Native Plants Program at Lincoln University Cooperative Extension.  
The main goals of the Native Plants Program (NPP) are to promote the use of native plants for conservation to enhance biodiversity in rural and urban settings and to increase awareness about their potential as specialty crops to generate income for underserved audiences including small farmers, producers, landowners and others. To accomplish these goals, the NPP organizes and participates in seminars, workshops and field days to offer training and hands-on demonstrations about topics related to native plants. By doing these presentations, the NPP fulfills the mission of Lincoln University Cooperative Extension (LUCE) that provides service for diverse audiences including those of various ethnicities and ages.

The NPP works in close collaboration with the Northern Research Station, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service, the University of Missouri-Columbia (MU) Center for Agroforestry and MU's Bradford Research & Extension Center in Columbia where research plots and demonstration gardens are open throughout the year. The NPP has joined the efforts of grassroots organizations in Missouri including the Missouri Prairie Foundation, garden clubs, the Native Plant Society, Master Naturalists and Master Gardeners. Federal and state agencies, especially the Grow Native! Program (http://www.grownative.org), the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), and Farm Service Agency (FSA) increase awareness about the importance of native plants for wildlife, especially to protect native pollinators and other important invertebrates to maintain biodiversity and improve fruit and seed production for food in urban and rural farms.

Address:     Room 306 Allen Hall Lincoln University Jefferson City, MO 65101 Email:        Contact:   Nadia Navarrete-Tindall Phone:      FAX: