VNPS Events

Reddish Knob - First 2008 State Field Trip

VNPS president — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 23:16:00 +0000

This is the first of the Virginia Native Plant Society series of field trips for 2008 to some of the most botanically interesting preserves the state has to offer. We are making these trips yearly events to allow our members to visit some of our preserves, parks and Registry sites with expert guides.

Space is limited and registration is required at least 10 days before the hike. There is a fee of $10 per hike a limit of 20 participants. Only heavy rain will cancel trips.

May 17 (Saturday), 10:30 am to about 3:30 pm. Easy to moderate. Reddish Knob, in the George Washington National Forest is one of the highest peaks in the state at feet, with sweeping views and mountain flora. Members of the Shenandoah Chapter will lead us on a trip along FR 85 South and the side road that leads up to the peak. Both roads are veritable arboreta and are lined with ferns, heath shrubs and many mountainwildflowers such as turkeybeard, Clintonia, gaywings, painted trillium, black cohosh, dwarf crested iris, stargrass, and much more. It was at Reddish Knob that former President Clinton delivered remarks at a "Roadless Lands" event in 1999, when the Roadless Rule in the National Forests was being deliberated.

Field Trip Registration

For all hikes, wear sturdy shoes or boots and be prepared for bugs and sun. Bring water and lunch or snacks.

Directions and meeting places will be provided to registered participants. Please provide your email address for this purpose, or request directions by mail on the form.

Please mail your registration with your field trip choice(s) and check to:

VNPS FIELD TRIPS, 400 Blandy Farm Lane, Boyce VA 22620.

Name _____________________
Address ____________________
City _______________________
State/ Zip Code ______________
Telephone __________________
email ______________________
_____ please mail directions to me

Field trips ($10 each):

____ Reddish Knob
____ Blackwater Ecological Preserve
____ Cypress Bridge Forest

____ Total

2008 STATE FIELD TRIPS

VNPS president — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 21:26:00 +0000

The Virginia Native Plant Society announces a series of field trips for 2008 to some of the most botanically interesting preserves the state has to offer. We are making these trips yearly events to allow our members to visit some of our preserves, parks and Registry sites with expert guides.

Trips vary in level of difficulty so please read descriptions carefully. Space is limited and registration is required at least 10 days before the hike. There is a fee of $10 per hike a limit of 20 participants. Only heavy rain will cancel trips.

This year we are offering the following field trips:

May 17 (Saturday), 10:30 am to about 3:30 pm. Easy to moderate. Reddish Knob, in the George Washington National Forest is one of the highest peaks in the state at feet, with sweeping views and mountain flora. Members of the Shenandoah Chapter will lead us on a trip along FR 85 South and the side road that leads up to the peak. Both roads are veritable arboreta and are lined with ferns, heath shrubs and many mountainwildflowers such as turkeybeard, Clintonia, gaywings, painted trillium, black cohosh, dwarf crested iris, stargrass, and much more. It was at Reddish Knob that former President Clinton delivered remarks at a "Roadless Lands" event in 1999, when the Roadless Rule in the National Forests was being deliberated.

June 28 (Saturday), 10 am to about 1 pm. Easy to moderate. Blackwater Ecological Preserve in Isle of Wight County, with an area of 318 acres, is situated on dry to mesic sand ridges and has two of Virginia's rarest plant communities - longleaf pine-turkey oak flatwoods and longleaf pine savannas. These and other communities at the preserve were once more common in southeastern Virginia, but are now limited to a few precious stands. Preserve Steward Darren Loomis will lead this trip, which will also feature a stop at the Chubb Sandhill Natural Area Preserve's longleaf pine restoration site and a drive through the red cockaded woodpecker habitat at The Nature Conservancy's Piney Grove Preserve.

