November-December 2009 NEWSLETTER OF THE MISSOURI NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY Vol. 24, No. 6 A message from the president-in-exile By George Yatskievych in recent years) with newer and younger MONPS President members who embody the future of our group. Thirty years of existence is a won- Those who attended the Society’s 30th derful benchmark for any society, and the Anniversary celebration recently may have fact that MONPS continues to provide a thought that our past president, Rex Hill, vibrant, stimulating and fulfilling experience had staged a coup, and in a way he did. for its membership is something of which Your current president was living in exile. we can be proud. He was in the far flung land of Nepal at the Let’s not stop there, however. I would time, having experienced travel delays that like to invite everyone to attend the soci- prevented a return in time for the meeting. ety’s annual business meeting on (Note to self: Next Saturday, Dec. 5. (in Columbia at the time don’t try to fly University of Missouri’s Dunn-Palmer home internationally Herbarium), where, among other things, on the very day the board will be planning next year’s before an important events. event.) My return I encourage our membership to stay trip took a grueling Photo by Steve R. Turner active by suggesting places around the 37 hours, so even had I been in atten- Showing his typical pastoral concern for state to have meetings and field trips, as dance I likely would members of the Missouri Native Plant well as bringing ideas for future projects not have been fully Society, Immediate Past President Rex Hill that MONPS can work on. For example, in President-in-exile awake most of the fills in for the far-flung current president. recent years our group has completed time. valuable plant inventories for two national wildlife refuges (Mingo and Squaw Creek) Rex’s coup was not the “political nature study, as well as the roles that takeover” kind, but instead the “perform MONPS and each individual can play in and we may work on the Big Muddy amazing feats” type. Along with vice presi- making the world a better place. They also Refuge in the coming year. We should also dent Paul McKenzie, Rex stepped in on pointed to some of the good works of our be involved in organizing plant salvage short notice and made sure that everything group and exciting discoveries made dur- events at sites slated to be destroyed by ran smoothly. All of the events were a big ing its history. We will try to put together a highway improvements or other construc- success because of the efforts of Rex and summary of the symposium in the society’s tion projects, and could become more Paul, along with many others who volun- journal, Missouriensis. The evening ban- active in educating Missourians on the teered their time and talents. I was very quet was not just a good meal and good benefits of landscaping with native plants. sorry to have to missed the fun. companionship, but also a chance to listen There also is still room for more local Thanks are due to our generous hosts to some wonderful anecdotes and a sum- chapters — it would be great to have for the Saturday field trip, Henry and Lorna mary of milestones in the history of chapters in cities like Kirksville, Rolla and Domke. Even the early morning showers MONPS by Larry Morrison, who has taken Springfield. couldn’t dampen the spirits of the 80-some on the role of society historian. Thanks are As MONPS enters its fourth decade, the visitors at the Prairie Garden Trust. Also to due also to our archivist, Jack Harris, for membership can be proud of the group’s be thanked are the speakers at the after- putting together an interesting and informa- history and accomplishments, but let’s also noon symposium, Doug Ladd, Paul tive display. look to the future and ways that the Nelson, Bill Summers, and Jim Wilson, The 30th anniversary meeting was a Society can continue to expand its good who kept the large audience entertained chance to bring together founding and works. In most cases, all it takes is a few and informed, challenging everyone to early members of our group (some of dedicated organizers to run with an idea think about the future of conservation and whom have not been as active in MONPS that our group can support. November-December 2009 Petal Pusher Page 1 MONPS board schedules planning meeting All Missouri Native Plant Society mem- Columbia or contact an officer or board Museum Support Center (parking in front bers and friends are invited to attend the member before the meeting with your ideas. or along side driveway). winter MONPS state board meeting on From the west: Drive east on I-70 to Saturday, Dec. 5. Directions to Dunn-Palmer Herbarium Stadium Blvd. exit (Exit 124); turn right If you want to have a voice in MONPS, From the east: Drive west on I-70 to U.S. (south). now is your chance. This is a business Highway. 