Your GNPS newsletter. May not display properly in Microsoft outlook.
If you're having trouble viewing this email, you cansee it online.
May 2026 — Volume XXXIII, Number 3 — Published by the Georgia Native Plant Society
A New Application for Native Plants
Plants from the GNPS Community-Supported Propagation program have found a new habitat - a trash trap!
In April, Chattahoochee Riverkeeper (CRK) partnered with the City of Chamblee to install a new device to better control litter in the Chattahoochee River watershed. A “floating wetland trash trap” consists of interconnected artificial pods that float on top of the water and are anchored in place on both sides of the stream bank to rise and fall with the changing water level. Aquatic life can pass under the device while preventing floating garbage from continuing downstream. The pods are filled with native plants whose root systems provide habitat and act as natural filters to remove pollutants that wash into the stream every time it rains. The trap installed at Huntley Hills Park will improve water quality in this unnamed tributary to Nancy Creek before it flows into the Chattahoochee River, the source of drinking water for millions of people.
Kelley Hanada, the GNPS Community-Supported Propagation manager, worked with CRK staff to provide species appropriate for this floating wetland habitat. A variety of native perennials, grasses, and shrubs were selected including cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis), southern sneezeweed (Helenium flexuosum), Cherokee sedge (Carex cherokeensis), and Virginia sweetspire (Itea virginica).
Volunteers from the Intown Atlanta Chapter of GNPS assisted with the installation.
This unique instream system is only the second in the United States. The first floating wetland trash trap was installed by CRK in Cooper Creek in Columbus. GNPS is excited to contribute to this innovative approach to protecting and improving watersheds.
Monarch Habitat Monitoring Volunteer Training
As a part of the Georgia Pollinator Partnership, GNPS is teaming up with multiple partners to recruit volunteers across the state for habitat monitoring and milkweed plant scouting. The work is part of a Georgia Department of Natural Areas, National Fish & Wildlife Foundation grant,
Creating Habitat Patches on Public Lands to Support Monarch Butterfly and Other Pollinators (GA). Volunteers will learn how to monitor pollinator habitat and locate wild milkweed plants for seed collection.
Ideally, GADNR is looking for volunteers who live near the habitat improvement target sites on this map.
Here are the two training opportunities:
1. Integrated Monarch Monitoring Program Training -
These are free, in-person training hosted by Susan Meyers of Monarchs Across Georgia. Learn more about the methodology here.
May 2nd at Reed Bingham State Park near Adel, Georgia.
May 17th at Hard Labor Creek State Park near Rutledge, Georgia.
If you would like to help with this effort, email Anna Yellin: anna.yellin@dnr.ga.gov to register.
2. Scouting Milkweed Plants Training -
This virtual training will review protocols for siting wild sources of milkweed species for ethical seed collecting at the habitat improvement target sites. IMPORTANT: Poaching seeds and double collecting is a big concern, so the Georgia DNR staff require that interested volunteers complete the training.
If you would like to help with this effort, email Eamonn Leonard: eamonn.leonard@dnr.ga.gov to attend a future virtual training in late spring.
Statewide News & Announcements
We are very excited to introduce Eden Landwermeyer,
the newest addition to the GNPS team!
Because of your continued support and generosity, GNPS has been able to grow and take another step towards our 2026-28 strategic plan by hiring a Membership & Communications Coordinator. You might see her around taking photos and videos for our social media pages (including our new GNPS TikTokpage that you can now follow @ganativeplantsociety). But more importantly, she’ll be helping GNPS flourish and spread our conservationist message.
Prior to GNPS, Eden had a similar role in Communications at Alliance Française Atlanta (AFA), a nonprofit organization that promotes French language and culture through educational and cross-cultural programs. She is fluent in French, so if you see her around, give her a ‘Bonjour!’
Eden is a Georgia native, a Georgia State University graduate, and she currently resides in Atlanta. While she is new to native plants, she has jumped right in and has already finished reading Bringing Nature Home by Doug Tallamy.
We’re very excited to expand our team in an effort to better serve and reach our community. Please join us in giving her a warm welcome!
Chapter Updates
Athens-East Piedmont
Annual Spring Native Plant Sale
Don’t miss this opportunity to stop by Athens-East Piedmont’s Annual Spring Native Plant Sale and get yourself some native plants to add to your garden! If you or anyone you know is in the area, everyone is welcome to come out and buy some plants.
Come out and hear Stephanie Green, Ecological Resource Coordinator for the Athens-Clarke County Sustainability Department, at Athens-East Piedmont’s June Chapter Meeting!
