2023 July Email to CPC Members

Livestream program with Florida Native Plant Society
CPC past president Heather Brasell was recently featured in a panel discussion on “Top 12 Native Plants for Gardening.” This livestreamed FNPS “After Hours” program was the first collaborative program between the Florida Native Plant Society and the Georgia Native Plant Society. GNPS President Ellen Honeycutt, FNPS President Mark Katelli, and CPC President Mary Alice Applegate were also panelists, sharing notes about favorite plants found in both Georgia and Florida. For those who missed the live program, you can access it on the FNPS YouTube link.

A bonus to this program is the beautiful new flyer, “10 Beautiful Native Plants for Successful Landscapes,” created by Florida Native Plant Society President Mark Kateli. You can find it on our website's publication page.

Propagation doesn’t stop!
Though our plant sales are paused until the fall, the work of propagation continues. Amy Heidt and Paul Sumner could use some help in upsizing plants in early August. If you can help, please contact them at cpcgnps@gmail.com to let them know days/times you are available. 

Native Sedges Workshop
In collaboration with Georgia Botanical Society, the Coastal Plain Chapter is offering a 2-day workshop on native sedges on August 19 - 20 at Gaskins Forest Education Center in Alapaha. The workshop will be led by Dr. Richard Carter of Valdosta State University, who teaches Botany and Plant Systematics and is VSU Herbarium Curator. He has published “An Introduction to the Sedges of Georgia.” 
The first day of the workshop will be classroom-based starting at 10 a.m. and the second day will be field-based starting at 9 a.m. Dr. Carter will provide downloadable online resources (classroom presentations) to people who have registered before the event. The class is free. FYI: Gaskins Forest Education Center offers limited overnight accommodation in cabins for people who drive a long way for the event. To register and for more information, contact Heather Brasell at heather.brasell@gmail.com. 

Location: Gaskins Forest Education Center, 3359 Moore Sawmill Rd, Alapaha GA 31622
Time: Saturday Aug.19, 10 a.m.; Sunday Aug. 20, 9 a.m.
Restrooms: Available at the Ed Center
Bring: Wetland footwear (for field trip), water, food, bug spray and hat

Great Southeast Pollinator Census
The CPC will again be participating in the Great Southeast Pollinator Census on August 18, and 19, 2023, at Gaskins Forest Education Center near Alapaha. Activities begin at 9 a.m. with instructions from representatives from DNR and Quail Forever. The counting continues until 2:00 p.m. 

The Okefenokee Swamp Park and the Thomasville Pollinator Garden will also conduct a pollinator count. If a group in your community is hosting an event, please email maryalice.applegate@gnps.org so more updates can appear in the August 2023 CPC newsletter and on the Coastal Plain Facebook page.

Camp OSCAR Kids Learn About Invasive Species
In images above, kids from the Brantley County school system learned about invasive species on June 16, with Camp OSCAR activities conducted by CPC members Heather Brasell, Marilynne Marshall, Mary Alice Applegate, and Katie Antczak, who organizes the summer program as part of her work at the Okefenokee RESA.

Indoor activities covered the origins and negative impacts of invasive non-native plants; outdoor activities included identifying and lopping invasive plants, including nandina, camphor tree, Japanese climbing fern, and Chinese yam, with CPC members painting the stumps with herbicide. Campers also enjoyed planting native flowers in an area near the entrance of the park, with instructions from CPC members.

Before the session with the children, CPC members took a look at the Okefenokee Swamp Park restoration project underway, where bamboo is being removed and replaced with species that are found in the area. Our chapter sold many species to the park for the restoration.

Chehaw Park Restoration Garden Work Day—Jimmy Lindsey
(See photos above.) A dozen volunteers recently descended on the Chehaw Park Native Plant Garden in Albany and went to work cleaning, weeding and spreading pine straw. When they walked away, the GNPS Restoration Garden, installed in February this year at the entrance to the Creekside Education Center, never looked better! While many things had flourished in the recent South Georgia monsoons, some of the newly planted natives had croaked – too much water! Note to self, a drought tolerant plant is probably not very flood tolerant. As is the case with all gardens, it sure helps to understand roof rain runoff patterns BEFORE you plant!

GNPS Plant Rescue in Berrien County
The native plant rescue in Berrien County on June 11 provided members with several species that are hard to find in nurseries. Among the species rescued wisteria (Wisteria frutescens), lobelia (Lobelia sp.), Hibiscus sp., persimmon (Diosporas virginiana), piedmont azalea (Rhododendron canescens), winged sumac (Rhus copallinum), St. Andrew’s cross (Hypericum crux-andrea), passion vine (Passiflora incarnata), and blueberry (Vaccinium sp.).  Amy Heidt led the rescue, with Heather Brasell assisting. Amy and Paul Sumner rescued several local ecotypes to propagate and make available for plant sales. Plants were watered immediately, so we expect a good survival outcome. See photos of the day on the CPC Facebook page.

A New Kind of Rescue—From One School to Another, part 2
Native plants that were dug up at Len Lastinger Elementary School in Tifton (due to school construction) were recently installed at Berrien County Middle School. In the two interim months, the plants were potted and maintained at Gaskins Forest Education Center in Alapaha. Christina Lott, Berrien County 7th grade science teacher and wildlife club advisor, is watering the plants over the summer. CPC members Donna Herrin, Heather Brasell, and Phoenix Best assisted in the planting. See photos shot on planting day on the Gaskins Forest Education Center Facebook page.

Save the Date, Fall Meeting is Nov. 4, 2023
Our fall (annual) meeting is set for Nov. 4 at Altama Plantation Wildlife Management Area, north of Brunswick. We are busy lining up speakers-- If there is a topic you’d like to see presented, please contact Jimmy Lindsey, jimmylindsey@hotmail.com.

State Botanical Garden Classes
The SBG in Athens offers classes toward a Certificate in Native Plants. Classes are also offered for the Plants and Pollinators Specialization. For for further information, email Cora Keber ckeber@uga.edu or call 706-542-6156.
July 14:     Medicinal Plants of the Southeast—online; Part 2 on July 22.
July 15:     Carnivorous Plants and Their Habitats in the Southeast—Roswell, Ga. 

CPC Board Meetings: The next Meeting is July 19, 2023, at 7:00 p.m. via Zoom. Board meetings are open to all CPC members. Contact Mary Alice Applegate (maryalice.applegate@gnps.org) to request a link. Minutes of meetings are available upon request.

CPC Board of Directors


Mary Alice Applegate, President


Jimmy Lindsey, Vice President


Katie Antczak, Secretary


Elizabeth King, Treasurer


Heather Brasell, Past President and CPC Education Committee Chair


Paul Sumner, CPC Membership Chair


Amy Heidt, CPC Propagation Chair


Gail Farley, Representative, East Coast

Mary Beth Cary, Representative, West Georgia