Please visit the Other Organizations Listing to get contact information for organizations which do not have activities currently listed.
GNPS meetings are held on alternate months beginning in January. They are held on the Second Tuesday evening at Day Hall at the Atlanta Botanical Garden at 1345 Piedmont Avenue, NE, Atlanta, GA. Normal schedule: Social Hour at 6:45, Speaker at 7:30 PM.
May Meeting: The Ecology of Native Plant Landscaping - May 13. The May meeting will feature our Program Director, Greg Kohlbacher. The program will focus on how the science of plant ecology helps us to more effectively use the plants we rescue as well as a more in-depth look at some commonly rescued plant groups. The discussion will be supported by an extensive use of photographs of native plants in both their native habitat and in our landscapes. Greg has spent a lifetime exploring native plant communities, has a Masters degree in Plant Ecology, with fifteen years of experience in using native plants in the landscape. He has recently been guiding wildflower hikes for GNPS and will likely show a few pictures from the spectacular hike at Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest in North Carolina.
Please note that the normal entrance to ABG will be open for the May meeting.
Return to Top of PageItems under this heading will generally be work days for restoration projects that GNPS is participating in. Please use the contact information in the item to learn more about the activity.
Heritage Park Work Day - May 10, 10AM-Noon. Bring gloves, digging and lopping tools, water. For more information about the workday, contact Nancy Shofner at Email: nshof@mindspring.com. To learn more about the project, visit our Heritage Park Trail page.
Directions: Heritage Park is located at the intersection of Fontaine Road and Nickajack Road in south Cobb County and west of Smyrna. (For searching on Mapquest, the address is 60 Fontaine Rd., Mableton, Ga. 30126) Directions from I-285 on the west side of Atlanta: Take Exit 16 (S. Atlanta Rd.) and go west approx. 1/2 mile to Cumberland Parkway/Blvd. and turn left; in about 1/2 mile Cumberland becomes the East West Connector. (Or if coming from the south, take Exit 15, South Cobb Drive. Go west approx. 1 mile to the East West Connector and turn left.) Follow the East West Connector for approx. three miles to Fontaine Rd. and turn left. Go approx. 1/2 mile to Nickajack Rd. and turn right. Make an immediate right turn into the Heritage Park parking lot.
Oakhurst Community Gardens Workday - May 10, 9-noon. The Garden is located at 435 Oakview Road, at the corner of South McDonough Street and Oakview Road in Decatur, just southwest of Agnes Scott College. Join us for a workday the second Saturday of each month from 9-noon. We will do an assortment of gardening and site beautification, including work in our new restoration project "The Wylde Woods" pulling out exotics and replacing with natives. See our website for more information: www.oakhurstgarden.org/index.html
Woodlands Midweek Gardeners - May 14, 9 to 11 a.m., Woodlands Garden, 920 Scott. Blvd. Come join the war on invasive plants while nurturing Southern Piedmont native flora. This event is onging, every other Wednesday. Onsite parking available. Please visit www.decaturpreservationalliance.org for more information.
Piedmont Park Clean and Green Saturdays - May 17, 9AM - Noon (check-in begins at 8:30AM). Keeping Piedmont Park clean and green is a never-ending job. Put your "heart and soil" in the park by assisting Conservancy landscapers with mulching, clean-up and planting efforts. Clean and Green Projects are a fun, interactive way to help beautify one of Atlanta's most treasured spaces - Piedmont Park, all while learning about some of the latest environmental issues and their impact and making new friends. Groups or individuals are invited to help. Minimum Age: The minimum age for volunteers with adult supervision is 15 years old.
Registration: In order to help us maximize your experience, we ask that groups contact us prior to their desired date of participation, groups of 10 or more are required to register. Please call the Volunteer Manager at 404.876.4024 ext. 24 or Email: volunteer@piedmontpark.org.
Location: Sign-in at Magnolia Hall located near the Tennis Center parking lot. Enter Park Drive off Monroe Drive.
Grant Park Conservancy First Saturday Work Day - June 7, 9:00am. Help Care for Atlanta's Oldest Public Park. Each month the Conservancy hosts individuals and groups on the First Saturday to provide some TLC to Atlanta's oldest public park. Join us on the traffic circle adjacent to the Cyclorama at 9:00 a.m. Tasks vary depending on season, weather and priority but can involve planting, weeding, clean up, painting, pruning, etc. Admission: No Admission Charge. Parking Fee: No Parking Fee. Event Phone: 404-521-0938. To learn more about the project, visit our Grant Park Restoration page.
