Oregon’s native plants attract beneficial insects like butterflies, ladybugs and
bumblebees, which help fight agricultural pests and pollinate food crops, thus boosting the economy
of this state; and
Whereas many of Oregon’s native plants improve soil health by increasing the diversity of soil
microbes and helping the soil absorb and store water through their deep root systems; and
Whereas Oregon’s Native American tribes have lived and thrived by their knowledge of native
plants, which have provided them with food, clothing, shelter, dyes, tools, medicine and fuel for
centuries; and
Whereas the Oregon grape has been Oregon’s state flower since 1899, and was used by
indigenous tribes for medicine, food and dyes; and
Enrolled Senate Bill 547 (SB 547-A) Page 1
Whereas the Douglas fir has been Oregon’s state tree since 1939, and was used by tribes such
as the Nuxalk and Quinault for torches, structures, fuel, tools, caulking and medicine; and
Whereas Oregon’s native plants are a major part of this state’s natural heritage, providing
countless aesthetic, cultural, economic and ecological benefits; now, therefore,
Be It Enacted by the People of the State of Oregon:
SECTION 1.
The month of April of each year is designated as Oregon Native Plant Ap-
preciation Month.
SECTION 2. This 2025 Act being necessary for the immediate preservation of the public
peace, health and safety, an emergency is declared to exist, and this 2025 Act takes effect
on its passage.
Passed by Senate February 20, 2025
..................................................................................
Obadiah Rutledge, Secretary of Senate
..................................................................................
Rob Wagner, President of Senate
Passed by House June 11, 2025
..................................................................................
Julie Fahey, Speaker of House
Received by Governor:
........................M.,........................................................., 2025
Approved:
........................M.,........................................................., 2025
..................................................................................
Tina Kotek, Governor
Filed in Office of Secretary of State:
........................M.,........................................................., 2025
..................................................................................
Tobias Read, Secretary of State
Enrolled Senate Bill 547 (SB 547-A) Page 2