October 11 (Saturday, time tbd). Difficulty depends on water level. Cypress Bridge Forest is the fairly recently discovered site of many state and national champion cypress and swamp tupelo trees. In 2006, Fleming and Patterson reported in our newsletter that at least 12 individual swamp tupelos, and six individual bald cypress exceeding eight feet in diameter were measured. The largest individuals are between 10 and 12 feet in diameter. All of the large trees are hollow, which appears to be one of the principal reasons this forest has never been cut. Purchase of this land as a Natural Area Preserve is being negotiated. Byron Carmean will lead us on a trip to see these magnificent giants. We hope for low water at this time of year in order to be able to walk among these trees, but will likely need to be paddle a short distance to the site, and be prepared for wading and possibly for paddling depending upon conditions at the time. This may therefore be a more difficult trip.

For more information, contact the VNPS office at 540-837-1600 or vnpsofc@shentel.net.

Field Trip Registration

For all hikes, wear sturdy shoes or boots and be prepared for bugs and sun. Bring water and lunch or snacks.

Directions and meeting places will be provided to registered participants. Please provide your email address for this purpose, or request directions by mail on the form.

Please mail your registration with your field trip choice(s) and check to:

VNPS FIELD TRIPS, 400 Blandy Farm Lane, Boyce VA 22620.

Name _____________________
Address ____________________
City _______________________
State/ Zip Code ______________
Telephone __________________
email ______________________
_____ please mail directions to me

Field trips ($10 each):

____ Reddish Knob
____ Blackwater Ecological Preserve
____ Cypress Bridge Forest

____ Total

VNPS Tallgrass Prairie Wildflower Trip, May 31-June 7, 2008

VNPS president — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 18:52:00 +0000

Join us for a trip to Kansas to experience the beauty of the Tallgrass Prairie that once covered 400,000 square miles of the North American continent. Less than 4% of this prairie remains, primarily in the Flint Hills. In the spring, long before the native grasses reach their peak, native wildflowers are in full bloom. Birds and butterflies are plentiful as well.

Tours will include the National Tallgrass Prairie Preserve in Chase County Kansas, the Konza Biological Station and Tallgrass Prairie, Coblentz Prairie and more. Lodging will be in a guest house/motel near the preserves in Council Grove. Council Grove also offers many historic sites and museums and the Flint Hills Rodeo.

Participants will meet on the evening of May 31 for a reception and orientation. Those traveling by air should arrive in Kansas City, Mo. Transportation to Kansas and breakfast and dinner are the responsibility of the participants. Transportation while on tour will be by private car/carpool for those who plan to drive or rent their own car. For those who fly, we plan to arrange group transportation if needed. The cost of this transportation will be based on vehicle rental fees, gas and insurance costs, and will be determined when we know how many people will choose this option.

Cost of the trip is $500.00 and includes lodging, lunches in the field, tour fees, guide fees, and a tax deductible gift of $50 to VNPS.

Reservations and deposit of $200.00 are needed by March 15, 2008. Full payment of the remaining $300.00 is due May 1. Space is limited to 14 participants. For more information, contact Helen Hamilton at 757-564-4494, helen44@earthlink.net or Linda Wilcox, 757-468-4346, W8n2FotoF14@cox.net.

Links of interest:
National Park Site:
http://www.nps.gov/tapr/index.htm
Konza Prairie: http://www.nature.org/wherewework/northamerica/states/kansas/preserves/art65.html
Chambers of Commerce:
http://www.councilgrove.com/
http://www.chasecountychamber.org/

VNPS Workshop Full

VNPS president — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 17:43:00 +0000

The VNPS 2008 Workshop, scheduled for March 8 in Richmond, is FULL. We will keep a waiting list at the office and let you know if space opens up. Email vnpsofc@shentel.net or phone 540-837-1600 for more information. Thank you for your interest.

Want to Join the VNPS?

VNPSWebmaster — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 13:25:00 +0000

From www.vnps.org: From the list on the left, go to the Resources section of the website, click 'Related Links', and scroll to the bottom where you will see Listserves. Click 'VNPS listserv for Announcements and Events'.

Or from your browser: Go to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vanativeplantsociety/.

