| South Carolina Native Plant SocietySpring 2015 |
| LOWCOUNTRY CHAPTER NEWSLETTER, VOL. 18, Issue 1, Mt. Pleasant, SC 29464 |
Happy New Year! After a great set of fall lectures and field trips, it’s time to look ahead toward an exciting (and busy) spring for the Lowcountry Chapter. A diverse set of monthly speakers and field trips are scheduled with topics ranging from longleaf pine forests to botanical gardens. We also have two special events on the calendar… The popular Spring Native Plant Sale is scheduled for March 14th at Charles Towne Landing – a perfect time to bring some natives home to your backyard. And June 12-14, the Lowcountry Chapter is hosting the annual SC Native Plant Society Symposium in North Charleston.
These are all great opportunities to get further engaged in the chapter and learn more about native plants. We would also like you to consider joining the Lowcountry Board. As a volunteer-run organization, the board is critical to the chapter’s success. We have a great team and are always looking for new members to step into these leadership roles. Elections will be held this spring, so please contact any current members if you want to learn more.
Finally, don’t forget to check out our website at www.scnps.org, sign up for our listserv at scnps-subscribe@yahoogroups.com, or “like” our Facebook page to stay up-to-date on opportunities. I look forward to seeing you soon!
Mary Conley
Acting Lowcountry President
| Spring 2015 Native Plant Sale! |
Saturday, March 14, 9 am -12 noon
SCNPS Members can start shopping at 8:30!
Charles Towne Landing parking lot
1500 Old Towne Road, Charleston 29407
Come shop and get your spring planting started! We have a great selection of native plants with many hard-to-find species… colorful perennials, shrubs, trees, grasses, ferns and edibles. Cash, check, or credit card accepted. A plant list will be available before the sale on the SCNPS website. Admission to the plant sale is free. If you wish to explore Charles Towne Landing State Historic Site, please pay admission in the visitor’s center. For more information, contact Colette DeGarady, (cdegarady@tnc.org, 937-8807 ext-15) or visit scnps.org.
LECTURE SERIES
Monthly meetings for our lecture series are typically held on the third Tuesday of the month at 6:30 pm at the Biology Auditorium, 101 Duckett Hall, at The Citadel. Park in any visitor spot, Kovat’s Lot, or the lot behind Capers Hall. Avoid any student lots. For directions and further information visit: http://www.citadel.edu/publicsafety/citadelmaps.html Please join us after each lecture for a reception including hors d’oeuvres and wine, plus native plant give-aways!
January 20: Managing Longleaf Pine Understory to Provide Habitat for Wildlife
TJ Saveren, Clemson University Extension Associate and Wildlife Biologist
All wildlife requires the same core habitat elements: food, water, shelter, and space. Many landowners and homeowners want to provide habitat for wildlife, but may fail to recognize that those elements are already present in the landscape prior to undertaking forestry, land clearing, or landscaping operations. As a result, the activities may “clear the slate,” necessitating the reintroduction of vegetation to restore wildlife habitat. In addition to the unnecessary expense and labor, reintroduced vegetation often consists of non-native species which do not provide equivalent benefits and may be detrimental. Come learn how research and proper planning can help avoid these problems.
February 17: How to Make Plants Last Forever… or at Least 100 Years
Joel Gramling, Associate Professor of Plant Ecology and Evolution, The Citadel
The Citadel Herbarium was re-established in 2006 by biology professor Joel Gramling to provide a reference collection for researchers and students of botany in the Lowcountry. The collection specializes in the flora of the Coastal Plain of the Carolinas and Georgia. Dr. Gramling will discuss the value of an herbarium collection and will address the modern and not-so-modern techniques involved in maintaining an herbarium in the 21st century. Photographs of plants in the wild will be compared with preserved specimens from the herbarium. Tips will also be provided on how to develop one’s own plant collection.
March 17: An Introduction to Hobcaw Barony
George Chastain, Education Director at the Belle W. Baruch Foundation
Hobcaw Barony is a 16,000-acre wildlife refuge owned by the non-profit Belle W. Baruch Foundation. With a mission that the land be used for “purposes of teaching and/or research in forestry, marine biology, and the care and propagation of wildlife, flora and fauna in connection with colleges and/or universities in the state of South Carolina,” the property is home to the North Inlet-Winyah Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve (NERR) and the Clemson Baruch Institute of Coastal Ecology and Forest Science. Mr. Chastain will provide a brief history of the property and will share ongoing research and management practices related to plants in the refuge.
