Thanks to the excellent work of Connie Gray, here’s the list of events for 2024:
January 14, 2024 – Sunday – 2:00 – 3:30 pm at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Athens* – Speaker Presentation and Plant Swap**:
Presentation Topic: An Overview of Piedmont Plant Communities
Speaker and Description: One way to understand our natural areas is to view them as different plant communities – associations of plants that grow together within a specific set of environmental conditions at given points in time. Plant communities can also be used as inspiration for how we design our native landscapes. Connie Gray had the privilege while in graduate school to work as a teaching assistant and later an instructor in the Plant Communities of the Southeast course then offered in the School of Environmental Design. That experience helped shape the direction of her later work in assessment, restoration and management of natural areas in Georgia. Following the meeting, we hold a native seed swap for those who are interested. It’s fine to bring your seeds into the building.
Feb 24, 2024 – Saturday – 9:00 am – 12 pm at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Athens*:
Join Us for a Viewing Party of the First Day of the GNPS Annual Symposium
In lieu of our normal February meeting, we will be holding a viewing party of the GNPS Annual Symposium. This will be an excellent opportunity to learn from native plant experts and also socialize with our local chapter members rather than watching the symposium remotely at home. Although anyone is welcome to attend, you must have registered for the event in advance and bring proof of registration with you. It’s only $20 to attend both days of the symposium, so we highly encourage you to register for both days and join us if you’re able.
Feb 25, 2024 – Sunday – 2:00 – 4:30 pm at the Sandy Creek Nature Center:
Join Us for a Viewing Party of the Second Day of the GNPS Annual Symposium
In lieu of our normal February meeting, we will be holding a viewing party of the GNPS Annual Symposium. This will be an excellent opportunity to learn from native plant experts and also socialize with our local chapter members rather than watching the symposium remotely at home. Although anyone is welcome to attend, you must have registered for the event in advance and bring proof of registration with you. It’s only $20 to attend both days of the symposium, so we highly encourage you to register for both days and join us if you’re able.
Mar 30, 2024 – Saturday – 1:30 pm – 3 pm at Dunson Native Flora Garden at the State Botanical Garden
Spring Wildflower Tour with Linda Chafin
The Athens-East Piedmont Chapter is departing from the usual meeting schedule to enjoy a tour led by the incomparable Linda Chafin at the State Botanical Garden later this month. Attendees will explore the Dunson Native Flora Garden at the State Botanical Garden of Georgia. If time allows, a portion of the Orange Trail will be walked where there may be natural populations of Wild Geranium, Bloodroot, and Rue-anemone.
Linda Chafin is a true plant identification expert. She retired in 2020 from the State Botanical Garden where she was a Conservation Botanist for 16 years. She is the author of “Field Guide to the Rare Plants of Georgia” and “Field Guide to the Wildflowers of Georgia and Surrounding States.” She teaches plant identification courses for the Certificate in Native Plants program and other venues.
This event is free and open to the public regardless of whether you are or are not a member of the Athens-East Piedmont Chapter of the GNPS. We hope to see you all there!
Apr 10, 2024 – Wednesday – 6:30 pm – 8 pm at Sandy Creek Nature Center
Blood, Sweat, but No Tears: Life Lessons Learned While Creating a Piedmont Prairie
Sandy Creek Nature Center is a wonderful resource in Athens. One feature is the Piedmont Prairie restoration that was installed just north of the parking lot of the Nature Center. Kate has invested the effort to create and manage this excellent resource, which is used as an educational area as well as a habitat for native wildlife species. This presentation will be inside initially and will include an in-person tour of the prairie after Kate’s talk.
Kate Mowbray is a Naturalist at Sandy Creek Nature Center. She enjoys sharing her love of nature with others and getting a chance to learn from other great naturalists in the community. When not in front of a group visiting SCNC, you can find her listening for frogs, inspecting anything that moves, and strolling through nature enjoying the sunshine.
This event is free and open to the public regardless of whether you are or are not a member of the Athens-East Piedmont Chapter of the GNPS.
Want to let us know that you’re coming? RSVP to our Facebook event here.
May 4, 2024 – Saturday – 10:00 am – 2:00 pm at Sunrise Nursery – Our First Chapter Native Plant Sale!
Choose from a wide selection of native perennials, grasses, ferns, shrubs, and trees grown locally by Chapter members or by regional native plant nurseries. Many of these plants are not commonly available commercially. Plants offered will largely be straight species and have all been grown without neonicotinoids. Proceeds of the sale will be used to support local conservation and restoration projects, provide educational programming, and promote the use of native plants to increase biodiversity and support native pollinators and wildlife. A plant list will be posted online in advance of the sale. GNPS members will receive a 10% discount.
Jul 14, 2024 – Sunday – 10:00 am – 2:00 pm at Unitarian Universalist Church
Introduction to Lichens
Malcolm Hodges will provide an introduction to lichens. He earned his BA in Biology from Rice University and a Masters in Zoology from Mississippi State. Now retired, he was Director of Stewardship for The Nature Conservancy in Georgia, serving as a biologist and land manager for the nonprofit from 1992-2020. Mr. Hodges worked with Sean Beeching and others on the Georgia Lichen Atlas Project, which documented, described, and mapped lichen species across the state. Project results may be seen online at the Georgia Biodiversity Portal website.
This event is free and open to the public regardless of whether you are or are not a member of the Athens-East Piedmont Chapter of the GNPS.
Want to let us know that you’re coming? RSVP to our Facebook event here.
TBD 2024 – Time TBD at the ACC Extension office on Cleveland Road – Invasive Plant Workshop
This event is a collaborative program among our Chapter, ACC Office of Sustainability, contractor Gary Crider, ACC Extension Office, UGA Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystems Health, and Georgia Invasive Species Council (formerly the Georgia Exotic Pest Plant Council, GA-EPPC). We intend to have a detailed agenda available by October 18. If any members of our Chapter would like to assist the day of the workshop, please contact Connie Gray. This will probably entail small tasks such as helping with room set up, setting up a snack and drink table, distributing handouts, and other tasks.
*In exchange for allowing groups to use the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Athens’s meeting spaces for free, they do ask that we take a collection during our meeting asking for donations to the UUFA. There is no obligation that you provide a donation in order to attend these meetings, and if you choose to donate, there’s no requirement as to the amount. These donations go to cover things like utilities and for their generous agreement to provide us with access to the facility outside of normal hours.
**For all of our plant/seed swaps, please leave your plants in your car. All plant swaps are held outside after the Chapter meeting concludes.