abal minor S A bimonthly newsletter for the members of
T H E FL O R I D A N AT I V E P L A N T S O C I E T Y
June Most animals are nesting, including red-cockaded woodpeckers, alligators, southern flying squirrels, and blacknecked stilts. Indigo snakes lay their eggs, sometimes in gopher tortoise burrows. “Lights Out!” continues for beach areas, to protect sea turtle hatchlings. This is a peak month for wildfires, which rejuvenate many Florida plant communities. Many plants in bloom now! Watch for blooming tarflowers in flatwoods.
July Look for magnificent frigatebirds flying overhead in south Florida; they’ll be around on the Southwest coast through August, at least. Mulch your garden to conserve water but leave patches of soil exposed for dusting by birds. Scrub morning glory and butterfly weed bloom in July. Sea oats are flowering on Atlantic beaches. Ed. Note: I have a correction for last issue’s March and April watch lists (information for which is mostly gleaned from Audubon’s website): I gave March as a time to watch for Schaus’ swallowtail butterflies, but it turns out that their peak flight period is more likely to be late April to mid June. My thanks to Linda and Buck Cooper in Haines City for their information on this; they said that this species’ peak flight time is probably tied to precipitation and that usually begins in May in the Florida Keys. They also noted that Schaus’ host plants are Wild Lime or Torchwood.
VOLUME 8, NUMBER 3
June - July 2006
Optimistic About the Future of FNPS I’m writing this a few days before our 26th Annual Conference and general membership meeting. Right now, I’m optimistic about the future of FNPS. First, our new president Shirley Denton is a high energy individual with enormous talent. How she gets so much done is amazing. In April our Executive Committee proposed to recommend to the full Board a one-year pilot contract for an Executive Director. Again, we have a high energy, dedicated individual in Karina Veaudry, anxious to take on this challenge. One of my frustrations has been trying to make a statewide organization become effective in promoting our mission. The Board only meets four times a year, with Executive Committee meetings in between. During my term, Hurricanes Charlie and Wilma managed to cancel two of these meetings, while Dennis held down attendance at another. We have made progress communicating using the Internet and our discussion forums, but face-to-face communications seems more powerful to me. However, the opportunities for improved communications with chapters, local governments, horticultural interests, and other environmental organizations are exciting. For example, I’ve had conversations with local planning organizations that are anxious to get good scientifically-based information on the use of natives in county and municipal landscapes. Our Executive Committee was excited by the possibility that the Executive Director position could pay for itself by successfully seeking grant money to take on projects that further our mission. I think FNPS is poised to make a big step forward. Good luck to Shirley and Karina and the whole new 2006/2007 Board!
Bob Egolf A Note from the New Interim Executive Director Having been a member of FNPS since 1986, and working in the fields of landscape and ecology, I am excited to have the opportunity to lead the organization into this new chapter as your Interim Executive Director. I believe the society can reach new levels of effectiveness with this position. During June, goals and objectives for the next year will be placed on the website. Most importantly, I will serve as a resource and information base for all Chapters. More to come!
Karina Veaudry
Florida Native Plant Society, P.O. Box 278, Melbourne, FL 32902-0278 www.fnps.org 321-272-6702 Fax: 815-361-9166 President: Shirley Denton, email: EcotypeS@myrapidsys.com Editor: Rosalind Rowe, email: rosrowe@comcast.net Deadlines for Sabal minor submissions are the 15th day of each of he odd-numbered months (May 15, July 15, September...)