Georgia Native Plant Society

FOR FISCAL YEAR 2023 GNPS OPERATED THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS:EDUCATION:A key part of Georgia Native Plant Societys mission is to educate our members and the public about native plants and the habitats they live in. Continuing education activities include field trips, workshops, reading lists, membership meetings, and special educational events, all of which offer many ways to learn how to identify native plants, understand their natural settings and ecology, and propagate and grow them.We host an annual symposium, which is a full day of presentations and lectures by scholars and professionals on a wide array of topics related to native plants. GNPS strongly believes in ensuring that students and dedicated professionals have an opportunity to learn, so scholarships are available to attend the symposium, open to college students, interns at nature centers and botanical gardens, and to interpretive naturalists who work at Georgia State Parks and Historic Sites and other natural areas.To further educate students, GNPS sponsors scholarships to the regional Cullowhee Native Plant Conference held at Western North Carolina University. A plant of the year is chosen by the membership and enables us to appreciate an important native plant in more depth. We also provide educational materials for many age and knowledge levels, and sponsor formal research into all aspects of native plants and their environmental relationships.CONSERVATION:The Georgia Native Plant Society is dedicated to the conservation of Georgias native plants and their habitats. This is carried out through countless hours and immense energy and dedication of GNPS volunteers. Our conservation projects included 60 plant rescues throughout the state of Georgia, removal of invasive species and native plantings on 9 restoration sites, creation and development of educational gardens, and propagation of native plants at our Stone Mountain Propagation Project.