The Arizona Native Plant Society

Botany Meeting 2021
2021-11-08 19:00 - 2021-11-10 19:00 (America/Phoenix) | via Zoom
Watch for registration via Eventbrite in October.

Phoenix Chapter Book Discussion: A Sand County Almanac
2021-10-24 19:00 - 20:00 | via Zoom
We are teaming up with the Arizona Master Naturalists – Maricopa County Parks Chapter for their October book club meeting! We will discuss Aldo Leopold’s classic book A Sand County Almanac. To participate in our discussion, please locate and read the book in the coming weeks.
This event will take place via Zoom, hosted by the Master Naturalists. Please register to receive the virtual meeting link.

Flagstaff Chapter Meeting: October 19, 2021 - Wynne Brown - Sara Plummer Lemmon, 19th Century Artist and Botanist
2021-10-19 19:00 - 20:30 | via Zoom
Email FlagstaffAZNPS@gmail.com to get the Zoom link and password for this presentation.

Tucson Chapter Meeting: speaker: Jillian Cowles
2021-10-14 19:00 - 20:30 | via Zoom
Elfin Saddles, Wolf’s Milk and Witch’s Butter: The Fungi and Slime Molds of Southern Arizona
Contact nativeplantstucson@gmail for the link to the Zoom Meeting.

(Phoenix) October EcoQuest: Gander at Grasses
2021-10-01 - 2021-10-31 | Greater Phoenix Area
The Phoenix Chapter is collaborating with the Metro Phoenix EcoFlora on this month’s EcoQuest.
During the month of October, use iNaturalist to observe and identify:

Fountain grass
Native grasses (Bouteloua, Aristida, Hilaria, and Muhlenbergia)

If you find fountain grass, follow through with one of the suggested calls to action to help prevent the spread of this noxious weed!
See the project’s journal page for full details.

Phoenix Chapter Meeting: Maricopa Native Seed Library
2021-09-30 19:00 - 20:30 | via Zoom
Fall is the perfect time to plant wildflower seeds. So, join us to learn more about a local, FREE source for seeds! We’ll begin the meeting with Chapter announcements and business. Then, we’ll have a presentation about the Maricopa Native Seed Library by its founder, Danielle Carlock.
The Maricopa Native Seed Library provides free native seed to the community as well as a variety of resources to inspire and equip residents to create habitat at home. In this presentation, Danielle will discuss why and how the seed library was founded. Successes and challenges of the first year will be highlighted as well as advice for those interested in a similar project. Danielle will also share what’s coming next for their second year and how to use the seed library.
This event will take place via Zoom. Please register to join us in our virtual meeting space.
Our events are open to Chapter members as well as the general public, unless stated otherwise. If you’re interested in becoming a Chapter member, please view the Membership page. Yearly membership is just $30 for individuals, $15 for students, and $35 for families.

Flagstaff Chapter Meeting: September 21,2021 - Liza Holeski - Plant defenses against herbivores
2021-09-21 19:00 - 20:30 | via Zoom

Tucson Chapter Meeting: Dr. Paul Minnis
2021-09-09 19:00 - 20:30 | via Zoom
A Starving Man Does Not Sniff his Food: Plants Used as Famine Foods
Contact nativeplantstucson@gmail.com for the Zoom link for this meeting.

Flagstaff Chapter Meeting August 17, 2021- Kate Watters - Building Pollinator Habitats
2021-08-17 19:00 - 20:30 | via Zoom

Phoenix Chapter Meeting: When the Rains Come
2021-08-12 17:30 - 19:00 | via Zoom
Our Summer meeting will focus on how the desert springs back to life when the rains come!
We’ll begin with Chapter announcements and business. Next, we’ll have a guided discussion on a book chosen by members to read (see below). Also, our Vice-President will give a short presentation on the plants she has seen greening up and flowering after the recent monsoon rains.
The selected book is When the Rains Come: A Naturalist’s Year in the Sonoran Desert by John Alcock. If you would like to discuss the book, it is available at some local library districts, though you may need to request a hold. It is also available through online retailers and possibly at local bookstores.
All are encouraged to attend whether or not you have read the book.
This virtual Phoenix Chapter meeting will take place via Zoom. To attend, you must register at this link to join us in our virtual meeting room. Please note: This meeting will not be recorded.
This event is open to Arizona Native Plant Society members as well as the general public. If you’re interested in becoming an AZNPS member, please view the Membership page. Yearly membership is just $30 for individuals, $15 for students, and $35 for families.

