Spring 2025 Meeting Information
May 2nd – May 4th
Monticello, Arkansas
Meeting Location:
UAM Forestry Complex Building, Room A102
UAM School of Forest Resources
Weevil Dr, Monticello, AR 71655
Google Maps link: https://maps.app.goo.gl/867bXLhNqD1fm1e67
On Google, the building will appear as the UAM School of Forest Resources.
Parking:
Lodging:
Holiday Inn Express
146 Dearman Drive, Monticello, AR 71655
Phone: (870) 460-0100
Website: holidayinnexpress
We have 20 rooms reserved, 15 doubles and 5 kings at a rate of $114.40 per room. Rooms will be held until April 25th. Complimentary breakfast, free WiFi, and parking is included. To receive the group rate, you must call and mention that you are with the Arkansas Native Plant Society. Individuals are responsible for their own room and tax.
There are other hotels available nearby should you be unable to reserve a room at the Holiday Inn.
Dining Options:
We will have a potluck meal Friday and Saturday evenings, starting around 6:00 PM. Bring a dish or just come, eat, socialize, and learn! There are also some dining options (fast food and others) in Monticello.
Silent Auction: The silent auction begins at 6:00 PM on Friday and closes at 8:00 PM on Saturday. Please bring books, homemade jelly, jewelry, botanical art, or anything native-plant related! All proceeds from the silent auction support student scholarships, student research grants, and small grants programs. Bring any items you would like to include in the auction before 6:00 PM. If your item does not sell, you must take it back with you at the end of the meeting, so please be sure any items donated are appropriate for a native-plant group.
Field Trips: Field trips to local natural areas of botanical interest will be scheduled for Saturday 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM and Sunday 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM.
We will offer something for everybody, whether you want to take it slow and easy or are up for something more vigorous. We’ll be in southern AR in the spring, so we advise bringing waterproof boots/shoes, bug spray, water, and a good hat! Dr. Richard Abbott, botany professor at UAM, will also lead a workshop in Plant Identification Saturday afternoon. Sign-up sheets will be placed in the meeting area, showing field trip details, group leaders, and prospective attendees. To allow for adequate logistical planning, please sign up for field trips by Friday evening.
Meeting Schedule
Friday, May 2nd
5:00 PM – Doors to venue open and registration begins; auction setup.
6:00 PM – Potluck Begins & Silent Auction opens. Bring your native plants for the silent auction and your books, homemade jelly, jewelry, or plant art for the silent auction. Proceeds from the auction support ANPS scholarships, research grants and small grants programs.
7:00 PM – Discussion of field trips
7:15 PM – SPEAKER: Dr. Laura Sims, Associate Professor and a botanist specializing in forest health and plant pathology at the University of Arkansas at Monticello, will speak on the topic, Brown Spot Needle Blight in Southeast Arkansas on Loblolly Pine.
Saturday, May 3rd
8:30 AM – Field trips (view hike sheets for meetup locations)
2:00 PM – Field trips (view hike sheets for meetup locations) or Plant Identification Workshop with Dr. Richard Abbott
5:00 PM – Doors to meeting venue open, registration continues. Potluck supper.
6:00 PM – ANPS Business Meeting
7:00 PM – Student Research Grant and Scholarship Recipient Presentations:
Joshua Poland, PhD student at Arkansas State University, will present From Sea to Shining Seed
Morgan Russell, M.S. student at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, will present The Jack Behind the Pulpit
8:15 PM – Silent Auction closes
Sunday, May 4th
10:00 AM – Field trips (meet at your chosen field trip site)
12:00 PM – Field trips finish
For complete and up-to-date details, go to www.anps.org or contact Andrew Ruegsegger at andrewruegsegger8@gmail.com
