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	<title>native plants - INPS</title>
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	<description>Indiana Native Plant Society</description>
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	<title>native plants - INPS</title>
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		<title>Northeast Chapter Events &#038; Activities</title>
		<link>https://indiananativeplants.org/2025/northeast-chapter-events-activities-2/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=northeast-chapter-events-activities-2</link>
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		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Renee Wright]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 03 Feb 2025 22:15:15 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Chapter News & Events]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hikes & Field Trips]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Invasives Education]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Invasives Removal]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Upcoming Events]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Environmental Resources Center]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[invasive plants]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[native plants]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[nature hikes]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Northeast Chapter]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[plant sale]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[plant swap]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[pollinators]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[prairie planting]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sustainable landscapes]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[weed wrangle Indiana]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[wetlands]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://indiananativeplants.org/?p=10064</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Coming Up Saturday, February 22, 2025, 10am Guided Hike to See Skunk Cabbage Who: INPS-NE members and the public Where:<a class="excerpt-read-more" href="https://indiananativeplants.org/2025/northeast-chapter-events-activities-2/" title="ReadNortheast Chapter Events &#038; Activities">... Read more &#187;</a></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://indiananativeplants.org/2025/northeast-chapter-events-activities-2/">Northeast Chapter Events & Activities</a> first appeared on <a href="https://indiananativeplants.org">INPS</a>.</p>]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<h2><strong>Coming Up</strong></h2>
<div style="width: 564px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" class="m_-2793054726685056204mcnImage CToWUd a6T" tabindex="0" src="https://ci3.googleusercontent.com/meips/ADKq_NYlvTbM1AhQZNJT7RY1--54mOzI3ZjLe78Trkj5eMKVaPHjkHI66pJyYn0x2mwLJEWVoM7ajGLO9ZJmMIeYhxqupmA-3dE9W-vHGSVzJ6A6VrH8EcCJ_JWkyhIhBZs6vnMw8oupIsl_S9asYMGM4_mnMuzbUgzX3lck=s0-d-e1-ft#https://mcusercontent.com/33c8af9db6994a4d373554de1/images/e3ce9f6c-45bf-9226-7eb7-644dc3f6d173.jpeg" alt="" width="554" height="720" data-bit="iit" /><p class="wp-caption-text">Skunk cabbage (Symplocarpus foetidus) actually generates its own heat, allowing it to melt snow as it emerges in January or February. Photo courtesy of Joanna Stebing.</p></div>
<p><strong>Saturday, February 22, 2025, 10am</strong><br />
Guided Hike to See Skunk Cabbage<br />
Who: INPS-NE members and the public<br />
Where: Metea County Park, 8401 Union Chapel Road, Fort Wayne<br />
Cost: $3 admission, unless you have a park pass</p>
<p>Ready for a sign that spring&#8217;s on the way? Join the INPS <span class="il">Northeast</span> chapter for a guided hike at Metea Country Park on February 22. Bob Dispenza, naturalist with Allen County Parks, along with INPS members Kelly Wheat and Tessa Aby-Kruger, will lead us on a short hike to see if we can find skunk cabbage pushing up out of wet.areas at the park.</p>
<p>Park in the main lot near the gatehouse, and dress for the weather.</p>
<h2>On the Horizon</h2>
<h5><strong>Saturday, May 18, 2025, 12pm-5pm</strong><br />
Eco Fest Fort Wayne<br />
Where: Headwaters Park, 333 S. Clinton Street, Fort Wayne, IN 46802<br />
Stop by the Northeast INPS table to chat about native plants!</h5>
<h2><strong>Past Events<br />
</strong>________________________</h2>
<h5><strong>October 2024:<br />
</strong>Northeast INPS Annual Meeting and Seed Swap<br />
Native Seed Collections<br />
Woody Invasive Removals</h5>
<h5><strong>September 2024:</strong><br />
Hikes to raise awareness of Pisgah Marsh and potential threats<br />
Weed Pulling / Invasive Species Removal at Eckert Public Library</h5>
<h5><strong>June 2024:<br />
</strong>Native Plant Rescue<br />
Rare plants in NE Indiana and what the INPCA is doing to help them<br />
Native Plant Swap</h5>
<h5><strong>May 2024:<br />
</strong>Rare Plant Presentation and Hike with Scott Namestik, Breakfast on the Marsh<br />
Mother&#8217;s Day Plant Sale, native plant table<br />
Eco Fest</h5>
<h5><strong>April 2024:</strong><br />
Guided Wildflower Hike at Edna Spurgeon Woodland Reserve<br />
Spring Invasive Removal on the Nature Trail at Spencerville Covered Bridge<br />
Invasive Plant Workshop</h5>
<h5><strong>March 2024:</strong><br />
Presentation on the Restoration of Duff Lake Fen</h5>
<p>________________________</p>
<p><em><a href="https://indiananativeplants.org/about-us/membership/">Join the Indiana Native Plant Society</a> today and don’t miss the opportunity to participate in events!</em></p><p>The post <a href="https://indiananativeplants.org/2025/northeast-chapter-events-activities-2/">Northeast Chapter Events & Activities</a> first appeared on <a href="https://indiananativeplants.org">INPS</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded>
					
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		<title>MC-IRIS Native Plant Sale, September 11—Save the date!</title>
		<link>https://indiananativeplants.org/2021/mc-iris-native-plant-sale-september-11-save-the-date/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=mc-iris-native-plant-sale-september-11-save-the-date</link>
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		<dc:creator><![CDATA[admin]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 29 Jul 2021 21:17:54 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Landscaping]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[MC-IRIS]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[native plants]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://indiananativeplants.org/?p=11860</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Fall is the best time for planting. —by Gillian Field Although we often think of planting in the spring, fall<a class="excerpt-read-more" href="https://indiananativeplants.org/2021/mc-iris-native-plant-sale-september-11-save-the-date/" title="ReadMC-IRIS Native Plant Sale, September 11—Save the date!">... Read more &#187;</a></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://indiananativeplants.org/2021/mc-iris-native-plant-sale-september-11-save-the-date/">MC-IRIS Native Plant Sale, September 11—Save the date!</a> first appeared on <a href="https://indiananativeplants.org">INPS</a>.</p>]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<h2>Fall is the best time for planting.</h2>
<p>—<em>by Gillian Field</em></p>
<p>Although we often think of planting in the spring, fall is easily the best season to plant perennials, trees, and shrubs. If planted in late September through early November, these plants will have well-established roots by the time spring comes around, ready in the new season to put lots of energy into above-ground growth.</p>
<p>With this natural cycle in mind, the first <strong>MC-IRIS Native Plant Sale</strong> will take place Saturday, September 11, at the Switchyard Park, Bloomington. This exciting first-time event is in partnership with the City of Bloomington Parks and Recreation Department.</p>
<p>Many resources are available to explain why we care about native plants and help you transition quickly from non-natives and invasive plants to plants native to our region. Each of us shifting from non-native plants one yard at a time will lay the foundation for a resilient environment now and in the future for both us and wildlife.</p>
