WHEREAS, THE GREAT STATE OF NEW MEXICO CONTAINS A GREATER
NUMBER OF PLANT HABITATS THAN NEARLY ANY OTHER STATE IN THE
COUNTRY, FROM CHIHUAHUAN DESERT TO ALPINE TUNDRA;
AND WHEREAS, NEW MEXICO ALSO SUPPORTS A LARGER NUMBER OF NATIVE
PLANT SPECIES THAN NEARLY ANY OTHER STATE IN THE COUNTRY; AND
WHEREAS, SOME OF THESE SPECIES ARE NOT FOUND ANYWHERE ELSE ON
EARTH;
AND WHEREAS, THESE NATIVE PLANTS SUPPORT A GREAT VARIETY OF BIRDS
AND ANIMALS, BOTH NATIVE AND DOMESTIC;
AND WHEREAS, THE MODERN WAY OF LIFE INADVERTENTLY DESTROYS
NATURAL HABITATS AND INTRODUCES NOXIOUS WEEDS, WHICH IN TURN
REPLACE NATIVE FORAGE, WHICH IS THE STATE’S NATURAL HERITAGE;
AND WHEREAS, IN EVERY SEASON, NEW MEXICANS ENJOY THE BEAUTY AND
VARIETY OF THESE NATIVE PLANTS IN THE STATE’S FORESTS, GRASSLANDS,
AND DESERTS, INCLUDING THE OFFICIAL STATE FLOWER, THE YUCCA; THE
STATE TREE, THE PINON; THE STATE GRASS, BLUE GRAMA; AND THE COLORFUL
DISPLAYS OF NATIVE FLOWERS;
AND WHEREAS, THERE IS INCREASING CONCERN THAT MANY OF THESE NATIVE PLANTS MAY ONE DAY BE DESTROYED OR ERADICATED;
NOW, THEREFORE I, SUSANA MARTINEZ, GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF
NEW MEXICO, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM THE 17TH DAY OF AUGUST 2013,
AS
“NATIVE PLANT DAY”
THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO.