Return to Top of PageThe purpose of our organization is to enjoy the fellowship of shared interest in native plants and to promote the knowledge, appreciation, and use of native plants. We strive to preserve areas of significant interest because of their native flora. To promote interest in young people in this endeavor, we give several scholarships each year to deserving students. Please visit alwildflowers.org for more information.
NOTE: All times listed are Central Time.
Birmingham Fern Society 2008 Annual Lecture: ( R) evolutionary thoughts on Alabamian ferns - May 21, 7PM in the Lecture Hall at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens. The Birmingham Fern Society invites the public to attend its free annual lecture highlighting Alabama ferns. The guest speaker is Dr. Alan R. Smith from The University of California - Berkeley. The Birmingham Fern Society is delighted to welcome the public to explore Dr. Smith's unique perspective on some of Alabama's ferns. It will be an enjoyable and informative evening -- one that promises new insights on the rich fern flora of Alabama.
Blanche Dean Chapter Meeting at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens - Monday, June 2, 7:00PM. Program to be announced.
Birmingham Fern Society 2008 Fern Show & Sale - June 18, 1-5PM at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens. Fern Show, Judging will be done between 10:30AM and Noon, then, at 1PM, the show will open to the public. There will also be a Fern Sale in the Fern Glade at the Gardens from 1-5PM, with more than 40 species of hardy ferns available. For additional information, call 205 879-7348.
The Huntsville Chapter - has a very active field trip calendar, with an excellent listing, available as a PDF, at alwildflowers.org/Huntsville%20Chapter.htm, click "Upcoming Outings" to view the PDF containing the most up-to-date information.
Cahaba Lily Festival in West Blocton - Saturday, May 31, Starts at 9:00AM. There is no registration fee for the Cahaba Lily Festival. Donations are accepted to cover the cost of the lunch. For more information, visit www.cahabalily.com/CahabaLilyFestival.htm.
Return to Top of PageAmerican Forests (americanforests.org) is the nation's oldest nonprofit citizens' conservation organization. Citizens concerned about the waste and abuse of the nation's forests founded American Forests in 1875. The organization is proud of its historic roots in the development of America's conservation movement and proud of the new approaches the organization has developed to help people improve the environment in the 21st Century. American Forests' Ecosystem Restoration and Maintenance Agenda presents our core values and seeks to build support for our policy goals. These goals focus on assisting communities in planning and implementing tree and forest actions to restore and maintain healthy ecosystems and communities. We also work with community-based forestry partners in both urban and rural areas to help them participate in national forest policy discussions. American Forests seeks to broaden awareness of the interdependence of communities and forests through our policy and communication activities with local partners.
National Conference on Urban Ecosystems, Nature and the Network: Building a new framework for people and nature to work together - May 28-30 - Caribe Royal Hotel, Orlando, Florida. The Conference will bring together members of the business, government and conservation communities, to solidify and expand partnerships, assess our progress and plan strategies for building communities of the future. See American Forest website for registration schedule and fees. Registration inquiries may be directed to Email: registration@amfor.org or 703-904-7508.
Return to Top of PageThe Atlanta Botanical Garden is located at 1345 Piedmont Avenue. For more information about programs or to register, call the ABG at 404-876-5859 ext. 2555 or visit www.atlantabotanicalgarden.org.
GARDEN HOURS:Tuesday - Sunday: 9 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Closed Monday
Gardens for Connoisseurs Tour - Saturday and Sunday, May 10 & 11 - 10 AM-5 PM. The annual Gardens for Connoisseurs Tour on Mother's Day weekend is sure to impress connoisseurs and novices alike, as some of Atlanta's most beautiful private gardens are open to the public. The Tour puts on display great design and planting ideas from Atlanta's most talented gardeners and landscape architects. Tickets are $20 in advance until May 9 or $30 on Tour Days. Tickets are available in advance at the Garden's Gift Shop and area garden centers. Tickets will also available at individual gardens on the days of the Tour.
Return to Top of PageChapter meetings and activities are open to the public at no charge. Membership is $35 and includes a chapter newsletter and quarterly journal. For more information visit azaleachapter.com.