Date: Wed. June 10th
Time: 6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
Location: Sandy Creek Nature Center | 205 Old Commerce Road, Athens 30607
**Please note: May’s Chapter Monthly Meeting has been cancelled due to conflict with the Annual Plant Sale.
Augusta’s River Region
Pollinator Garden Restoration
Augusta’s River Region is forming a group to restore and maintain the pollinator garden at Phinizy Swamp Nature Park.
More details about date, time, and location are coming soon!
Have questions/interested in getting involved? Send an email to augusta@gnps.org!
Coastal Plain
Coastal Plain Chapter & Georgia Botanical Society Field Day
The Coastal Plain Chapter and Georgia Botanical Society are co-sponsoring a Field Day. Come out and explore the Curtis Property in Berrien County, Georgia. The site is a diverse habitat within easy walking distance.
The landscape includes three distinct ecosystem zones:
A dry, sandy xeric area dotted with gopher tortoise burrows
A moderately moist mesic zone
And a hydric wetland at the lowest elevation
The terrain features deep, wind-deposited sands that gradually slope down into the wetter areas, creating a dynamic and varied environment for many different Coastal Plain plant species.
Date: Sat. May 16th
Time: 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Location: The Curtis Property in Berrien County
Preregistration is required!
Contact Brandi Griffin to learn more – Call (912) 339-2632 or send an email to bgriffin@talltimbers.org
Fringed Campion
Plant Rescue at Amerson River Park
Help rescue various, native species including, trillium, mayapple, ginger, bloodroot, and more.
Date: Sun. May 3rd
Time: 5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Location: Amerson River Park
Registration is REQUIRED to participate in a plant rescue, and spots are limited to GNPS members only. Teams will consist of 10 volunteers MAX.
Don’t miss the opportunity to stop by Fringed Campion’s two upcoming plant sales and get yourself some native plants to add to your garden!
Dates: Sat. May 23rd & Sat. June 13th
Time: 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Location: Smokestack Farmers Market | 342 Rose Ave, Macon
Hike at Oaky Woods
The Fringed Campion Chapter returns to Oaky Woods WMA for an afternoon of Ecosystem Exploration & Roadside Botanizing, led by Kenny Grieshop. Meet at the Kiosk at 12:45 p.m. to organize and sign the waiver. Carpooling from the kiosk area to the botanizing sites is encouraged. The walk should be considered moderate and may include: Getting muddy, stepping over fallen branches, roots & rocks on the path, exposure to ticks, mosquitoes, gnats, and everything that nature might send our way. Let's go have fun!
Help us keep the Fringed Campion Chapter public native plant gardens happy and healthy this spring and summer - take a turn watering one of our public gardens in Macon, Warner Robins, and Milledgeville! Sign up at the links below.
Training is provided, and collapsible water jugs can be “checked out” from the chapter for watering the sites with no spigot (Old City Cemetery garden in downtown Macon, the planters in front of City Hall in Macon, and the Adopt a Planters in downtown Milledgeville).
Historic Macon Foundation has selected the Fringed Campion Chapter of the Georgia Native Plant Society for the Katherine Carmichael Oliver Stewardship Award.
This award is in honor of the chapter's beautification efforts of Macon's historic landscapes and your commitment to the preservation of places like the Oak Ridge Cemetery. The award will be presented May 5th, 2026 at the Annual Meeting and Preservation Awards.
Keep an eye on the Fringed Campion Facebook page for updates on Summer Seminars, additional workdays, and events during Pollinator Week!
Intown Atlanta
Native Plant Happy Hour
Join us at Wild Heaven West End for a community happy hour. Drop in anytime between 6 p.m. - 8 p.m. to meet fellow chapter members, talk native plants, and chat with a board member or two.
Food and drink will be available for purchase. No registration required.
Date: Tues. June 23rd
Time: 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Location: Wild Heaven West End
Certified Native Habitat Tours
Interested in having your yard certified as a GNPS native habitat?
The Intown Atlanta Certification Committee offers intimate certified property tours for groups of 10-12 members. Visit a property of your choice, get ideas for your own garden, and learn from the owner about how and why they had their native habitat certified.
For each habitat, we email Intown-affiliated members three weeks before the date of the visit with more info, including times and links to register. The cost is $15 a visit.
Restoration Site Workdays
Come out to one of our restoration site workdays to learn about invasive plant removal and repair damaged habitats at our local parks.
Come out to the North Georgia Mountain’s only plant sale! Held at the Union County Farmers Market in Blairsville, the date has moved to May 30th since the market will open a week earlier than usual. Anyone living nearby is welcome to come and enjoy the extensive native stock our members are providing.
