Registration Opens for the Native Plant Society of New Mexico Annual Conference
The Native Plant Society of New Mexico’s annual conference will be held in Silver City this year, hosted by the Gila Chapter. Headquarters will be at the Grant County Veterans Memorial Business and Conference Center at 3031 US-180. The conference, with the theme “Roots of Resilience: Native Plants in the Next 50 Years,” will be held Thursday through Sunday, September 10-13, 2026. However, the time to register is now! Early registration starts July 1 and is available through July 31. The fee increases on August 1, and registration closes altogether on August 21. Participation is open to anyone interested in native plants in our region but does require advance registration.
Since 2026 marks the 50th anniversary of the Native Plant Society of New Mexico, founded in 1976, the Gila Chapter is pulling out all the stops to make the annual conference a memorable event. The organizers have lined up exciting speakers, including Phil Connors, a fire lookout in the Gila since 2002 and the author of four award-winning memoirs, and Doug Tallamy, a nationally known author and advocate for the importance of backyard refuges to the survival of native plants, birds and insects.
Registrants will also have multiple opportunities to choose from among 30 field trips and 9 workshops. Field trips will cover many of the most scenic areas in the Gila region and range in difficulty from easy strolls in home gardens to exploration of the high Mogollons. Workshops will explore many ways to use native plants and venture into poetry and macrophotography. One highlight: Mike Kintgen, Curator of Alpine Collections for the Denver Botanic Gardens, will be coming down to offer a two-day workshop to create a crevice garden in the Silva Creek Botanical Garden.
The registration fee also includes a Meet-and-Greet on Thursday at the Murray Hotel, a reception on Friday evening at the historic Waterworks site, break snacks and two lunches. The banquet has an extra charge, and all registrants are welcome to come hear Doug Tallamy speak after the banquet.
To register, go online to https://www.npsnm.org/npsnm-state-conference-2026/ to see detailed information on the conference and reserve your spots. To choose the field trips or workshops that suit you best, please consult the full descriptions available on that website.