May Meeting - May 17, 2:00 PM, at the Mack Love Senior Center at 1340 McConnell Drive in Decatur. The chapter will conduct a propagation workshop with an emphasis on rooting rhododendron and azalea cuttings. Included in the program will be the "Creelway" technique popularized by Mike Creel, small scale techniques for gardeners interesting in rooting a few plants and larger scale techniques using propagating frames, green houses, misting and other methods of rooting a larger quantity of plants. This informal session will allow those present to share their favorite techniques. It will provide good preparation for the chapter's cutting party tentatively slated at the Coleman Garden on June 14. Chapter officers Joe Coleman, Hugh Denny and Ken Gohring will lead the session.
The meeting location on McConnell is 2 blocks south of the intersection of Clairmont Road and North Druid Hills Road. Contact Ken Gohring, 770-422-0924, Email: KGohring@aol.com.
Return to Top of PageCallaway Gardens is in a unique region of Georgia. In this area, the flat, sandy, Coastal Plain ecosystem meets the rolling hills and clay soils of the Piedmont. In addition, Pine Mountain Ridge, the southernmost mountain in Georgia, is here with plant species typically found growing further north in the Appalachian Mountains. The intersection of these three different plant communities provides natural biodiversity in the forests of this region.
Callaway Gardens is in Pine Mountain, GA, 60 minutes southwest of Atlanta and 30 minutes north of Columbus. For further information, call 1-800-CALLAWAY (1-800-225-5292) or visit www.callawaygardens.com.
Savage Plants: How to Grow Carnivorous Plants - Saturday, June 14 - 10-11:30 AM. Explore the wonders of carnivorous plants (sundews, Venus flytraps and pitcher plants) and learn the techniques for growing them in containers. Free with Gardens admission.
National Trails Day Hike - Saturday, June 7, 10:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Celebrate the great outdoors with an invigorating hike in the Cason J. Callaway Memorial Forest. Age limit: 10 years and older. Length 2.5 miles; moderately strenuous. Fee: $5 for members; $6 for nonmembers. Registration required; directions sent with confirmation letter.
Return to Top of Page9135 Willeo Road, Roswell, GA 30075
770-992-2055
The Chattahoochee NATURE CENTER is a 127-acre private non-profit environmental education facility located on the banks of the Chattahoochee River. More than 100,000 people visit the center each year. Many come on the weekends to roam the forest trails, stroll the river boardwalk, participate in guided hikes, visit the animals, or attend Sunday Specials. Many visitors come to the NATURE CENTER on school field trips, for birthday parties, scout badge programs, overnight adventures, after-school nature workshops, and adult and family programs.
The center is closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day.
The CNC offers many programs for children, adults, and families. Visit www.chattnaturecenter.com for a full listing.
Bartram Trail Lecture and Day Hike - with Authors Jim Kautz & Brad Sanders - Thursday, May 15, 7-9 PM and Saturday May 17, 8 AM-5 PM. This trip, along part of William Bartram's path in NE Georgia, will take us to the trail used by Native Americans to trade with people along the Piedmont and Atlantic Coast. We will hike around the slopes of Pinnacle Knob, the mountain that Bartram called "Mount Magnolia." The highlight of the trip will be the Martin Creek waterfall. Expect to see a large number of flowering plants. Accompanying the trip will be Jim Kautz, author of Footprints Across the South: Bartram's Trail Revisited, and Brad Sanders, author of Guide to William Bartram's Travels. We will caravan from CNC to the hike location. Bring your lunch, snacks & water. Thursday's lecture will be an opportunity to learn from author Jim Kautz about William Bartram and his work & travels. Lecture only: $15 non-members/$10 members - Day Hike only: $50 non-members/$40 members - Lecture & Day Hike: $60 non-members/$45 members.
Photography Workshop - Focus on CNC Wildlife with Photographer Marvin Price - Saturday, May 31 - 8:30 AM-6:30 PM. Marvin Price says photography is a wonderful art form that allows the artist to catch every visual detail of a single moment. He has spent many hours at CNC honing his skills as a wildlife photographer. Whether you are a beginner or an advanced practitioner, this class will provide you with a unique opportunity to photograph CNC¡ s raptors, reptiles & insects, share & critique your art and apply what you learn to a second photo session. Bring your own lunch/drinks & snacks provided $175 non-members/$150 members.