<p><a href="https://indiananativeplants.org/2021/mc-iris-native-plant-sale-september-11-save-the-date/switchyard-park-field-guide-2021_sm/" rel="attachment wp-att-11864"><img decoding="async" class="alignleft wp-image-11864 size-medium" style="margin-bottom: 2px;" src="https://indiananativeplants.org/wp-content/uploads/Switchyard-Park-Field-Guide-2021_sm-232x300.jpg" alt="" width="232" height="300" srcset="https://indiananativeplants.org/wp-content/uploads/Switchyard-Park-Field-Guide-2021_sm-232x300.jpg 232w, https://indiananativeplants.org/wp-content/uploads/Switchyard-Park-Field-Guide-2021_sm-792x1024.jpg 792w, https://indiananativeplants.org/wp-content/uploads/Switchyard-Park-Field-Guide-2021_sm-768x994.jpg 768w, https://indiananativeplants.org/wp-content/uploads/Switchyard-Park-Field-Guide-2021_sm.jpg 875w" sizes="(max-width: 232px) 100vw, 232px" /></a>To help you design your own native landscape, check out the incredible resource, <a href="https://issuu.com/bloomingtonparks/docs/switchyard_park_field_guide_2021"><em>Switchyard Field Guide 2021</em></a>. This publication will guide you through a walking tour of native plantings at Switchyard Park in Bloomington.</p>
<p>Bringing native landscaping changes to your yard takes visualization and perseverance, so keep in mind you are part of a much larger group of people who are also learning and adapting their yards to be beautiful and layered in purpose.</p>
<p>Your efforts will create buffer zones for heathy forests, a resilient urban tree canopy, and crucial way-stations for pollinators and migrating birds. Take on the challenge in small ways or large—every bit counts.</p>
<hr />
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://indiananativeplants.org/2021/mc-iris-native-plant-sale-september-11-save-the-date/mciris-logo-copy/" rel="attachment wp-att-11861"><img decoding="async" class="size-medium wp-image-11861 alignright" src="https://indiananativeplants.org/wp-content/uploads/mciris-logo-copy-300x214.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="214" srcset="https://indiananativeplants.org/wp-content/uploads/mciris-logo-copy-300x214.jpg 300w, https://indiananativeplants.org/wp-content/uploads/mciris-logo-copy-1024x731.jpg 1024w, https://indiananativeplants.org/wp-content/uploads/mciris-logo-copy-768x549.jpg 768w, https://indiananativeplants.org/wp-content/uploads/mciris-logo-copy.jpg 1050w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></a></p>
<p style="padding-left: 40px;"><strong>MC-IRIS Native Plant Sale, September 11—Save the date!</strong> Sale opens at 9am and continues to 3pm or until sold out.</p>
<p style="padding-left: 40px;"><strong>Indiana Native Plants for Sale:</strong> grasses, sedges, forbs, shrubs, and trees. Located in the Switchyard Park Maintenance Building, Switchyard Park, 601 S Rogers St, Bloomington. (Enter at the South Rogers entrance. The Maintenance Building is immediately to your right.)</p>
<p style="padding-left: 40px;"><a href="https://bloomington.in.gov/parks/parks/switchyard-park">https://bloomington.in.gov/parks/parks/switchyard-park</a></p>
<hr />
<p><em><strong>Gillian Field</strong> is a member of MC-IRIS, also known as Monroe County–Identify and Reduce Invasive Species, a coalition of citizens aimed at reducing the environmental and economic impact of invasive plant species in the county.<strong> </strong></em></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p><p>The post <a href="https://indiananativeplants.org/2021/mc-iris-native-plant-sale-september-11-save-the-date/">MC-IRIS Native Plant Sale, September 11—Save the date!</a> first appeared on <a href="https://indiananativeplants.org">INPS</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded>
					
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		<title>The Homegrown National Park™ Map Goes Live!</title>
		<link>https://indiananativeplants.org/2021/the-homegrown-national-park-map-goes-live/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=the-homegrown-national-park-map-goes-live</link>
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		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Coralie Palmer]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 21 Jan 2021 05:23:14 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Conservation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Landscaping]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Wildlife]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[biodiversity]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[conservation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Doug Tallamy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ecology]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[native plants]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://indiananativeplants.org/?p=11367</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Many of you reading this will already be familiar with the wonderful work of Dr Doug Tallamy and the Homegrown<a class="excerpt-read-more" href="https://indiananativeplants.org/2021/the-homegrown-national-park-map-goes-live/" title="ReadThe Homegrown National Park™ Map Goes Live!">... Read more &#187;</a></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://indiananativeplants.org/2021/the-homegrown-national-park-map-goes-live/">The Homegrown National Park™ Map Goes Live!</a> first appeared on <a href="https://indiananativeplants.org">INPS</a>.</p>]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p class="p3"><span class="s1">Many of you reading this will already be familiar with the wonderful work of Dr Doug Tallamy and the <a href="https://indiananativeplants.org/2020/the-homegrown-national-park/">Homegrown National Park<img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/15.0.3/72x72/2122.png" alt="™" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /></a> concept. </span><span class="s1">We are excited to share that the <a href="https://homegrownnationalpark.org/">Homegrown National Park<img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/15.0.3/72x72/2122.png" alt="™" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /> map</a> has now gone live!</span></p>
<div id="attachment_10134" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-10134" class="wp-image-10134 size-medium" src="https://indiananativeplants.org/wp-content/uploads/IMG_3216-scaled-e1588222920105-300x259.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="259" srcset="https://indiananativeplants.org/wp-content/uploads/IMG_3216-scaled-e1588222920105-300x259.jpg 300w, https://indiananativeplants.org/wp-content/uploads/IMG_3216-scaled-e1588222920105-1024x886.jpg 1024w, https://indiananativeplants.org/wp-content/uploads/IMG_3216-scaled-e1588222920105-768x664.jpg 768w, https://indiananativeplants.org/wp-content/uploads/IMG_3216-scaled-e1588222920105-1536x1328.jpg 1536w, https://indiananativeplants.org/wp-content/uploads/IMG_3216-scaled-e1588222920105-2048x1771.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /><p id="caption-attachment-10134" class="wp-caption-text">© C. Palmer</p></div>
<p class="p3"><span class="s1">Based on the work of Dr Doug Tallamy and developed with Michelle Alfandari, the Homegrown National Park<img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/15.0.3/72x72/2122.png" alt="™" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /> is a grassroots call-to-action to restore biodiversity and ecosystem function by planting native plants, removing most invasive plants, and creating new ecological networks. </span></p>
<p class="p4"><span class="s1">The goal is 20 million acres of native plantings in the U.S. &#8211; an area that represents approximately ½ of the green lawns of privately-owned properties.</span></p>
<p class="p4"><span class="s1">A key feature of the Homegrown National Park<img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/15.0.3/72x72/2122.png" alt="™" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /> is an interactive map, a community-based visual that shows each native planting site by State, County and Zip Code. </span></p>
<p class="p5"><span class="s1">We are so thankful to the many wonderful INPS members and others who are working to improve biodiversity in the piece of this world they are able to tend to, but we know it can sometimes be a bit of an isolating experience.<span class="Apple-converted-space">  </span>Unless we are lucky enough to be surrounded by neighbors with similar goals, it can feel like a native planting is disconnected. Working to plant one area with natives when you are surrounded by areas of turf grass and non-native plants can be disheartening &#8211; it is easy to begin to question whether it can really make a difference, and the ecological value of isolated native plantings can be reduced if they are truly ‘habitat islands’. </span></p>
<p class="p5"><span class="s1">The Homegrown National Park<img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/15.0.3/72x72/2122.png" alt="™" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /> map is an inspiration. It enables individuals to see their part in the whole &#8211; creating new ecological networks, connecting habitat and restoring biodiversity. </span></p>