Flagstaff Chapter Meeting July 20, 2021- Rachel Burke - BLM AZ fieldwork and map package for Agave restoration and conservation planning
2021-07-20 19:00 - 20:30 | via Zoom

Cochise Chapter Meeting: Friday, May 21. Dylan Dorey, Park Naturalist, Kartchner Caverns State Park. Twenty Years of Conservation: Above and Below Ground at Kartchner Caverns State Park
2021-05-21 19:00 - 21:00 | via Zoom
Please email jdougripley@gmail.com for a link to this Zoom meeting.

Flagstaff Chapter Meeting May 18, 2021 - Jesse Mike - Dine Native Plant Program
2021-05-18 19:00 - 20:30 | via Zoom
Email FlagstaffAZNPS@gmail.com for the Zoom link and password.

Tucson Chapter Meeting, Dr. Michael A. Crimmins, Drought in Arizona: Observations, impacts, and projections.
2021-05-13 19:00 - 20:00 | via Zoom
Arizona has experienced dramatic hydroclimatic variability over the past several years with back-to-back record warm and dry summers and an intervening winter season with near average precipitation in 2020. The winter and spring seasons of 2021 are also shaping up to be drier and warmer than average helping to intensify short-term drought conditions across the state. At the same time, longer-term drought conditions dating back to the mid-90’s continue to impact water resources across the region. What is the difference between short and long-term drought and its impact on different resources? Is this type of shorter-term climate variability normal for Arizona or a harbinger of things to come? Will the current long-term drought end? This presentation will explore the unique aspects of Arizona’s hydroclimate that control precipitation variability at both short and long timescales as well as how increasing temperatures relate to drought conditions. We will also explore climate model projections for Arizona and what they mean in terms of potential changes in temperatures and precipitation patterns in coming decades.
Dr. Michael Crimmins is on the faculty of the Department of Environmental Science at the University of Arizona and is an Extension Specialist in Climate Science for Arizona Cooperative Extension. He has been in this role for 15 years working with ranchers, farmers and natural resource managers across Arizona to integrate climate information in their planning and decision making and assisting them in developing strategies to adapt to a changing climate. He also serves as a drought monitoring expert on the Arizona Governor’s Drought Task Force.

Yuma Chapter Buffelgrass Removal Effort
2021-05-02 07:30 - 17:00 | parking lot at Yuma Foothills Library, Yuma, AZ
Are you ready and willing to get out in the desert and kill? Yuma Chapter has again been asked by Marine Corps Air Station Yuma and partners to join other volunteers in a buffelgrass removal effort the morning of May 2nd. We will convene at 7:30 am at the Foothills Library parking lot and caravan from there to the worksite. Be sure to register for an access permit and complete the range safety briefing at https://luke.isportsman.net/login.aspx?ReturnUrl=%2FAccounts%2FPermits.aspx. You will need to bring water, snacks/lunch, sun protection, and gloves. MCAS will provide shovels. Please let Val know if you can join us by emailing her at bebbia@hotmail.com. That contact info will also work if you have any questions. I sure hope you can come. It would be downright wonderful to see you (hopefully vaccinated) fine people before the summer heat swoops in

City Nature Challenge 2021: Greater Phoenix Area
2021-04-30 - 2021-05-09 | Greater Phoenix Area
City Nature Challenge – April & May 2021
Join the Phoenix Chapter in participating in the City Nature Challenge 2021!
At April’s Chapter meeting, our guest speaker was Jeny Davis, coordinator of the Desert Botanical Garden’s Metro Phoenix EcoFlora. We invite you to watch the recording of her presentation to learn about the City Nature Challenge and how you can participate.
Then, from April 30th to May 3rd, use iNaturalist to document as many plants, animals, and other living things that you can find. Be sure to join the City Nature Challenge 2021: Great Phoenix Area project to see all of the observations made by you and others.
From May 4th-9th, browse the project on iNaturalist to help to identify what others observed.
On May 10th, results will be announced. Prizes will be awarded for the most observations made, most species observed, and most identifications made!

