Native Plant Society Of New Mexico

AS THE COVID 19 PANDEMIC SUBSIDED, THE NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY OF NEW MEXICO (NPSNM) AND ITS CHAPTERS ALL PURSUED OUR MISSION WITH RENEWED ENTHUSIASM. THE MAJOR EVENT HELD BY THE CENTRAL ORGANIZATION WAS THE STATEWIDE CONFERENCE IN ALBUQUERQUE IN AUGUST. ATTENDANCE TOPPED 150 MEMBERS AND OTHER INTERESTED PERSONS, ATTRACTED BY THE THEME, "ECOLOGY FOR SEVEN GENERATIONS," WITH PRESENTATIONS BY NOTABLE EXPERTS, A SECTION ON INVOLVING YOUTH, AND GUIDED FIELD TRIPS TO A VARIETY OF IMPORTANT NATURAL HABITATS. THE CENTRAL ORGANIZATION AWARDED MODEST GRANTS TO THREE RESEARCHERS, A MAPPING PROJECT, AN INVASIVE SPECIES CONTROL PROJECT, AND ONE DEMONSTRATION GARDEN AT AN ANIMAL SHELTER. OTHER AWARDS INCLUDED SUPPORT OF SIX UNIVERSITY HERBARIA (BOTANICAL SPECIMEN ARCHIVES) AND A CONSERVATION CHAMPION AWARD. CHAPTERS CONTINUED TO OFFER FREE PRESENTATIONS (BOTH ONLINE AND IN PERSON) AND FIELD EXPERIENCES TO THEIR COMMUNITIES. THE SANTA FE CHAPTER PARTNERED WITH THE AMERICAN INDIAN ART INSTITUTE TO BRING NATIVE AUTHOR AND PROFESSOR ROBIN WALL KIMMERER TO SPEAK TO AN AUDIENCE OF ABOUT 200 ON INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE AND PRESERVATION OF OUR ENVIRONMENT. ORGANIZED SERVICE ACTIVITIES OF OUR MEMBERS INCLUDE CONTINUING DEVELOPMENT AND UPGRADES OF THE SILVA CREEK BOTANICAL GARDEN IN SILVER CITY, PRODUCTION OF NATIVE PLANTS TO SUPPLY DEMAND BY THE PUBLIC IN TAOS, PRESENTATIONS TO COMMUNITY GROUPS ABOUT OUR NATIVE FLORA AND ITS VALUE IN ITS HABITAT AS WELL AS IN LANDSCAPING, THE ONGOING REMOVAL OF INVASIVE WEEDS FROM THE LEONORA CURTIN WETLAND PRESERVE (SANTA FE), AND PARTNERING WITH BAT CONSERVATION INTERNATIONAL IN THE PLANTING OF HUNDREDS OF AGAVE PLANTS IN THE GILA AREA. THE ALBUQUERQUE CHAPTER MEETS REGULARLY WITH REPRESENTATIVES FROM OTHER INTEREST GROUPS AS A MEMBER OF THE CIBOLA NATIONAL FOREST COLLABORATIVE, BRINGING ISSUES PERTINENT TO OUR MISSION TO THE CONVERSATION AND THE ACTION AGENDA. OUR TAOS CHAPTER LIKEWISE ENGAGES WITH THE TAOS COUNTY COOPERATIVE WEED MANAGEMENT AREA (TCCWMA). EL PASO CHAPTER MEMBERS VOLUNTEERED AT THE ANNUAL FLORAFEST AT UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS IN EL PASO. THE GILA CHAPTER OF NPSNM PRODUCED A NEW BOOKLET ON THE USE OF NATIVE GRASSES IN LANDSCAPING, AND NPSNM'S GUIDE TO NEW MEXICO THISTLES WAS REPRINTED WITH IMPROVEMENTS. WE CHARGE A NOMINAL PRICE TO RECOVER THE COSTS OF PRODUCTION. WITH A GRANT FROM US, THE TCCWMA PRODUCED A COLORING BOOK TO EDUCATE CHILDREN ABOUT NATIVE WILDFLOWERS. IN THE AREA OF PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT ON REGULATORY ISSUES, WE SUBMITTED SUBSTANTIVE COMMENTS ON A PROPOSAL TO STRENGTHEN PROTECTION OF ENDANGERED PLANT SPECIES BY THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO, ISSUED A CRITIQUE OF MANAGEMENT PROPOSALS BY LINCOLN NATIONAL FOREST, AND ATTENDED AGENCY MEETINGS AROUND THE STATE, INCLUDING TWO WETLANDS ROUNDTABLES BY THE NEW MEXICO ENVIRONMENT DEPARTMENT. WE HOSTED TWO ONLINE MEETINGS OF THE NEW MEXICO RARE PLANTS TECHNICAL COUNCIL, ATTENDED BY THE STATE BOTANIST AND MOST OF THE BEST-KNOWN BOTANISTS IN NEW MEXICO.