Resources

 Compiled and maintained by Origins Reclaimed, Inc. | Last updated May 2026 

 Origins Reclaimed does not exist in isolation. The movement toward food sovereignty, ecological restoration, and community land stewardship is built by hundreds of organizations working at every scale — from national advocacy networks to neighborhood native plant chapters. This page exists to connect you with that ecosystem.

We update this directory regularly. If you know of an organization, law, or resource that should be listed here, contact us at info@originsreclaimed.org.

 Before anyone can tell you what you cannot grow, plant, or steward on your land, you should know what the law already guarantees. The legal landscape is shifting rapidly in favor of food growers and native plant advocates. Here is what exists as of 2026. 

Florida (2019) — Vegetable Gardens Bill, FS §604.71

Florida was the first state in the nation to prohibit local governments from banning vegetable gardens on residential properties. No county, municipality, or other political subdivision may regulate edible gardens on residential land. This is the legal foundation that makes CLT food forestry in Florida uniquely protected.

Illinois (2021) — Vegetable Garden Protection Act, HB 633

Illinois prohibits municipalities from imposing restrictions that prohibit or unnecessarily limit vegetable gardens on residential properties.

Maine (2021) — Constitutional Right to Food, Article 25

Maine amended its state constitution to include a right to grow, raise, harvest, produce, and consume food of one's own choosing for one's own nourishment, sustenance, bodily health, and well-being.

Model Legislation — Institute for Justice

The Institute for Justice has developed model Vegetable Garden Protection Act legislation that advocates in any state can use to advance similar protections. Available at ij.org/legislation/vegetable-garden-protection-act

An expanding body of state law is restricting HOAs from banning native plants, drought-tolerant landscaping, and pollinator gardens. The following states have enacted meaningful protections:

California — AB 1572 (2023) & Civil Code §4735

HOAs cannot ban drought-tolerant landscaping, native plants, or xeriscaping. Applies to all HOA-governed properties. HOAs also cannot fine residents for reduced watering during drought.

Colorado

HOAs cannot prohibit drought-resistant plants or xeriscape landscaping.

Florida

Protects against local ordinances restricting native landscapes; HOA authority is limited regarding registered native gardens.

Illinois — Homeowners' Native Landscaping Act / IL MONARCH Act (2024)

HOAs cannot prohibit "Illinois native species" on an owner's land, subject to reasonable aesthetic guidelines. Specifically protects pollinator gardens.

Maine (2023)

HOAs cannot impose unreasonable limitations on "low-impact landscaping" — defined to include gardens designed to attract pollinators and wildlife.

Maryland (2021)

Similar low-impact landscaping protections as Maine.

Nevada

HOAs cannot require turf or fine for native plant gardens.

Texas — HB 517 (2025 update)

HOAs cannot fine for brown or stressed vegetation during government-mandated water restrictions, or for 60 days afterward. Previous protections also limit HOA authority over drought-resistant plants.

Virginia and New York

Native plant protection bills have been introduced (HB 528 and S1690A respectively); neither had passed as of early 2025. Check current status with your state legislature.

Comprehensive State-by-State Reference 

thepollinatorpatchgarden.com/state-laws-native-plant-gardens — the most current state-by-state breakdown available, with HOA guidance and statute citations.

Even in states without formal protections, several strategies strengthen your position:

• Certify your yard as a Certified Wildlife Habitat (National Wildlife Federation), Monarch Waystation (Monarch Watch), or Pollinator Habitat. Ecological certification creates a documented public interest argument that complicates enforcement.
• Document your plantings with scientific names, sourcing, and maintenance records. "Weeds" is not a legal standard; species identification is.
• Connect with your state native plant society (listed below) for advocacy support and documentation resources when facing HOA challenge.

Every state has at least one native plant society, wildflower society, or Wild Ones chapter providing plant identification resources, native seed exchanges, local expertise, and advocacy support. These organizations are among the most practically useful allies for anyone converting conventional landscaping to biodiverse, pollinator-supporting systems.

National Umbrella Resources

• North American Native Plant Society (NANPS) — nanps.org — comprehensive directory of societies and seed exchange programs
• The Plant Native — theplantnative.com/resources/native-plant-societies — state-by-state directory with contact information and social media links
• New York Botanical Garden Research Guide — libguides.nybg.org — over 50 societies and chapters documented
• Michigan Botanical Society National Directory — michiganbotanicalsociety.org/national-botanical-organizations

