Maryland Native Plant Society Events

Native Plant Sale: Herring Run Nursery (26 May 2013)

Sun, 26 May 2013 15:00:00 GMT

Sponsoring Organization: Blue Water Baltimore

Herring Run Nursery is a non-profit native plant nursery specializing in plants native to the Piedmont and Coastal Plain regions of and the Mid-Atlantic area. We grow more than 200 species of native plants.

More Information: visit http://www.HerringRunNursery.com/. For details about the plant sales, call 443-682-1331 or email nursery@bluewaterbaltimore.org.

MNPS Monthly Program: The Path from Heath to Gardens (28 May 2013)

Tue, 28 May 2013 23:30:00 GMT

Title: The Path from Heath to Gardens

Speaker: Donald A. M. MacKay

What is a “heath?” What are the kinds of heaths? How does one classify heaths? The Scottish Heath is the main case study, and we’ll cover its formation, characteristics, ericads, and other plants. The talk will also cover natural variants and cultivars, and address growing heaths in gardens.

Donald MacKay is former president of the North American Heather Society.

Location: Kensington Library. Doors open at 7:00.

Directions: From the Washington Beltway (I-495)

Take Exit 33, Connecticut Avenue, north to the third signal after the Beltway. Turn left onto Knowles and go 2 1/2 blocks to the library on the right.

The meeting is open to non-members.

Registration is not required.

Smarter Growth Alliance For Charles County (30 May 2013)

Thu, 30 May 2013 22:30:00 GMT

Sponsored by the Smarter Growth Alliance for Charles County

“A Better Charles County through Smart Growth”

featuring
Governor Parris Glendening
Ed McMahon of the Urban Land Institute

Better land use is key to saving Mattawoman Creek and our great outdoors. Learn how Charles County can grow smarter for a strong economy and a healthy environment. Two exciting speakers will present opportunities and options for our future.

As Governor of Maryland, Parris Glendening spearheaded the state’s pioneering and widely respected Smart Growth initiative. Today Governor Glendening works with leaders throughout the country to help them apply smart growth principles to rebuild state and local economies.
Ed McMahon is nationally recognized as an inspiring speaker and a leading authority on sustainable development, land conservation, and smart growth. During the past 25 years, McMahon has assisted communities in all 50 states on a wide variety of community planning and economic development issues.

Location: College of Southern Maryland
Center for Business and Industry, Room 113
La Plata, MD

All are welcome. Light refreshments will be served.

Contact: RSVPs are welcome: kim@friendsofmd.org or 410.385.2910

Native Plant Sale: Herring Run Nursery (01 Jun 2013)

Sat, 01 Jun 2013 15:00:00 GMT

Sponsoring Organization: Blue Water Baltimore

More Information: visit http://www.HerringRunNursery.com/. For details about the plant sales, call 443-682-1331 or email nursery@bluewaterbaltimore.org.

Spring Gardening Open House (01 Jun 2013)

Sat, 01 Jun 2013 17:00:00 GMT

Sponsoring Organizations: EHC Foundation and Home Ground

The EHC Foundation and Home Ground (a local organization supporting sustainable use of land and water resources) will be hosting a gardening open house that will feature presentations and demonstrations on topics such as gardening for wildlife. One of the scheduled programs during the afternoon will be “Native Plants: A Welcome Sign for Wildlife” by Liz McDowell.

More Information: call 301-687-0664 or email foundation@evergreenheritagecenter.org.

MNPS Field Trip: Mountain Laurel and Other Heaths of Sugarloaf Mountain (02 Jun 2013)

Sun, 02 Jun 2013 14:00:00 GMT

Witness the blooming of the mountain laurel, the botanical event of the year at Sugarloaf Mountain, and see and learn about the mountain’s other heath family members. We will hike to the summit of Sugarloaf at a leisurely pace, stopping to identify and admire native plants in the heath family: blueberries, huckleberries, mountain laurel, pinxter, trailing arbutus and wintergreen. The heath family has been expanded to include striped or spotted wintergreen and Indian pipe, which we are also likely to see. Other woody plants along the trails and at the summit will be noted, including black jack oak and table mountain pine. We will also see some early summer wildflowers and ferns.

