The Gila Native Plant Society will meet at 7:00 pm on Friday, April 17, in Room 219 of Harlan Hall on the Western New Mexico University campus.

Bill Norris and Tim Geddes will provide an overview of an ongoing (since 2004) vascular plant inventory of City of Rocks State Park, including discussions of park history, goals and methodology of the inventory, findings to date and planned expansion of the plant inventory to encompass newly acquired land which has drastically increased the size of the park. The presentation, which will feature Tim's photography, will also discuss the importance of basic plant inventory work in this age of waning floristic research.

William (Bill) Norris is a faculty member in the Natural Sciences Department at Western New Mexico University, where he currently teaches seven different botany classes, ecology and ornithology. Over the past twenty years, he has enjoyed working with non-professional and professional botanists on numerous botanical research projects which focus on the floras of botanically significant areas in both Iowa and New Mexico.

Tim Geddes has been working as a citizen scientist with Dr. Norris in studying the flora of the City of Rocks. He has photographed much of their studies.

The public is invited to attend free of charge. Refreshments will be served after the program.

On Sunday, April 19, the Gila Native Plant Society will sponsor a field trip to the Big Juniper Tree, Trail 55A, north of Fort Bayard. We will hike through woodland/grassland mosaic and some riparian habitat along Cameron Creek.

The public is invited to join field trips free of charge. Participants should meet at 8:00 am in the south parking lot of the Fine Arts Theater at Western New Mexico University to arrange for carpooling.

Those attending must sign a release-of-liability form and will receive a list of native plants in the hike area.

Hikers are asked to bring water, lunch, a hat and sunscreen and to wear good hiking shoes. For more information on field trips, call Kevin Keith at 575 535-4064.
The Gila Native Plant Society is committed to promote education, research and appreciation of the native flora of the Southwest, to encourage the preservation of rare and endangered plant species and to support the use of suitable native plants in landscaping. For information on programs, publications and membership, please visit www.gilanps.org.