2015 ANPS Spring Meeting Information

Arkansas Native Plant Society
Spring 2015 Meeting
April 17-19, 2015
University of Arkansas at Monticello Science Building Auditorium

The spring meeting of the Arkansas Native Plant Society (ANPS) will be held in Monticello, Arkansas with field trips to saline prairies and other habitats of the Gulf Coastal Plain.

Hotel and Meeting Location:

Holiday Inn Express & Suites Hotel
146 Dearman Drive
Monticello, AR 71655
Phone: (870-460-0100)
Email: hiemonticello@ccc-cable.net

ANPS has reserved a block of 35 rooms (a mix of king and queen double) at the reduced rate of $80 (plus 15% tax) per night. The rate includes free high-speed internet and a hot breakfast each morning. Reservations must be received by April 3, 2015 to guarantee the reduced rate. Be sure to mention that you are attending the Arkansas Native Plant Society meeting when making your reservation.

Other nearby hotels:

Hampton Inn Monticello: (870) 367-6600
Days Inn Monticello: (870) 367-1881

Meals:

Potluck snacks will be offered on Friday and Saturday evenings. Drinks will be provided by ANPS. Please feel free to bring a dish or snack to share. Lunch will be provided at a site in Warren, Arkansas for those attending the Warren Prairie or other nearby field trips. All other meals are on your own.

Field Trips:

Primary focus of field trips will be the Warren Prairie, a 5,000 acre natural area located eight miles east of Warren, Arkansas.

This area consists of a mosaic of salt slicks, saline barrens, Delta post oak flatwoods, mound woodlands, pine flatwoods and woodlands, and bottomland hardwood forest communities.

Field trips to other sites are being planned and will be announced on Friday evening.

Warren Prairie provides critical habitat for several rare plants, most notably the state’s largest population of the federally threatened plant, Geocarpon minimum.

Note: Some of the field trip sites may have shallow standing water. Be sure to bring waterproof footwear.

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 Meeting Agenda

Note: All events, except field trips, will take place on the campus of the University of Arkansas at Monticello (UAM), Science Building. Click here for a Google Map of the Science Building location.

FRIDAY, APRIL 17

5:30 – 7:00 pm: REGISTRATION Public Welcome. Not a member yet? For more information click here.

Registration costs $5.00 per person and occurs in the lobby of the UAM Science Building. Pre-registration is not required.

Sign-up sheets for Saturday and Sunday field trips will also be available, along with descriptions of each trip.

6:00 pm: Silent auction begins and will be open until close of the last program Saturday evening.

The auction includes items such as native plants grown by our members, books, seeds, photos and other art, plant presses, jams and jellies, and crafts. Feel free to donate items for the auction. Click here for a donation form.

7:00 pm: Evening Program:

Characteristics and Management of Saline Barrens – Brent Baker, Botanist, Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission.

8:00 pm: ANPS Book Reviews.

8:30 pm: Business Meeting.

SATURDAY, APRIL 18

8:00 am: Field trips depart from the UAM Science Building parking lot.

7:00 pm: Evening Program:

All about herbaria – What are they, How are they used, Facilities available to plant enthusiasts – Karen and Marvin Fawley, UAM Biology Department

SUNDAY, APRIL 19

8:00 am – Noon: UAM Natural History Museum, Arboretum, and Planetarium will be open for visiting

8:30 am: Field trips depart from the UAM Science Building parking lot.

Note: ANPS offers a variety of beautiful t-shirts. They can be purchased only at the spring and fall meetings – mail order is not available. For more information on ANPS t-shirts, click here.

Questions? Contact Mike Weatherford at weatherfordm@sbcglobal.net or (870) 820-8300.