Maryland Native Plant Society upcoming events

Wildflower Walk and iNaturalist Tutorial at the Oxford Conservation Park (THURSDAY) (06/18/2026)

Thu, 18 Jun 2026 13:00:00 GMT

An Eastern Shore Event!

Larisa Prezioso and Cristina Niciporciukas will lead a wildflower walk in the Oxford Conservation Park (OCP). This should be a good time of year to view meadow wildflowers planted throughout the park. Larisa is the Director of Land Conservation at the Eastern Shore Land Conservancy (ESLC) and Cristina is Chair of the Maryland Natural Plant Society’s Eastern Shore Chapter.

The Park, once slated for development, was transformed into a public nature preserve through the efforts of Talbot County leaders and community stakeholders. In 2023, the Friends of OCP partnered with Talbot County Parks and Recreation, the ESLC, and Washington College’s Natural Lands Project to restore and expand the park’s habitat. With funding from the Department of Natural Resources, thirty additional acres has been converted from cropland into native meadows, featuring tree plantings, short grasses, wildflowers, and new walking trails. This expansion aims to improve water quality, support climate resilience, and restore rare early successional habitats vital to species like the Northern Bobwhite quail, sparrows, woodcocks, and salamanders. The project blends conservation, education, and recreation, turning the park into a sanctuary for both wildlife and the community.

Prior to the walk, Cristina will provide a tutorial on how to use iNaturalist, an online social network of people sharing biodiversity information to help each other learn about nature. We suggest that participants sign up for an iNaturalist app account prior to the walk. You will then be able to try out the app during the walk. Cristina, who documents the state’s native flora via iNaturalist, has created an iNaturalist project for the Oxford Conservation Park. https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/oxford-conservation-park. This puts all iNaturalist observations that were made in the Park in a single place. Feel free to join the Project as a member prior to the event.

The group will meet in the Park parking lot (Oxford Road & Boone Creek Road) at 9:00. Please wear comfortable and sturdy walking shoes—we’ll be both on the paved and on the somewhat rough grass park trails. We also recommend having water, sun and bug protection, a hat, and a pair of field glasses.

The walk and tutorial are sponsored by the Friends of the OCP. For questions and to join our email list, contact us at: oxfordconservationpark@gmail.com

This event is free to attend and no registration is required.

Bioblitz at Cosca Regional Park (SATURDAY) (06/20/2026)

Sat, 20 Jun 2026 14:00:00 GMT

Join experts and nature enthusiasts as we set out upon the park to document EVERYTHING we can find. There will be themed hikes leaving from the Nature Center throughout the day and will also be heading out in small groups for documentation. Information below has been taken from the Maryland Biodiversity Project blog by John Hall and adapted to MNPS website. https://www.marylandbiodiversity.com/blog/?p=1953

Scheduled events: Walk and talk with experienced naturalists! All walks begin from the Clearwater Nature Center.
10 am Fascinating Fung
11 am Birds of Field and Forest
1 pm Reading the Woods
2 pm Amphibians and Reptiles
3 pm Ferns, Trees and Wildflowers

General information: This event is free, open to the public and anyone can participate. Occurrence data will be recorded through iNaturalist. There is a free app available through your cellphone app store. Please download the app in advance. You can come for a single event or stay all day! We will compile species occurrence data from the entire weekend.

A BioBlitz is an inventory of the living things recorded in a location during a narrow period of time. We will be documenting as many naturally occurring species as possible from the Louise F Cosca Regional Park including the Clearwater Nature Center.

What you will need: Most events will take place outdoors so please come prepared to be outside in the weather. Sun protection and bug spray. Water and snacks. Camera or cellphone camera for recording observations

This event is being organized by Maryland Biodiversity Project, Prince George’s Department of Parks and Recreation, & The Mycological Association of Washington DC.

NO REGISTRATION REQUIRED

MNPS Field Trip: Ferns of Gwynns Falls/Leakin Park (SUNDAY) (06/21/2026)

Sun, 21 Jun 2026 13:00:00 GMT

Leaders: Thayer Young and Judy Fulton
Co-sponsoring organization: Friends of Gwynns Falls/Leakin Park

Location: Gwynns Falls/Leakin Park, Baltimore, Maryland

Description: Spend the first day of summer getting to know the oldest plant species in the park. Bring your father to this walk to celebrate Father's Day on a relaxing botanizing pace! On most walks, we admire the flowering plants that arose in the age of the dinosaurs; ferns go back much further. The first ferns appeared in the Devonian and Carboniferous periods, when plants ruled the world, and the great coal beds were being laid down. Join us to meet the living descendants of Earth's earliest vascular plants.