Click 'Join this Group'. If you already have a yahoo account you can sign in. If not you need to choose 'Sign Up', fill a user ID and password - personal information including your name is optional. Once signed up, you can choose 'My Groups' and 'My E-mail Preferences' to adjust settings.

If you have a message you would like posted, please paste the details into an email message and send to rccsca@comcast.net. Events to be posted should be directly related to our mission. No need for fancy formats - they will not come through. Attachments cannot be delivered to group addresses. PDF brochures and articles, and also photos can be put on another section of the site and members can go and see them, but it is usually easier to include a link to another website for articles, brochures or registration information.

VNPS Annual Workshop March 8, 2008

VNPS president — Sun, 03 Feb 2008 23:17:00 +0000

Registration open!

Join us March 8 at the University of Richmond for an all day symposium on Virginia's native orchids, where our lineup of speakers will focus on orchid ecology and distribution.

Douglas Gill, professor in the Biology Department at the University of Maryland has studied a single population of pink lady slipper orchids for over 30 years, and will talk about answers to some questions about the life cycle of this orchid, and new questions that have come from his research.

Speaking about his reasearch about the fungal partners of orchids will be Dennis Whigham of the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center in Edgewater, Maryland.

Nancy Van Alstine of the Virginia Natural Heritage Program will share recent survey work looking for small whorled pogonia and Bentley's coralroot.

A noted photographer and contributor to the Flora of Virginia Project on the Orchidaceae, Hal Horwitz will take us on a photographic tour of the orchids of Virginia.

Download a PDF of the workshop brochure here:

WildOrchidBrochure.pdf

2007 VNPS Annual Meeting/Conference: "Where the Water Meets the Land," Sept. 14-16

VNPS president — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 18:13:00 +0000

Registration Form at bottom, updated Sept. 6 with current field trip availability.
Presentations Friday and Saturday still available.

The 2007 VNPS Annual Meeting/Conference is being co-hosted by the John Clayton Chapter and the College of William and Mary's Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) and will take place at the VIMS campus in Gloucester Point.

Teta Kain will lead daily paddle trips down Dragon Run, a unique river in Eastern Virginia. Lined with massive bald cypress trees and deep swamps, it is one of the most pristine waterways to be found anywhere in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Forming the boundary lines of four counties of the Middle Peninsula, it stretches 35 to 40 miles from King & Queen and Essex counties to the Piankatank River. The entire length of the river is privately owned and only a few roads cross the river making it almost completely inaccessible to canoe and kayak enthusiasts. Friends of Dragon Run owns several parcels of property along the middle reaches of the river, and it is from this area that the kayak trips will be conducted for the purpose of showing people first-hand how unique this waterway is and why the Friends of Dragon Run organization is dedicated to preserving it in its unspoiled state. For more information about Dragon paddle trips, including what to bring, wear and expect, visit the John Clayton web site at www.claytonvnps.org and click on "2007 State Conference" and then click on "Dragon Run Info."

To help celebrate the 400th Anniversary of Jamestown, a trip to Jamestown Island has been scheduled on Friday afternoon. Botanist Donna Ware will lead a walk to Black Point, where unusual oak species, as well as swamp plants and coastal grasses will be identified, including cherrybark oak (Quercus pagoda), will be identified. A Jamestown interpreter will also tell about the use of native plants by the colonists.

Friday afternoon will also feature three presentations given by speakers from VIMS: “Living Shorelines,” “Current Phragmites Research,” and “Wetlands Research at VIMS.” In addition, Wesley Greene, Colonial Interpreter and Garden Historian with the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, will give a talk titled “John Custis and the Transatlantic Plant Trade.” At 7:30 pm on Friday evening Keynote Speaker Dr. Jim Perry will present “Using Native Plants of the Mid-Atlantic States for Shoreline Planting and Stabilization.”

