Native Plant Rescue Squad

NPRS, a grassroots organization, founded with an idea to recuse plants, a pick-up truck and a few shovels and has grown to be an integral part of the conservation and restoration network in East Tennessee. Working on the ground with our community to reverse the degradation of local ecosystems, preserve Appalachia’s local ecology and dedicated to the conservation and restoration of the rich diversity of native flora. We collaborate with builders, developers, and landowners to rescue native plants that would otherwise be destroyed during building and development. Rescued plants are made available for residential/commercial landscaping with the goal of increasing the overall ecological health of our region. In addition to saving native plants, we educate the public about plant habitat, ecology, and related information on medicinal and useful properties. We regularly post articles profiling a native plant species, speak at events, classrooms, and provide literature at outreach functions.

Native Plant Rescue Squad (NPRS) was founded in the spring of 2015 by Joy Grissom & Gerry Moll Native Plant Rescue Squad is licensed with the Tennessee Department of Agriculture as a “Wild Plant Dealer.” This license allows us to enter into legal contractual agreements with property owners to dig native flora from designated areas specified in contractual agreements between NPRS and property owners.