We expect to check out 11 of the 13 fern species that Thayer Young has documented in the park, along with other plants. Check on the following hand out to learn how to tell them apart: Dwight Johnson’s key to common ferns of Maryland. https://mdflora.org/PlantInfo/fernkey.html(downloadable in pdf). Judy has also produced a table of fern characteristics that will be handed out.

Difficulty Level and/or Mileage: _1.6 mi_230 feet of elevation gain

Leader bios: Thayer Young is the Friends of Gwynns/Falls Leakin Park's resident naturalist. His day job is making maps and databases for small nonprofits, but he also loves to identify plants.

Judy Fulton is the founder of EcoPlant Consulting, President of the Maryland Native Plant Society, and a member of the Board of the Mid-Atlantic Invasive Plant Council. She co-authored the widely recognized Plant Invaders of Mid-Atlantic Natural Areas, Field Guide and the prize-winning Maryland Native Plant Guide, Piedmont Region. She also helped create the Mid-Atlantic Invaders Tool website

For additional information: thayeray@yahoo.com, 443-934-2119

ONLINE REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED. Limited to 20 people. Directions will be included in registration confirmation.

Bring: We will mostly stay on trails, with a few short ventures off-trail to reach the ferns. One stretch is steep and rocky; plus there will be some poison ivy. So please wear sturdy closed shoes with good ankle support. Ticks and biting insects are active this time of year, so dress accordingly. Portable toilets are available at the parking lot, and the flush restrooms at the Carrie Murray Nature Center may be open during our walk.

Additional Information: There is an ADA-size porta potty at the parking lot. Carrie Murray Nature Center may be open, and it has flush toilet. Submission of photos and plant lists after walks or workshops are welcome.

Weather Cancellation Policy: Event will proceed in drizzle but be cancelled if heavy rain or thunderstorm. Cancellation will be emailed at least 2 hours before meeting time

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Note that An "Account" is not A "Membership" Our website allows non-members to have a "Contact Account" to receive emails about upcoming field trips, programs, and other events. When you login, click on your name (it should be on the top right of the page); if there are no details on membership, you are have a "Contact Account" only. Consider joining to support our programs and take advantage of members-only early registration.

MNPS Field Trip: Piney Grove: Restoring a Historic Shore Farm into Thriving Meadows Along the Chester River. (SATURDAY) (07/18/2026)

Sat, 18 Jul 2026 13:00:00 GMT

AN EASTERN SHORE CHAPTER EVENT.

Leader: Larisa Prezioso
Property owner: Jennifer Lieber

Location: Piney Grove Farm, Chestertown. MD

Description: Located in an environmentally sensitive area along the Chester River, Piney Grove is home to migratory birds and waterfowl, threatened species like quail and wild turkey, and native deer, fox, herons and more. A family farm for more than two centuries; conservation is essential to the stewardship of Piney Grove. This former row crop farm, essential to the Eastern Shore landscape, has been converted over the past five years to native pollinator and grassland meadows with the help of the Natural Lands Project and the Conservation Reserve Program. Please join us for a tour of these spectacular native meadows. We thank the homeowners to open this private property for the MNPS field trip.
OPTIONAL: The owner has graciously invited the group for a visit to the main house after the walk and refreshments. https://www.pineygroveevents.com/history

Larisa's Bio: Larisa Prezioso is Director of Land Conservation at Eastern Shore Land Conservancy (ESLC), a non-profit accredited land trust whose mission is to conserve, steward and advocate for the unique rural landscape of the Eastern Shore. At ESLC, she provides leadership for land protection, stewardship, and restoration programs. She also manages and coordinates acquisition and conservation easement projects. Originally from Hunterdon County, New Jersey, Larisa started her relationship with the Eastern Shore by attending Washington College in Chestertown, graduating with a degree in Environmental Science and Ecology. Outside of work, Larisa is a master naturalist and docent volunteer at Adkins Arboretum.

For additional information: Please reach out to Cristina Niciporciukas at cnicipo71@outlook.com or 973-216-5216

FREE EVENT

ONLINE REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED. Limited to 20 people. Registration Deadline: 07/16

Directions will be included in registration confirmation.

Bring: Please bring binoculars, hat, water and snacks. Please wear hat, boots and use insect/tick repellant. We will mostly follow well maintained paths but even those can have ticks.

Cancellation Policy: Event will proceed in drizzle but be cancelled if heavy rain or thunderstorm; cancellation will be emailed at least 3 hours before meeting time.