Saturday morning will begin with walking tours of VIMS Teaching Marsh, Coastal Forest Walkway, and Shoreline Management Structures. The Teaching Marsh is a small freshwater and tidal saltmarsh demonstration wetland constructed for water quality and educational purposes. The Coastal Forest Walkway is a short boardwalk through the plant community surrounding a small freshwater pond. The tour will also include a look at a living shoreline treatment of the boat basin entrance canal.

Rebecca Wilson, the Chesapeake Bay Region Steward for the Department of Conservation and Recreation, will lead a trip to the Grafton Ponds Natural Area Preserve on Saturday morning. Grafton Ponds represents Virginia’s best remaining example of a coastal plain pond complex. The many ponds here were formed by dissolution of the underlying calcareous marine deposits of the Yorktown Formation. This wetland complex supports several rare plants and animals for Virginia including Harper's fimbristylis, pond spice, Cuthbert turtlehead, Mabee's salamander and barking treefrog. The site is owned by the City of Newport News.

Also on Saturday, a tour and chance to buy plants at Sassafras Farm native plant nursery and trips to Mary Berg’s properties in Gloucester County will be offered. Mary’s morning tour on her homestead “Summerfield” will feature many native plants; this conservation habitat is an upland mixed hardwood forest with sandy soil. The afternoon trip to “Tripetala” features a mountain disjunct species, Magnolia tripetala. The 14-acre site is a ridge leading more than 30 feet in elevation down a calcareous ravine to a seep area with a slow moving stream. Fossil shells from the Yorktown Formation are exposed in this ravine. Expect to see a wide variety of native plants, including shadow witch orchid (Pontheiva racemosa), which is expected to be in bloom.

Saturday afternoon will include a trip to both the water-wise garden at the Human Services Building and to the Ellipse Garden, a demonstration garden of the Williamsburg Botanical Garden, both in James City County. A canoe trip to the Catlett Islands Reserve will be led by marine science field educators from the Chesapeake Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve in Virginia. The Catlett Islands encompass 690 acres of salt marshes, shrub wetlands, forested high ground, tidal creeks, and beaches on north side of York River in Gloucester County. In Donna Ware’s words, "the trip is a great opportunity to see a hard-to-get-to place!"

Informative talks will be presented on Saturday, concurrently with fieldtrips and tours. These include the following topics: “Coastal Plain Wildflowers” featuring slides by Hal Horwitz (Pat Baldwin), “Promoting Native Plants through Conservation Landscaping” (Carol Heiser, Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, and Susan Voigt, VA Cooperative Extension Master Gardener), “Distribution of Mountain Plants in the Coastal Plain” (Donna Ware), “The Archaeological Quest For John Clayton” (Bob and Lisa Harper), “Native Ornamental Grasses in the Home Landscape” (Helen Hamilton), “Native Trees for the Landscape” (Linda Johnson).

A party on Saturday evening will celebrate the 25th anniversary of the VNPS at the Freight Shed, on the York River waterfront. The evening will begin with a self-guided plant walk along the Riverwalk and a self-guided tour of historic Yorktown, and continue with a buffet dinner, the VNPS annual meeting, and a silent auction of native plant related items.

The conference will close on Sunday with the VNPS board meeting in the morning, and more great fieldtrips, including a native plant and bird walk at Beaverdam Park in Gloucester County with another chance to see shadow witch orchid, another trip down the Dragon, a native tree and shrub walk at Colonial Williamsburg and another tour of Sassafras Farm.

For a Detailed Schedule of the Conference visit http://www.claytonvnps.org/ and click on "2007 State Conference" and then click on "Detailed Schedule."

For questions about conference contact Jan Newton at jnewton110@cox.net or (757)566-3646 or Helen Hamilton at helen44@earthlink.net (757)564-4494. For registration questions call Karen York at VNPS at vnpsofc@shentel.net or (540)837-1600.

