Native Plant Trust

Saturday, May 6, 7:00 pm – Sphagnum Moss-Associated Nitrogen Fixation in New England Peatlands

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The New England Botanical Society is holding its May meeting on Saturday, May 6 in person at the Native Plant Trust’s Garden in the Woods in Framingham at 7 pm. The speaker is Dr. Kirsten Coe, Assistant Professor, Department of Biology, Middlebury College, speaking on Sphagnum Moss-Associated Nitrogen Fixation in New England Peatlands. To register, and for more information, visit https://www.rhodora.org/meetings/upcomingmeetings.html

Kirsten K. Coe is a plant ecophysiologist, focusing on how environmental stress shapes plant performance and growth, and in turn how plant responses influence ecosystem level processes. She uses mosses as a model system to answer questions in this domain, focusing on ecosystems where they carry large ecological importance, often as keystone species. The Coe lab applies a combination of field manipulation experiments, stable isotope analysis, and laboratory photosynthetic stress assessment using infrared gas analysis and chlorophyll fluorescence. Two current lab research foci include (1) an NSF-funded project exploring the ecological, physiological, and genetic basis of desiccation tolerance in Syntrichia, a diverse clade of dryland mosses; and (2) the influence of symbioses between nitrogen-fixing cyanobacteria and peatland mosses on nitrogen cycling.

Mondays, May 1 – May 22, 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm Eastern – Wildflowers of New England, Live and Online

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This Native Plant Trust Live virtual course provides a comprehensive introduction to native plants, including their identification, ecology, and conservation. We explore New England’s native plants by studying key identification features of flowers, leaves, and stems; family characteristics; growth patterns; pollinators; seed dispersers; and habitats. You will learn basic botanical skills and tools for identifying wildflowers and study pollination and coevolution of flower structure and design, habitats and ecology, and conservation concerns. (This course is also offered in-person). Neela de Zoysa leads the four Monday sessions, May 1 – 22. $216 for NPT members, $264 for nonmembers. Register at www.nativeplanttrust.org Once registered, students will receive an automatic email containing details about the course and their receipt. These details may include pre-class readings, handouts, an access link, or directions to field sites. A reminder email will be sent out 1 week in advance.

Common Groundnut courtesy Go Botany

Thursday, April 6, 3:00 pm – 6:00 pm Eastern – New England Climbers, Online

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Native climbers are an ecologically and taxonomically varied group of plants. They range from rare and vulnerable species, such as Allegheny vine (Adlumia fungosa) and the American climbing fern (Lygodium palmatum, pictured below) to those proliferating due to forest fragmentation and warming climate, such as wild grapes (Vitis spp) and poison ivy (Toxicodendron radicans). Learn about 50 climbers and become familiar with identification characteristics. This Native Plant Trust class will take place online on April 6 from 3 – 6 led by Neela de Zoysa. NPT members $60, nonmembers $72. Register at http://www.nativeplanttrust.org/events/new-england-climbers-2/ Please note: We do not make video or audio recordings of classes or programs available after the fact, because we believe education is interactive, with instructors and students building a community and culture of learning. Some programs may be recorded strictly for instructor-training purposes.

Friday, March 31, 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm Eastern – An Evening with Uli Lorimer and Rebecca McMackin, Live and Online

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Join Uli Lorimer, director of Horticulture at Native Plant Trust and author of The Northeast Native Plant Primer- 235 Plants for an Earth-Friendly Garden (Timber Press) and Rebecca McMackin, Loeb Fellow, Harvard Graduate School of Design, and former director of Horticulture, Brooklyn Bridge Park, for an evening of no-holds-barred discussion about native plants in horticulture from two of the leading experts in the field today. The event will be moderated by Barbara Moran, a correspondent on WBUR’s environmental team. For 25 years, she has worked as a science journalist covering public health, environmental justice, and the intersection of science and society. She has written for many publications, including the New York Times and the Boston Globe Magazine, and produced television documentaries for PBS and others. She was twice awarded the National Association of Science Writers’ highest honor, the Science in Society Award.

This is a hybrid event: Live virtual and in person at Garden in the Woods, Framingham, MA. The talk is scheduled for March 31 from 6 – 8 Eastern.

Attend in person: Tickets $30 (members)/$36 (non-members) 

Click here to register to attend this event in person

Attend live virtual: Tickets $15 (members)/$18 (non-members)

Click here to register to attend this event virtually

Please note: We at the Native Plant Trust do not make video or audio recordings of classes or programs available after the fact, because we believe education is interactive, with instructors and students building a community and culture of learning. Some programs may be recorded strictly for instructor-training purposes.

Tuesday, March 28, 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm Eastern – Edible Invasives, Online

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Invasive species are a significant threat to global biodiversity and conservationists are constantly looking for new ways to manage their continued expansion into native ecosystems. While traditional methods to control invasive species have included mechanical and chemical strategies, in recent years there has been a growing movement to see if we can control invasive species by eating them. In this March 28 Native Plant Trust presentation with Micah Jasny, we will learn about the history of eating invasive species and the merits and drawbacks of the strategy. $12 for NPT members, $15 for nonmembers. Register at http://www.nativeplanttrust.org/events/edible-invasives/

Please note: We do not make video or audio recordings of classes or programs available after the fact, because we believe education is interactive, with instructors and students building a community and culture of learning. Some programs may be recorded strictly for instructor-training purposes.

