Upcoming Flagstaff Chapter Events

Posted on Jun 01, 2023

Meetings
Tuesday, June 20, 7:00 PM: LoriAnne Barnett Warren and Madeline Burton.
Arizona’s Magnificent Trees.
The Arizona Magnificent Tree Program, managed by the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire
Management, recognizes trees in our state that are the largest of their species, both here and nationwide, as well as those that have cultural significance to our community members. Each year we accept nominations for new trees that qualify, using all of the champions to tell a story about the value of trees in our communities and forests. This presentation will provide an overview of our program, share how to nominate a tree, and highlight some of the amazing trees in and around Flagstaff. We will also share how you can be involved with the program as a nominator or a certified tree measurer! Join LoriAnne Barnett Warren, the Urban and Community Forestry Program Manager at the Department of Forestry and Fire Management, and our Urban Forestry Specialist, Madeline Burton, for insight into this one-of-a-kind program

Tuesday, July 18, 7:00 PM: Nora Ventrella. Rare and Restoration Plants of the Navajo Nation: Conservation Activities of the Navajo Natural Heritage Program
Nora Ventrella has been the botanist for the Navajo Natural Heritage Program with the Navajo Nation Department of Fish and Wildlife for the past 6 years. As a part of this program she collects, manages, and disseminates information on threatened and endangered plant species on Navajo lands, and is the curator of the Navajo Nation herbarium located in Flagstaff. This talk will cover monitoring and conservation efforts by NNHP focused on threatened and endangered plants of the Navajo
Nation. This talk will also focus on seed-banking and plant propagation activities conducted by the newly created Diné Native Plants Program, a tribally-run restoration program focused on bringing native and culturally-important plants back to tribal lands. Nora has her master’s degree in plant biology and conservation from the joint program between Northwestern University and the Chicago
Botanic Garden. Her research background focused on Colorado plateau flora, invasive species, local
adaptation, and seed-sourcing for restoration.

Friday, August 11, 4:00 – 6:00 PM: Potluck & Plant Swap at the MNA Colton Community Garden See members live and in-person! We’ll meet to swap native plants, native seeds, and botany books. Bring a dish to share. No alcohol, please

Chapter Meetings This Spring

Posted on Feb 26, 2023

Tuesday, April 18, 7:00 PM: Gayle Gratop, Susan Holiday, and Patti VanTuyl.
Gardening with High Elevation Native Plants
There are many benefits to gardening with native plants, including increasing biodiversity in your yard, conserving water, and providing food and habitat for local pollinators. This presentation will cover the basics of incorporating native plants into your garden. Learn how to choose the best plants for your environment, find out where to get them, and hear some expert tips on how to become a successful
native plant gardener from Gayle Gratop of UA Coconino County Cooperative Extension and Master Gardeners Sue Holiday and Patti Van Tuyl.

Tuesday, May 16, 7:00 PM: Debbie DeWolf Allen. The Brothers Boutelou and the
Grass They Barely Knew: A Journey into Botany, History, Exploration, and Two
Remarkable Men
Botanical names can be challenging to pronounce and to spell, yet they hold a treasure trove of meaning.
Latin plant names often describe a distinctive characteristic of the plant, but sometimes they honor a person: some mysterious, unknown figure from the past who must have some importance in the botanical world.
In this talk by Debbie Allen, we delve into the origin of the name Blue Grama Grass, Bouteloua gracilis. Blue grama is native to the Southwest, and it is charming, distinctive, and easy to identify. The origin of the genus name, Bouteloua, takes us back to a tale that intertwines two Spanish gardeners from the late 1700s, an enlightened king of Spain, an expedition to explore the New World, and some remarkable botanical drawings that were lost for almost 200 years. Come take a fascinating journey that encompasses botany, history, exploration, and a tale of two exceptional men.

Chapter Meeting: March 21, 2023

Posted on Feb 26, 2023

Tuesday, March 21, 7:00 PM: Carrie Cannon. Plants of the Mojave Desert and
Traditional Tribal Uses

Although the desert may seem devoid of life, it is actually home to hundreds of unique species. Some are only visible or appear alive for a short time, while others grow for hundreds of years; many are found
nowhere else on Earth. Participants will learn about many traditional tribal plant uses, plant life that makes North American Deserts unique, and how the Mojave Desert stands apart from the rest of America.

Carrie Cannon is a member of the Kiowa tribe of Oklahoma and is also of Oglala Lakota descent. She has a B.S. in Wildlife Biology and an M.S. in Resource Management. She began working for the Hualapai Tribe of Peach Springs, Arizona, in 2005, where she began the creation of an intergenerational ethnobotany program for the Hualapai community. She is currently employed as an ethnobotanist for the Hualapai Department of Cultural Resources. She administers a number of projects promoting the intergenerational teaching of Hualapai ethnobotanical knowledge, working towards preservation and revitalization to ensure tribal ethnobotanical knowledge persists as a living practice and tradition.