Registration Form (Registration opens to General Public on September 1.):

UpdatedRegistForm.pdf

June 9 - Shenandoah National Park

VNPS president — Thu, 17 May 2007 12:59:00 +0000

June 9 (Saturday): Shenandoah National Park
Registration still open for
Hawksbill Gap Area, 10 am - 3 pm
Sample some of the Park’s high-elevation natural communities with Gary Fleming, vegetation ecologist with the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, Division of Natural Heritage. This hike, of moderate difficulty on steep and rocky trails, will leave from the Hawksbill Gap parking lot (Milepost 45.6) and will last four to five hours. Natural communities to be explored include boulderfield woodlands with mountain ash and yellow birch, rich cove forests, high-elevation seeps and greenstone barrens. Sturdy footware, preferably hiking boots, are required.
Stoney Man Nature Trail, 10 am - 3 pm
For a less challenging hike that still offers an abundance of wildflowers and a stunning view of the Shenandoah Valley, join Maryland Native Plant Society board member Joe Metzger at Stony Man Nature Trail. Expect to see a variety of ferns and possibly white clintonia, (Clintonia umbellulata) and shrub honeysuckle in flower. Meet in the parking area at the Stony Man trail head.

Field Trip Registration
Park entrance fees are not included in the registration price. For all hikes, wear sturdy shoes or boots and be prepared for bugs and sun. Bring water and lunch or snacks.
Please mail your registration with your field trip choice(s) to:
VNPS FIELD TRIPS, 400 Blandy Farm Lane, Boyce VA 22620.
Name _____________________
Address ____________________
City _______________________
State/ Zip Code ______________
Telephone __________________
email ______________________

Field trip ($10)
____ Hawksbill Gap, June 9
____ Stony Man Nature Trail, June 9

2007 STATE FIELD TRIPS

VNPS president — Mon, 02 Apr 2007 19:21:00 +0000

SPRING 2007
Virginia abounds with scenic areas of botanical richness. Take this opportunity to visit some of these stunning places with some of our most knowledgeable trip leaders. We hope to make these trips yearly events, and to take our members to some of our Registry sites, preserves and parks. This year we are offering field trips in York River State Park, the Potomac Gorge and Shenandoah National Park. Trips vary in level of difficulty so please read descriptions carefully. Space is limited and registration is required at least ten days before the hike. There is a fee of $10 per hike with an extra $4 for the canoe trip. The Turkey Run hike is free for workday participants. Hike details follow registration form.

Field Trip Registration
Park entrance fees are not included in the registration price. For all hikes, wear sturdy shoes or boots and be prepared for bugs and sun. Bring water and lunch or snacks.
Please mail your registration with your field trip choice(s) to:
VNPS FIELD TRIPS, 400 Blandy Farm Lane, Boyce VA 22620.
Name _____________________
Address ____________________
City _______________________
State/ Zip Code ______________
Telephone __________________
email ______________________

Field trip ($10 each except canoe and Turkey Run)
____ Taskinas Creek Trail, April 28
____ Taskinas Creek ($14), April 28 Please do not bring your own canoe.
____ Powhatan Forks / Majestic Oak Loop, April 28
____ Difficult Run, May 5
____ Great Falls, May 5
____ Hawksbill Gap, June 9
____ Stony Man Nature Trail, June 9
____ Total

Turkey Run, May 6 - FREE - please register by contacting Shirley Gay at shirleywg@comcast.net or 703-920-1913

April 28 (Saturday): York River State Park
The park has 2,250 acres of beautiful and diverse natural areas including a coastal estuary. We will offer two different hikes in the morning and an afternoon canoe trip.
Taskinas Creek Trail Walk, 10 am - noon
Helen Hamilton, VNPS state board member, will lead an easy hike of 1.5 miles on the Taskinas Creek Trail. A variety of habitats will be explored from an upland mixed hardwood forest with chestnut oak and mountain laurel to a small brackish marsh along the creek. This trip is timed for combining with the canoe trip.
Powhatan Forks Tr. / Majestic Oak Tr. Loop Hike, 10 am - 2:30 pm
Dr. Donna Ware, Curator Emeritus of the Herbarium at the College of William and Mary, will lead a hike of moderate difficulty through various habitats in the watershed of a small tributary to the York River. Natural communities that will be explored include coastal plain bluffs, fringing and pocket marshes, and a ravine-bottom swamp with large leatherwood (Dirca palustris) shrubs. Other highlights include a very large white oak, the Majestic Oak, various ericaceous shrubs in flower, and a view from the bluffs of Purtan Bay, the location Werowocomoco, Chief Powhatan’s capitol in 1607.
Taskinas Creek Canoe Trip, 1 - 3 pm
Taskinas Creek and its surrounding watershed total 525 acres and are designated a Chesapeake Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. Explore the rich salt-marsh ecology of this creek with a park naturalist and Dr. James Perry, Professor of Marine Science and a marsh expert from the Virginia Institute of Marine Science.

