The Florida Native Plant Society maintains an Endowment Research Grant program for the purpose of funding research on native plants.  These are small grants ($1500 or less), awarded for a 1-year period, and intended to support research that forwards the mission of the Florida Native Plant Society which is "to promote the preservation, conservation, and restoration of the native plants and native plant communities of Florida."

FNPS Conservation Grants support applied native plant conservation projects in Florida. These are small grants ($1500 or less) awarded for a 1-year period. Examples of projects that this grant supports are on-the-ground native plant community restoration, land acquisition, and habitat enhancement.  To qualify for a Conservation Grant, the proposed project must be sponsored by an FNPS Chapter.

Application deadline for the 2012 Awards is March 2, 2012.  Awards will be announced at the May 2012 Annual Conference in Plant City. Awardees do not have to be present at the Conference to receive award.

Details and applications for the awards can be found on these pages: Conservation Awards & Endowment Research Awards 

on March 1, 2012.  This is a $1,000.00 max educational grant sponsored by the Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council. 

    Please click here for additional detail.

FEBRUARY 1, 2012 deadline to submit abstracts for twenty-minute science research presentations on native plants and native plant communities as part of FNPS annual conference.

    Please click here for additional detail.

The purpose of the Florida Native Plant Society Landscape Awards Program is to:

• Promote the use of Florida native plants in all types of landscapes, both new and existing.
• Increase public awareness of the benefits and savings provided by native plant landscaping.
• Recognize citizens who have taken action through use of native plant landscaping to improve and restore the environment.
• Reward skilled professionals who execute quality designs and installation.
• Encourage landscape designers, contractors and architects to use Florida native plants in their projects.

All interested designers, project managers, installers and homeowners must complete the FNPS Landscape Awards Application Form. Please read the application form completely as projects that do not meet the entry rules will not be judged! Click Here for applications and additional information.

Deadline for submission is Friday, March 2, 2012 via mail or overnight delivery. Please allow 2-3 days for mailing prior to the deadline.

 

Farm Bill Actions to Address Forest Pests and FNPS President, Steve Woodmansee, approves the Florida Native Plant Society signing on to a letter to the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives to support this initiative. In adopting the 2008 Farm Bill, the Congress included Title X, Horticulture and Organic Agriculture, Section 10201, Plant Pest and Disease Management and Disaster Prevention, and Section 10202, National Clean Plant Network. The funds of Section 10201 have been allocated to six goal areas, as follows: • Enhance plant pest/disease analysis and survey • Target domestic inspection activities at vulnerable points in the safeguarding continuum • Enhance and strengthen pest identification and technology • Safeguard nursery production • Conduct outreach and education to increase public understanding, acceptance, and support of plant pest and disease eradication and control efforts • Enhance mitigation capabilities Read the letters by clicking HERE 

Dr. Paul D. Pratt, USDA/ARS Invasive Plant Research Lab, is looking for native populations of plants in Rubiaceae family, where he can collect seed, take cuttings or dig up the whole plant where appropriate and permitted. Dr. Pratt is working on a biological control project targeting Paederia foetida (Skunk vine). They have a couple of promising arthropods that are natural enemies, but need to make sure they do not attack our native flora. He is looking for the following species: Diodia teres, Galium tinctorium, Pentodon pentandrus, Spermacoce prostrate, Spermacoce keyensis, Stenaria nigricans var. floridana and Oldenlandiopsis callitrichoides. Contact him at (954) 475-6549.

 

FNPS has finalized its first Annual Report. Click here to download (a 4 meg pdf file). 

 

Download the document HERE 

The Florida Wildflower Foundation launched an online research literature database of Florida wildflowers today that draws together findings on more than 260 species.  Funds for the project were provided by the Florida State Wildflower license plate.

    Please click here for additional detail.

When you use GoodShop.com, a percentage of nearly every sale will be donated to the FNPS and there’s also coupon offers. GoodShop includes all name brand stores and more.

Also, each time you complete an internet search at home and work through GoodSearch, a donation goes to FNPS. 

• Goto the FNPS home page: http://www.fnps.org .   
• Click on the GoodShop icon in the upper right corner and when on the GoodShop page, scroll to the bottom and download the GoodSearch toolbar. (The box says “Never miss a donation”). 
• Click “download toolbar” and follow instructions.
• Choose FNPS-Melbourne, FL as your charity of choice.

Then shop away and contribute to FNPS at the same time.   It’s easy and simple to use. Spread the word to your friends, colleagues and family members

 

The FNPS blog(www.fnpsblog.org), one of our most successful outreach programs, covers a wide range of topics: native plant profiles, FNPS chapter field trips & other chapter activities, reviews of parks and conservation areas, landscaping with native plants, preservation of Florida’s wild spaces, and so much more. Posts are written by members from across the state. Now you can sign up to receive an email when new posts are published. Just type in your email in the box and hit the Submit button.

 

The Society recommends that the Commission continue to manage and treat Hydrilla in Lake Apopka aggressively, with the long-term goal of reducing its coverage to a level that is cost-efficient to maintain and consistent with the overarching restoration goals of the St. Johns River Water Management District. President Steve Woodmanse has written a letter supporting this recommendation to the Executive Director of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Click here to read.

 

Clck HERE to view the merchandise for sale that supports FNPS and FNPS Chapters.