News Blog

This is a quick and easy way to help your Chapter and the Florida Native Plant Society. The survey will take less than 10 minutes and all individual responses are anonymous. Your frank responses will help us plan programs and activities that more closely align with your interests.

If you supply your email address at the end of the survey, you will earn an entry into a drawing for a free membership or renewal, but your survey responses will remain anonymous.

Please complete the survey as soon as possible, to ensure your responses are counted. Click on the link below, or use the QR code provided below.

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Join us for educational meetings and plant walks in October 2023. Watch this blog for updates.

Our theme for the year 2023 is Homegrown National Park®, a concept created by Doug Tallamy, one of the primary movers and shakers in ecology and biodiversity today. The concept is that if every single homeowner in the United States converted half of his or her lawn into native plants, we could create a new national park measuring 20 million acres. His NYT best-selling book, Nature’s Best Hope, laid the foundation of the homegrown national park and sparked the creation of a website of the same name. In the video above "What's the Rush", Doug explains the urgency to set aside 50% of everyones' yards for native plants. More Here

Tuesday, May 9, at 1:00 is our annual BYOP meeting; that is, Bring Your Own Picnic. Pack yourself a picnic lunch and we will have a social meeting so you can catch up with friends while you pick up gardening tips and tricks. Instead of a formal speaker, we will have an informal Q&A, sort of like Show and Tell. Remember that? Bring your favorite hints that make your gardening better or easier and share them with other members. If you have a favorite tool, bring it to show to others. And if you have a question, we’ll have our experts on hand to give you an answer. We’ll also have the last few leftover plants from Plant Native Day in March. These orphans need a lot of TLC and will be available for modest donations, or maybe even free. Meet at the Environmental Center, Lemon Bay Park, 570 Bay Park Blvd, Englewood.

Friday, May 12th, 9:00-11:00 AM Join Mary Davis from the Mangrove Chapter of the FL Native Plant Society for a nature walk at Shamrock Park and Nature Center, 3900 Shamrock Drive, Venice FL. On this walk we will explore the scrub habitat of the Florida Scrub Jay and Gopher Tortoise and learn how the ecology of the area has changed with development and the Intracoastal Waterway.  Bring your phone with the “Seek” app loaded as a tool to help identify the plants and animals we see.  Meet in front of the nature center. For information email mangrovechapter@fnps.org

Wednesday, May 17, 4:30-5:30 PM Join Dave and Linda Manley from the Mangrove Chapter of the FL Native Plant Society for a Sunset Stroll at the Venice Urban Forest, 308 E Venice Ave, Venice. This narrow strip of restored native habitat runs beside the Legacy Trail and features a butterfly garden and natural shelter for wildlife. The entrance has been changed so plan to park at the historic depot and meet under the bridge. We will walk across the street to the entrance as a group. This park has no restroom facilities.  For information email mangrovechapter@fnps.org

Wednesday, April 19, 4:30-5:30 PM Join Dave and Linda Manley from the Mangrove Chapter of the FL Native Plant Society for a Sunset Stroll at Lemon Bay Environmental Park, 570 Bay Park Blvd., Englewood.  While Lemon Bay is a large park, we will cross the footbridge and walk only the grassy, lightly shaded pine flatwoods trail.  Meet at the nature center. For information email mangrovechapter@fnps.org

Saturday, April 15, 9:00-11:00 AM  Join Jeff Weber, Sarasota County Parks Environmental Specialist, for a guided walk at Circus Hammock Preserve. This 22-acre preserve is located at 4572 17th Street in Sarasota, just west of the 17th Street Paw Park. Seasonally dry conditions make this the ideal time of year to explore this shady hardwood swamp forest in search of spring blooms. Those with binoculars may also see a migrating warbler or two! Turn off 17th St at the 17th St Park entrance and drive about 500 ft down the road..Park along the road shoulder at the preserve entrance.  Mosquitoes shouldn’t be too bad, but you may want to bring insect repellent, just in case.  For information email mangrovechapter@fnps.org

Cookout for Conservation

Sunday, April 16 · 12 - 6pm, Myakkahatchee Creek Park, 6968 Reisterstown Road, North Port.

- Burgers and dogs on the grill from 12-3pm! Limited supply of veggie burgers!
- Live rock n' roll by Frank Bang from 2-6pm
- Guided nature walks 12-2pm
- Ticket price includes food and soft drinks
- Beer available for purchase with ID
- Kids 12 and under free
- All proceeds go to The Environmental Conservancy of North Port and Surrounding Areas!
Tickets are $30pp available at Eventbrite.or use your ticket from the rained out date

Tuesday, April 11th, 1:00-3:00 PM The Mangrove Chapter of the FL Native Plant Society will host Insect Photography an educational program presented by Florida Master Naturalist Captain Josh Olive at Lemon Bay Park & Environmental Center, 570 Bay Park Blvd, Englewood.  Plants attract insects with many different lifestyles - including pollinators, sap suckers, leaf eaters, and predators.  All of these insects are fascinating and even beautiful in an alien way.  Josh will discuss methods for approaching, photographing, and identifying these wonderful creatures.  Meet at the Environmental Center Classroom.  For information email mangrovechapter@fnps.org

Sunday, April 2nd, 9:00-11:00 AM Join Anne Risberg from the Mangrove Chapter of the FL Native Plant Society and the Lemon Bay Conservancy for a nature walk at Myakka State Forest, Main Entrance, 2555 South River Road, Englewood.  Take a walk on the 1.5 mile Gordon Smith Trail to discover native plants in Spring bloom. Depending on conditions, about 80 native flatwood and wetland plants may be seen on this trail.  Meet in the parking lot. There is a $2 entry fee.  Bring cash to the parking area if you do not intend to pay online. 

Nature Walk at Tippecanoe 1 Environmental Park Sunday March 19, 2023, 9-11 am.  Meet your guide Bill Dunson at the entry arch behind the Charlotte baseball park at 2300 El Jobean Rd (rt 776; 33948).  We will hike about 1 mile on sandy trails across fresh and brackish water wetlands, pine flatwoods and coastal scrubby flatwoods.  No reservations required.  No dogs, smoking or vaping allowed.   Waiver signature required..  For further information contact wdunson@comcast.net  Sponsored by Mangrove Chapter of the FL Native Plant Society and Lemon Bay Conservancy.