Field Trip Leader: Melanie Choukas-Bradley

Online Registration is required. Please register by May 31st. Trip limited to 25 participants.

Directions: Meet at the West View parking lot on Sugarloaf Mountain.

From the Washington Beltway (I495) Take 270 past Gaithersburg, Germantown, and Boyds/Clarksburg. Take the Route 109 exitundefinedBarnesville/Hyattstown (exit 22 but the numbering skips). Go south (right) on 109 for three miles to the intersection of Comus Road, just after the Comus Inn. Turn right on Comus Road (west) and drive just under 2 ½ miles to the base of Sugarloaf. Turn right at the mountain base (not the hard right down the dirt road), drive through the open mountain gate and up the winding mountain road past East View and all the way to the West View parking lot (the end of the road). There is a right-hand fork that you take toward the end of the road. We will meet at the wooden shelter near the portapotties.

Contact: Melanie Choukas-Bradley mcb@melaniechoukas-bradley.com. Cell: 301-502-7410

Bring: Light lunch/snack and water. Binoculars, hand lens, field guides, optional.

Notes: Dress for the weather keeping in mind that the summit of Sugarloaf is about 3 degrees cooler and often windier than Baltimore and Washington.

Cancellation Policy: We will go in light rain. We will cancel only if conditions are dangerous or miserable such as heavy steady rain or probability of thunderstorms.

MNPS Field Trip: Oxon Run Bog (09 Jun 2013)

Sun, 09 Jun 2013 14:00:00 GMT

Sponsoring Organization: MNPS

Title: MNPS Field Trip: Oxon Run Bog

Leaders: Mary Pat Rowan along with Jim Rosenstock of Nat'l Park Service

We will return, after many years, to Oxon Run Bog. Though not a Civil War Fort this is a magnolia bog below a terrace gravel formation (like the upland Fort sites)
“Acidic and mossy seeps, magnolia bogs occur only below gravel terraces of the inner mid-Atlantic Coastal Plain. Closely associated with terrace gravel forests, these wetlands usually occupy less than an acre on slopes comprised of soils deposited millions of years ago by the
Potomac River. Water infiltration and leaching has left the soils acidic and free of the organic materials that characterize true peat bogs. When water percolates from the upland sands and gravels over an impervious layer of clay, downward flow is prevented, and moisture is directed
out of the hillside. This hydro-geology creates optimal conditions for bog formation.” National Park Service

Easy to moderate walk. Bring lunch and water. Wear appropriate shoes and clothing.

Directions: In Southeast Washington DC, we will meet on the upper parking deck of the Southern Avenue Metro Station which is on the Metro Green Line. If you drive, parking is abundant there and free on Sunday.

Cancelled if raining heavier than drizzle. Call Mary Pat before 9:00 on Sunday morning if in doubt.

Contact: Mary Pat Rowan, blair-rowan@starpower.net, 202 526 8821.

Registration is not required.

MNPS Field Trip: Ferns on the Gunpowder (09 Jun 2013)

Sun, 09 Jun 2013 14:00:00 GMT

Sponsoring Organizations: MNPS, Natural History Society of Maryland

Title: MNPS Field Trip: Ferns on the Gunpowder

Leader: Dwight Johnson

Learn to identify some common and less common ferns along the Gunpowder River just north of Perry Hall. We should see close to twenty species. We will explore three different areas that are located along two paths that are about one mile each. Both paths are flat easy walking with a few small stream crossings but could be muddy if there was recent rain.

Directions: We will meet at the large parking lot on the east side of US Rt. 1 (Belair Rd) at the Gunpowder River 5.4 miles north of Interstate 695 (Baltimore Beltway) Exit 32.

Contact: Dwight Johnson 551- 486-8518 or dwightmjohnson at comcast.net.

Bring: Lunch, water, field guides and hand lenses if you have them. 'Key to the Ferns of Maryland' is on the MNPS website, http://www.mdflora.org/PlantInfo/fernkey.html

Registration: Not required but appreciated. Registrants will be notified in the event of cancellation.