“Native Edible & Medicinal Shrubs for Wildlife and People”
2021-04-29 17:00 - 18:00 | online webinar
sponsored by Audubon Southwest featuring Dara Saville
an herbalist, geographer, writer, mother, and native plant advocate out of Albuquerque, New Mexico. The webinar will be held Thursday April 29th at 5 pm AZ time. There is a small donation requested. Find out more at Webinar Registration | Audubon New Mexico.

Flagstaff Chapter meeting April 20, 2021 - Ashley Hall - Yellow Bluestem (Bothriochloa ischaemum): An Encroaching Invasive Grass Webinar
2021-04-20 19:00 - 20:30 | via Zoom
Ashley Hall

Yellow Bluestem (Bothriochloa ischaemum) is a perennial grass introduced to the United States from Europe and Asia in the early 1900s as a way to control erosion and as a forage species. In the past several years, this species has become an emerging invasive in Arizona, negatively affecting the habitats it invades in many ways including economically, environmentally, and/or ecologically.
Ashley Hall received her B.Sc. in Rangeland Ecology and Management with a minor in Geographic Information Systems from the University of Arizona (UA) in 2009 and a M.Sc. 2011. After finishing her M.Sc., Ashley began working for UA Cooperative Extension (UACE) as a Research Specialist for the Cooperative Rangeland Monitoring Program assisting the Bureau of Land Management in establishing a vegetation monitoring protocol. She is currently UACE Faculty working in Gila and Pinal Counties, focusing on Rangeland Management and Animal Science programming.

All talks are at 7pm on the third Tuesday of the month. Email FlagstaffAZNPS@gmail.com for the Zoom link and password.

Phoenix Chapter Meeting: City Nature Challenge
2021-04-18 15:00 - 16:30 | via Zoom
April’s Chapter meeting will take place on Sunday, April 18th at 3:00 PM. Register at this link to join us in our virtual meeting room.
Our guest speaker will be Jeny Davis, coordinator of the Desert Botanical Garden’s Metro Phoenix EcoFlora. Jeny will share details about the City Nature Challenge, a global competition which takes place from April 30th to May 3rd. Participants use iNaturalist to document and identify as many plants, animals, and other living things that they can find. This year is the first time metro Phoenix is part of the City Nature Challenge, so join in and help our region come out on top!

Cochise Chapter Meeting: Friday, April 16: Mike Foster, Nature Videographer, Arizona Native Plant Society, Sierra Vista. Video Stories about Native Plants
2021-04-16 19:00 - 21:00 | via Zoom
For a link to this Zoom event, please email jdougripley@gmail.com

Tucson Chapter Meeting; Dara Saville, "Ecological Herbalism: Understanding the Medicinal Properties of Plants through Relationships."
2021-04-08 19:00 - 20:00 | via Zoom
Native medicinal plants play a prominent role in the biological and cultural worlds we inhabit everyday. As iconic landscapes of the Southwest evolve, observing plant interactions with their environment can inform our understanding of botanical medicine and illustrate the impacts of economic land use and climate change. Observing plants’ ecological relationships provides insights about how they can act as healing agents in the land and for people, too. We will explore this concept through the examples of several native medicinal plant species growing in different habitats of our region.
Ms. Saville is an herbalist and community educator and author of The Ecology of Herbal Medicine: A Guide to Plants and Living Landscapes of the American Southwest, scheduled for publication in March 2021. She lives in Albuquerque, NM.

Phoenix Chapter Meeting: Bringing Nature Home
2021-03-28 15:00 - 16:30 | via Zoom
During our March Chapter meeting, we will discuss the fantastic book Bringing Nature Home: How You Can Sustain Wildlife with Native Plants by Douglas W. Tallamy. While the book primarily focuses on the East, the overall theme is the importance and need for native plants in home landscapes across the country to support healthy ecosystems. Tallamy also highlights the vital role of insect herbivores in the food web and provides regional recommended plant lists.
If you plan to participate, register at this link to join us in our virtual meeting room. Please read the book (if you haven’t read it already) to prepare for our discussion.

