Dear ANPS Member,

We wanted to share with you the latest news on the Fall 2016 Meeting coming up next month in Mena, Arkansas, and tell you that the Fall 2016 Claytonia newsletter is now available for downloading!

The fall 2016 Claytonia newsletter has been published and the mailed copies will go out around August 8 or 9.

Click here to download and read the Fall 2016 Claytonia.

Click here for all the details on the Fall 2016 Meeting in Mena, Arkansas, to be held September 23-25.

Meeting details:

Everybody is welcome to attend! Meeting registration is only $5 with no pre-registration required. Registration will begin at 5:00PM on Friday, September 23d.

Meeting Location: Ouachita Center on the Rich Mountain Community College Campus (look for ANPS signs as the Ouachita Center is too new to be on their campus map!)

Directions from Sun Country Inn to Rich Mountain Community College

Hotel: Sun Country Inn, 1309 Hwy 71 North, Mena, AR  71953

Phone: (479) 394-7477 or 877-394-7477

UPDATE: As of August 29, 2016, Sun Country Inn is fully booked. An alternative is Rainey Day Resort in Mena. Click here for more info about Rainey Day Resort.

Directions from Hot Springs to hotel (about 1 1/2 hours).

Directions from Russellville to hotel (about 2 hours).

Twenty-five rooms (15 double queens and 10 kings) have been reserved at the reduced rate of $84.55 plus tax per night. Reservations must be received by August 23, 2016 to guarantee the reduced rate. Be sure to mention that you are with the Arkansas Native Plant Society when making your reservation.

Dining Options: We will have a Potluck meal Friday and Saturday evenings. Bring a dish or just come and eat! There are also many dining options in downtown Mena (Stache’s Cookery (tasty), Branding Iron, American Artisans (awesome lunch!), Chopping Block Steakhouse, and Skyline Cafe (breakfast is early and delicious!))

Field trips: Several field trips to local areas of top botanical interest will be scheduled for Saturday 8:00 AM-5:00PM and Sunday 8:00AM-12:00PM:

Queen Wilhelmina State Park on Rich Mountain

Cossatot River State Park south of Mena

Ouachita National Forest in the vicinity of Mena

There will also be an opportunity Saturday afternoon to stay cool inside and watch Catherine Zimmerman’s Hometown Habitat: Stories of Bringing Nature Home featuring Doug Tallamy and many others dedicated to creating native landscapes across the country.

We will offer something for everybody, whether you want to take it slow and easy or something more vigorous. You must sign up for field trips on Friday evening to allow for adequate logistical planning.

Programs:

Friday 7:00PM – The annual Native Plant Auction (bring plants or books or homemade jelly to auction off!)

Saturday 7:00PM – Dr. Travis Marsico –  Associate botany professor and curator of the Arkansas State University Herbarium will give a presentation on the digitization of Arkansas herbaria and how ANPS members can help.

Saturday 7:45 – Dwayne Estes – Associate professor at Austin Peay State University (APSU), curator of APSU Herbarium, and Botanical Explorer with Botanical Research Institute of Texas (BRIT) will speak on the fascinating similarities between the vegetation in the Ouachita Mountains and the Cumberland Plateau of Tennessee.

For complete and up-to-date details, go to http://www.anps.org or contact Virginia McDaniel, virginiamcd31@yahoo.com, (828) 545-2062.