Return to Top of PageThe Chattahoochee Unit of The Herb Society of America ( CUHSA ) is located in Atlanta, Georgia. Meetings are held at The Atlanta Botanical Garden, from September through June. Social gathering begins at 6:30 p.m. and the program begins at 7:00 p.m. On occasion, meeting dates are changed to accommodate special speakers or programs. For more information call 404-636-2577 or visit www.cuhsa.org.
Flower and Herb Pounding Craft - May 13, 6:30 p.m. Topic presented by Joyce Cotter and members.
Tour of Atlanta Botanical Garden Woodlands - June 10, 6:30 p.m. Tour led by Jamie Blackburn-Curator of Woodlands.
Return to Top of PageThe purpose of the Cullowhee Conference is to increase interest in and knowledge of propagating and preserving native southeastern plant species in the landscape. Both professionals and laypersons will gain valuable knowledge from the informative fieldtrips, lectures and workshops. Please visit www.wcu.edu/5033.asp for more information.
2008 Conference: Native Plants in the Landscape - July 23-26 at Western Carolina University. This is the 25th Anniversary of the conference and, as such, many special events have been planned. This is a wonderful opportunity to attend excellent field trips in the Blue Ridge surrounding area, attend educational workshops, hear excellent speakers, and network with native plant enthusiasts from throughout the southeast. Additionally, a group of the best native plant vendors from Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee will have great plants for purchase. Online registration is now open. Please look at nativeplantconference.wcu.edu for a complete description of the events and the registration form.
You can stay in the dorms or at the University Inn in Cullowhee NC
University Inn Motel & Student Housing563 N. Country Club Drive
Cullowhee, NC 28723
(828) 293-5442
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Dunwoody Nature Center is a non-profit organization established to develop, improve and preserve 22 acres of Dunwoody Park as a natural classroom for environmental education. Located at 5343 Roberts Drive in DeKalb County's Dunwoody Park. Call 770-394-3322 for more information or visit www.dunwoodynature.org.
Fourteenth Annual Dream Gardens of Dunwoody Tour - Friday, May 18, 10 am to 3 pm, Saturday, May 19, 10 am to 5 pm, Sunday, May 20, 1 pm to 5 pm. Gorgeous gardens and inspiration galore. Six special residential gardens to amaze and delight you, including the display gardens at the Nature Center. Admission: $15 advance, $20 at the gate. Tickets are available at DNC or Wild Bird Center at Williamsburg Shopping Center.
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Elachee's Backyard Conservation Workshops - Saturday, May 10th, Composting 10-11 am and Rainwater Collection, 11 am - 12 Noon. Learn the rudiments of composting, a natural way to dispose of leaves and other yard materials while building rich soil for the garden. Then explore ways to capture and store rain and storm water around your home with barrels and cisterns for other uses including creating a rain garden. These workshops are made possible by a grant from the City of Gainesville and are free to local residents. Call to pre-register. For more information, call 770/535-1976 or visit www.elachee.org.
First Saturday Hike - Saturday, June 7th, 10 - 11:30 am. Join a naturalist on a guided hike to enjoy the beauty of the Chicopee Woods Nature Preserve. Great for families, scout groups and individuals. Program fee: $5 Adults, $3 Children ages 2-12. Children under 2 and Elachee members free. For more information, call 770/535-1976 or visit www.elachee.org.
Elachee's National Trails Day in the Chicopee Woods - June 7th, 10am-3pm. A good day of exercise, camaraderie, and doing something good for the planet! Join us as we work to improve Elachee's trails. Bring water, lunch, gloves and rain gear. Tools, training, and snack included. Free. Those under 18 must be accompanied by an adult. Call to pre-register. For more information, call 770/535-1976 or visit www.elachee.org.
Adopt-A-Stream Training at Elachee - Friday, June 13th, 6-10 pm, and Saturday, June 14th, 9 am - 4 pm. Join us for an intensive 1.5-day workshop that will train you to effectively and accurately monitor streams. Learn to delineate your watershed, chemically analyze streams, and accurately identify macro invertebrates. Upon completion you'll be certified by GA Adopt-A-Stream, the state's leading citizen science stream monitoring organization. Trainees under age 18 are welcome when accompanied by an adult. Materials Fee: $5. Registration required. Call to pre-register. For more information, call 770/535-1976 or visit www.elachee.org.
