**ARCHIVED POST **
The Native Plant Society of Texas will hold its 2011 annual fall symposium and state meeting on October 13 – 16 in Houston, featuring the coastal prairies and marshes of Texas. The meeting will be at the Omni Houston Hotel at Westside located at 13210 Katy Freeway and Eldridge.
Habitat CPR: Creating, Preserving, and Restoring Native Habitats in a Changing World, Featuring the Coastal Prairies and Marshes of Texas.
The dual purpose theme will explore the various components of the Texas Coastal Prairies and Marshes and their significance as an important eco-habitat. In a changing world where stresses such as climate change, urban sprawl, invasive plants, and general habitat destruction threaten the sustainability of this eco-region, we will also examine philosophies and methods for the continued preservation and restoration of prairies and marshes.
Symposium 2011 will provide knowledge on how to re-create prairie and marsh habitats where they have been previously removed. Gardeners will learn how to migrate the use of these habitats and their native plants into the urban landscape as a way to supplement the natural environment, attract wildlife, and maintain a sustainable landscape.
The Symposium Planning Committee is well underway towards planning speaker presentations, workshops, field trips, exhibits, and social events that will educate and pique your interest in this important subject matter and allow for some fun camaraderie along the way. Volunteers wishing to assist in the planning effort are always welcome! Stay tuned for more information here on our website.
Call for papers
Authors are invited to submit research papers, general papers on topics of interest, and “How to” articles related to the Symposium 2011 educational theme. Our diverse audience will include academics, professionals, conservationists, educators, and gardeners who are interested in the “research, conservation and utilization of native plants and plant habitats of Texas.”
Notification of your intent to submit a paper should be emailed to symposium@npsot.org no later than May 1, 2011. Please include the following information: paper’s title, a brief description (150 words or less); author’s name, brief biography, and contact information. The symposium education committee will review all proposals and notify authors by June 1st of your status along with instructions for submission of your final paper. Final papers accepted for inclusion in the Symposium 2011 Proceedings will be due no later than August 1, 2011. Selected papers may also be chosen for oral presentation.
Become a Symposium 2011 Sponsor and support our educators and students
In 2010, the Society offered the opportunity for its members to financially support their annual symposium by matching their membership donations with an equal donation to the Symposium Fund. We were grateful to the many members who responded to the call! Their generous donations supported a wonderful 30th anniversary symposium that was enjoyed by all attendees, but also very importantly, enabled us to offer scholarships to students and educators, allowing them to attend Symposium 2010 at a reduced registration fee. Supporting the attendance of educators and students (our future members!) ensures the future of the Society and the continued furtherance of our mission statement.
The 2011 symposium provides a tremendous opportunity to offer education on how to restore and preserve our state’s rich and diverse native plant communities. In 2011, we want to attract even more students and educators by once again offering scholarships to qualified applicants. We know that members receive many requests for support, but we hope that this opportunity will especially appeal to those of you interested in furthering our mission statement in a unique way by supporting the funding of these scholarships.
How do you donate to the Symposium Fund?
One easy way is to match your annual membership fee when you renew your membership. For example, a couple or family could renew their membership for $40 and then make an additional $40 contribution to the symposium (please note this designation when you send in your renewal form). If you have already renewed your membership but still want to contribute, simply send in your check for whatever amount fits your budget to the state office and notate it as a donation to the symposium. If you work or have worked for a corporation that will match your non-profit donation, then please remember to exercise that option and triple your giving opportunity! All contributions received by July 1st will allow us time to recognize you as a Symposium 2011 Sponsor on our website and in the symposium program materials.
Please consider contributing to our Symposium Fund. Your gracious donations will help us meet our goal of educating future native plant lovers and leaders!
**ARCHIVED POST**
**ARCHIVED POST LINKS & PICTURES MAY NOT WORK**
**ARCHIVED POST AUTHOR: kemoore
