Speakers Bureau

The Georgia Native Plant Society is always on the lookout for good speakers who are knowledgeable about gardening with native plants in the Southeast.  We would love to hear from you if you have a recommendation of a speaker you have heard which you think would be of interest to our members and could speak to us at one of our member meetings.

You are always welcome to join us for presentations by speakers on native plant related topics at our member meetings, which are held in alternate months beginning in January, and are open to the public. These meetings are held on the second Tuesday evening of alternate months at Day Hall at the Atlanta Botanical Garden, at 1345 Piedmont Avenue, NE, Atlanta, GA. Normal schedule: Social Hour at 6:45, Speaker at 7:30 PM.
To learn more about GNPS Chapter meetings and events, visit each chapter’s page or website, accessible from our main menu under Chapters.

The following members are available to lecture to garden clubs community groups and other interested organizations on the topics listed below. Let us know if you would like to be added to our list of presenters and we will get back to you soon.  If you would like for someone to come and speak to your group please contact these speakers directly:


Name: Barbara Dorfman
Address: 5688 Little Oak Trail
Stone Mountain, GA 30087-2975
Telephone: 678 634-5588
Email: Bpdorfman@aol.com

Topics

  • Pruning (Best tools and techniques, when to ignore the rules, how to renew overgrown shrubs)
  • Invasive Plants: Easiest ways to Control or Eliminate Them
  • Native Plants: Their essential role in preserving our birds, butterflies and other native species

Background

After studying horticulture at Gwinnett Technical Institute, Barbara worked in sales and design at retail and wholesale nurseries, then as an independent landscape consultant.  She specializes in pruning, teaching homeowners how to handle overgrown landscapes and how to eliminate exotic invasive plants.  She has been an active member of the Georgia Native Plant Society at the Stone Mountain Propagation Project and has presented her pruning lectures at two of the GNPS annual symposiums. Her programs for Douglas County Master Gardeners, City of Berkeley Lake, and numerous garden clubs have also been very popular.

Fee: Negotiable


Name: Ken Gohring
Address: 2322 Habersham Drive
Marietta GA 30064
Telephone: 770 401-8298
Email: KGohring@aol.com

Topics

  • Native Azaleas
  • Native Understory Plants
  • Native Plant Rescue

Background

  • MA Washington University (math)
  • Retired from Norfolk Southern Corp. (Operations Research)
  • Member GNPS since 1999. Offices: Publicity Chair, Treasurer, Webmaster, Regional Plant Rescue Coordinator, Regional Plant Rescue Site Procurement Coordinator, Author of numerous articles for NativeSCAPE (GNPS Newsletter), served on numerous committees.
  • Other: President Azalea Chapter of the American Rhododendron Society 2006-7, Regional Director District 10 of American Rhododendron Society 2006-7; Member Oconee Chapter of the Azalea Society of America; Member Georgia Botanical Society

Fee: Negotiable


Name: Jim Rodgers aka Snakeman
Address: 776 McBride Road
Fayetteville, GA 30215
Telephone: 770 460-6284
Email: NearlyNativeNursery@hotmail.com

Topics

  • Native plants
  • Oaks, flowering perennials, seed propagation, palms, interpretive walks, etc.
  • Native snakes (slideshow, live reptiles, or both)
  • Flintknapping (making tools as primitive man did).

Background

Jim has always been interested in the native flora and fauna. His formal native plant background was taught to him by George Sanko at Georgia Perimeter College. Jim was instrumental in the groundbreaking of the Botanical Gardens at GPC. He has been gardening with and studying native plants for over 20 years. He has been doing snake programs and putting on Flintknapping demonstrations for the last 5 or so years.

Fee: Negotiable


Name: Trecia Neal
Website:https://greengardensedu.com/
Telephone: 404 857-4132
Email: tneal@greengardensedu.com

Topics

  • Gardening for Pollinators and Birds
  • Monarch Butterfly Ecology and Biology
  • Composting/Vermicomposting

Background

Upon retirement, Trecia formed Green Gardens Education and Designs LLC and is now using her expertise and talents to design wildlife gardens for homeowners to help transform their barren lawns to living landscapes full of pollinators, birds and wildlife. She is in demand as a public speaker for a variety of topics that include composting, vermicomposting, monarch butterfly ecology and biology, and gardening for pollinators and birds.  Trecia is also a member of the Ecological Landscape Alliance.

Fee: Negotiable


 

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