April 21: Bunched Arrowhead Restoration
Jeff Beachman, PhD, State President of South Carolina Native Plant Society
Learn about the Bunched Arrowhead Restoration Project underway at Gateway Elementary School in Greenville. Bunched arrowhead (Sagittaria fasciculata) is a federally endangered plant endemic to the Greenville-Hendersonville area. The project is a unique collaboration between non-profits, volunteers, state and local agencies working to restore a previously unknown population of this rare native plant. Jeff will also share information on the great things happening statewide in our Society.
May 19: Green Roofs: Looking to South Carolina’s Natural Communities for Inspiration
Ethan Kauffman, Garden Director, Moore Farms Botanical Garden
Green roofs lower energy costs, mitigate the urban heat island effect, increase the longevity of roofs and aid with storm water management. They also send a very positive and visceral message about environmental stewardship. And let’s be honest, looking up at a stark building of glass and steel topped by a fluffy, colorful garden is just plain cool. However, they present unique challenges for growing plants, especially in the Southeast where the effects of our long, hot growing season are amplified. So where do we turn for plants to grow in this hostile environment? Green roof plant trials conducted at Moore Farms Botanical Garden suggest that South Carolina’s natural communities just might be part of the answer.
FIELD TRIPS
Saturday, January 24, 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Magnolia Plantation Work Day: The chapter will hold a volunteer workday at Magnolia Plantation’s Audubon Swamp. We will be in the Swamp Garden from 9 am until after lunch. Please bring gloves, work tools (loppers, hack saws), lunch/snacks, and water. Come prepared to work! Contact Jeff Jackson (lowcountryroots@aol.comor 478-5827) for further information.
Saturday, February 21, 9:30AM
Construct a Home Herbarium: Dr. Joel Gramling will lead a workshop on how to construct a home herbarium, provide an overview of The Citadel Herbarium facilities and take participants on a short walk to collect plant specimens. Participants should meet at The Citadel at 9:30 am. This event is limited to 12 participants. Please contact Joel Gramling (gramlingj1@citadel.edu) to sign up.
Saturday, March 21, 1:00 – 4:00 PM, $15 Fee
Tour of Hobcaw Barony: Join us as we explore one of the largest undeveloped tracts on the Waccamaw Neck. Hobcaw Barony’s 16,000 acres encompass a rich diversity of every common ecosystem found on the South Carolina coast, making this an unparalleled site for research in the environmental sciences. In addition, over 70 cultural sites on the plantation — including cemeteries, slave cabins, and the Baruchs’ homes — provide a time capsule for educators. This property is only open to the public for special programs, so this is an exciting opportunity! We will meet at the Hobcaw Barony Discovery Center (22 Hobcaw Rd, Georgetown, SC 29440) and use their buses to tour the property. There is a $15 fee per person; limited to 28 participants. To sign up, please contact Katie Ellis (Kathryn.k.ellis@gmail.com or 843-906-9916).
Saturday, April 11, 8:45 AM
Palmetto Trail at Turkey Creek Walk: Put on your mud shoes and come join Jeff Jackson for a slog through one of the prettiest and most botanically rich portions along the Swamp Fox Passage of the Palmetto Trail. We will be walking from Conifer Hall Road (mile 19.5 on the trail maps) along the creek to Irishtown Road. Meet at the Rivertowne Harris Teeter on Hwy 41 at 8:45 for a 9 am departure. We hope to be hitting the trail around 10 am. Bring lunch, water, and appropriate shoes! Contact Jeff Jackson (lowcountryroots@aol.comor 478-5827) for further information.
Saturday, May 30, 1:00 – 4:00 PM
Moore Farms Botanical Garden Tour: Moore Farms Botanical Garden is a nonprofit organization set on over 500 acres near Lake City, South Carolina. The garden is cultivated on 50 acres and is a dynamic mix of formal, naturalistic and agrarian landscapes. In addition to many beautiful plants from around the world, more than 700 varieties of South Carolina native plants are cultivated, including many seldom-grown species. Join garden girector Ethan Kauffman as he provides a special tour, highlighting his favorite native plants along the way. The tour is free, but there is a limit of 25 participants. Expect to take home some free plants from the nursery at the end of the tour. To sign up for the trip, please contact Katie Ellis (Kathryn.k.ellis@gmail.com, 843-906-9916).
| SAVE THE DATE: SC Native Plant Society Annual SymposiumJune 12 – 14, 2015
Come join the Lowcountry Chapter as we host the annual South Carolina Native Plant Society Annual Symposium in North Charleston. The event will include lectures, field trips and social activities. We look forward to seeing you there! Please contact Jeff Kline or Jeff Jackson if you are interested in volunteering with the event. |