<div id="attachment_11371" style="width: 306px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-11371" class=" wp-image-11371" src="https://indiananativeplants.org/wp-content/uploads/Swallowtail-caterpillar-2020-1-2-300x201.jpg" alt="" width="296" height="198" srcset="https://indiananativeplants.org/wp-content/uploads/Swallowtail-caterpillar-2020-1-2-300x201.jpg 300w, https://indiananativeplants.org/wp-content/uploads/Swallowtail-caterpillar-2020-1-2-1024x684.jpg 1024w, https://indiananativeplants.org/wp-content/uploads/Swallowtail-caterpillar-2020-1-2-768x513.jpg 768w, https://indiananativeplants.org/wp-content/uploads/Swallowtail-caterpillar-2020-1-2-1536x1027.jpg 1536w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 296px) 100vw, 296px" /><p id="caption-attachment-11371" class="wp-caption-text">© C. Palmer</p></div>
<p><span class="s1"><b>Thanks to the work of Dr Doug Tallamy and Michelle Alfandari, we all now have the opportunity to be part of the largest cooperative conservation project ever conceived or attempted!</b></span></p>
<p class="p5"><span class="s1">As of today (20th January, 2021), the map has over 2000 individuals registered and over 13,000 acres of native plantings mapped across the US; in Indiana, there are currently 71 individuals registering just over 180 acres of native plantings.  The Landscaping with Natives Team would love to encourage anyone who might be keen to <a href="https://map.homegrownnationalpark.org/users/new">register their native plantings on the map</a> &#8211; it is free and very easy to do.<span class="Apple-converted-space">  </span>We would love to see Indiana well-represented &#8211; it can help us all to see that our individual plantings really can be part of the change! </span></p>
<p class="p5"><span class="s1">Cora</span>lie Palmer, INPS Landscaping with Natives Team.</p><p>The post <a href="https://indiananativeplants.org/2021/the-homegrown-national-park-map-goes-live/">The Homegrown National Park™ Map Goes Live!</a> first appeared on <a href="https://indiananativeplants.org">INPS</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded>
					
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		<title>Coming in 2021: Photographic Scavenger Hunt!</title>
		<link>https://indiananativeplants.org/2020/coming-in-2021-photographic-scavenger-hunt/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=coming-in-2021-photographic-scavenger-hunt</link>
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		<dc:creator><![CDATA[admin]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 09 Nov 2020 18:03:37 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Botany]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Upcoming Events]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[IU Herbarium]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[native plants]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[scavenger hunt]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://indiananativeplants.org/?p=11253</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>The Indiana University Herbarium is organizing an effort to photograph many species that make up the diverse flora of Indiana.<a class="excerpt-read-more" href="https://indiananativeplants.org/2020/coming-in-2021-photographic-scavenger-hunt/" title="ReadComing in 2021: Photographic Scavenger Hunt!">... Read more &#187;</a></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://indiananativeplants.org/2020/coming-in-2021-photographic-scavenger-hunt/">Coming in 2021: Photographic Scavenger Hunt!</a> first appeared on <a href="https://indiananativeplants.org">INPS</a>.</p>]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The Indiana University Herbarium is organizing an effort to photograph many species that make up the diverse flora of Indiana. The goal is to engage the public, as citizen scientists, in an effort to capture good quality photos of Indiana species.</p>
<p>Many of the submitted photos will be used on the <a href="https://midwestherbaria.org">midwestherbaria.org</a> website to illustrate diagnostic features. They will also be available to the Indiana Native Plant Society for other purposes.</p>
<p>A series of instructional videos is planned to help photographers snap the best possible photos.</p>
<p>Watch this page for emerging details on how to participate.</p>
<p>&#8211;Paul Rothrock, Associate Curator Emeritus, IU Herbarium</p>
<p><a href="https://indiananativeplants.org/native-plants/where-to-see-indiana-natives/starcs_900/" rel="attachment wp-att-9125"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-9125" src="https://indiananativeplants.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Starcs_900-300x196.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="196" /></a></p><p>The post <a href="https://indiananativeplants.org/2020/coming-in-2021-photographic-scavenger-hunt/">Coming in 2021: Photographic Scavenger Hunt!</a> first appeared on <a href="https://indiananativeplants.org">INPS</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded>
					
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		<title>The Homegrown National Park™</title>
		<link>https://indiananativeplants.org/2020/the-homegrown-national-park/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=the-homegrown-national-park</link>
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		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Coralie Palmer]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 10 Jul 2020 06:24:21 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Botany]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Conservation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Landscaping]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Wildlife]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[biodiversity]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[conservation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Doug Tallamy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ecology]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Homegrown National Park]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[native plants]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[pollinators]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://indiananativeplants.org/?p=10584</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Many thanks to Gina Anderson, Purdue University Extension Educator for Floyd County, for organizing a wonderful online live Q&#38;A session<a class="excerpt-read-more" href="https://indiananativeplants.org/2020/the-homegrown-national-park/" title="ReadThe Homegrown National Park™">... Read more &#187;</a></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://indiananativeplants.org/2020/the-homegrown-national-park/">The Homegrown National Park™</a> first appeared on <a href="https://indiananativeplants.org">INPS</a>.</p>]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p class="p3"><span class="s3">Many thanks to Gina Anderson, Purdue University Extension Educator for Floyd County, for organizing a wonderful <a href="https://bit.ly/3gFocUb">online live Q&amp;A session</a> this week with Dr Douglas Tallamy, Professor of Entomology at Delaware University.</span></p>
<p><a href="https://homegrownnationalpark.org/" rel="attachment wp-att-11916"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-11916 size-full" src="https://indiananativeplants.org/wp-content/uploads/Homegrown-logo.png" alt="" width="500" height="89" srcset="https://indiananativeplants.org/wp-content/uploads/Homegrown-logo.png 500w, https://indiananativeplants.org/wp-content/uploads/Homegrown-logo-300x53.png 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px" /></a></p>
<p class="p3"><span class="s3">The INPS Landscaping with Natives Team have been so inspired by Dr Tallamy’s work, and in particular his most recent book, <a href="https://www.workman.com/products/natures-best-hope?_ga=2.25995961.506183548.1594354667-241452170.1594354667"><i>Nature’s Best Hope</i></a> and his idea of the &#8220;Homegrown National Park<img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/15.0.3/72x72/2122.png" alt="™" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" />.&#8221; <span class="Apple-converted-space">  </span>This </span><span class="s2">concept brilliantly captures many of the larger conservation goals and makes them both accessible and attainable.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="s1"><b>Native plant communities support a great deal more biodiversity than introduced plants, and biodiversity is incredibly important for a stable ecosystem</b></span><span class="s2">. </span></p>