• Alabama — Alabama Wildflower Society — alabamawildflower.org
• Alaska — Alaska Native Plant Society — aknps.org
• Arizona — Arizona Native Plant Society — aznps.com
• Arkansas — Arkansas Native Plant Society — arnps.org
• California — California Native Plant Society — cnps.org
• Colorado — Colorado Native Plant Society — conps.org
• Connecticut — Connecticut Botanical Society — ct-botanical-society.org
• Florida — Florida Native Plant Society — fnps.org
• Georgia — Georgia Native Plant Society — gnps.org
• Illinois — Illinois Native Plant Society — illinoisnativeplants.org
• Indiana — Indiana Native Plant Society — indiananativeplants.org
• Kentucky — Kentucky Native Plant Society — knps.org
• Maine — Maine Native Plant Society — mainenativeplants.org
• Maryland — Maryland Native Plant Society — mdflora.org
• Massachusetts — Native Plant Trust — nativeplanttrust.org
• Michigan — Michigan Botanical Society — michiganbotanicalsociety.org
• Minnesota — Minnesota Native Plant Society — mnnps.org
• Missouri — Missouri Native Plant Society — missourinativeplantsociety.org
• New Jersey — Native Plant Society of New Jersey — npsnj.org
• New Mexico — Native Plant Society of New Mexico — npsnm.org
• New York — New York Flora Association — nyflora.org
• North Carolina — North Carolina Native Plant Society — ncwildflower.org
• Ohio — Ohio Native Plant Society — ohionativeplants.org
• Oregon — Native Plant Society of Oregon — npsoregon.org
• Pennsylvania — Pennsylvania Native Plant Society — panativeplants.org
• South Carolina — South Carolina Native Plant Society — scnps.org
• Tennessee — Tennessee Native Plant Society — tnps.org
• Texas — Native Plant Society of Texas — npsot.org
• Virginia — Virginia Native Plant Society — vnps.org
• Washington — Washington Native Plant Society — wnps.org
• Wisconsin — Botanical Club of Wisconsin — uwgb.edu/biodiversity/bcw

For states not listed, visit NANPS at nanps.org/native-plant-societies for a comprehensive directory.

The following organizations work in areas directly aligned with Origins Reclaimed's mission. We recommend them as partners, resources, and communities worth joining.

Kiss the Ground kisstheground.com

Advocates for regenerative farming and provides a map of American regenerative farms and a purchasing guide directing consumer dollars toward soil-building producers. Excellent entry point for anyone new to regenerative agriculture.

Rodale Institute rodaleinstitute.org

The longest-running scientific comparison of organic and conventional farming in the United States. Publishes the Farming Systems Trial data that undergirds much of the case for organic and regenerative systems. Training programs available for aspiring farmers.

Regeneration International regenerationinternational.org

Global network advancing regenerative agriculture and land stewardship. Publishes accessible summaries of the scientific literature on regenerative yield and soil health.

Food Not Lawns foodnotlawns.com

Founded by Heather Jo Flores in the 1990s. International network sharing food, seeds, tools, land, and skills in neighborhood-based communities dedicated to converting lawn to food production.

Victory Garden Alliance victorygardenalliance.com

Founded by Jacqueline Capriotti. Reviving the WWII-era victory garden movement as a national food security and public health strategy, with particular focus on veteran, faith, and school communities.

Agrarian Trust agrariantrust.org

National leader in agrarian commons and farmland access for beginning farmers. Their Agrarian Commons model is a direct parallel to the CLT approach Origins Reclaimed is building for food forestry.

Grounded Solutions Network groundedsolutions.org

The national authority on Community Land Trusts. Operates the CLT Technical Manual — the foundational reference document for CLT formation and governance — and provides technical assistance to startup CLTs. As of 2023, maintains a directory of all 313 operating CLTs in the United States.

Equity Trust equitytrust.org

Specializes in complex, non-standard land tenure situations — farms, alternative subdivisions, and cases where standard CLT templates need adaptation. Strong resources for agrarian community land trusts.

Schumacher Center for a New Economics centerforneweconomics.org

Holds the original archives of the CLT movement and provides templates that are more adaptable to non-housing uses than modern HUD-compliant documents. Excellent resource for the philosophical and historical foundations of community land stewardship.

National Community Land Trust Network / Burlington Associates burlingtonassociates.com

Premier CLT consultants. Their work with cities and foundations has funded technical assistance for CLT formation across the country.

Monarch Watch monarchwatch.org

Milkweed planting and monarch waystation certification program. Certifying a garden or food forest site as a waystation provides ecological recognition and connects the site to a national network of habitat.

National Wildlife Federation — Certified Wildlife Habitat nwf.org/certifiedwildlifehabitat

Certification program for yards, gardens, schools, and community spaces that provide food, water, cover, and places to raise young for wildlife. One of the strongest practical arguments against HOA enforcement.

Xerces Society xerces.org

The leading organization for invertebrate conservation, with extensive practical guides to creating and maintaining pollinator habitat. Their plant lists by region are among the most scientifically grounded available.

Pollinator Partnership pollinator.org

Produces the Ecoregional Planting Guides — free, downloadable guides specifying which plants support which pollinators in each ecoregion of North America. Essential reference for corridor design.

American Bird Conservancy abcbirds.orgAdvocates for native plant landscaping as the single most effective action individuals can take to support bird populations. Their "Cats Indoors" and "Glass Collisions" programs address complementary threats.

Global Wellness Forum globalwellnessforum.com

Advocacy organization at the intersection of health, food systems, and environmental policy. Active voice in challenging federal policies that prioritize chemical agriculture over public health.

Institute for Justice ij.org

Litigation and model legislation advancing the right to grow food, operate home-based businesses, and use private property without unnecessary government interference. Authors of the model Vegetable Garden Protection Act.

This resource page is provided as a public service. Inclusion of an organization does not imply endorsement of all its positions or activities, and exclusion does not reflect a negative assessment. We maintain this directory in good faith and update it as the landscape evolves.