Maryland Native Plant Society upcoming events

Weed or Wildflower? (06/18/2026)

Thu, 18 Jun 2026 13:00:00 GMT

An Outdoor Volunteer & Learning Activity

Leaders: Christine Campe-Price, Friends of New Germany State Park & Liz McDowell, MNPS

Want to help preserve our regional biodiversity? Then bring your work gloves, kneeling pads, favorite weeding tools, & some elbow grease to remove unwanted plants from the native plant garden. As you work, you’ll learn how to identify common weeds and why protecting native plants is so critical for wildlife. Meet at the native plant garden near the dam. Please bring your own water bottle, insect spray, & sunscreen. In case of rain this activity will be cancelled.

Directions: From I-68 take exit 22 and follow signs for New Germany State Park. Turn left into the park onto McAndrews Hill Road. The program will be held in the native plant garden near parking lot #5.

No registration.

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 Special Event: Botanical Terminology for Sedge (Carex) Identification by Sean Sipple (Wednesday - Zoom) (06/24/2026)

Wed, 24 Jun 2026 23:00:00 GMT

Speaker: Sean Sipple

This is a special event. Unlike our regular monthly programs, this event will start at 7:00 and end around 8:00.

During this optional virtual session associated with the Sedge (Carex) Identification Workshop on June 27th at the Adkins Arboretum, we will go over the most essential botanical terms and techniques used to identify sedges (Carex spp.) in dichotomous keys. This session is encouraged for people less familiar with botanical terminology, or people less familiar with sedges in particular. This session will be open to the general public, not just for workshop participants. However, If you would like to attend the June 27th workshop you will have to register online for the 25 slots available.

About the Speaker

Sean is a Senior Environmental Scientist with over 22 years of experience. He co-leads the NRT and oversees CRI’s water quality and biomonitoring studies in non-tidal and tidal habitats, with broad expertise in natural resources disciplines such as rare, threatened, and endangered species and habitat surveys, waters of the U.S. (including wetlands) delineations, and mitigation monitoring. Sean conducts, reviews, and assembles complex natural resource studies related to residential, commercial, transportation, and utility projects, both private and public. He holds numerous accredited certifications, including Senior Professional Wetland Scientist, Professional Wetland Delineator, Benthic Macroinvertebrate Taxonomy, Fish Taxonomy, Fish Crew Leader, Qualified Bog Turtle Surveyor, and Small Whorled Pogonia. He is well-recognized for his technical expertise and regularly provides professional training to natural resource professionals in the region in wetland delineation, plant identification, and other technical disciplines.

YOU MUST REGISTER IN ORDER TO RECEIVE THE ZOOM LINK

We can accommodate the first 300 people who enter the Zoom meeting at the meeting time. After you register, you will receive a registration confirmation email with a link to the Zoom meeting. Registering does not guarantee a space in the Zoom meeting.

The program is free and open to the public.

This will be recorded and available on our Webinars page.

If you enjoy MNPS programs please consider clicking here to make a donation. And don't forget to renew your membership!

Note that if you donate through the event registration, and subsequently cancel, the donation will temporarily appear as a credit. It will take time for the donation to be reinstituted to your account. Donations and membership dues are non-refundable.

MNPS Field Trip: Sedge (Carex) Identification Workshop (Saturday) (06/27/2026)

Sat, 27 Jun 2026 13:30:00 GMT

There are 178 species of sedges (Carex spp.) in Maryland and over 480 species in North America, making it the single largest plant genus on the continent! This workshop will be a hands-on botanical exploration of Carex at the Adkins Arboretum. Associated with this workshop, we will hold a virtual presentation previously (date TBD) to go over basic botanical terminology, this virtual session will be optional for workshop participants. During the workshop, botanical terminology will be spoken, researched, learned and discussed. Previous reading and studying of Carex morphology terminology is highly encouraged. For more experienced participants or people that would like to dive deeper in the botany of Carex, we recommend purchasing applications like Flora of Virginia or FloraQuest (for our region). This workshop will be led by botanist and environmental scientist Sean Sipple.