<div id="attachment_10590" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-10590" class="size-medium wp-image-10590" src="https://indiananativeplants.org/wp-content/uploads/Thumbnails_Flowers/DSC_0366-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" srcset="https://indiananativeplants.org/wp-content/uploads/Thumbnails_Flowers/DSC_0366-300x200.jpg 300w, https://indiananativeplants.org/wp-content/uploads/Thumbnails_Flowers/DSC_0366-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://indiananativeplants.org/wp-content/uploads/Thumbnails_Flowers/DSC_0366-768x512.jpg 768w, https://indiananativeplants.org/wp-content/uploads/Thumbnails_Flowers/DSC_0366-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://indiananativeplants.org/wp-content/uploads/Thumbnails_Flowers/DSC_0366-2048x1365.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /><p id="caption-attachment-10590" class="wp-caption-text">© C. Palmer</p></div>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">The greater biodiversity supported by native plant communities is primarily due to specialized relationships that have evolved between plants and insects, driven largely by the evolution of plant defenses to herbivory and insect adaptations to these.<span class="Apple-converted-space">  </span></span><span class="s2"><b>Around 90% of insect herbivores are diet or host-plant specialists</b></span><span class="s1">, meaning that they can only eat or live on plants that they have developed a relationship with through<b> </b></span><span class="s3">evolutionary time</span><span class="s1"><b>.</b></span></p>
<p class="p3"><span class="s3">This has consequences throughout the ecosystem. For example, a <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10530-018-1876-z">2018 study </a>found that there</span><span class="s7"> were <b>68% fewer caterpillar species, 91% fewer caterpillars, and 96% less caterpillar biomass </b>in study areas with introduced plants compared to native hedgerows</span><span class="s3">.<span class="Apple-converted-space">  </span>Caterpillars are one of the most important food sources for many wildlife species and the reduction in caterpillar numbers impacts food availability; <a href="https://www.pnas.org/content/115/45/11549">another study</a> found that </span><span class="s7">suburban yards dominated by introduced plants were<b> 60% less likely </b>to have breeding chickadees compared to primarily native landscapes</span><span class="s3">. The <a href="https://www.birds.cornell.edu/home/bring-birds-back/">steep decline in bird numbers across the US</a> has been well publicized, and the widespread use of non-native landscaping plants is a contributing factor. </span></p>
<p class="p4"><span class="s2">While non-native plants can provide some ecosystem functions, there is almost always a </span><span class="s5"><b>loss in biodiversity</b></span><span class="s2"> when they are used in place of natives.<span class="Apple-converted-space">  </span></span><span class="s5"><b>The conservation of biodiversity is critical</b></span><span class="s2"> &#8211; ecosystems and trophic interactions are incredibly complex; we have limited understanding of even the most well studied species interactions, and there are countless others that we have little to no knowledge at all of; we just don’t know where the ‘breaking point’ for ecosystems are.<span class="Apple-converted-space">  </span>Not only do we risk losing individual species when we destroy habitat but we also risk cascading effects, the loss of multiple interdependent species and the breakdown and loss of entire ecosystems.<span class="Apple-converted-space">  </span>Biodiversity also encompasses the genetic diversity found within populations that is so vital for their adaptability and ongoing evolution.<span class="Apple-converted-space">  </span>This is becoming even more critical as fragile populations face increased pressures from climate change and loss of natural habitats through rapid development. </span></p>
<p class="p3"><span class="s3">For many people, the conservation of other species is in itself a strong enough argument for action, but even for those who perhaps aren’t concerned with conservation, we can also look at it from a very anthropocentric view.<span class="Apple-converted-space">  </span>Humans are completely dependent on the ecosystem services provided by plants and animals. (This is rather brilliantly and succinctly described in E. O. Wilson’s 1987 paper, <i><a href="https://faculty.washington.edu/timbillo/Readings%20and%20documents/ABRIDGED%20READINGS%20for%20PERU/Wilson_1987_Little_things_that_run.pdf">The Little Things that Run the World</a> </i>in which he states ‘.<i>.if invertebrates were to disappear, I doubt that the human species could last more than a few months</i>’.)<span class="Apple-converted-space">  </span>Plants, and native plants in particular, are the</span><span class="s7"> <b>foundation of ecosystems</b></span><span class="s3"><strong> on which</strong> </span><span class="s7"><b>all of life depends</b></span><span class="s3">.</span></p>
<p class="p4" style="text-align: center;"><span class="s1"><b>A Responsibility &#8211; and Opportunity &#8211; For Us All:<span class="Apple-converted-space">  </span>The Homegrown National Park<img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/15.0.3/72x72/2122.png" alt="™" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /></b></span></p>
<div id="attachment_10592" style="width: 285px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-10592" class=" wp-image-10592" src="https://indiananativeplants.org/wp-content/uploads/Thumbnails_Flowers/DSC_0803-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="275" height="183" srcset="https://indiananativeplants.org/wp-content/uploads/Thumbnails_Flowers/DSC_0803-300x200.jpg 300w, https://indiananativeplants.org/wp-content/uploads/Thumbnails_Flowers/DSC_0803-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://indiananativeplants.org/wp-content/uploads/Thumbnails_Flowers/DSC_0803-768x512.jpg 768w, https://indiananativeplants.org/wp-content/uploads/Thumbnails_Flowers/DSC_0803-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://indiananativeplants.org/wp-content/uploads/Thumbnails_Flowers/DSC_0803-2048x1365.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 275px) 100vw, 275px" /><p id="caption-attachment-10592" class="wp-caption-text">© C. Palmer</p></div>
<p class="p4"><span class="s2">In his wonderful <a href="https://www.half-earthproject.org/half-earth-book/"><i>Half Earth</i></a>, E.O. Wilson argues that time is running short and we need to act quickly to stabilize the biosphere.<span class="Apple-converted-space">  </span>He puts forward the argument that by saving &#8211; setting aside as a natural reserve &#8211; half the Earth, we could stabilize 80%</span> <span class="s2">of its species.<span class="Apple-converted-space">  </span>This is an amazing goal, and something that it is wonderful to strive towards.<span class="Apple-converted-space">  </span>However in reality, achieving this, particularly without the political will, can sometimes seem unattainable. </span></p>
<p class="p4"><span class="s2">The brilliance of Dr Tallamy’s approach, and the Homegrown National Park<img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/15.0.3/72x72/2122.png" alt="™" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /> idea, is that it takes the teachings and ethics of Aldo Leopold and E.O. Wilson and looks at </span><span class="s5">how we can achieve their goals within the constraints of the world we find ourselves in. </span></p>
<p class="p4"><span class="s2">Looking at the situation as it is today (where, for example, in the US more than 83% of land is under private ownership, and where globally only 17% of the Earth’s land surface is preserved), Tallamy does not diminish the critical role of public preserves, but argues that, on their own, they will not be enough to sustain biodiversity.<span class="Apple-converted-space">  </span>We need to find ways for nature to thrive in human-dominated landscapes.<span class="Apple-converted-space">  </span></span><span class="s5">He <strong>expands the opportunity and the responsibility for this ‘<em>necessary task of restoring ecological function to the land</em>’ to all of us</strong> and provides a framework for how we can realistically do this. </span></p>
<p class="p4"><span class="s2">Dr Tallamy&#8217;s approach is excellently summed up by this paragraph from <i>Nature’s Best Hope</i>: ‘<i>We need a new conservation toolbox, packed with more expansive tools.<span class="Apple-converted-space">  </span>New knowledge will be our most important tool, followed by a cultural recognition that conservation is everyone’s responsibility &#8211; not just those few who make it their profession.<span class="Apple-converted-space">  </span>Every day we are learning more about how to redesign both public and private landscapes in ways that meet the aesthetic, cultural and practical needs of humans without devastating the resources needed by humans and other species.<span class="Apple-converted-space">  </span>We are learning how to convert at least half of the area now in lawn to attractive landscapes packed from the ground to the canopy with plants that will sustain complex food webs, store carbon, manage our watersheds, rebuild our soils and support a diversity of pollinators and natural enemies. In other words, <strong>we are learning how to create landscapes that contribute to rather than degrade local ecosystem function</strong>.</i>’</span></p>