Elachee's Members Only Summer Program - Stream Ecology, Saturday, June 21st, 9 am -12 noon. Elachee members can take advantage of this special free program to see and learn about the critters that inhabit our local streams and how to keep their water environment healthy. For current Elachee members only. Free. Call to register. For more information, call 770/535-1976 or visit www.elachee.org.
Return to Top of PageThe Florida Native Plant Society (FNPS) is dedicated to preserving, conserving, and restoring the native plants and native plant communities of Florida. The Society encourages responsible landscape practices.
Please visit www.FNPS.org for more information.
Florida Native Plant Society 28th Annual Conference - May 15-18,Manatee Convention Center - Palmetto, FL (AKA Manatee Civic Center Near Bradenton). Purpose of Conference: To provide educational programs to FNPS members and the general public about the planting, preservation, conservation and restoration of Florida native plants and their associated plant communities. For more information, please contact Karen Fraley Email: Karen@aroundbend.com.
Notable conference activities:
* Field trips to over 20 locations highlighting native plant communities, native trees, shrubs and wildflowers led by botanists and local plant specialists.
* Native plant sale providing locally grown trees, shrubs and wildflowers throughout the event. Hundreds of new native plants for home landscapes!
* Educational exhibit tables; many vendors
* The latest news in conservation, preservation and restoration of Florida native plant communities
* Workshops for landscape design, making plant specimens, nature photography, scientific information regarding the "Real Florida" and much more.
* Social events
Return to Top of PageThe Friends of Georgia State Parks & Historic Sites is a non-profit organization. Friends is a growing group of dedicated people who show their support in a number of ways. Some volunteer, some contribute financially, and some seek legislative support for the parks. Whatever your involvement, you are giving back to Georgia in a meaningful way. With more than 25 chapters across the state, you may be just down the road from a place where you can make new friends while making a difference. Plus, a portion of your membership fees is returned directly to these chapters for needed projects. For more information, please visit friendsofgastateparks.org.
National Trails Day at Unicoi State Park - Saturday, June 7, beginning at 9AM. A number of activities and educational sessions will be held in various locations in the Park, as described in this brochure. Parking is available at the Delayed Harvest or Mountain Bike Trail Parking Lot. Pre-Registration is encouraged, but not required. For Questions or to Register, contact Unicoi State Park's Programming Department at 800-573-3984 Ext. 305.
Return to Top of PageOur primary membership activity is sponsoring field trips to interesting natural areas in Georgia. Membership is open to all, with a basic membership fee of $25 per calendar year. Join us in exploring areas from the mountains to the coast to find fascinating varieties of plants and learn from knowledgeable botanists who lead us. Most of us are not professional botanists, but enjoy learning about our native flowers, shrubs, trees, grasses, mosses, lichens and fungi.
Visitors are welcome to participate in the Society's field trips and are encouraged to follow up their interest by joining the organization.
Call the Botanical Society Hot Line 770-417-5903 or visit www.gabotsoc.org for information on upcoming field trips.
Eagle Mtn - May 10 - Towns - Ben Cash
Pickett's Mill Plant Inventory - May 11 - Paulding - Tom Patrick
Edibles Workshop, CRNRA Environmental Education Ctr - May 17 - Fulton - Jerry Hightower
Gardening with Natives, Atlanta History Center Quarry Garden - May 18 - Fulton - John Manion
Flint River Canoe Trip - May 24 - Rental Canoes Available - Upson - Jerry Hightower
Cohutta Wilderness, Panther Creek - May 24 - Fannin - Hal Massie/Chris Inhulsen
Cooper Creek Scenic Area, Giant Trees Trail - May 25 - Union - Hal Massie/Chris Inhulsen
Arkaquah Trail - May 26 (Memorial Day) - Towns - Hal Massie/Chris Inhulsen
Oaky Woods Black Belt Prairies - May 31 - Houston - Lee Echols
Coosa Prairies - June 7 - Floyd - Richard Ware
Ferns Workshop 2 at Sosebee Cove - June 14 - Union - Steve Bowling/Leslie Edwards
Big Hammock Natural Area - June 21 - Elliottia racemosa - Tattnall - Lisa Kruse
Pickett's Mill Plant Inventory - June 28 - Paulding - Tom Patrick
Return to Top of PageThe Master Gardener Program in Georgia is a volunteer training program designed to help Extension agents transfer research-based information about gardening and related subjects to the public by training home gardeners. Master Gardeners currently are active in many Georgia counties. Through this program, volunteers benefit from the classes and ongoing training and the opportunity to share knowledge with others; the agents and community benefit from the service. For more information about the Master Gardener program in your area, contact the Cooperative Extension office nearest you, or visit www.hort.uga.edu/extension/mastergardener/mastgard.html.