May 5 (Saturday) and May 6 (Sunday): The Potomac Gorge
The many different habitats of the Potomac Gorge - upland forests, dry bedrock terraces, floodplain woodlands and prairies, and ponds and marshes - are part of a region of exceptionally diverse flora, especially considering it is in an urban area of the East Coast. 1400 different plants grow within the Potomac Gorge including many rare species.
Difficult Run, May 5, 10 am - 3 pm
Rod Simmons, a leading regional ecologist and VNPS Registry co-chair will lead this field trip. A major watershed of Fairfax County that flows into the Potomac below Great Falls, Difficult Run is a rugged, wild place with lots of waterfalls and massive rocky outcrops. Like all of the Potomac Gorge, the area is extremely rich with diverse plant communities. Expect to see a wide variety of spring wildflowers, including spiderwort (Tradescantia viginiana), yellow pimpernel (Taenidia integerrima) and bird’s foot violet (Viola pedata). Melic grass (Melica mutica) and a number of sedges grow in this rich, rocky woods. The walk will continue to Mather Gorge, where there is a sweeping panoramic view of the Potomac River. A potential extension of this walk is to continue to Great Falls for a round trip distance of approximately five miles from start to finish.
Great Falls Park, May 5, 10 am - 2 pm
Marion Blois Lobstein, Associate Professor of Biology at the Manassas Campus of Northern Virginia Community College, will lead an easy walk starting from the Visitor’s Center at Great Falls Park. Highlights of this trip include water willow (Decodon verticillatus), the rare few-flowered valerian (Valeriana pauciflora), starry false Solomon’s-seal (Smilacina stellata) and the anglepod milkweed (Matelea obliqua), and there are views of Great Falls from the bluffs.
FREE Turkey Run Invasive Workday May 6, 10 am - 12:30 pm and hike, 1:30 pm to 4 pm
Join Mary Travaglini of the Nature Conservancy for an invasive removal work party in the Gorge. Wear long pants and long sleeves and bring work gloves. There will be a lunch break before a walk down a somewhat steep trail to the shore of the Potomac River, and a more moderate return trail. The hike will be led by Dr. Stanwyn Shetler, Botanist Emeritus at the Smithsonian Institution (note that this is a change from previously annouced leaders). Recently named a VNPS registry site, this mature forest with interesting understory vegetation gives way to rocky and sandy shores along the river.
To register for this workday and free field trip, contact Shirley Gay, shirleywg@comcast.net or 703-920-1913. Please include your telephone number with any message.

June 9 (Saturday): Shenandoah National Park
Hawksbill Gap Area, 10 am - 3 pm
Sample some of the Park’s high-elevation natural communities with Gary Fleming, vegetation ecologist with the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, Division of Natural Heritage. This hike, of moderate difficulty on steep and rocky trails, will leave from the Hawksbill Gap parking lot (Milepost 45.6) and will last four to five hours. Natural communities to be explored include boulderfield woodlands with mountain ash and yellow birch, rich cove forests, high-elevation seeps and greenstone barrens. Sturdy footware, preferably hiking boots, are required.
Stoney Man Nature Trail, 10 am - 3 pm
For a less challenging hike that still offers an abundance of wildflowers and a stunning view of the Shenandoah Valley, join Maryland Native Plant Society board member Joe Metzger at Stony Man Nature Trail. Expect to see a variety of ferns and possibly white clintonia, (Clintonia umbellulata) and shrub honeysuckle in flower. Meet in the parking area at the Stony Man trail head.