63 South (Exit 128); head south Stay on Stadium Blvd. as it goes south meeting, so plan to stay all day. towards Jefferson City to the Stadium and then turns east, past the MU football The meeting begins at 10 a.m. and will Blvd. exit. stadium and the Hearnes basketball end no later than 4 p.m. We will be meet- Turn right (west) and go to the fourth traf- arena. ing at the Dunn-Palmer Herbarium. We will be ordering lunch in, or you may fic light (the street at this intersection is Turn right (south) on Rock Quarry Road bring a lunch if desired. called College Avenue to the north and (stoplight here). The board will be planning the field trips Rock Quarry Road to the south). Drive south about 1/8 mile and turn right associated with the quarterly board meet- Turn left (south) and go about 1/8 mile on into the driveway of the Museum Support ings. If you have a favorite site you would Rock Quarry Road. Center (parking in front or along side like to visit with the society, join the board in Turn right into the driveway of the driveway). Calendar of Events Hawthorn Chapter Kansas City Chapter Nov. 19 — Chapter meeting at 7 p.m. in the Discovery November — Anyone who wants to go to wild places for seed Center, 4705 Troost. The program is to be determined. For collecting can contact Becky Erickson at (573) 657-2314 for a weekday midday collection walk at one of the public areas. additional information, contact David Winn at (913) 432-4220. Nov. 9 — Regular meeting at 7 p.m. at the Unitarian Church, Osage Plains Chapter 2615 Shepard Blvd. Our speaker will be Dr. Adrian Andrei, pro- No dates submitted fessor of Wildlife Science in the Department of Agriculture and Environmental Science at Lincoln University. Dr. Andrei will dis- Ozarks Chapter cuss the economic and ecological importance of pollination. He Tuesday, Nov. 17 — Chapter meeting at 6:30 p.m. at the MDC will give examples of common pollinators in Missouri and Ozark Regional Office, 551 Joe Jones Blvd, West Plains. advice on planting and backyard management to help pollina- “Winter tree identification” presented by Susan Farrington. This tors. will be the last meeting for the season. We will resume our Nov. 14: Cookout and wreath making party at Laura Ellifrit’s meetings in February. For more information, contact Susan Dec. 13: Winter Holiday Party at 2 p.m. at Vanessa Melton’s in Farrington (contact info on back). Booneville, look for information in the November Hawthorn Chapter newsletter. Perennis Chapter See www.semonps.org. January: Seed stratification workshop and May Potting party. More information in coming newsletters. St. Louis Chapter For more information please contact Paula at (573) 474-4225 No meetings in November or December. New members Mailing address John Gwaltney, Crystal Anne Wamser, St. Louis Springs, Miss. Because our post office branch has moved to a new Josh Higgins, Pacific location, the MONPS post office box and ZIP plus four ZIP George Lippert, Chanute, code have been changed by the Postal Service. The new Staria and Richard Kan. P.O. Box number is 440353, and the zip plus four is now Vanderpool, Fulton 63144-0353. We will still receive mail addressed using the Lee Hughes, Rolla Brian Davidson, Rolla previous post office box number, but only until the end of 2009, so please update your records and begin using the Paul Cork, Columbia Danny McMurphy, Sullivan new mailing address. Edith Starbuck, Rolla Bob Grinstead, Edwardsville, Ill. Robert Kremer, Columbia Page 2 Petal Pusher November-December 2009 2009 MONPS awards announced By Steve Buback At the 30th Anniversary celebration in September, the Missouri Native Plant Society announced five awards recipients for the previous year. MONPS has never before given five awards in a year, so it must have been a productive year for Missouri botanists. These awards have been presented since 1986 and provide a method for the Missouri Native Plant Society to recog- nize individuals or groups throughout the state for outstanding accomplishments in accordance with the society’s mission of promoting education, conservation, research and restoration of Missouri’s native plants. Nadia Navarrete-Tindall — Erna Eisendrath Memorial Education Award Nadia was presented with the Photos by Steve R. Turner Nadia Navarrete-Tindall accepts the Erna Educational Award based upon her work Bill Summers accepts the John E.