Letter to Members About Helene
By Ken Bridle reporting for Native Plant News
After the damage caused by Helene, the images and reality just kept getting worse. Those who were directly affected will have a long road to recovery. The rest of us feel the grief and loss compounded by our feelings of helplessness. Many of the members of the NCNPS have reached out about what we as an organization might do to help. The society will match every donation to the B.W. Wells Stewardship Fund, doubling the resources available to community organizations committed to restoring the beauty and health of the North Carolina mountains.
Each member should follow their heart and consider a donation to the B.W. Wells Stewardship Fund, send supplies, volunteer, and do whatever they can to help. These NCNPS donations will support community organizations that work to restore native habitats, establish native gardens, and educate the public on the vital role of native plants. We know some of our favorite mountain area sites, native plant nurseries, arboreta, gardens, businesses, and friends in that area will all need help and support for quite a while. We hope to find efforts soon that are meaningful and helpful that the Society as a whole, with our members skills and talents, can contribute to.
Until that time, keep the affected area in your heart and do what feels right.
Ken Bridle, NCNPS President
Ken Bridle, Ph.D. is a past and current president of the North Carolina Native Plant Society and a conservation advisor to Piedmont Land Conservancy, where he has been active for nearly 30 years. In his professional career and on behalf of other organizations including the Nongame Wildlife Advisory Committee, his conservation research and restoration projects encompass watershed assessments, wetland delineations, and rare plant and animal surveys in North Carolina and the greater Southeast. He is a frequent leader of hikes and nature walks and a speaker on local conservation issues.
Let’s Hear Those Stories! Send Us Your Nominations by January 1.
By Bettina Darveaux reporting for Native Plant News
You are the North Carolina Native Plant Society and we are grateful for all that you do to further the Society’s mission in promoting the enjoyment and conservation of North Carolina’s native plants and their habitats through education, protection, cultivation, and advocacy. So many of our active members across the state do so much and are so deserving of recognition for their time, passion, hard work, and accomplishments for native plants. They are an inspiration and we love to share their stories so others can be inspired.
Fortunately for us, our Society has an active Awards Program designed to gather these stories. The Awards Program is intended to recognize and publicly acknowledge individuals and organizations who have made significant contributions to the Society and to the cause of native plant and habitat conservation in North Carolina.
It is very easy to make a nomination: see the NCNPS Awards Program page on our website for details. A nomination consists of a letter outlining the accomplishments of the nominee and should be supported by at least three letters, from NCNPS members or the general public, who are familiar with the nominee and his/her achievements and activities.
Nominations can be made year-round but there is a January 1, 2025 deadline if the recipients are to be presented with their award at the 2025 Annual Members’ Meeting and Picnic.
So please, take a little time and help all of us learn who these wonderful people are who enthusiastically support our society and native plant mission. Let’s hear their stories.
Bettina Darveaux is a retired plant biologist (MS in Environment and Forest Biology from SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry) with a lifelong curiosity and passion for native plants and conservation. A naturalist at heart, she enjoys “botanizing,” gardening, hiking, kayaking, bird watching, nature photography, camping, and just about any recreation that brings her outside, especially to the mountains of NC. She currently serves on the NCNPS Executive Committee as well as several other capacities within the Society, including managing the Plant Gallery Database.