Reporter Elena Eisenstadt Contributed to this story

At the capitol in Harrisburg today, natural resource advocates talked about native plants and their benefits for insects and people alike.

Pennsylvania’s Department of Conservation and Natural Resources gave away native plants on Thursday to promote their growth around the state.

There are 2,100 native plants species in Pennsylvania. These include ferns, rushes, wildflowers and woody trees.

Native insects rely on these plants for food, so plants can attract insect growth. In turn, birds eat the insects— and the ecosystem cycle continues. The plants also provide cleaner air and opportunities protect natural habitats.

Kelly Sitch, an ecologist for the Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry, says people should prioritize growing native plants in all environments.

"Whether we're talking about garden beds, planter boxes, roadsides, parks- there's a million and one places where we can put native plants in landscape,” Sitch said. “To promote better pollinator health, better habitat for wildlife, and in my mind, more aesthetic beauty and closeness with nature for people."

You can find native plants for sale at nurseries and conservancies-- like a native seed producer in Meadville. For tips on when and how to landscape, check out the Pennsylvania Native Plant Society website.