Lowcountry Chapter Fall 2026 Newsletter

News & Notes

Our Lowcountry Chapter Native Plant Grant Program is now accepting applications through September 10th!  Non-profit organizations, community groups, or schools can apply for up to $1,000 grants to support native plant related projects. We’ll provide an update on previously funded projects at one of our Fall monthly lectures. Reach out to our Grants Chair, Matt Johnson, with any questions.

We’re also lining up some great programming for the Fall including our monthly lecture and field trip series, volunteer opportunities at the Fall Plant Sale and Quarterman Park native plant gardens, supporting the 2026 Beneath the Oaks event hosted the the Charleston Horticultural Society on October 15th and Native Plant Week outings the week of October 18th-24th.

And, we also have Lowcountry Chapter Board elections coming up and will be seeking nominations for the slate of officers and chairs next month. Stay tuned for more information and if you have an interest in learning more about serving on the board, please reach out to us at lowcountry@scnps.org.

This will be my last message to you all as my term as President comes to a close in December. It’s been a pleasure serving in this role and representing the Chapter for the past two years. Many thanks to all of you in making our Chapter and community one that is thriving and committed to restoring, enhancing, and protecting native plants and ecosystems in SC!

Cheers,
Amber Von Harten, President
SCNPS Lowcountry Chapter

lowcountry.president@scnps.org

Lowcountry Native Plant Market!

Saturday, October 10, 2026
9 am – 12 noon

Member pre-orders open Sept 9-23!
See pre-order info and plant list here.

LOCATION:

Mount Pleasant Farmers Market,

Moultrie Middle School,

645 Coleman Blvd, Mt. Pleasant, SC 29464

Co-sponsored by the Town of Mount Pleasant and SC Native Plant Society, Lowcountry Chapter. 

The fall sale will be farmers-market style with many plant sellers (to be announced soon) offering a variety of native perennials, vines, shrubs, and trees. Each supplier will handle their own check-out process (cash, check, or credit card).  Admission to the Native Plant Market is free.

SCNPS members can pre-order plants from the Lowcountry Chapter starting September 9th through September 23rd. Make sure your membership is up to date prior to ordering by logging in to your SCNPS account or contact us at lowcountry@scnps.org. Pre-order plant list and ordering details are here.

📢CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS

To volunteer with plant unloading, sale prep the day before or at the sale, please contact Eddie Bernard at edlbernard@aol.com. There are volunteer perks too!

✨️Shopping Pro-Tips✨️

👉Bring boxes, a cart, or wagon to carry your plants.

👉There are restrooms on site and coffee shop across the street!

👉Plant sale volunteers and SCNPS members can start shopping early (at 8:40 AM).

Lectures

Date: 3rd Tuesday of the month

Time: 6:30 PM, with refreshments and socializing before the meeting. Bring your own non-alcoholic beverage or water bottle.

Location: The Citadel, Duckett Hall, 2 Jones Ave, Charleston, SC 29403.

Enter Duckett Hall from Jones Avenue and go up the short steps to the auditorium on your left.

Parking: Free parking is available after 5:00 PM in the parking lot south of Richardson Street, accessible from Mims Avenue, or along Summerall Field. See map below. Free and open to the public. 

(No monthly lecture or field trip in September. We will see you at the SCNPS Statewide Symposium September 18-20.)

Tuesday, October 20, 6:30 pm

Celebrating SC Native Plant Week
Lecture: From Paved Paradise to Preservation: The Greenbelt Program at a Crossroads 
Speaker: Shelby Marincasiu , Charleston County Greenbelt Specialist
This presentation provides a look at the Greenbelt Program’s evolution from its beginning to its key accomplishments, challenges, and lessons learned over nearly two decades. Shelby will outline program goals with a focus on public access, conservation corridors, trail connectivity, and the protection of our natural infrastructure. With the Charleston County transportation sales tax referendum only weeks away, she will explain how the proposed funding could influence future land preservation opportunities.

Field Trips

Registration for field trips opens two weeks prior to the date of the trip.

Sunday, October 18, 9:30 am – 12 noon

Botany Bay Field Trip with Tom Austin and Kyle Foster

Join Tom Austin of the Edisto Island Open Land Trust, author of The Flora and Fauna of Edisto Island and the Lowcountry Sea Islands, and Charleston County Arborist Kyle Foster for an immersive educational nature walk through the Botany Bay Plantation Heritage Preserve and Wildlife Management Area. This guided field trip will highlight the preserve’s signature species and diverse wildlife that depends on these coastal forests. Participants will also explore the Botany Bay expansion parcel, funded by the Greenbelt Program and purchased by the Open Space Institute for transfer to the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources. Come take a closer look at the ecological richness of Botany Bay and learn about the partners dedicated to its preservation. Registration opens two weeks before the event at this link.

New SC Native Plant Certificate Classes in Charleston!

Core courses offered in Charleston:

Basic Botany (Charleston), SCNP Core Class 9.11.26

Basic Horticulture (Charleston, SC), SCNP Certificate Core Class 9.25.26

New, exciting electives across the state:

Plant Communities of Piedmont and Catawba Indians, SCNPC Elective 10.2.26

Natural Communities of the Carolina Sandhills , SCNPC Elective 11.16.26

For more info and to receive the SCNPS member discount, contact:

Sue Watts, Educational Program Coordinator

South Carolina Botanical Garden

150 Discovery Lane

Clemson, SC  29634-0174

watts9@clemson.edu

864-650-1811

• 4:00 – 6:00 Breakout Sessions

• 6:00 – 7:00 Reception with Heavy Hors d’oeuvres

• 7:00 – 8:30 Keynote Presentation

Keynote: Designing Urban Habitats Through Policy, Practice, and Partnership – Preston Montague, Landscape Architect

South Carolina Native Plant Week – October 18-24

Join area organizations for a celebration of all things native plants during this weeklong celebration that also extends into much of October. For a calendar of events, see SC Audubon website.

2026 Lowcountry Chapter Board Members

President  – Amber Von Harten      lowcountry.president@scnps.org

Vice President – Caroline Wright   lowcountry.vicepresident@scnps.org

Treasurer – Sharleen Johnson    lowcountry.treasurer@scnps.org

Programs Chair –  Rebecca Fanning  lowcountry.fieldtrips@scnps.org

Membership Chair–  Beverly Barfield    lowcountry.membership@scnps.org

Outreach Chair – Paula Carr   lowcountry.outreach@scnps.org

Grants Chair – Matt Johnson    lowcountry.grants@scnps.org

Plant Sale Chair – Eddie Bernard

Hospitality Chair – Valerie Torres     lowcountry.hospitality@scnps.org

Publicity Chair– Laura Moses      lowcountry.publicity@scnps.org

Advocacy Chair- Laura Irick

Representative to the State Board – Samantha Porzelt

lowcountry.rep@scnps.org

Board Member at Large – Katie Ellis