<p class="p4"><span class="s2">What is so encouraging is that, as Tallamy states, it empowers each of us and also ‘shrinks the problem’ to something that may be manageable.<span class="Apple-converted-space">  </span>With so many environmental concerns worldwide, and with so many of our plant and wildlife populations declining and facing increasing threats, </span><span class="s5"><b>using our wonderful, diverse native plants in landscaping </b>is a way we can all do something and really make a difference.<span class="Apple-converted-space">  </span>Together, <b>our gardens and community areas can all be part of the Homegrown National Park<img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/15.0.3/72x72/2122.png" alt="™" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" />. </b></span></p>
<p class="p4"><span class="s2">So many of the problems we are facing seem out of our control, but we can individually and collectively actually do something that will matter.<span class="Apple-converted-space">  </span>Also, while so many of the steps that we know we need to take to live more sustainably involve perhaps challenging behavior changes or reducing our resource consumption, this is one area that doesn’t involve restraint.<span class="Apple-converted-space">  </span>We can increase our use of native plants, make spaces more beautiful and enjoyable, encourage more wildlife &#8211; it is a positive in every way!</span></p>
<div id="attachment_10588" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-10588" class="size-medium wp-image-10588" src="https://indiananativeplants.org/wp-content/uploads/Thumbnails_Flowers/DSC_0648-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" srcset="https://indiananativeplants.org/wp-content/uploads/Thumbnails_Flowers/DSC_0648-300x200.jpg 300w, https://indiananativeplants.org/wp-content/uploads/Thumbnails_Flowers/DSC_0648-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://indiananativeplants.org/wp-content/uploads/Thumbnails_Flowers/DSC_0648-768x512.jpg 768w, https://indiananativeplants.org/wp-content/uploads/Thumbnails_Flowers/DSC_0648-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://indiananativeplants.org/wp-content/uploads/Thumbnails_Flowers/DSC_0648-2048x1365.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /><p id="caption-attachment-10588" class="wp-caption-text">© C. Palmer</p></div>
<p><span class="s3">The INPS Landscaping with Natives Team are collaborating with the <a href="https://www.indianawildlife.org/">Indiana Wildlife Federation</a> to bring together a range of material to help homeowners and communities do this &#8211; currently in development and launching over the next couple of months. Please do contact us at <a href="mailto:landscape@indiananativeplants.org"><span class="s4">landscape@indiananativeplants.org</span></a> if you might like to be involved or if you have any questions!</span></p>
<p>—Coralie Palmer, INPS Landscaping with Natives Team</p><p>The post <a href="https://indiananativeplants.org/2020/the-homegrown-national-park/">The Homegrown National Park™</a> first appeared on <a href="https://indiananativeplants.org">INPS</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded>
					
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		<title>Encouraging News for Monarch Conservation</title>
		<link>https://indiananativeplants.org/2020/encouraging-news-for-monarch-conservation/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=encouraging-news-for-monarch-conservation</link>
					<comments>https://indiananativeplants.org/2020/encouraging-news-for-monarch-conservation/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Coralie Palmer]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 30 Apr 2020 05:28:55 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Botany]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Conservation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Landscaping]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Wildlife]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[butterflies]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[conservation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ecology]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[garden design]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[landscaping]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[monarch]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[native plants]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[pollinators]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://indiananativeplants.org/?p=10132</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>We know that the plight of the North American monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) is a real concern for many INPS<a class="excerpt-read-more" href="https://indiananativeplants.org/2020/encouraging-news-for-monarch-conservation/" title="ReadEncouraging News for Monarch Conservation">... Read more &#187;</a></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://indiananativeplants.org/2020/encouraging-news-for-monarch-conservation/">Encouraging News for Monarch Conservation</a> first appeared on <a href="https://indiananativeplants.org">INPS</a>.</p>]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p class="p1"><span class="s1">We know that the plight of the North American monarch butterfly (<i>Danaus plexippus</i>) is a real concern for many INPS members, and the recently released figures for the 2019-2020 overwintering grounds in Mexico &#8211; an estimated</span><span class="s2"> <a href="https://monarchjointventure.org/news-events/news/eastern-monarch-population-numbers-decrease-53-from-last-year"><span class="s3">2.83 hectares</span></a></span><span class="s1">, representing a 53.22 percent decrease compared to last year and a more significant decline than expected &#8211; offer little reason for hope. </span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">However, while the outlook remains very worrying, we would love to share some encouraging and exciting news. </span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">The University of Illinois at Chicago announced earlier this month that is has partnered with more than 45 energy companies and transportation agencies to develop the first nationwide <a href="http://rightofway.erc.uic.edu/national-monarch-ccaa/"><span class="s4">Candidate Conservation Agreement with Assurances</span></a></span> <span class="s1">(CCAA), a formal agreement between the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and non-federal property owners and land managers to participate in monarch conservation by providing and maintaining habitat on rights of way and associated lands.<span class="Apple-converted-space">  </span>The agreement may benefit up to 26 million acres of land managed by energy companies and departments of transportation across the United States; the effort may be the largest such agreement to date and is unprecedented in terms of its cross-sector participation and geographic extent. </span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">Meanwhile, in Indiana, the <span class="s4"><a href="https://www.indianawildlife.org/">Indiana Wildlife</a></span></span><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class=" wp-image-10133 alignleft" src="https://indiananativeplants.org/wp-content/uploads/IMG_5244-e1588222795505-300x206.jpg" alt="" width="301" height="207" srcset="https://indiananativeplants.org/wp-content/uploads/IMG_5244-e1588222795505-300x206.jpg 300w, https://indiananativeplants.org/wp-content/uploads/IMG_5244-e1588222795505-1024x702.jpg 1024w, https://indiananativeplants.org/wp-content/uploads/IMG_5244-e1588222795505-768x527.jpg 768w, https://indiananativeplants.org/wp-content/uploads/IMG_5244-e1588222795505-1536x1053.jpg 1536w, https://indiananativeplants.org/wp-content/uploads/IMG_5244-e1588222795505.jpg 1814w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 301px) 100vw, 301px" /><a href="https://www.indianawildlife.org/"><span class="s4"> Federation</span></a> is coordinating the development of the Indiana Monarch Conservation Plan. <span class="Apple-converted-space">  </span>In addition to guiding monarch conservation efforts in the state &#8211; specific to our landscape, conservation partners, and stakeholders &#8211; the plan contributes to Indiana’s section of the regional <a href="http://www.mafwa.org/?page_id=2347"><span class="s4">Mid-America Monarch Conservation Strategy</span></a>, helping to coordinate and facilitate a broad, landscape-scale approach intended to reverse the population decline and maintain a viable North American population of monarchs.</p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">Research indicates that a primary cause of monarch population decline is the loss of breeding habitat in the Upper Midwest, and also that loss of nectar plant resources could be a significant contributor to increased mortality during migration.