Exploring the Heaths at Elk Ridge (15 Jun 2013)

Sat, 15 Jun 2013 13:00:00 GMT

Field Trip Leaders: Liz McDowell & Ron Boyer, Western Mountains Chapter of MNPS.

Please note that this field trip is reserved for MNPS members only.

We’ll take take a closer look at the various members of the heath family growing throughout this ~ 70 acre private native plant preserve. Naturally occurring populations of heaths as well as planted specimens will be examined.

Bring/Wear: Participants should wear trail shoes and carry their own water.

Note: Sorry, but no pets are allowed and no rest rooms available. In case of rain this field trip will be rescheduled.

RSVP required: To minimize impacts group size is limited, so please contact Liz to reserve a space.

MNPS Western Mountains Chapter Meeting (18 Jun 2013)

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 23:00:00 GMT

Topic: The Heaths of the Allegheny Plateau

Speaker: Liz McDowell, MNPS

It’s the ”Year of the Heath”, so to celebrate Liz will provide a program about this fascinating family of native plants by covering the heaths found on the Allegheny Plateau in Maryland, Pennsylvania and West Virginia.

Program will begin immediately following a brief MNPS chapter business meeting.

Directions: From I-68 take exit 33 (Braddock Rd & Midlothian Rd exit). Follow Braddock Road approximately .2 miles to the entrance to the Appalachian Lab on the left side of the road (301 Braddock Road). There is plenty of parking in front of the building.

SRWA - Wildflower Identification for Beginners (12 Jul 2013)

Fri, 12 Jul 2013 13:00:00 GMT

Interested in knowing the names of the wonderful wildflowers you encounter in forest and field? Then take this class where you’ll learn to actually “key-out” local plants using the popular Newcomb’s Wildflower Guide.

This hands-on, two-part class is being offered on consecutive Fridays.

Registration: Limited to six persons; recommended for teens and adults; the total cost is $50; and pre-registration is required. All proceeds benefit the Savage River Watershed Association. For more details or to register for the class, contact Liz McDowell at 301-895-3686 or lmcdnativeplants@hughes.net.

MNPS Western Mountains Chapter Meeting (20 Aug 2013)

Tue, 20 Aug 2013 23:00:00 GMT

Topic: TBA

Speaker: Matt Fitzpatrick, Assistant Professor, Appalachian Lab

Details to follow.

Program will begin immediately following a brief MNPS chapter business meeting.

MNPS Annual Fall Conference: The Threatened Natural Communities and Rare Plants of Maryland's Mountains (21 Sep 2013)

Sat, 21 Sep 2013 13:00:00 GMT

The Threatened Natural Communities and Rare Plants of Maryland's Mountains

September 21-22 2013

Co-sponsored by
Department of Biology
Frostburg State University
226 Compton Hall
Frostburg, MD

The Allegheny Plateau and Ridge & Valley regions of Maryland harbor many unique natural communities and rare, threatened, and endangered plants. Human threats include forest fragmentation and non-native invasive species as a result of timber harvesting, housing development, and energy development including coal mining, industrial wind energy development, and natural gas extraction. In 2013 we will explore the unique flora and efforts to mitigate the impacts of land use change in Maryland’s mountain region.

Check the Conference Page for details.

Register before August 1, 2013: Members: $65; Nonmembers: $75

Register after August 1, 2013: Members: $75; Nonmembers: $85

Field Trips

Saturday afternoon and Sunday Field Trips will be important venues to expand on the theme. Field trip registration is available when you register for the Conference. Due to size limits on some trips, you are not guaranteed a spot in your first or second choice trips. You will receive a confirmation before the conference for which trip you are registered.

Saturday Social

$30 per person; cash bar
5pm-9pm near the Conference location. Dress is "field botany casual."

Directions (to come)

Call for Posters

Undergraduates and graduates studying plant taxonomy, plant ecology, landscaping with native plants, and restoration ecology are invited to submit a poster proposal

Accommodations

Moderate

Conference Registration is required.

When you register for the conference you can select this trip.

Fall Conference Registration

Frostburg State University is providing vans, which will depart at 9 a.m. Directions will be provided at the conference.