Hall County Master Gardener's Tissue Culture Class - Basic Workshop May 21 and Advanced Workshop May 22, 8:30AM - 3PM at Chicopee Woods Agricultural Center Activities Building, Gainesville, Georgia. Dr. Ron Clay, Ph.D., assistant professor of biology at Macon State College's Division of Natural Sciences, Macon, Georgia will lead both of these hands-on, practical workshops to learn basic and advanced tissue culture propagation of plants. The Workshop fee: $30.00 for Day 1, Basic Workshop only, $50.00 for Day 1, Basic Workshop and Day 2 Advanced Workshop. Day 2 participants must attend Day 1 Basic Workshop. Fee includes box lunch each day, workshop supplies, informational CD. Please visit www.hcmgs.com/tissueculture.html for more information.
Return to Top of PageThe purpose of the Georgia Perennial Plant Association is to increase awareness and knowledge of the many fine perennial plants that can enhance our gardens. To this end, GPPA sponsors monthly speaker meetings 11 months of the year, as well as a Spring symposium. The quarterly journal Perennial Notes is widely respected as a source of information about perennials, their care and maintenance. Members include new gardeners as well as professionals. It is this interaction and diversity that enriches the experience of joining GPPA. Every member has something to learn and something to teach.
The GPPA meets at 7:30 PM on the third Tuesday of the month. Meetings are held at McElreath Hall, Atlanta History Center. For more information, call 404-237-8071 or visit www.georgiaperennial.org.
May Meeting: Perennial Picks for the University of Tennessee Gardens - May 20. Sue Hamilton is Director of the U. T. Gardens in Knoxville. Renowned for their seasonal beauty, the Gardens yield important data concerning the most durable and attractive plants for Southeastern gardens. This is a "must attend" lecture for drought-weary gardeners.
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There are two gardens co-located at the Georgia Perimeter College Botanical Garden: (1) the Native Plant Garden and (2) the Ferns of the World Garden. The mission of both gardens is to educate the public about US native plants and temperate ferns by providing a teaching environment.
The Botanical Garden is located in Decatur at 3251 Panthersville Road, behind the parking lot adjacent to the Occupational Education Building. For more information, call 678-891-2668 or visit www.gpc.edu/~decbt.
Garden Walk 11-11:45 AM - Speaker noon-1:00 - FREE
Plant Shop open 10 AM-2 PM
How to ID Natives Trees - May 14 - Rick Barnes
Meet the Natives, Garden Tours - May 21- The Meadow (11:00 AM); The Bog Garden (12:30 PM)
How to ID the Ferns - May 28 - George Sanko
Meet the Natives, Garden Tours - June 4 - Xeric Ferns(10:30 AM); Ferns of the World (11:30 AM); Sun Garden (12:30 PM)
Decatur Campus - 3251 Panthersville Road, Decatur
Phone: 678-891-2668
Dates: Saturdays, March 8, 15, 29; April 12, 26; May 3, 31
Dunwoody Campus - 2101 Womack Road, Dunwoody
Phone: 678-891-2668
The Nature Conservancy (TNC), Georgia Chapter, needs volunteers for restoration work at its preserves. You can learn more at their web site - nature.org/wherewework/northamerica/states/georgia/preserves/.
Conasauga River Snorkel - Saturday, July. In 2008, The Nature Conservancy celebrates 20 years as a state program in Georgia. Throughout the year, past and current trustees will lead field trips throughout the state to special places the Conservancy has helped project.
Join Dwight Mathews, chair of the Georgia board of Trustees, for an adventure on the Conasauga River. Bring your snorkeling gear and learn from aquatic experts about the endangered species that live in the river and its still, clear pools. This trip starts at Jacks River Bridge, just over the Georgia border in Tennessee.
Registration/Fee: This event is $15 per person. Reservations are required. Please contact Courtney Lundeen at (j404) 253-7255 or Email: courtney_lundeen@tnc.org.
