Please note: 

If you have received this notice regarding upcoming native plant happenings in error, please let us know by sending a reply email with the caption "Remove" in the Subject line.  Your name will promptly be removed from our list.   

Western Mountains Chapter of Maryland Native Plant Society

The Maryland Native Plant Society (MNPS) uses education, research, and community service to increase awareness and appreciation of native plants and their habitats leading to their conservation and restoration.  Membership is open to all who are interested in Maryland's native plants and their habitats.  Preserving Maryland's natural heritage, increasing knowledge about native plants, and helping to further the Society's mission are our goals.  MNPS sponsors monthly meetings, workshops, field trips, and an annual fall conference.  For more information, visit www.mdflora.org

The Western Mountains Chapter has formed to expand the efforts of MNPS on the Allegheny Plateau and Ridge & Valley physiographic provinces of the central-Appalachians.  Residents of western Maryland, nearby Pennsylvania and West Virginia, and anyone else interested in learning more about and conserving the native plants of this region are invited to join.  For more information contact Liz McDowell at 301-895-3686 or boyerandmcdowell@...  

2008 Schedule of Native Plant Happenings (and more) in our Region (November 25)

December 3
EPA Watershed Academy Webcast from 1 to 3 pm

Using Rain Gardens to Reduce Runoff: Slow it down, Spread it out, Soak it in!

Many communities across the country are struggling to address impacts from stormwater runoff due to increased development.   Green or low impact development practices such as rain gardens can help manage runoff effectively as well as provide aesthetic benefits.   Rain gardens can increase property values, add beauty and habitat, reduce a community's carbon footprint, as well as provide important water quality benefits.  Join us for this exciting Webcast to learn more about these natural solutions to water pollution.  

Speakers will discuss the benefits of rain gardens and share their experiences with successful community rain garden programs.  Jenny Biddle, with EPA's Office of Wetlands, Oceans, and Watersheds, focuses on activities used to prevent and mitigate nonpoint source pollution. Ms. Biddle received a B.S. from Penn State University in Horticulture and an M.S. from George Mason University in Environmental Science and Policy.  Presently she is working on a cost calculator for bioretention areas, including residential rain gardens.  Pamela Rowe serves as the RainScapes Program coordinator with the Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection.  Since the early 1990's, she has worked to protect and restore local watersheds, including as a planner with the Maryland National Capital Park and Planning Commission.  In her present role, she promotes innovative approaches to stormwater management.  Lynn Hinkle an award-winning small business owner, founded ASTRA Communications, Inc. and Goin'  Green to encourage citizens to take action in their own communities.  Her company developed the nationally recognized "10,000" Rain Gardens" initiative in Kansas City, Missouri, launched the renown "Conversations on the Environment" series, and facilitated the Climate Protection Planning process for Kansas City.  The "How to Build a Rain Garden" video was produced in her backyard and is available at www.worldgoingreen.com.

You must register in advance to attend this Webcast.  Register at the Watershed Academy Webcast Web site at: www.epa.gov/watershedwebcasts.  Note: Your computer must have the capability of playing sound in order to attend this Webcast.  To view archived Webcasts, go to www.epa.gov/owow/watershed/wacademy/webcasts/archives.html  Questions? Contact Amber Marriot at amber.marriott@....  The Watershed Academy is a focal point in EPA's Office of Water for providing training and information on implementing watershed approaches. The Academy sponsors these Webcasts and also has more than 50 online distance learning modules through the Watershed Academy Web at www.epa.gov/watertrain. For more information, visit www.epa.gov/watershedacademy.

December 6
West Virginia Botanic Garden at 9 am

Winter Botany

George Longenecker, Executive Director of West Virginia Botanic Garden

Learn to identify woody plants in winter during this nature walk on the trails of this botanic garden near Cheat Lake in West Virginia.  For more details visit www.wvbg.org