Seeds of Success Workshop - Please RSVP

VNPS president — Tue, 20 Mar 2007 13:52:00 +0000

VNPS SOS Collectors - Spring Greetings!

It is time to meet again as collectors for the Seeds of Success program.

Andy Walker, North Carolina Botanical Garden, is coming to review protocols, teach us new techniques, give us a new collection list for target species and bring us up to date on any changes for shipping. In the future, collections will be shipped to Andy in North Carolina.

Following the workshop, we will be collecting and sending seed and herbarium specimens to Andy, the SOS Coordinator through NCBG, collecting in the Mid-Atlantic South region.

John Hayden has been communicating with Andy and has graciously offered to host the Workshop. There will be training in the Gottwald lab at University of Richmond followed by a short field trip to practice our skills. The information you will need follows:

Saturday, March 24, 2007
9:45 a.m.
University of Richmond
Gottwald Science Building A-205
(Directions are on the University of Richmond website)

9:45 a.m. Assemble in Room A-205 of Gottwald
10:00 a.m. Session #1
11:30 a.m. Session #2

12:30 p.m. Lunch
(Please bring a bag lunch and drink to enjoy in the atrium or outside "forum")

1:00 p.m. Field Session
2:30 p.m. Wrap-up

Bring:
Loupe or hand lens
Pocket knife
Flora or other book for identification of plants
Notebook, pens/pencil for note taking

The classroom will have some very nice dissecting microscopes and John will have several copies of the Carolina Flora for you to borrow for the Workshop.

For the walk: perhaps hiking boots incase there are some Spring muddy spots. We don’t expect to find many native plants that have set seed, but there will be some plants to practice our new skills. It will not be a long hike, rather someplace fairly close to the campus, if not on it.

John has plans to put up VNPS signs on stakes by the road to get us across the U of Richmond campus and to Gottwald. Those "trail markers" are appreciated.

If there are questions, please send them to me on my e-mail nstaunton@earthlink.net or call
540-547-2813.

There are some spaces for the workshop, so if you know of someone who wants to collect seeds to be preserved for posterity through Kew's Millennium Seed Bank's Seeds of Success program in North America, invite them to join our effort.

Seeds of Success (RBG Kew) Workshop

VNPS president — Sat, 17 Mar 2007 16:24:00 +0000

On March 24, 2007 VNPS will host Andy Walker of North Carolina Botanical Garden at the University of Richmond for a day long workshop teaching us the proper methods for seed collection for our project with the Millenium Seed Bank's Seeds of Success Program. A schedule will be posted soon. There will be both a field and a lab section to the training. VNPS has a list of 60+ plants that need to be collected. If you are interested in the program, please contact nstaunton@earthlink.net. The project is focused on evaluating and collecting large numbers of seeds from big populations of common plants, and the documentation necessary for the collections.

VNPS Annual Workshop

VNPS president — Wed, 31 Jan 2007 14:53:00 +0000

Virginia Native Plant Society 2007 WORKSHOP

DISCOVERING VIRGINIA 1607-2007: Bushwackers, Botanists and Pioneers

Saturday, March 3, 2007
9:30 a.m. until 3:30 p.m.
University of Richmond, Gottwald Center for the Sciences

Inspired by the quadricentennial of the Jamestown settlement, this workshop looks back at 400 years of botanical exploration, cultivation and colonization in our state. Considered by many to be the birthplace of botanical study in the New World, Virginia has a long and fascinating history of pioneers and explorers who have made significant contributions to science and to our cultural heritage. In the 18th century, for example, pioneers who pushed through the boundaries of the Blue Ridge Mountains created an entirely new cultural and agrarian landscape in the Shenandoah Valley. On a broader scale, early botanists like John Clayton laid the foundation for plant exploration that can be traced from the publishing of Flora Virginica in 1743 up to present day efforts to produce a new Flora of Virginia. Join us as we celebrate some of the remarkable people who have contributed so much to our present day botanical knowledge and to Virginia’s history.

