About Williamsburg Native Plant Rescue

Williamsburg Native Plant Rescue (WNPR) is a group of volunteers located in Williamsburg and Hampton Roads, Va. The volunteers transplant native plants from construction sites prior to development, usually relocating them in public spaces, such as local parks and schools. However, recent interest in landscaping with native plants has led to projects involving replanting at the rescue site after it has been developed.

• We are a group of solely volunteers, with no paid staff.
• We do not sell any rescued plants.
• We do not enter, survey or rescue from any site without the landowner's permission.
• We rescue only after after construction permits are granted and plant destruction is inevitable.
• We will not be involved in the permit approval process.

We strongly believe that conservation of the host habitats is more important than saving the individual plants. Transplanting native plants to any location can never replace their existence in a natural habitat. However, when their destruction is imminent, we believe that they have value as local source plants for creation of native plant repositories which can provide stock for plantings in educational gardens and restoration projects.

WNPR is affiliated with and supported by the John Clayton Chapter of the Virginia Native Plant Society. They have published their views regarding plant rescue.

Find more information on plant rescue and other rescue groups at plantrescue.org