Leaders: Jorge Bogantes Montero jmontero@anacostiaws.org(202)560-6107 and Sean Sipple (seans@cri.biz)

Sean is a Senior Environmental Scientist with over 23 years of experience. He co-leads the Natural Resources Department and oversees CRI’s water quality and biomonitoring studies in non-tidal and tidal habitats, with broad expertise in natural resources disciplines such as rare, threatened, and endangered species and habitat surveys, waters of the U.S. (including wetlands) delineations, and mitigation monitoring. Sean conducts, reviews, and assembles complex natural resource studies related to residential, commercial, transportation, and utility projects, both private and public. He holds numerous accredited certifications, including Senior Professional Wetland Scientist, Professional Wetland Delineator, Benthic Macroinvertebrate Taxonomy, Fish Taxonomy, Fish Crew Leader, Qualified Bog Turtle Surveyor, and Small Whorled Pogonia. He is well-recognized for his technical expertise and regularly provides professional training to natural resource professionals in the region in wetland delineation, plant identification, and other technical disciplines.

Location: Adkins Arboretum.

Notes: It is recommended that you attend the Zoom session (date TBD) that we will offer on Carex botanical terminology or that you practice ID/become familiar with keys (with the apps recommended) and terminology before the event.

Optional but recommended resources: floraquest app (you have to purchase it and make sure you purchase the one for the northern tier which covers our region): https://ncbg.unc.edu/research/unc-herbarium/flora-apps/ or Flora of Virginia (you have to purchase it) https://floraofvirginia.org/flora-app

For additional information: Jorge Bogantes Montero jmontero@anacostiaws.org (202)560-6107 and Sean Sipple (seans@cri.biz)

ONLINE REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED. Limited to 25 people. Registration through May 16 for members only. Directions will be included in registration confirmation.

Bring water bottle, insect/tick repellent, sunscreen. Outdoor clothes, closed-toe shoes, and rain gear depending on weather forecast.

Cancellation Policy: Event will proceed in drizzle, but will be canceled if heavy rain or thunderstorm

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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 Monthly Program: Poplar Island and mid-Bay Restoration Projects by Dr. Lorie Staver (06/30/2026)

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 23:00:00 GMT

Speaker: Dr. Lorie Staver

Many islands in Chesapeake Bay have been lost to erosion over the last two centuries, due in large part to sea level rise. The mid-Atlantic region is a global hotspot for sea level rise, threatening the sustainability of tidal marshes which provide many ecosystem services and vital habitat for a variety of species. One effort to counteract the loss of tidal marsh in Chesapeake Bay involves re-creating some of these islands using material dredged during navigation channel maintenance. This presentation will cover some background on sea level rise to provide context for the marsh restoration efforts at Poplar Island, located in Talbot County, Maryland, the first large-scale, long-term restoration project of its kind in Chesapeake Bay.

About the Speaker

Lorie Staver is an Associate Research Professor at the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Horn Point Laboratory. She is a systems ecologist studying the restoration of aquatic ecosystems, including submersed aquatic vegetation (SAV) and tidal marsh habitats. She has studied the Poplar Island marshes since 2003, when the first marsh was completed, in collaboration with other faculty at Horn Point and the many management agencies involved in the "resurrection" of Poplar Island.

YOU MUST REGISTER IN ORDER TO RECEIVE THE ZOOM LINK

Zoom opens at 7:00PM for pre-program board update and member Q&A. Presentations begin at 7:30PM and generally run until 8:45PM.

The program is free and open to the public.

This will be recorded and available on our Webinars page.

If you enjoy MNPS programs please consider clicking here to make a donation. And don't forget to renew your membership!

Weed or Wildflower? (07/01/2026)

Wed, 01 Jul 2026 13:00:00 GMT

An Outdoor Volunteer & Learning Activity

Leaders: Christine Campe-Price, Friends of New Germany State Park & Liz McDowell, MNPS

No registration.

Weed or Wildflower? (07/13/2026)

Mon, 13 Jul 2026 13:00:00 GMT

An Outdoor Volunteer & Learning Activity

Leaders: Christine Campe-Price, Friends of New Germany State Park & Liz McDowell, MNPS

No registration.

MNPS Monthly Program: Considering Climate Change in Landscape Planning and Management Decisions by Dr. Dan Buonauito (07/28/2026)

Tue, 28 Jul 2026 23:00:00 GMT

Speaker: Dr. Dan Buonauito

Considering Climate Change in Native Plant Landscape Planning and Management Decisions

Sustainable native planting means choosing species that are suited to both current and future climates to support native wildlife, ecosystem services and to increase climate resilience. In a world that is rapidly changing, many native species are not keeping pace, potentially putting ecological communities at risk. In this session, we'll discuss larger trends in plant migrations related to climate change and explore emerging research about how people can be part of the story.