<span class="Apple-converted-space">  </span>Thank you so much to all of our members who are helping the conservation effort by including milkweed species and native </span>nectar plants in their landscaping!</p>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-medium wp-image-10134 alignright" src="https://indiananativeplants.org/wp-content/uploads/IMG_3216-scaled-e1588222920105-300x259.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="259" srcset="https://indiananativeplants.org/wp-content/uploads/IMG_3216-scaled-e1588222920105-300x259.jpg 300w, https://indiananativeplants.org/wp-content/uploads/IMG_3216-scaled-e1588222920105-1024x886.jpg 1024w, https://indiananativeplants.org/wp-content/uploads/IMG_3216-scaled-e1588222920105-768x664.jpg 768w, https://indiananativeplants.org/wp-content/uploads/IMG_3216-scaled-e1588222920105-1536x1328.jpg 1536w, https://indiananativeplants.org/wp-content/uploads/IMG_3216-scaled-e1588222920105-2048x1771.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">We thought this <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2019.00474/full"><span class="s4">University of Kentucky study</span></a> indicating that the layout of gardens strongly influences the extent to which milkweed plan</span><span class="s1">ts are found and used by monarchs was fascinating.<span class="Apple-converted-space">  </span>The study found that monarch eggs and larvae were more abundant in experimental gardens where milkweed was evenly spaced in a corridor around the perimeter, surrounding the nectar plants and grasses, than in gardens in which milkweeds were surrounded by or intermixed with the </span><span class="s1">ot</span>her plants.<span class="Apple-converted-space">  </span>Ad<span class="s1">ditionally, significantly more eggs and larvae were found in Monarch Waystation gardens where milkweeds were spatially isolated as opposed to closely intermixed with non-host plants, and in gardens having 100m north/south access unimpeded by structures.<span class="Apple-converted-space">  </span>We also thought you might be interested to know that another <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2020.00013/full"><span class="s4">recent study</span></a> found that <i>Asclepias incarnata</i> and <i>Asclepias tuberosa </i>appear to be the most cost-effective milkweed species to include in seed mixes. </span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">Hopefully, if w</span>e can incorporate the results of these studies into our landscaping decisions, we can maximize our contribution to monarch conservation and recovery.</p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">Finally, while we are so grateful to everyone doing their bit to conserve monarch butterflies, captive breeding of monarchs has been found to <a href="https://www.pnas.org/content/116/29/14671"><span class="s4">disrupt critical aspects</span></a> of their migratory behavior; the impact of this at the population level is uncertain but is a real cause for concern.<span class="Apple-converted-space">  </span>Increasing monarch habitat rather than trying to rear butterflies in captivity really is the best way for us to try to protect this iconic species.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">Coralie Palmer, </span><span class="s1">INPS Landscaping with Natives Team </span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s3"><a href="mailto:landscape@indiananativeplants.org">landscape@indiananativeplants.org</a></span></p><p>The post <a href="https://indiananativeplants.org/2020/encouraging-news-for-monarch-conservation/">Encouraging News for Monarch Conservation</a> first appeared on <a href="https://indiananativeplants.org">INPS</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded>
					
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		<title>Gardening with Native Plants</title>
		<link>https://indiananativeplants.org/2014/gardening-with-native-plants/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=gardening-with-native-plants</link>
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		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Tom Hohman]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 07 Jul 2014 14:10:31 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Central Chapter]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Conservation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Upcoming Events]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[central chapter]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[conservation]]></category>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://indiananativeplants.org/?p=4104</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Fall Creek Gardens, located at 3001 Central Ave. in Indianapolis, will be hosting a presentation on Gardening with Native Plants<a class="excerpt-read-more" href="https://indiananativeplants.org/2014/gardening-with-native-plants/" title="ReadGardening with Native Plants">... Read more &#187;</a></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://indiananativeplants.org/2014/gardening-with-native-plants/">Gardening with Native Plants</a> first appeared on <a href="https://indiananativeplants.org">INPS</a>.</p>]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Fall Creek Gardens, located at 3001 Central Ave. in Indianapolis, will be hosting a presentation on Gardening with Native Plants on Saturday, July 12, 1:00-2:30.  Tom Hohman, past president of INPAWS, will be talking about why we should be using native plants more in our gardens.  To learn more about this event, go to the Fall Creek Gardens website,  <a href="http://www.fallcreekgardens.org/">http://www.fallcreekgardens.org/</a>, or the event web site,  <a href="http://www.fallcreekgardens.org/events/2014/07/gardening-with-native-plants/">http://www.fallcreekgardens.org/events/2014/07/gardening-with-native-plants/</a>. </p>
<p>&nbsp;</p><p>The post <a href="https://indiananativeplants.org/2014/gardening-with-native-plants/">Gardening with Native Plants</a> first appeared on <a href="https://indiananativeplants.org">INPS</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded>
					
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		<title>Indianapolis Area Nurseries Offer Native Plants</title>
		<link>https://indiananativeplants.org/2014/indianapolis-area-nurseries-offer-native-plants/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=indianapolis-area-nurseries-offer-native-plants</link>
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		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Tom Hohman]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 15 Apr 2014 22:15:25 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Central Chapter]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Chapter News & Events]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Landscaping]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[central chapter]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[garden]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[gardening]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[native plants]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://indiananativeplants.org/?p=4019</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Following up on a successful pilot program in the Bloomington area, INPS Central Chapter is initiating the Go Green, Grow<a class="excerpt-read-more" href="https://indiananativeplants.org/2014/indianapolis-area-nurseries-offer-native-plants/" title="ReadIndianapolis Area Nurseries Offer Native Plants">... Read more &#187;</a></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://indiananativeplants.org/2014/indianapolis-area-nurseries-offer-native-plants/">Indianapolis Area Nurseries Offer Native Plants</a> first appeared on <a href="https://indiananativeplants.org">INPS</a>.</p>]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Following up on a successful pilot program in the Bloomington area, INPS Central Chapter is initiating the <strong>Go Green, Grow Native</strong> program in the Indianapolis area.  The program helps consumers locate native plants at local retail nurseries by providing promotional materials to the nurseries who sign up for the program.  The promotional materials prominently display the <strong>Go Green, Go Native</strong> logo where the native plants are sold.</p>
<p>Although INPS encourages the use of standard native plant species in residential and commercial landscaping, variants of these native plants, called cultivars or nativars, are allowed to be included in the native offerings by the nurseries.</p>
<p>Retailers in the Indianapolis area participating in the program this year are:</p>
<p><strong>Allisonville Nursery </strong> 11405 Allisonville Road, Fishers, IN 46038  <a href="http://www.allisonvillenursery.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">www.allisonvillenursery.com</a></p>
