Florida Native Plant Society Blog

In case you missed it, the FNPS Board Meeting and Council of Chapters Meeting was on August 13 at the  FFS Leadership Training Center in Haines City.  If you want to know more about what the Society is doing on the state level to support chapters and further our mission, or if you want to make a meaningful contribution to the society, please consider attending one of the quarterly retreats. Here are some of the  highlights  of what  we discussed and accomplished. To read t he complete summary, along with additional topics, click  here .  Submitted by Donna Bollenbach     FNPS Meets the Wild West…. The venue for the 2017 FNPS conference (May 17-21, 2017) was unveiled and approved by the board, and the winner is  Westgate River Ranch Resort & Rodeo.  In a secluded location just south of US Hwy 60 on the Kissimmee River, Westgate River Ranch is centrally located between the Atlantic and Gulf beaches within Polk C...

Back row: Mark Miller, Pat Moyer, Lowe's employee Sandra; front row: Suzy Callanan and Barbara Wallace. This was a fun event on Saturday, July 5th from 10am-2pm at Lowe's in Estero (southwest Florida).  Coccoloba Chapter representatives, along with UF/IFAS Lee County Master Gardeners, set up a table at Lowe's on Corkscrew Road to explain the importance of native plants, low-impact landscaping, Lee County fertilizer ban, etc. The morning started off rather busy.  The local News-Press ran an article informing readers the volunteers would be at the store to answer gardening questions.  Several customers indicated they came to Lowe's just to talk to volunteers and get information!  One man walked in with a list of questions on a small sheet of paper explaining that his wife sent him down.  When they saw the Slime Monster poster several commented they had seen the commercials and enjoyed them.  One gentleman was really happy (somewhat stunned) to see the ...

by Laurie Sheldon History and Definition President Bill Clinton On Feb 3, 1999, President Bill Clinton signed Executive Order 13112 - a critical piece of legislature on the environmental front. It established a multi-agency task force (the National Invasive Species Council) to deal with the management of " invasive species ," which it defined as a species: that is both non-native (or alien) to the ecosystem under consideration and whose introduction causes or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm or harm to human health. These "invaders" present themselves in many forms, and include (but are not limited to) plants, animals, and pathogens.   I found an air potato as big as my hand at a Roundup during NISAW 2012: air potato has been listed as one of Florida’s most invasive plant species since 1993. Causing Harm Invasives may feed on fish and wildlife and/or cause widespread illness. Invasive pathogens can kill forest trees....

Guest blog by Martin Corbin, Bok Tower Communications Director With 4,500 holes to dig... Bok Tower Gardens is one of Florida’s oldest attractions and a perfect daytrip for those looking for outdoor fun. Behind acres of landscaped gardens, a 20-room historic mansion, and Singing Tower carillon bells, lies a deep-seated commitment to conservation. Founder Edward Bok’s motto to, “make you the world a bit better or more beautiful because you have lived in it,” is the organization's guiding principle. Preservation of the lands adjacent to the Gardens figures prominently on our priority list. Visitors don’t often see the extent of the effort put into these projects, but can certainly appreciate the end product on our entrance road - a meandering drive through citrus groves and other undeveloped natural areas. One of our largest preservation endeavors started in 2007 when we acquired 156 acres of fallow citrus lands with funds from the Florida Communities Trust. We are current...