Rockland County, NY Landscaping Rules: Native Plants (2026)

Rockland County actively promotes native landscaping through the Rockland County Soil and Water Conservation District (RCSWCD) and Cornell Cooperative Extension of Rockland County. The Hudson Valley's native plant palette includes oak (Quercus alba, Q. rubra), sugar maple, tulip poplar, witch hazel, mountain laurel, spicebush, New York aster, and cardinal flower. NY DEC provides guidance under ECL Article 9 for ecosystem restoration. Invasive species such as Japanese knotweed, mile-a-minute, garlic mustard, tree-of-heaven, and Norway maple are actively managed by RCSWCD and the Lower Hudson PRISM. While NY does not have a statewide xeriscaping protection law comparable to California, municipalities encourage pollinator-friendly landscaping. Clarkstown, Ramapo, and Orangetown have adopted pollinator pathway resolutions. HOAs generally cannot enforce aesthetic standards that prohibit reasonable native plantings, though front-yard design guidelines vary. The Rockland County Pollinator Pathway initiative connects habitat across Nyack, Piermont, Grand View, Orangeburg, and Tappan.