Plant Rescue Contacts:
Director of Plant Rescue: Don Schwarz or 770-979-4237
Deputy Director: Michelle Eifert or 678-947-1275
Regional Coordinators
West and North Metropolitan Atlanta: Sheri George or 770-612-0676
East and South Metropolitan Atlanta: Lynn Almand or 770-886-9526
Site Procurement
West and North Metropolitan Atlanta: Russell Brannon or 678-493-7229
East and South Metropolitan Atlanta: Bill Belknap or 770-985-0467
Note: If you have expressed a desire to be notified by email about rescues and your email address changes, notify Ed McDowell who maintains the listserv for plant rescues.
The following rescues are scheduled.
Additional pop-up rescues may be scheduled. Notification for pop-ups will be sent via email.
These rescues are open only to those members who use water from legal sources. You should not dig more plants than you have legal water for to get them through this coming summer.
Locating new rescue sites.
All rescuers are encouraged to assist in locating new rescue sites. The future of the plant rescue program depends on our ability to find developers who are willing to permit rescues on their property. If you see a site that is going to be developed, if it is something other than pasture land and has large trees and perhaps a creek, please write down the pertinent information about the site and give it to the facilitator leading your rescue, one of the contacts listed above, or the GNPS Webmaster.
Important information about attending a rescue.
1. Plant rescues are a benefit of membership. Memberships run from January 1 - December 31. Please keep your membership current. Those who don't renew their membership by March 31 will not be allowed to attend rescues. If you need to renew, there is an application form on the membership page.
2. If you attend a rescue, please try to arrive 15 minutes before the designated start time to sign the necessary paperwork. Those arriving after the designated start time may be denied access to the rescue.
3. It is strongly recommended that all rescue participants wear blaze orange clothing (vests, caps, etc.) during hunting season on all rescue sites. Various game hunting seasons overlap with the entire hunting season covering from approximately mid September through the end of February. Please obtain your own gear. If you need blaze orange items, the merchandise committee usually has caps and vests available at meetings.
4. All rescue sites are non-smoking. If you are a smoker, you must stay inside your own vehicle to smoke or leave the rescue site entirely. Please do not discard any smoking paraphernalia on the rescue site.
5. We encounter poison ivy on nearly all rescue sites, so prepare accordingly. Other seasonal hazards include mosquitoes, ticks, chiggers, yellow jackets, etc.
6. More information about rescue procedures is outlined on the Plant Rescue FAQ page.
How to sign up for a rescue.
To participate, contact the lead facilitator as soon as possible to secure a space on the rescue.
When you send an email to the lead facilitator requesting to participate, please put "GNPS Rescue" in your subject line or use the email link on this page for the rescue you wish to attend. Then, copy and complete the matrix below, thus giving the lead facilitator all the required information in a uniform format:
NAME(S):
TRAVELING FROM:
TELEPHONE NUMBER:
RESCUE SITE (county and date):
EMAIL ADDRESS:
FIRST RESCUE (yes or no):