Meet Our New Chapter Officers

These folks were elected at the Central Chapter Annual Meeting in January 2024.

Greg Monzel, President: Greg Monzel is an herbalist and foraging instructor with a passion for connecting people and plants through his business Persimmon Herb School. Greg is a full-time biology student focusing on field botany at Ball State University with a special interest in conservation and restoration of culturally important plant species, such as wild rice and American lotus. He has nonprofit leadership experience working for Indy Food Cooperative (general manager and director), Mulberry Meadow Farm School (president), and Indiana Chapter of the American Herbalists Guild (treasurer). 

Norm Leonard, Grants Committee Chair: As an educator for 39 years, I am currently teaching biology and human anatomy at Ben Davis University High School where I share my passion for learning science.  Formally educated as a botanist from DePauw University, I have grown to love and respect  plants and their diversity.  Currently, I am excited about this spring and to see what my new house as of July will look like having planted 170 bulbs, and 12 native trees already.  My wife encourages my yard work and has encouraged me to fulfill a lifelong dream of having a greenhouse, which is planned for construction in July 2024.   I am also excited about the opportunity to serve the central Indiana chapter of INPS and hope to facilitate the growth of programs.  Looking forward to getting to know you personally.

Bobby Jean Avery-Kimball, Co-VP: Bobby Jean Avery-Kimball, describes herself as an amateur plant nerd, plant rescuer, native habitat restorer and insect lover, who prefers plants, and all stages of Lepidoptera over most people. She enjoys participating in restoration projects and invasive plant removals in her beloved City of Westfield where you might find her parading around handing out milkweed seeds and trees while dressed as “Chompy” the adorable caterpillar mascot for Westfield Green Together. She warns not to get stuck next to her at a party or she may inundate you with pictures of  the plants in her yard and butterflies she has raised. While her professional degrees in law and health are unrelated to native plants, she has spent a lot of time educating herself on the subject through INPS involvement including attendance at every annual conference since 2016.

Avery Cyr, Co-VP: Avery Cyr is a Wildlife Biologist for the Division of Fish and Wildlife at the Indiana DNR and has an environmental science/ecology background conducting wetland, habitat, and protected species surveys in Florida.  With her deep connection to the natural world that began growing up along the Great Lakes, she enjoys sharing her knowledge and lifelong passion for nature with others through her volunteer work with the DNR, as an Indiana Master Naturalist, and with several other environmental organizations.  In her spare time, she enjoys hiking with her dogs, kayaking, and outdoor activities with family.

Kathleen Schonsheck, Treasurer: Kathleen is a business owner, artist, dog lover, and passionate native plant enthusiast, as well as a lifelong Hoosier. Her native plant journey started during lockdown in 2020 and she and her husband have since added over 40 native species to their home garden. She hopes to one day earn the Indiana Master Naturalist certification. She has over 7 years of experience managing finances for her small business and is excited to bring that skill set to the Central Chapter of INPS.  

Tyler Davitto, Plant Rescue Co-Chair: Tyler Davitto is from Brownsburg, IN.  He met his wife at Indiana State University while they were both studying Criminology.  They have a son and daughter and now reside in Danville Indiana.  He ended up with a degree in construction management and has been in the excavating industry since graduating college in 2009.  He’s been a lifelong enthusiast of the outdoors, history, and old buildings.  He’s enjoyed having the opportunity to couple those interests with his career in land alteration.  Over the last several years he has gained an interest in the plants, agriculture, and taking advantage of the multiple opportunities the area has to offer with advancing his education on the matter.  He earned his Master Naturalist certification in 2021 and has recently completed a course with the Purdue Urban Farming Signature Program.  His goal is to help increase awareness about INPS and pass along what little knowledge he has to whoever cares to listen.

Saying Goodbye to a Dear Friend

Mary Eileen Durkin
DECEMBER 1, 1946 – DECEMBER 21, 2022
It is with the heaviest of hearts that we say goodbye to our dear friend Mary Durkin who passed away on Dec 21, 2022, four weeks after being diagnosed with stomach cancer. Mary has been a longtime member and advocate for the Native Plant Society. She has led and contributed to countless projects to make a healthier planet and provide for our wildlife. She was a force at the Eiteljorg Museum plantings—in installation and stewardship. She led native pollinator plant installations at Broad Ripple Park and at the Boulevard Park Food Pantry. And she did so much more, on a regular basis. The passion she has inspired to do good work, with a kind heart, inclusively, meeting our communities where they are at, will live on in the work of the Central Chapter and all of her friends. She was a special force that has left an amazing legacy. The Central Chapter Board will be discussing that legacy at our meeting on January 24.
Mary’s Obituary   Mary Showing Off Her Pollinator Garden

Beautification with Native Plants

On a cold March Saturday in 2022, INPS and Master Gardener volunteers are renewing the landscaping around the St. Vincent de Paul Boulevard Place Food Pantry. Here’s what they have accomplished so far:

  • Grants received from INPS, MCMGA, and Native Plants Unlimited.
  • Charted the plan and ordered some of the plants for spring planting
  • Called 8-1-1 to locate underground utilities before digging in the demo area
  • Removed 6 invasive burning bushes
  • Transplanted one native ninebark shrub to a better location
  • Laid down cardboard and wetted it to kill turf in the planned garden area
  • Mulched over the cardboard
  • Mulched the row of dogwoods on the northside of the building
  • Straightened the leaning serviceberry and mulched all the serviceberries
  • Filled in low area with new soil
  • Gave a neighborhood resident a tour of the gardens, and he is now a new volunteer

 

Invasives SWAT Team

The team’s efforts in 2019 resulted in approximately 280 volunteer hours spent removing non-native invasive plants at 9 different properties, primarily garlic mustard, bush honeysuckle, and multiflora rose.

Quite a haul of garlic mustard at Newfields. Photo by Chandler Bryant.

 

January Icebreaker

Scenes from our 2020 Sunday afternoon pitch-in snack fest and annual meeting graciously hosted by Judith Lieberman.