Reflections on the FNPS Conference

A guest post by Deborah Green

Wekiwa Springs State Park has a beautiful spring and river to canoe. But it is the diversity of habitats and rare plants that draws FNPS folks to the park. On the Sunday field trip associated with the 2011 Conference, a group of avid botanists enjoyed this diversity. Learning new plants and challenging oneself with identification is great fun. Seeing how the plants fit into this diversity of habitats makes it even better!


Wekiwa Springs State Park Field Trip associated with the FNPS Conference
had plant ID challenges for everyone. Photo by Deborah Green.


FNPS traditionally holds a plant identification contest for beginners and advanced at one of the conference evening social events. This year since the conference was held in conjunction with Florida Exotic Plant Pest Council (FLEPPC) (www.fleppc.org), an additional contest on identification of invasive plants was added. Shown here with FNPS founding member Dr. Eliane Norman (right) is the winner of the contest, Chris Lockhart of Habitat Specialists, Inc. Second prize went to Ray Jarrett of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services in Volusia County, who is a new At Large FNPS Board member. Third was Dr. Walter Taylor, author and emeritus professor, University of Central Florida. Collecting for the contest looks like I stumped Walter with pothos, a Category II invasive in Central and South Florida.

Winner of the Invasive Plant ID contest Chris Lockhart and FNPS founding member
Dr. Eliane Norman at the 2011 FNPS Conference. Photo: Deborah Green

Comments

Anonymous said…
Dr. Walter Taylor, author and emeritus professor, University of Central Florida. Collecting for the contest looks like I stumped Walter with pothos, a Category II invasive in Central and South Florida. Trees For Sale

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