Date: Sat. May 30th
Time: 8:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Location: Union County Farmer’s Market
Tabling Events
The North Georgia Mountain Chapter is lined up for information tables at multiple locations over the next month, including appearances at:
The Hamilton Gardens Rhododendron Festival
Anna Ruby Falls
Brasstown Bald
Want to learn more/volunteer for tabling?
Send an email to northgamountains@gnps.org
Monthly April Gathering - Event Recap!
North Georgia Mountain Chapter’s monthly April gathering was a field trip & hike to a North Georgia Mountain member’s property near Ellijay. The extensive, mountainous property included azaleas that were alive with pollinators, and many more native species will be added in the future.
North Metro Atlanta
Cobb County Native Plant Initiatives & Tour
Join us for a special talk and guided tour of Hyde Farm Park! Led by Charlie Monroe, Natural Resource Manager with Cobb County Parks, this program will highlight native plant initiatives and programs across the county—including Hyde Farm, Heritage Park, and the Wright Environmental Education Center.
You’ll also learn about educational opportunities within Cobb County Parks, the Southeast Pollinator Census, and the event will conclude with a guided walking tour of Hyde Farm Park, where you’ll see these initiatives in action while also learning about the farm’s rich history.
Exploring Native Plants: The Habitat-Friendly HOA Yard
Can you support wildlife while following HOA rules? Yes! Join Laura Markson, founder of Nurture Native Nature, to learn how to transform your suburban yard into a thriving ecosystem.
What You’ll Learn:
Native Strategies: Practical ways to boost biodiversity and add water sources.
HOA Advocacy: Tips for promoting sustainable landscaping within your community.
"Do No Harm": Easy habits to protect local birds and pollinators.
About the Speaker: A founding member of the GNPS Intown Chapter, Laura is an expert in "rewilding" conventional landscapes and helping others do the same through her nonprofit work.
Walk away inspired to make one meaningful change for nature right where you live!
Native Plant Ramble at Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park
Join your fellow North Metro Atlanta Chapter, GNPS, members for an educational walk in the woods. These "rambles" will offer a great way to learn about the native plants and to meet new friends who are also native plant enthusiasts!
Date: Sat. May 16th
Time: 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Location: Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park
Ethnobotany: If Plants Could Talk - A Cherokee Relationship
Our very own Tony Harris, a GNPS North Metro Atlanta Chapter member and Cherokee Nation elder, shares his knowledge of traditional medicinal plants through the Cherokee Garden at Green Meadows Preserve, highlighting the vital role Georgia’s native plants playin sustaining both ecological health and cultural traditions. The garden itself, a Georgia Native Plant Society restoration project, is also designated as an “Interpretive Site” on the Trail of Tears National Historic Trail.
Date: Sat. June 6th
Time: 9:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
Location: The Cherokee Garden at Green Meadows | 3780 Dallas Highway, Marietta
Join the North Metro Atlanta Chapter for a guided tour of a Silver-certified residential property just north of the perimeter in Dunwoody. This member began with a typical suburban lot in an HOA community, where the previous owner had planted numerous non-native species. With time, patience, and a thoughtful love of native plants, the landscape is being gradually transformed into a thriving habitat—featuring an ever-shrinking lawn, 15 canopy tree species, a rich mix of understory trees and shrubs, and a diverse array of sedges, ferns, vines, and forbs.
If you’re looking for inspiration on incorporating more keystone trees into your own space, this Silver-certified native habitat is well worth a visit!
Date: Sun. June 7th
Time: 12:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Location: North of the perimeter in Dunwoody. Private address will be disclosed to those who register.
Exploring Native Plants: How to Identify and Protect High Value Trees and Landscape
Did you know there are old-growth forest remnants hidden in plain sight?
Join us as Kathryn Kolb of EcoAddendum shares fascinating insights on how to identify these rare ecosystems, protect these ancient trees, and preserve the rich old-growth soils that support native plant species dependent on them for survival.
Habitat restoration work continues at Heritage Park in central Cobb County with tasks including invasive removal, native plantings, and garden maintenance.
Dates: Sat. May 9th & Sat. June 13th
Time: 9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
Location: Heritage Park
Want to sign up to volunteer or learn more?
Send an email to Connie at heritage-park-restoration@gnps.org
Native Plant Ramble at Island Ford, Chattahoochee NRA
Join your fellow North Metro Atlanta Chapter, GNPS, members for an educational walk in the woods. These "rambles" will offer a great way to learn about the native plants and to meet new friends who are also native plant enthusiasts!
This month’s chapter meeting will feature an exciting presentation on "The Secret Life of Native Trees and Shrubs" by Charlene Hemphill, so make sure you come out!
Browse our online storefor a variety of styles and colors. Each design has both 100% cotton and 60/40 cotton poly blends available - click on “size and fabric info” on each product’s page for the specific details.
