By Margot Ringenburg
We’re all in for native plants, whether we educate, advocate, cultivate, or protect. The annual meeting was the place to get the gist of who we are, meet old and make new friends, buy much-sought plants, eat and have fun. Here’s the story of what we accomplished last year.
The 2023 NCNPS Annual Meeting and Picnic took place on Saturday, June 10th, from 9:00-2:00 on the campus of Pfeiffer University in Misenheimer, NC. It was planned and overseen by a skillful organizing committee of seven members, including Ellen Bird, Mandy Bloom, Beth Davis, Carrie DeJaco, Carol Fox, Craig Maxwell, and Theresa Morr. They couldn’t have wished for a better day, one with sunshine and low humidity. The drive to Misenheimer from all points of the state showed off the beauty of our state; the landscape for much of the journey was green and lush.
A set of Community Partner Tables lined the walkway leading from the parking lot to a shady grove in front of Jane Freeman Hall. Matt Estep from the Friends of Plant Conservation, Mike Riemann from Friends of North Stanly County Trails and Parks, and Charley Winterbauer and Karen Linehan from the NCNPS Southeast Coastal Chapter greeted members, answering questions and offering information about their organizations.
We hear a lecture, inspect plants for sale, tour gardens
Those members who arrived at 9:00 as this annual event got underway had the choice of attending a talk in the Henry Pfeiffer Chapel by Charlie Winterbauer, co-chair of the Southeast Coastal Chapter, on “The Importance of Native Plants for Birds”; taking a self-guided tour of campus native plant gardens designed by Dr. Carrie DeJaco and her students; or walking a portion of The Falcon Trail, a 2.7-mile part of the larger Carolina Thread Trail, a regional network of connected greenways, trails, and blueways that passes through a portion of the Pfeiffer campus. There were plenty of plants for members to choose from at the annual plant sale.
We learn the State of the Society
At 10:00, members got down to business and gathered in the bright and white-pewed chapel for the annual meeting. NCNPS President Ken Bridle delivered what he dubbed a “State of the Society Address” that opened with some impressive figures: we currently have 1,600 active members, and, during the past year alone, our chapters have offered a total of 123 programs that, as a whole, reached 3,200 members and non-members from across the state, with the help of 190 volunteers. The plant sale and auction raised a total of $5,266 this year. It is important for all of us to keep in mind that we are a member-driven organization, and that much goes on behind the scenes, thanks to the hard work and dedication of so many of our members across the state.
Ken welcomed three new board members: Kelly Gage, Alison Northup, and Barbara Tuset, and added that current board members Lisa Gould and Paula LaPoint have been renominated to serve another term. NCNPS Secretary Theresa Morr, who has done an outstanding job, will soon be stepping down after serving a 3-year term. Ken added that the board is looking for a member willing to assume this important position.
Andrea Thunem, editor of the NCNPS Native Plant News, is on a perennial search for members with an interest in writing articles for the newsletter. If interested, please contact her at newsletter@ncwildflower.org. Ken also had some exciting news to share: a new chapter has been formed to serve members in the Greater Asheville area. It has a stellar name: the Land of the Sky Chapter, and is co-led by Carrie Blair, Cat Martin, and Destini Petitt.
An excellent environmental educator
The meeting concluded with a presentation of the William Lanier Hunt Award for Environmental Education, by Tom Harville, chairperson of the Awards Committee. (See elsewhere in this issue for the article “William Lanier Hunt, A Plantsman Deserving of Honor.”) This year’s recipient is Karen Linehan, a lifelong educator at the Friends School of Wilmington. During the course of her career, Karen has conveyed to students, parents, and fellow teachers alike, the importance of being careful stewards of the earth, and, along with that, the important role that native plants play in preserving biodiversity and the overall health of our planet. Largely due to Karen’s efforts, the school recently purchased 2.8 acres of land adjacent to the campus, currently known as the Longleaf Center for Environmental Learning, where students and teachers can “play, garden, and engage with nature.”
The real fun is the plant auction!
Once the official meeting came to an end, the real fun began—the annual Plant Auction! Ken, again, took center stage and proved his skills as an auctioneer! He kept things movin’ along at a steady pace, offering memorable descriptions of some plants as they were offered up for sale. “Have you ever felt the leaf of a Schweinitz’s sunflower?” he asked. “It’s as rough as a cat’s tongue!” There were some real deals—a Franklinia alatamaha for $35! Many thanks to Dan Walker for donating an amazing number of stunning pitcherplants! Kudos, as well, to woodcarver John Clarke, whose hummingbird feeder and wooden bowls—one made from Bradford Pear!—added a different twist to the auction. As Ken remarked, “A great use for Bradford Pear!” For members who donated plants for the plant sale and auction, you can take pride in the fact that the total raised from this year’s plant sale and auction will help support the work of the NCNPS in the years to come.
We eat, chat, and buy more plants
Soon after the conclusion of the auction, a line formed on the steps and along the main hallway of Jane Freeman Hall. It led into one of the classrooms, where a potluck luncheon offered an assortment of delicious salads, desserts, and, as tradition mandates, barbecued pulled pork and chicken for sandwiches.
Live music filled the air from Pollen Oats, our very own botany band, including such favorites as “Plants Have Anthers,” “In Search of the Paw Paw,” and “If It’s Brown, You Oughta Give It Water.” Plates filled, members returned to their chairs on the shady lawn in front of the hall to enjoy their bounty and chat with friends and fellow native plant folks.
By Margot Ringenburg
Native Plant News – Fall 2023
Margot Ringenburg is a transplant from north of the Mason-Dixon Line who retired to the Carrboro-Chapel Hill area after 35 years of teaching. It was through her service as a volunteer at the North Carolina Botanical Garden that she learned of the Native Plant Society and became inspired to establish a native plant garden at her home. She cares deeply about the natural world, and, along with her husband, is a member of New Hope Audubon and a legacy member of The Nature Conservancy. Margot is vice president of the North Carolina Native Plant Society.
Editor’s Note: See Teaching Toward a Native Future to read more about Karen Linehan at the Friends School