Dan Buonaiuto is an assistant professor in the Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture at the University of Maryland College Park and the statewide specialist in invasive plant biology at University of Maryland Extension.

YOU MUST REGISTER IN ORDER TO RECEIVE THE ZOOM LINK

Zoom opens at 7:00PM for pre-program board update and member Q&A. Presentations begin at 7:30PM and generally run until 8:45PM.

The program is free and open to the public.

This will be recorded and available on our Webinars page.

If you enjoy MNPS programs please consider clicking here to make a donation. And don't forget to renew your membership!

Weed or Wildflower? (07/31/2026)

Fri, 31 Jul 2026 13:00:00 GMT

An Outdoor Volunteer & Learning Activity

Leaders: Christine Campe-Price, Friends of New Germany State Park & Liz McDowell, MNPS

No registration.

Weed or Wildflower? (08/11/2026)

Tue, 11 Aug 2026 13:00:00 GMT

An Outdoor Volunteer & Learning Activity

Leaders: Christine Campe-Price, Friends of New Germany State Park & Liz McDowell, MNPS

No registration.

Weed or Wildflower? (08/26/2026)

Wed, 26 Aug 2026 13:00:00 GMT

An Outdoor Volunteer & Learning Activity

Leaders: Christine Campe-Price, Friends of New Germany State Park & Liz McDowell, MNPS

No registration.

Weed or Wildflower? (09/08/2026)

Tue, 08 Sep 2026 13:00:00 GMT

An Outdoor Volunteer & Learning Activity

Leaders: Christine Campe-Price, Friends of New Germany State Park & Liz McDowell, MNPS

No registration.

MNPS 2026 Annual Conference: Diverse Landscapes of Maryland’s Piedmont and Western Shore (09/12/2026)

Sat, 12 Sep 2026 13:00:00 GMT

Save the Date!

Registration will be required, registration will open in June

Discover the unique landscapes of Maryland’s Piedmont and Western Coastal Plain from globally rare ecosystems such as magnolia bogs to the resilient and prevalent oak-hickory forests.

Speakers, workshops, and field trips: Details coming soon.

What’s Happening

Day 1 | Saturday, September 12

Presentations by distinguished speakers
Field trips and workshops, on or relatively near campus
Poster session and reception
Native plant sale (open 10 AM - 2 PM, public welcome)

Saturday, September 12 Evening presentation and dinner

Day 2 | Sunday, September 13

Field trips across Maryland

2026 MNPS Conference Field Trips (09/12/2026)

Sat, 12 Sep 2026 17:00:00 GMT

REGISTRATION IS LIMITED TO CONFERENCE PARTICIPANTS.

Registering for this event, you will choose both Saturday and Sunday field trip options.

All guests must also be registered for the conference.

We reserve the right to cancel your registration if you are not also registered for the conference.

Saturday Field Trips are from 1-5 p.m.

Sunday Field Trips start & end time varies. See description.

MNPS 2026 Annual Conference: Diverse Landscapes of Maryland’s Piedmont and Western Shore (09/12/2026)

Sat, 12 Sep 2026 21:00:00 GMT

Save the Date!

Registration will be required, registration will open in June

Discover the unique landscapes of Maryland’s Piedmont and Western Coastal Plain from globally rare ecosystems such as magnolia bogs to the resilient and prevalent oak-hickory forests.

Speakers, workshops, and field trips: Details coming soon.

What’s Happening

Day 1 | Saturday, September 12

Presentations by distinguished speakers
Field trips and workshops, on or relatively near campus
Poster session and reception
Native plant sale (open 10 AM - 2 PM, public welcome)

Saturday, September 12 Evening presentation and dinner

Day 2 | Sunday, September 13

Field trips across Maryland

MNPS 2026 Annual Conference: Diverse Landscapes of Maryland’s Piedmont and Western Shore (09/13/2026)

Sun, 13 Sep 2026 13:00:00 GMT

Save the Date!

Registration will be required, registration will open in June

Discover the unique landscapes of Maryland’s Piedmont and Western Coastal Plain from globally rare ecosystems such as magnolia bogs to the resilient and prevalent oak-hickory forests.

Speakers, workshops, and field trips: Details coming soon.