<p><strong>Madeline F. Elder Greenhouse</strong>  Indianapolis Museum of Art, 4000 Michigan Road, Indianapolis, IN 46208 <a href="http://www.imamuseum.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">www.imamuseum.org</a></p>
<p><strong>Native Plants Unlimited</strong> (annual spring plant sale at Geist Nursery)  9890 Mollenkopf Road, Fishers, IN 46037 <a href="http://www.nativeplantsunlimited.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">www.nativeplantsunlimited.com</a></p>
<p><strong>Sullivan Hardware &amp; Garden</strong>  6955 N. Keystone Avenue, Indianapolis, IN 46220 <a href="http://www.sullivanhardware.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">www.sullivanhardware.com</a></p>
<p><strong>White&#8217;s Ace Hardware </strong>  Carmel—731 S. Rangeline Road, Carmel, IN 46032; Geist—10941 E. 79th Street, Indianapolis, IN 46236; Nora—8502 Westfield Boulevard, Indianapolis, IN 46240 <a href="http://www.whitesacehardware.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">www.whitesacehardware.com</a></p>
<p>Please support this program and the merchants participating, so that we can increase the numbers of native plants in greater Indianapolis area landscapes.</p>
<p><a href="http://indiananativeplants.org/wp-content/uploads/2014-GGGN-Flyer_final.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Download a flyer about Go Green, Go Native</a></p><p>The post <a href="https://indiananativeplants.org/2014/indianapolis-area-nurseries-offer-native-plants/">Indianapolis Area Nurseries Offer Native Plants</a> first appeared on <a href="https://indiananativeplants.org">INPS</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded>
					
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		<title>Small Meadows: Practical and Beautiful</title>
		<link>https://indiananativeplants.org/2014/small-meadows-practical-and-beautiful/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=small-meadows-practical-and-beautiful</link>
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		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Wendy Ford]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 15 Jan 2014 18:23:23 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Landscaping]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[meadow]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[native plants]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://indiananativeplants.org/?p=3822</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>By David Savage (reprinted from Winter 2014 issue of INPAWS Journal, Vol 20. No. 4) Early settlers of the lower<a class="excerpt-read-more" href="https://indiananativeplants.org/2014/small-meadows-practical-and-beautiful/" title="ReadSmall Meadows: Practical and Beautiful">... Read more &#187;</a></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://indiananativeplants.org/2014/small-meadows-practical-and-beautiful/">Small Meadows: Practical and Beautiful</a> first appeared on <a href="https://indiananativeplants.org">INPS</a>.</p>]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><strong>By David Savage</strong> (<em>reprinted from Winter 2014 issue of INPAWS Journal, Vol 20. No. 4</em>)</p>
<p>Early settlers of the lower Midwest wrote glowingly of beautiful, flowering meadows and of prairies filled with a blaze of color. There is a yearning today to try to recreate these visions on a smaller scale. The words prairie and meadow are being heard more often when talking with gardeners and in everyday conversation.</p>
<p>Thinking of a prairie calls up a vision of miles and miles of tall, waving native grasses and flowers. Meadows bring to mind a large area of unmown land in a rural setting with grasses and flowers that may be cut for hay. A prairie is usually much larger, with a higher percentage of grasses. A meadow is typically smaller and dominated by flowers.</p>
<p>Over the past 20 or 30 years, smaller prairie and meadow gardens have increased in popularity as people become more aware of the advantages of this type of landscaping. Meadows offer strong practical advantages. If you would like to mow less grass and enjoy savings on fertilizer and lawnmower fuel, a meadow may be appropriate. (Be sure to check on your local ordinances before turning your front yard into a meadow.) If you would like to cover a bothersome, unsightly area, a small meadow may do the job. If you want beautiful flowers from spring into fall, wonderful wildlife and lovely butterflies, a meadow may be just the thing. Other important benefits of meadows include carbon sequestration and filtering of pollutants.</p>
<p>Creating a meadow takes much patience and determination but the results can be incredibly rewarding. Sophisticated horticulturalists and gardeners have come to grief in their initial attempts to start a meadow. At River Farm, home of the American Horticultural Society in Virginia, two acres that once had been a field and subsequently a lawn were disc-harrowed and seeded with a wildflower mix. Quickly the entire two acres produced a bumper crop of pokeweed, probably because the harrowing brought to the surface pokeweed seeds that had lain dormant for over 40 years. (1)</p>
<p>A well-known gardener and writer learned the hard way that it is not easy to have the meadow of your dreams. She simply let the pasture grass grow, mowing it only once a year in late fall. For the first few years, tall wavy grasses dominated and slowly a few asters and goldenrods moved in. But soon vetches and bindweed, followed by alfalfa, began to take over large swathes, pushing out grasses and flowers. She realized she needed help and called in a professional designer of native meadows (2)</p>
<p>By following some tried and true steps when establishing a meadow, most pitfalls can be avoided. Recent books (3,4) give detailed step-by-step instructions for meadow development and maintenance. It is generally agreed that a four-step process should be followed: (1) eliminate weeds, (2) sow seed and plant plugs and/or potted plants, (3) water and weed, (4) mow or burn periodically. However, there are many ways of carrying out each of these steps.</p>
<p>In September, 2012, the Brown County Native Woodlands Project, at its annual field day “Nature Daze”, arranged a discussion of small meadows with panelists who could offer practical, hands-on advice from their own experiences in developing and maintaining small meadows ranging in size from one-eighth of an acre to three acres. Here are highlights from their comments.</p>
<p><strong>Site Preparation</strong></p>
<p>The first step in making a meadow is eradication of the existing vegetation, with minimal soil disturbance. This may be done by smothering the vegetation with plastic sheeting, by stripping out the vegetation with a sod cutter, by spraying with an organic herbicide, or by singeing the vegetation with a flamethrower. Based on experience in south-central Indiana, it is recommended to use at least two applications of glyphosate several months apart. Plugs may then be planted with an auger or by hand a month or two after the last glyphosate application.</p>
<p><strong>Lawson Ridge Meadow</strong></p>
<p>This Brown County meadow was developed in 1991 on an eighth of an acre. The gently sloping plot had been a traditional lawn on both sides of a driveway. Several false starts were overcome before a beautiful meadow was finally obtained. The let-it-be /wait-and-see approach was tried first with addition of seeds from native plants found in an old cemetery in Indiana. Second, sheets of black plastic were used to smother the area, but they were removed too soon and the result was mainly weeds. Third, after spraying with herbicide, a truly beautiful meadow of butterfly milkweed, black-eyed Susan, coneflower, goldenrods, cup plant, bee balm, false indigo, phlox, ironweed, false sunflower, liatris, grasses, sedges and many other native plants were in bloom after four years. Maintenance is by burning one-third of the meadow each year. This allows wildlife to move from the area being burned to the undisturbed part of the meadow.</p>
<p><strong>Butler University Prairie</strong></p>
<p>This prairie was started from seed in 1987 on a three-acre level field along the western side of the canal near Butler University in Indianapolis. The prairie combines elements of several different prairie types in its planting design, taking advantage of wetter and drier zones of the land. Originally the western half of the field was planted with tall grass prairie mix, the eastern half with short grasses. A mature meadow of colorful flowers spread across the entire three acres after about five years. Maintenance is by prescribed burning of the entire prairie every three to five years, supplemented by work with loppers and herbicide to keep down woody growth. The prairie is used by the university mainly as an outdoor laboratory for ecology studies (e.g., demonstration of different habitat types), a public education resource and as a natural area for birds and wildlife.</p>
