When all the trees are cut down,

When all the animals are dead,

When all the waters are poisoned,

When all the air is unsafe to breathe,

Only then will we discover you cannot eat money!

Redbud Project values native plants as the tool to promote the stewardship and conservation

of Georgia's native plants and their habitats through education and with the involvement

of individuals and organizations.

Without native plant species to feed native insects that have adapted to the plant's poison, birds would not have the high protein food they need for survival so they can spread seeds

to create tree canopy, that in one acre sequesters polluting emissions from 26,000 vehicles driven in a year, and through photosynthesis, returns oxygen to the atmosphere,

and helps to maintain the quality of air humans breathe and that other life forms also

need to survive.

Standard engineering practices

of clearcutting and habitat destruction

for development, diminish property value

and increase costs of construction

and development. Green infrastructure practices maintain natural habitat

to control erosion, abate storm water runoff, and minimize maintenance costs.

Green infrastructure methods of development as modeled at Linwood Nature Preserve can tamper environmental problems of storm water runoff, soil erosion, air pollution, global warming and depletion of natural habitats.

Esthetic, environmental and economic benefits of maintaining natural habitats are well-founded.

Trees add seven to 25 % to total land value; reduce energy costs for HVAC up to 30%; reduce urban noise by 50%.
Native plant vegetation abates storm water runoff, reduces erosion, and protects water quality.
Air quality levels maintained significantly by tree canopy that absorbs polluting emissions.
Access to nature enhances physical and mental health of human beings documented

by the National Academy of Sciences.

Rain gardens that replace traditionally used detention ponds abate storm water runoff, the leading cause of damage to natural watercourses (70%). Constructed to filter pollution and control soil erosion with native plants that tolerate both drought and moisture, rain gardens effectively substitute for mosquito filled detention ponds.

Permeable paving constructed of materials suitable for residential or commercial sites hold water on site, preventing erosion and relieving the burden of storm water on sewer systems.

Native Plant Rescues for Conservation

Located on the Gainesville Ridges of the Brevard Fault, Hall County harbors a treasure trove of native species trees, shrubs, flowering and non-flowering herbs. Ecosystems of the north Georgia region are filled with native plant species from the northern climate zones, species collected by 19th century Colonial naturalists for the royal and rich of England, France, Italy

and Germany, plants vulnerable to clearcutting, and rare-threatened-endangered plants.

For private landscapes and restoration sites, certified native plant facilitators conduct rescues through native plant communities that attest to Georgia’s ranking among the top four states in the United States for species per square mile

and for rare-threatened-endangered species.

Redbud Project Conservation Committee conducts native plant rescues on sites proposed for development to propagate native plants in their own landscapes and create habitats for bird, insect and plant survival. Rescued native plants are also transplanted to approved habitat restoration sites. In accord with plant rescues, certified plant rescue facilitators may evaluate property for owners and developers

to encourage habitat restoration.