What’s Happening

Day 1 | Saturday, September 12

Presentations by distinguished speakers
Field trips and workshops, on or relatively near campus
Poster session and reception
Native plant sale (open 10 AM - 2 PM, public welcome)

Saturday, September 12 Evening presentation and dinner

Day 2 | Sunday, September 13

Field trips across Maryland

2026 MNPS Conference Field Trips (09/13/2026)

Sun, 13 Sep 2026 14:00:00 GMT

REGISTRATION IS LIMITED TO CONFERENCE PARTICIPANTS.

Registering for this event, you will choose both Saturday and Sunday field trip options.

All guests must also be registered for the conference.

We reserve the right to cancel your registration if you are not also registered for the conference.

Saturday Field Trips are from 1-5 p.m.

Sunday Field Trips start & end time varies. See description.

Weed or Wildflower? (09/23/2026)

Wed, 23 Sep 2026 13:00:00 GMT

An Outdoor Volunteer & Learning Activity

Leaders: Christine Campe-Price, Friends of New Germany State Park & Liz McDowell, MNPS

No registration.

MNPS Monthly Program: Floral Biographies and Urban Foraging Portfolios by Dr. Martha Weiss (09/29/2026)

Tue, 29 Sep 2026 23:00:00 GMT

Speaker: Dr. Martha Weiss

Floral Biographies and Urban Foraging Portfolios: Strategies to Make Botany Relevant, Relatable, and FUN for Plant Agnostics.

Dr. Weiss will talk about some of the strategies she has developed over the years to make botany interesting and relevant for students who otherwise would not give plants a second thought. Among other things, she'll describe exercises focusing on a close examination of floral behavior, and will highlight some of her favorite fall foraging treats.

Dr. Martha Weiss is a professor of biology at Georgetown University, where she studies plant-insect interactions and tries to sneak a dose of botany into every course she teaches, regardless of the subject. She received a BA in geological sciences from Harvard University, a PhD in botany from the University of California, Berkeley, and postdoctoral training in insect behavior from the University of Arizona, Tucson. Her research derives from a close observation of nature and centers around experimental exploration of questions in insect ecology and plant–animal interactions.

YOU MUST REGISTER IN ORDER TO RECEIVE THE ZOOM LINK

Zoom opens at 7:00PM for pre-program board update and member Q&A. Presentations begin at 7:30PM and generally run until 8:45PM.

The program is free and open to the public.

This will be recorded and available on our Webinars page.

If you enjoy MNPS programs please consider clicking here to make a donation. And don't forget to renew your membership!

MNPS Monthly Program: Weed Warriors: Volunteers in Action by Corinne Stephens (10/27/2026)

Tue, 27 Oct 2026 23:00:00 GMT

TO DUPLICATE: Click on the Arrow next to the Edit button. If you are already in edit mode, cancel and Duplicate this event)

Speaker: Corinne Stephens

Want to tackle invasive plants? Weed Warrior programs with the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission empower community members to take an active role in conserving parks by removing invasive plant species.

This talk will highlight the long-running Weed Warrior program at Montgomery Parks, established in 1999, alongside the newly launched program at the Department of Parks and Recreation, Prince George’s County. We’ll cover the core components of successful Weed Warrior programs, strategies for engaging and supporting volunteers, and key lessons learned. We'll also provide insights and considerations for building or strengthening volunteer-driven invasive plant management programs as well as ways to get involved.

Corinne Stephens, Natural Resources Specialist III, manages the Montgomery Parks Weed Warrior Volunteer Program that empowers and trains community members to help Montgomery Parks staff manage non-native, invasive plants on parkland. Corinne spent over 15 years in the enviro non-profit sector and has over 22 years of experience in partnership building, community engagement, volunteer management, and wildlife habitat conservation. Corinne has been a lifelong volunteer and was a past president of Friends of Sligo Creek. She holds a BS in animal science and environmental policy from Rutgers University and an MS in wildlife policy from Tufts University Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine. For her Master’s, she worked with the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife to document the exact locations and risk factors involved in turtle road mortality!

YOU MUST REGISTER IN ORDER TO RECEIVE THE ZOOM LINK

Zoom opens at 7:00PM for pre-program board update and member Q&A. Presentations begin at 7:30PM and generally run until 8:45PM.

The program is free and open to the public.

This will be recorded and available on our Webinars page.

If you enjoy MNPS programs please consider clicking here to make a donation. And don't forget to renew your membership!