Fall Conference Field Trip: Rock Lodge (22 Sep 2013)

Sun, 22 Sep 2013 13:00:00 GMT

Rock Lodge

Jessie Harris and Cris Fleming

Rock Lodge is a large, privately owned nature preserve containing extensive heath woodlands and acres of pristine bog habitats. Many northern species occur here, including species not found elsewhere in Maryland.

Easy to moderate

Conference Registration is required.

When you register for the conference you can select this trip.

Fall Conference Registration

Frostburg State University will provide vans that depart at 9 am.

Directions will be provided at the conference.

MNPS Western Mountains Chapter Meeting (15 Oct 2013)

Tue, 15 Oct 2013 23:00:00 GMT

Topic: Pest Vulnerability of Elms in Washington, DC

Speaker: Mitch Hall, Graduate Student, Department of Biology, Frostburg State University

Details to follow.

Program will begin immediately following a brief MNPS chapter business meeting.

Pennsylvania Native Plant Society Annual Meeting (09 Nov 2013)

Sat, 09 Nov 2013 05:00:00 GMT

Sponsoring Organization: Pennsylvania Native Plant Society

Speaker: Dr. Doug Tallamy Professor & Chair of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology, University of Delaware

Details to follow.

Maryland Native Plant Society Events

Native Plant Sale: Herring Run Nursery (26 May 2013)

MNPS Monthly Program: The Path from Heath to Gardens (28 May 2013)

Smarter Growth Alliance For Charles County (30 May 2013)

Native Plant Sale: Herring Run Nursery (01 Jun 2013)

Spring Gardening Open House (01 Jun 2013)

MNPS Field Trip: Mountain Laurel and Other Heaths of Sugarloaf Mountain (02 Jun 2013)

MNPS Field Trip: Oxon Run Bog (09 Jun 2013)

MNPS Field Trip: Ferns on the Gunpowder (09 Jun 2013)

Exploring the Heaths at Elk Ridge (15 Jun 2013)

MNPS Western Mountains Chapter Meeting (18 Jun 2013)

SRWA - Wildflower Identification for Beginners (12 Jul 2013)

MNPS Western Mountains Chapter Meeting (20 Aug 2013)

MNPS Annual Fall Conference: The Threatened Natural Communities and Rare Plants of Maryland's Mountains (21 Sep 2013)

The Threatened Natural Communities and Rare Plants of Maryland's Mountains

September 21-22 2013

Co-sponsored by Department of Biology Frostburg State University 226 Compton Hall Frostburg, MD

Field Trips

Saturday Social

Directions (to come)

Call for Posters

Accommodations

Carpooling

Fall Conference Field Trip: Wolf Swamp (21 Sep 2013)

Wolf Swamp

Fall Conference Field Trip: Elk Ridge Native Plant Preserve (21 Sep 2013)

Elk Ridge Native Plant Preserve

Fall Conference Field Trip: Finzel Swamp (21 Sep 2013)

Finzel Swamp

Fall Conference Field Trip: Fort Hill (21 Sep 2013)

Fort Hill

Fall Conference Field Trip: Mount Aetna Tract (21 Sep 2013)

Mount Aetna Tract

Fall Conference Field Trip: New Germany State Park (21 Sep 2013)

New Germany State Park

Fall Conference Field Trip: Allegany College Arboretum (21 Sep 2013)

Allegany College Arboretum

Fall Conference Field Trip: Cranesville Swamp (22 Sep 2013)

Cranesville Swamp

Fall Conference Field Trip: Fifteen Mile Creek (22 Sep 2013)

Fifteen Mile Creek

Fall Conference Field Trip: High Rock Wildland (22 Sep 2013)

High Rock Wildland

Fall Conference Field Trip: North Cherry Creek Bog (22 Sep 2013)

North Cherry Creek Bog

Fall Conference Field Trip: Rock Lodge (22 Sep 2013)

Rock Lodge

MNPS Western Mountains Chapter Meeting (15 Oct 2013)

Pennsylvania Native Plant Society Annual Meeting (09 Nov 2013)

Co-sponsored by
Department of Biology
Frostburg State University
226 Compton Hall
Frostburg, MD