<p><strong>Bluebird Trail Meadow</strong></p>
<p>In 2004 a sloping, 100-by-50-foot area over a septic field was cleared in a wooded region in Brown County. Starter grass seed had been put down the year before to stabilize the soil. The area was cleared of vegetation by skimming off grass with a shovel; herbicide was used in areas containing a thick growth of fescue. Potted plants with well-developed roots were planted rather than seeds or plugs.</p>
<p>About 20 species of native flowers were originally installed with some grasses. Holes were dug 12 to 18 inches apart, wide enough to allow plants to bush out or spread but close enough to keep down weeds. Most plants of the same species were planted in clusters of three to six. By 2007 an attractive meadow of colorful native flowers was attracting birds, butterflies, bees and other pollinators. Flowers bloom from the first warm days of spring until hard frost. In the spring, golden ragwort, Eastern bluestar, false indigo, then beardtongue, meadow rue, and Culver’s root are first to flower. The meadow then seems to pause, perhaps waiting for the ground to warm. At the very end of June and into early July, black-eyed Susan, phlox and common milkweed appear. By the middle of July to the end of August, the meadow is a profusion of color with Joe-Pye weed, black-eyed Susan, purple and grey-headed coneflowers, mountain mint, hyssop, spiderwort, bee balm, false sunflower. In August come the early goldenrods, downy sunflower, ironweed, and white turtlehead. Asters and goldenrods bloom through September into October, depending on the weather.</p>
<p>For maintenance, flower and grass stalks were cut back with clippers each February and in 2011 the entire meadow was burned. This meadow has survived three consecutive years of summer drought (2011-2013). Occasionally native plants are added and seed thrown down in bare areas. Some weeding is needed periodically, especially to deal with invasive plants such as Japanese stilt grass which will grow in the smallest area of open soil.</p>
<p>Undoubtedly the interest in incorporating small meadows into garden designs will increase as the benefits of this type of landscaping are more widely recognized.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>References</strong></p>
<p>1.Carole Ottesen, “The Allure of Meadow Gardens,” <em>The American Gardener</em>: <em>The Magazine of the American Horticultural Society</em>, vol. 85, no. 3, May/June 2006, page 31.</p>
<p>2.Page Dickey, <em>Embroidered Ground: Revisiting the Garden,</em> Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2011.</p>
<p><em>3.</em>Catherine Zimmerman, <em>Urban and Suburban Meadows: Bringing Meadowscaping to Big and Small Spaces,</em> Matrix Media Press, 2010.<em></em></p>
<p><em>4.</em>John Greenlee, <em>The American Meadow Garden</em>, Timber Press, 2009.<em></em></p>
<p>With contributions by: Rebecca Dolan, Ruth Ann Ingraham, Dan McGuckin and Jane Savage</p>
<p><em>David Savage is co-chair of conservation on the INPAWS board, a member of the board of the Brown County Native Woodlands Project, and a member of the steering committee of Southern Indiana Cooperative Invasives Management (SICIM).</em></p><p>The post <a href="https://indiananativeplants.org/2014/small-meadows-practical-and-beautiful/">Small Meadows: Practical and Beautiful</a> first appeared on <a href="https://indiananativeplants.org">INPS</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded>
					
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		<title>AC2012 Is All About the Plants</title>
		<link>https://indiananativeplants.org/2012/ac2012-is-all-about-the-plants/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=ac2012-is-all-about-the-plants</link>
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		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Wendy Ford]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 22 Aug 2012 19:02:49 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Annual Conference]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Upcoming Events]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[native plants]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://indiananativeplants.org/?p=2531</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>The Indiana Native Plant &#38; Wildflower Society (INPAWS) announces its 19th annual conference providing the know-how to help Hoosiers appreciate, grow,<a class="excerpt-read-more" href="https://indiananativeplants.org/2012/ac2012-is-all-about-the-plants/" title="ReadAC2012 Is All About the Plants">... Read more &#187;</a></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://indiananativeplants.org/2012/ac2012-is-all-about-the-plants/">AC2012 Is All About the Plants</a> first appeared on <a href="https://indiananativeplants.org">INPS</a>.</p>]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p style="text-align: left;" align="center">The <strong>Indiana Native Plant &amp; Wildflower Society</strong> (INPAWS) announces its 19th annual conference providing the know-how to help Hoosiers appreciate, grow, and conserve Indiana’s rich heritage of native plants.</p>
<p>Set for November 3, 2012, on the University of Indianapolis campus, the <strong>day-long conference</strong> will focus on two basics of botany: the identification of plants and their occurrence in nature. “The better we can identify native plants, the better we can be advocates for them,” says Mike Homoya, state botanist/plant ecologist with the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, who had a hand in developing this year’s conference theme.</p>
<p><a href="http://indiananativeplants.org/wp-content/uploads/ACLogo2012_SM.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignleft" title="ACLogo2012_SM" src="http://indiananativeplants.org/wp-content/uploads/ACLogo2012_SM.jpg" alt="" width="198" height="54" /></a>Among the featured speakers is <strong>Dr. Rob Naczi</strong> (knock-see), one of the leading botanists in the world. Naczi is the Arthur J. Cronquist Curator of North American Botany at The New York Botanical Garden and is revising one of the most commonly used guides to our North American flora, <em>Manual of Vascular Plants of the Northeastern United States and Adjacent Canada</em> (Gleason &amp; Cronquist). </p>
<p>Also on the program are <strong>James Locklear</strong>, Director of Conservation at Lauritzen Gardens in Omaha, Nebraska, who has just written the book <em>Phlox: A Natural History and Gardener&#8217;s Guide</em>; <strong>Dr. Paul Rothrock</strong>, an expert on sedges with the Department of Earth and Environmental Science at Taylor University; <strong>Sally Weeks</strong>, author of <em>Shrubs and Woody Vines of Indiana and the Midwest</em>; <strong>Kay Yatskievych</strong> of the Missouri Botanical Garden, who is coauthoring the <em>Indiana Vascular Plants Catalogue</em>; and <strong>Mike Homoya</strong>, author of <em>Wildflowers and Ferns of Indiana Forests</em> and <em>Orchids of Indiana</em>.</p>
<p>The conference will include a book signing and sale, vendor and youth education displays, and information on the Indiana Native Plant &amp; Wildflower Society. Also rumored to be possible is a visit by the renowned <strong>Charles Deam</strong>, Indiana’s renowned pioneer botanist.</p>
<h3>AC2012 Specifics</h3>
<p style="text-align: left;" align="center"><em>What:</em> Indiana Native Plant &amp; Wildflower Society 19th Annual Conference (AC2012)</p>
<p><em>Theme:</em> “It’s All About the Plants”</p>
<p><em>When:</em> Saturday, November 3, 2012; 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.</p>
<p><em>Where:</em> Schwitzer Student Center, University of Indianapolis, UIndy Hall</p>
<p><em>Who:</em> Open to the public—anyone with an interest in native plants, conservation, botany, landscaping, and wildlife habitat.</p>
<p><em>Cost:</em> INPAWS members $60 ($50 before October 25); Non-members $75 ($65 before October 25); Students $35</p>
<p><em>Sponsorships:</em> Several levels of sponsorship are available.  <a href="http://indiananativeplants.org/wp-content/uploads/AC2012_SponsorshipInformation2.pdf">Sponsorship Information</a></p>
<p><em>Registration:</em> Further event information is posted <a title="Annual Conference" href="http://indiananativeplants.org/gatherings/2011-annual-conference/">here</a>. A downloadable registration brochure will be available September 15.</p>
<p><em>Contact:</em> For media questions, contact Wendy Ford at <a href="mailto:webmaster@inpaws.org">webmaster@inpaws.org</a> or 317-413-5918.</p><p>The post <a href="https://indiananativeplants.org/2012/ac2012-is-all-about-the-plants/">AC2012 Is All About the Plants</a> first appeared on <a href="https://indiananativeplants.org">INPS</a>.</p>]]></content:encoded>
					
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