Japanese Knotweed courtesy Edible Alchemy

Wednesday, March 29, 12:30 pm – 2:00 pm – Native Plant Dyes

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For centuries, people have used natural materials to bring color into everyday life through wardrobe and fashion. Today, approximately 90 percent of dyes used in clothing are synthetic; many are made through unsustainable processes. In New England, we are surrounded by plants that can be turned into vibrant and lush pigments, which in turn can be applied to natural fibers such as wool, hemp, or cotton. In this Native Plant Trust class at Garden in the Woods on March 29 at 12:30 pm, we’ll discuss useful dye plants of the Northeast and New England ecoregions and explore how to process, extract, and bind these colors to fabric. Basic terminology of natural dyes, methods of plant identification, and ethical harvest of plant parts used will also be covered. As we conclude, a brief showcase of plant-dyed fabrics will be displayed. Join us for a fun and simple introduction to natural dyes from plants. Michael Piantedosi will instruct. $38 for NPT members, $45 for nonmembers. Register at http://www.nativeplanttrust.org/events/native-plant-dyes/

Wednesday, March 22, 12:30 pm – 3:30 pm Eastern – Orchids of New England Webinar

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Orchidaceae is one of the largest plant families in the world, and there are 50 orchid species native to New England, from showy lady’s slipper (Cypripedium reginae) to rose pogonia (Pogonia ophioglossoides). While some species are common, many are of conservation concern. This session with Neela de Zoysa on March 22 from 12:30 – 3:30 provides context for understanding native orchid habitats, diversity, and conservation issues. You will learn identification techniques, pollination strategies, and life-cycle stages for native orchids. This class is now offered as a webinar, and is $60 for NPT members, $72 for nonmembers. Register at http://www.nativeplanttrust.org/events/orchids-new-england/. Please note: We do not make video or audio recordings of classes or programs available after the fact, because we believe education is interactive, with instructors and students building a community and culture of learning. Some programs may be recorded strictly for instructor-training purposes.

Galearis spectabilis

Thursdays, March 23 & March 30, 12:30 pm – 2:30 pm – Horticultural Techniques

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Good horticultural practices form the backbone of any successful garden, and understanding how to apply these practices is the first step toward becoming a horticulturist. We will discuss how to select the right plant for the right place and how to plant and care for native plants. You will learn proper techniques for transplanting, preparing soil, mulching, watering, and pruning as well as maintaining, winterizing, and preparing the garden for the next growing season. This two part class with Uli Lorimer will be held at Garden in the Woods in Framingham. $72 for NPT members, $88 for nonmembers. Register at http://www.nativeplanttrust.org/events/horticultural-techniques2/

Courtesy A Way To Garden, Margaret Roach

Friday, March 10, 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm – Plants and Placemaking with Matthew Cunningham, Live and Online

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Blending traditional Yankee building techniques with high design, Maine native Matthew Cunningham is well-known for his plantcentric residential landscapes throughout the Northeast. His gardens feature ecologically minded planting schemes and regionally sourced reclaimed materials that evoke an authentic sense of place, while showcasing his unique ability to grasp the dynamic rhythms of everyday life. With offices in Massachusetts and Maine, Matthew Cunningham’s firm, MCLD, has garnered awards from ASL A, the Boston Society of Landscape Architects, and APLD to name a few. His gardens have been published in magazines such as Architectural Digest, Garden Design, and New England Home. Cunningham is currently a lecturer at the Harvard Graduate School of Design. Prior to founding MCLD, he worked for Reed Hilderbrand.

This talk on March 10 is sponsored by the Native Plant Trust and pricing is, for in person attendance at Garden in the Woods, $30 for NPT members, $36 for nonmembers, and for Live Virtual, $15 for NPT members and $18 for nonmembers. Click here to register to attend this event in person. and Click here to register to attend this event virtually

Thursday, February 16, 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm – Roots of Black Botany: The Contributions and Struggles of Washington Carver, Marie Clark Taylor, and O’Neil Ray Collins, Online

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While many conservationists are familiar with white botanists such as Carl Linnaeus and Gregor Mendel, fewer know of the many ways Black botanists have revolutionized the field, contributing to our understanding of everything from crop rotation techniques to slime mold behavior. In this Garden Club of the Back Bay free webinar with Micah Jasny on February 16 from 2 – 3, we will explore the accomplishments of three notable Black botanists: George Washington Carver, Marie Clark Taylor, and O’Neil Ray Collins. A Zoom link will be sent to all registered participants by February 14.

Micah Jasny is originally from Northern Virginia where he spent his childhood hiking and camping around the Shenandoah Mountains and where he discovered his love for nature and native species. Micah pursued this passion receiving his Bachelors of Science in Biology and Environmental Science from the College of William & Mary and then his masters in Ecosystem Science and Conservation from the Duke Nicholas School for the Environment. In his current role as the Botanical Coordinator with Native Plant Trust, Micah oversees the Plant Conservation Volunteer (PCV) program. Started in 1993, the PCV program engages professional and amateur botanists to assist State Natural Heritage programs track and monitor roughly 25,000 rare plant populations throughout New England. This program engages hundreds of community science volunteers who undergo training to monitor rare plant species, sign up for surveys, and then search the New England landscape for these important plants. In addition to his work with Native Plant Trust, Micah is one of the founding members of the Rare Plant Community Science Network which is working to share tools and knowledge to better protect rare plant species across the Nation. 

There is no fee for this program. Please rsvp by February 13  on Eventbrite by clicking HERE.

courtesy LA Times