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EPA Recognizes Local Teens With Prestigious Environmental Award


EPA Recognizes Local Teens With Prestigious Environmental Award

LA PLATA, Md. – Since 2022, Esther Bonney and Samantha Rutherford have been trying to make a difference. On August 1, 2024, the EPA recognized their efforts by granting their nonprofit organization Nurture Natives the President’s Environmental Youth Award. 

Bonney, 17, is a high school senior from La Plata, MD. Rutherford, 18, recently graduated and is leaving Leonardtown to start college. The pair co-founded Nurture Natives together after working on ecology projects in 4-H. 

“We met in the Rotary Interact Club,” Bonney said. “We were also in the local 4-H where we met master gardeners from the University of Maryland. We both became Pollinator Habitat Ambassadors.” 

Both worked with guidance and mentorship from Amy Lang, a University of Maryland Extension 4-H Educator, and Marlene Smith, founder and president of Wild Ones Chesapeake Bay Chapter. 

EPA Recognizes Local Teens With Prestigious Environmental Award

“Amy Lang is our original 4-H director,” Rutherford said. “She took us to the National 4-H Agri-Science Summit. In the beginning, she was the real adult supporting us. Marlene Smith is a master gardener and the leader of the Wild Ones Chesapeake Bay Chapter. I’d say Amy was helping us with the bureaucratic side of things and Marlene was more on the plant and educational side. They’ve both been a huge pillar of support for us.” 

With support from Lang and Smith, Bonney and Rutherford began laying the foundation for their own organization, Nurture Natives. As the name would imply, the organization is focused on planting native species and removing invasive species. 

“Native plants are a large part of their local ecosystems because they were first grown here” Rutherford said. “All the bugs, pollinators and animals depend on them. If you remove native plants, those bugs and pollinators and animals go with them. When invasive species are introduced, they can take over. I’m sure you’re familiar with kudzu. While it might look like it’s very green and lush, it’s basically all dead underneath. Natives keep our ecosystems alive.” 

“Think of a plant like bamboo,” Bonney said. “It’s natural predator is the panda, but we don’t have any pandas around here. We see bamboo in parks, in our backyards in part because it’s invasive, and invasives tend to grow aggressively. Natives co-evolved to provide food, shelter and nesting material for wildlife in a way that invasives don’t. Sometimes youth think of nature as something exotic, that they see in the wilderness or at the zoo, but we’re talking about the plants we see in our backyards. Nature includes the plants in their yards and the species they share their homes with.” 

Since 2022, Nurture Natives has grown to over 9,400 youth members in seven states along the East Coast. The organization has planted 2.2 million seeds and given away over 56,380 seedlings. In addition, Nurture Natives has published, printed and distributed brochures identifying invasive ornamental species and their native lookalikes. 

“This is so much more than a passion project,” Bonney said. “All my free time is put towards this work, whether that’s answering emails, collaborating with local partners or doing native giveaways. We try to do as much as we can.” 

“I’ve been really focused on expanding and getting more volunteers,” Rutherford said. “We want to reach more youth and say ‘this is something you can do to get involved.’” Bonney and Rutherford’s efforts haven’t gone unappreciated. On August 1, Nurture Natives received the President’s Environmental Youth Award from the Environmental Protection Agency to honor their achievement in promoting healthy ecosystems in Maryland and beyond. 

EPA Recognizes Local Teens With Prestigious Environmental Award

“We got into DC fairly early, which was good, because we got parking,” Rutherford said. “Then we navigated the maze that is DC to get to the EPA. Being there and seeing all the regions represented, it was like ‘wow, this is really awesome! We’re being recognized along with all these other youth.’” 

At the ceremony, the group had the opportunity to meet Mark Rupp, the Assistant Deputy Administrator of the EPA, Brenda Mallory, the Chair of the White House Council on Environmental Quality, and Preethi Mony, the Program Manager of the North American Association for Environmental Education, among others. 

Bonney and Rutherford are both excited to see Nurture Natives continue to grow and encourage gardeners of all ages to join their efforts.“There aren’t really any cons,” Bonney said. “Spending time in nature is great for your well-being. Studies have shown that gardening is great for your mental health and makes you smarter. It’s also a great way to connect with your community.” 

“It’s a great way to get to know your community,” Rutherford said. “Going to events, meeting more like-minded people; it can help you do more and make an impact.” 

EPA Recognizes Local Teens With Prestigious Environmental Award

When asked if they had anything they’d like BayNet readers to know, both offered calls to action. 

“We all have an impact and a voice,” Bonney said. “Expand your garden, plant native plants, and don’t keep nature out.” 

“There’s terrible stuff in the world,” Rutherford said. “This may seem small, but a bunch of small things done with love will make a difference. Dig some dirt, plant some seeds, and make a difference.” 

Gardeners of all ages can visit nurturenatives.org to learn more about supporting the ecosystems in their backyards. 

Contact our news desk at news@thebaynet.com 



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