Members are the lifeblood of all volunteer organizations and the Kentucky Native Plant Society is no exception. The Society depends on our members to accomplish our mission of “promoting education, preservation, and protection of native plants and natural communities in the Commonwealth“. Your dues and participation in KNPS’s activities are essential to this mission. We sincerely thank you for your support.
We currently have 471 members of KNPS. In 2021, we had 150 new members join the Society and 85 members renewed their membership. We also have 165 Life Members, 5 of whom became members in 2021.
KNPS Life Members Who Joined in 2021
- Elizabeth Baldwin
- Alan Chewning
- Talitha Hunt
- Pep Peppiatt
- Michael Tain
There are many benefits of being a member of the Kentucky Native Plant Society. Education about Kentucky’s native plants is one of the Society’s primary missions. The Society fulfills this mission through a variety of learning opportunities. Each year, knowledgeable leaders take members on field trips conducted in all parts of the state. Members see special plants and visit unique and interesting natural areas. Field trips are typically limited to 10-20 participants and members are given the opportunity to sign up for these trips before they are opened to the general public. The Society also periodically conducts workshops and symposiums on native plant studies and native plant identification. Workshops are narrowly focused, with a single instructor. Symposiums generally cover a broad range of topics with multiple presenters. Again members are given the opportunity to register for these events before they are opened to the general public.
The preservation and conservation of Kentucky’s native plants and plant communities is another part of the Society’s mission. Through activities ranging from the propagation and restoration of rare native species through the organized removal of invasive species, KNPS members help to preserve and protect our native ecosystems.
We have two membership meetings a year that include programs with special speakers, presentations, and hikes. The spring Wildflower Weekend is generally at Natural Bridge State Resort Park and the Fall Membership Meeting is held at various sites around Kentucky.
In 2020 and 2021 most of our in-person activities were cancelled or curtailed due to the pandemic. The KNPS Board is working to make 2022 one of our most exciting and productive years yet. Planning is already taking place for an in-person, Wildflower Weekend on April 8, 9, & 10 at Natural Bridge SRP as well as field trips, workshops, and conservation projects. Watch the Lady Slipper for announcements of these activities.
If you have any questions about membership or if you would like to comment, or help out with KNPS activities, just shoot us an email at KYPlants@knps.org