As an added attraction, workshop participants are invited to a special viewing of
“Native Plants of Virginia: Selections from the University of Richmond Herbarium” on exhibit in the Lora Robins Gallery of Design from Nature. This exhibit links line drawings by Lara Gastinger with herbarium specimens and botanical photographs.

VNPS thanks the Department of Biology, University of Richmond for hosting this event.

Full brochures are on the way to members. Can't wait? Download the pdf brochure:

Workshop Brochure

VNPS returns to the Bruce Peninsula, Ontario

VNPS president — Wed, 06 Dec 2006 16:06:00 +0000

June 16-23, 2007
VNPS members may join us on a visit to Ontario's Bruce Peninsula, a rich botanical area and UN Biospehere Reserve located between Lake Huron and Georgian Bay. The trip includes a week's stay at a lodge, guided field trips and meals. See bogs, fens, rich woods, alvars (natural limestone pavements) and rocky lakeside habitats. Reservations and deposits are needed by January 10. Please see our recent newsletter or contact the VNPS office at vnpsofc@shentel.net or 540-837-1600 for further information.

VNPS merchandise

VNPS president — Wed, 06 Dec 2006 14:43:00 +0000

VNPS note pads are 50 pages with a beautiful reproduction of the watercolor wildflower border on white paper. $4.00 each.

T-shirts feature a border with our name on the front and our logo on the sleeve. Sizes from S to XL in the green, chestnut and eggplant are $15.

Items are available from your VNPS Chapter or by contacting the office at vnpsofc@shentel.net or 540-837-1600. Shipping will be added for items ordered by mail.

Holiday Giving

VNPS president — Wed, 06 Dec 2006 14:33:00 +0000

Virginia state employees are reminded that VNPS can receive workplace donations through the Commonwealth of Virginia Campaign, which runs through mid December. Our number is 3920. Thank you!

Workshop slated for March 3

VNPS president — Wed, 06 Dec 2006 14:28:00 +0000

Set aside time in your botanical schedule for the VNPS Annual Workshop. This year's event will be held on Saturday March 3, 2007 at the Gottwald Center for the Sciences on the University of Richmond campus. The workshop will run from about 9am to 3pm. Details and registration information will be sent out in January. Over the years the workshop has gained a reputation as an informative and educational day spent with fellow plant lovers. You won't want to miss this event.

VNPS Annual Meeting Registration Form Available

VNPSWebmaster — Tue, 01 Aug 2006 14:26:00 +0000

On September 23-24, 2006, the Shenandoah Chapter will be hosting the VNPS annual meeting this fall. It is a weekend event which includes full day and half-day field trips on Saturday, an annual meeting with a speaker and dinner Saturday evening; half-day field trips on Sunday.

Click here for registration form.

VNPS Co-Sponsors Gaia Conference

VNPSWebmaster — Wed, 26 Jul 2006 13:51:00 +0000

On October 14-15, 2006, the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority, in conjunction with George Mason University and many other organizations, presents a conference about the Gaia Theory at the George Mason University Law School in Arlington, Virginia. Lynn Margulis, Distinguished University Professor in the Department of Geosciences at the University of Massachusetts, and long-time advocate of the Gaia Theory, is a keynote speaker.
For more information, see the Gaia Theory website.

VNPS Annual Meeting

VNPSWebmaster — Mon, 24 Jul 2006 16:42:00 +0000

SAVE THIS WEEKEND: September 23-24, 2006. The Shenandoah Chapter is hosting the VNPS annual meeting this fall. It is a weekend event which includes full day and half-day field trips on Saturday, an annual meeting with a speaker and dinner Saturday evening; half-day field trips on Sunday.