Don't get caught without one!
Overview
The North Carolina Botanical Garden Foundation, Inc. and the Friends of Plant Conservation (FoPC) are teaming up to offer a new North Carolina specialty license plate featuring the Venus flytrap (Dionaea muscipula).
Venus flytraps are world famous but only grow naturally in a 90-mile radius around Wilmington, North Carolina. Called “one of the most wonderful plants in the world” by Charles Darwin, these insect-eating plants are losing their foothold in the region due to habitat loss and poaching. The North Carolina Botanical Garden (NCBG) and the North Carolina Plant Conservation Program, for which the FoPC serves as a support organization, conduct fieldwork, genetic research, prescribed fires, land conservation, and more to help preserve the Venus flytrap.
Proceeds from the sale of these plates will be used to support plant conservation, education, and research throughout North Carolina with a special emphasis on Venus flytraps.
You can request your plate by printing the form found here and submitting it, along with payment, to the North Carolina Botanical Garden. Each specialized plate costs $30.
The NCBG and FoPC need to place an initial order of at least 500 plates by February 15, 2020 to move forward. Once 500 applications are received, the payment and applications will be sent to the North Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles (NCDMV), and they will submit the request to the NC General Assembly. Once authorized by the NC General Assembly, the NCDMV will issue the plates.
The plate was designed by Preston Montague, an artist, educator, and landscape designer working to strengthen our relationship with the natural world for improving public health.
Media Tools
Tagline
Don’t get caught without one!
Links
Shareable info link (includes FAQ and application link): ncbg.unc.edu/flytrap
Direct link to application PDF: ncbg.unc.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/963/2019/09/VFT_License_Application.pdf
Images
Venus Flytrap License Plate Image Gallery
News Stories
Carnivorous Conservation – Endeavors magazine
Venus Flytraps in Peril – Mental Floss
Venus Flytraps Have Surprising Pollinators … and They Don’t Eat Them – National Geographic
Mission of the North Carolina Botanical Garden
To inspire understanding, appreciation, and conservation of plants and to advance a sustainable relationship between people and nature.
Purpose of the Friends of Plant Conservation
To increase public awareness and understanding of North Carolina’s Plant Conservation Program, to provide the public with the opportunity to support and promote the mission of the Plant Conservation Program which is to protect the rare and native plant flora of the state, to provide support for those programs and activities that are compatible and consistent with the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ Plant Conservation Program, and to solicit, hold, and invest funds in support of plant conservation program activities in North Carolina.
Sample Social Media Posts
Feel free to copy and paste or edit as you like!
The North Carolina Botanical Garden Foundation, Inc. and the Friends of Plant Conservation, Inc. are teaming up to offer a new North Carolina specialty license plate featuring the Venus flytrap (Dionaea muscipula).
The Venus flytrap is world famous but only grows naturally in a 90-mile inland area around Wilmington, NC. Called the most wonderful plant in the world by Charles Darwin, these insect-eating plants are losing their foothold in the region due to habitat loss and poaching. The North Carolina Botanical Garden and the North Carolina Plant Conservation Program conduct fieldwork, genetic research, prescribed fires, land conservation, and more to help save the flytrap.
Proceeds from the sale of these plates will be used to support plant conservation, education, and research throughout the state of North Carolina with a special emphasis on Venus flytraps. Learn more and apply for yours today at ncbg.unc.edu/flytrap.
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Have you seen the new Venus flytrap specialty license plate? Proceeds from the sale of these plates will be used to support plant conservation, education, and research throughout the state of North Carolina with a special emphasis on Venus flytraps. Fill out an application through the North Carolina Botanical Garden website: ncbg.unc.edu/flytrap.
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Venus flytraps are coming to a DMV near you: don’t get caught without one! The new specialty license plate – a collaborative effort between the North Carolina Botanical Garden Foundation, Inc. and the Friends of Plant Conservation, Inc. – needs 500 applications by February 15, 2020, to be considered by the North Carolina General Assembly. Proceeds from the plates will go towards plant conservation, education, and research throughout North Carolina, with a special emphasis on Venus flytraps. Learn more at ncbg.unc.edu/flytrap.
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Or find the North Carolina Botanical Garden on social media and share one of our posts!
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are you taking applications and not the The N.C. Division of Motor Vehicles?
The N.C. Division of Motor Vehicles (NCDMV) issues specialty license plates representing more than 100 causes and interest groups. Any organization wanting to establish a special registration plate must have its request approved by the N.C. General Assembly and collect a minimum number of paid applications before the NCDMV can begin issuing the plate.
How many applications do you need?
Because the Venus Flytrap license plate is a full color plate, we need to collect 500 paid applications by February 15, 2020. By March 15, the NCDMV will submit to the N.C. General Assembly a report that identifies each organization that has applied for a special registration plate to be authorized in the current legislative session, indicating whether the organization meets minimum number of applications.
When will I get my plate?
Once the special registration plate is authorized by the N.C. General Assembly, the NCDMV will issue the plate within 180 days after receipt of the minimum number of paid applications.
What happens if the plate is not authorized?
If the plate is not authorized by the N.C. General Assembly, NCDMV will refund the fee to the organization who submitted it. The organization, in this case the North Carolina Botanical Garden Foundation, Inc., will then refund each individual who submitted a paid application. Let’s hope that doesn’t happen!
What happens to my check – is it deposited or held on to?
Your check will be deposited in an account specifically designated to hold the Venus Flytrap license plate funds.
Where does the money go?
For each $30 specialty plate that is renewed each year, the NCDMV keeps $10, the North Carolina Botanical Garden Foundation receives $12 and the Friends of Plant Conservation receives $8. Proceeds will be used to support plant conservation education and research throughout the state of North Carolina with a special emphasis on Venus Flytrap conservation and education in the coastal plain where it naturally occurs.
What should I do after I apply for a plate?
Follow us on social media and encourage all your friends, family and social followers to apply for a Venus Flytrap license plate!
The plate is awesome. Who designed it?
The plate was designed by Preston Montague. Preston is an artist, educator, and landscape designer working to strengthen our relationship with the natural world for improving public health. Raised in the foothills of Virginia, Preston has achieved undergraduate degrees in fine art and horticulture, and a graduate degree in landscape architecture. He combines these disciplines to reach people across cultures and viewpoints to promote environmental stewardship as an act of health care. Learn more about Preston at prestonmontague.com.
Questions where the answer is YES:
Can I just drop off my form at the Garden next time I’m there and save a stamp?
Is the license plate mailed to me?
Questions where the answer is NO:
Is there any way to pay by credit card?
Is the license plate fee tax deductible?
Do I need to wait until my current registration expires to get this?
Do I need to send anything to the DMV?
Does this affect my current registration?