Return to Top of PagePiedmont Park Conservancy is the nonprofit organization, working with the City of Atlanta for the preservation of historic Piedmont Park. Since 1989, the Conservancy has raised and invested more than $23 million in private funds to transform the once dilapidated Park into the most visited in green space in Atlanta. In addition to raising funds for capital improvements throughout the 185-acre park, the Conservancy manages more than 90 percent of the Park's daily maintenance care and security. For more information, please visit www.piedmontpark.org.
Birds in the Park - Saturday, May 10, from 9 AM to 1 PM in Piedmont Park. In partnership with the National Wildlife Federation and the Piedmont Park Conservancy, the Atlanta Audubon Society will host the family-oriented educational program. This event coincides with International Migratory Bird Day (IMBD), a nation-wide celebration of nearly 350 species of migratory birds, their fantastic journeys between nesting habitats and non-breeding grounds, and conservation efforts throughout the United States and Latin America.
Return to Top of PageThe Southeast Exotic Pest Plant Council is a regional organization dedicated to controlling invasive plants and restoring natural ecosystems. SE-EPPC welcomes participation by all land agencies, organizations, industries, and individuals, all working together to forge a solution. Visit www.se-eppc.org for more information.
10th Annual Southeast EPPC Conference: Managing Invasive Plants in Disturbed Landscapes - May 20-22, Imperial Palace Casinos, Biloxi Miss. The symposium will offer a timely forum for considering how best to manage invasive plants in disturbed landscapes. Ecological disturbances, such as Hurricane Katrina and the 2007 wildfires in southern Georgia and northern Florida, should raise awareness of these events in the southeastern United States.
The program will emphasize, but is not limited to, presentations addressing concerns about how invasive plants respond to natural and man-made disturbances and how local communities and stakeholders take action to anticipate and respond to the increased threats posed by invasive non-native plants following such disturbances. The symposium will include plenary sessions, workshops and field trips.
Return to Top of PageThe State Botanical Garden of Georgia is a public educational facility operated under the auspices of the University of Georgia. It is a "living laboratory" for university students and faculty who utilize the collections and natural plant communities for studies in a variety of disciplines. The Garden is also a public garden for enjoyment by the general public who find beauty, knowledge and solitude in a garden setting.
The SBG is located in Athens at the University of Georgia at 2450 South Milledge Avenue. For more information, or to register for any programs, call 706 542-6156. Visit their Web site at www.uga.edu/botgarden.
Certificate in Native Plants Core Course: Basic Botany - May 09, 08:30 AM - 04:30 PM Callaway Building Auditorium. Instructor: Robert Wyatt, Adjunct Professor of Ecology, UGA. Basic Botany provides an introduction to general plant anatomy, morphology, and physiology, with an emphasis on relating form to function. Using live material and slides, students will make detailed observations of root, stem, and leaf tissues and discuss the processes of water and nutrient movements. The mechanisms of flower pollination, seed dispersal, and germination will be explored, along with the basics of plant genetics, photosynthesis and evolution. Cost: Members $90.00; Non-members $100.00. Section 1 (Capacity: 20)
Native Plant Certificate Elective: Plant Surveys, Inventory, and Mapping - Jun 07, 08:30 AM - 12:30 PM The State Botanical Garden of Georgia. Instructor: Jim Allison, Interpretative Ranger Davidson Arabia Mountain Nautre Preserve, Lithonia, GA. This course will provide students with the basic skills needed to conduct rare plant surveys, floristic inventories, and ecological assessments. Students will be introduced to primary botanical data sources, such as herbarium specimens and library resources, and to other sources such as Natural Heritage databases and online herbaria, maps, and photographs. Students will be taught to read the landscape using aerial photographs, soil and topographic maps, compass and GPS. Plant identification skills will focus on understanding plant species' habitat requirements and their flowering and fruiting periods, and on developing a "search image" for the species in the wild. Prerequisite: Plant Taxonomy and Basic Field Botany, April 26. Cost: Members $40.00; Non-members $45.00. Section 1 (Capacity: 20)