Cochise Chapter Meeting: Friday, March 19: Robert Parks, Entomologist and Nature Photographer, Arizona Native Plant Society, Sierra Vista. An Introduction to the Hymenoptera: Ants, Wasps, and Bees
2021-03-19 19:00 - 21:00 | via Zoom
For link to the Zoom event, please email jdougripley@gmail.com

March 16: AZNPS Flagstaff: Kirstin Phillips - Buried Treasure in the Herbarium Backlog
2021-03-16 19:00 - 20:30 | via Zoom
After recently completing a project to process the herbarium backlog at the Museum of Northern Arizona, Botany Collections Manager Kirstin Olmon Phillips will discuss some of the interesting findings. Learn about several new county records, historical ethnobotanical collections from the 1920s, and some fun plant biographies.

Email FlagstaffAZNPS@gmail.com for the Zoom link and password.
Arizona Native Plant Society talks are free and open to the public.

AZNPS Talk Kirstin Phillips: Buried Treasure in the Herbarium Backlog
Event by Arizona Native Plant Society Flagstaff Chapter

Also can be viewed online with Facebook Live via the Flagstaff Chapter page.

Tuesday, March 16, 2021 at 7 PM MST – 8 PM MST

Price: Free · Duration: 1 hr

Public · Anyone on or off Facebook

Tucson Chapter Meeting, Michael Bogan, "Rebirth of the Santa Cruz; The Rapid Return of Aquatic and Riparian Species to Downtown Tucson"
2021-03-11 19:00 - 20:00 | via Zoom

Cochise Chapter Meeting: Dr. Jacqueline Soule "Herbs of Father Kino and the Old Missions"
2021-02-19 19:00 - 20:30 | via Zoom
Dr. Soule will discuss the blend of native and introduced plants that were grown in the Mission Gardens, with a focus on the ones that can be grown in your Cochise County landscape.
To attend a meeting, please send an email to Doug Ripley (jdougripley@gmail.com) requesting an attendance link, which he will email to you.

Phoenix Chapter Meeting: Budding Botanist Training
2021-02-17 17:30 - 20:30 | via Zoom
The Desert Botanical Garden is offering a virtual Budding Botanist Training course to AZNPS Chapters and other organizations. Registration details coming soon! Check Phoenix Facebook page for updates.

Tucson Chapter Meeting: Melanie Campbell-Carter and Sue Hildreth, "Botany on Paper: Much More than Just a Pretty Picture"
2021-02-11 19:00 - 20:00 | via Zoom
Join botanical artists Sue Hildreth and Melanie Campbell-Carter to explore the intersection of art and science in Botany. Have you ever wondered about botanical representation and why it might be relevant to you? Neuroscience provides some answers. We’ll learn about several collaborative botany projects in Tucson. We’ll also honor and review selected local botanical artists, past and present.
“Olneya tesota, Ironwood,” by Margaret Pope

Phoenix Chapter Meeting: Invasive and Toxic Plants
2021-01-31 15:00 - 17:00 | via Zoom
The theme of the Winter 2020 issue of The Plant Press is invasive and toxic plants in Arizona. At our January Chapter meeting, we will have a discussion about the articles. Please read the issue in advance of our meeting, particularly pages 1-24 and 27-31. The publication is freely available to everyone.

To register for this virtual meeting, please contact aznpsphoenix@gmail.com.

Sue Carnahan, UA Herbarium, AZNPS, “Diversity in a Grassland: Flora of the Salero Ranch, Santa Cruz County, Arizona”
2021-01-15 19:00 - 20:30 | via Zoom
The Cochise Chapter meeting
Sue Carnahan, Arizona botanist extraordinaire, will present the results of her recently published comprehensive floristic study of the Salero Ranch, Santa Cruz County. Her presentation will include a description of the physical features of the 16,163 acre ranch such as the geology and climate as well as the individual plant communities. Sue documented the presence of 788 vascular plant taxa in her study, many of which she will illustrate with her superb photographs.
To participate in this remote Zoom meeting please send an email request to (jdougripley@gmail.com) and you will be sent you the necessary link to log into the program.
