The flowering dogwood will be extinct within the next 80 years because of global warming, according to a recent study by the National Wildlife Federation (NWF). The report also added that Virginia will be one of 35 states that are in danger of losing its state tree or state flower.
"Virginians should be sure to stop and smell their favorite flowers this spring, because without drastic cuts to global warming pollution, many native plants will be forced out of the state," said Nathan Lott, director of the Virginia Conservation Network (VCN), in a press release.
Per the report, the Southeast region, which includes Virginia and extends down to Florida and through Texas, has had up to a four-degree increase in average temperatures during the past century and "an increase in July heat index from 8 to 15 degrees to perhaps more than 20 degrees for much of the region."
Such temperature increase can be disastrous for plant life in the area.
"Just one or two degrees of warming make a big difference in your garden. We're seeing earlier leaf out and bloom times, early emergence of insects, and new birds at the backyard feeder," said Marsha Merrell, conservation chair of the Garden Club of Virginia, in the press release.
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