Native Plant Certificate Core Course: Plant Conservation: Protecting Botanical Diversity in the Garden and in the Wild - Jun 21, 08:30 AM - 12:30 PM The State Botanical Garden of Georgia. Instructor: Jennifer Ceska, Conservation Coordinator, SBG & Jim Affolter, Director of Research, SBG. Plant conservation is an applied science that draws upon many fields of knowledge from ecology to horticulture, and ethics to politics. This course surveys threats to biodiversity in Georgia and world wide; examples of rare plant research; techniques for restoration and reintroduction; and ways individuals and organizations are making a difference in protecting rare plants species of Georgia. Class will include demonstrations, hands-on activities, group discussions, tours of threatened species collections, and visits to the conservation research lab and the Outdoor Propagation Area for Rare Plant Species at the State Botanical Garden of Georgia. Cost: Members $90.00; Non-members $100.00. Section 1 (Capacity: 15)
Native Plant Certificate Elective: Digital Plant Photography: Wildflowers, Gardens, and Landscapes - Jul 12, 08:30 AM - 12:30 PM The State Botanical Garden of Georgia. Instructor: Hugh and Carol Nourse, Nature Photographers/Authors. Beginning with equipment, we will discuss tripods, digital cameras, and lenses. Then we will cover technical issues, such as depth of field, exposure, histograms, and white balance. Documentary flower photography, covering how to achieve clear sharp, faithful portraits, will follow. We then turn to making more exciting photographs using light, color, and design. Finally, we demonstrate putting it all together with landscape photography. Cost: Members $40.00; Non-members $45.00. Section 1 (Capacity: 20)
Native Plant Certificate Registration - Aug 06, 08:00 AM - 08:00 AM Course Specific. Instructor: Course Specific. This registration is for those pursuing the Certificate in Native Plants. You are required to pay a one time $30 fee prior to registering for any course in the series. Cost: Members $30.00; Non-members $30.00. Section 1 (Capacity: 22)
The Tennessee Native Plant Society was founded in the spring of 1978 as a botanical organization for persons interested in the native flora of Tennessee. Members include wildflower enthusiasts from all over the state who share common interests in the areas of plant identification and folklore, growing native plants from seeds and cuttings for use in naturalized landscapes, and preserving natural areas to protect plants. Our members range from professional and amateur botanists to individuals simply interested in learning about Tennessee's diverse array of flora and unique environments.
Our members meet frequently at various locations all over the state for field trips. Field trips are open to non-members as well as members. For these trips we rely on local amateurs and professionals who know the plants in a given area. Trips are rarely cancelled, but sometimes changes are unavoidable. Contact the trip leader a day or two before attending to get an updated status and to let them know who is coming. Please visit www.tnps.org for more information.
The TNPS was kind enough to provide a PDF listing of their 2008 Field Trip Schedule which contains more information about the trips listed below along with driving directions.
Carter State Natural Area - Saturday, May 10, 10AM Central. Carter State Natural Area is a 375-acre preserve located on the Cumberland Plateau south of Sewanee. It contains many Tennessee rare plants and a cave complex that drains Lost Cove. Steep bluffs and ravines are present and a unique feature of the area is the unusual entrance to Buggy Top Cave. There should be late spring wildflowers still blooming for this early May trip. TNPS has been asked by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation to conduct a plant inventory for the Carter Caves area. As a part of this field trip (and another scheduled for Sept. 13), we plan to document all of the plant species we observe in this natural area. Please join us as we visit this unusual site and perform a plant survey for the State of Tennessee. Walking will be moderate to difficult, 2-3 miles, some may be off trail. Leader: Dennis Horn 931-461-0262
Return to Top of PageWoodlands is a seven acre greenspace in the heart of Decatur. There is an Historic Garden featuring camellias, hydrangeas, Japanese maples and much more, the 60 year gardening project of the family that donated the land. We are now removing invasive and exotic plants and beginning to plant a Piedmont Native Garden of trees, shrubs and perennials.
The Woodlands Midweek Gardeners meet every other Wednesday morning for light gardening, good conversation, and occasional field trips. Saturday workdays occur about four times a year as needed, and usually focus on larger tasks like trail maintenance or tree planting.
Contact Ruby Bock, Garden Manager, at 404.273.1464, or visit www.decaturpreservationalliance.org for more information.
Woodlands Sundays in the Garden - May 25, 2 to 4 p.m. Woodlands Garden, 920 Scott Blvd. Self-guided tour. Woodlands docents on site. This event is ongoing, every last Sunday in each month. Park at City Schools of Decatur Central Administrative Offices (Westchester School), 758 Scott Blvd.
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