Kansas Wildflower Society
1978 - 2004
Kansas Native Plant Society
2004 - present
A Summary of 40+ Years of Accomplishments
By Craig Freeman (excerpted from Kansas Native Plant Society Newsletter, October 2018)
Membership
- Estimated 5000 total members since 1978
- Paid memberships during past twelve years has averaged about 730 per year
- Principal vehicle by which the organization historically has communicated with members
- Published four times annually since 1979
- Hundreds of articles that document the history of KNPS, describe the flora and vegetation of Kansas and the Great Plains, and provide horticultural advice
- PDFs of issues from 2003-2018 available online; also some older issues
- Website since 1999 – contains a wealth of information and serves as an archive for some historical materials
- Facebook page since 2010 – essential for engaging a new generation of wildflower enthusiasts
- Annual meeting has evolved from a one-day meeting (1979-1993) to a two-day meeting (1994-2003) and most recently a three-day meeting (2004-2018)
- Christened Annual Wildflower Weekend in 2007
- More activities added (e.g., outings, photo contest, silent auction) to engage more members and to help support KNPS
- Sponsored or co-sponsored more than 1000 outings across the state from Atchison County to Morton County
- 1990 chartered bus trip to the Cimarron National Grassland • 2003 van trip to Nebraska Sand Hills
- KNPS members authored or co-authored two pocket guides
distributed by Great Plains Nature Center
- Flint Hills Wildflowers and Grasses – Iralee Barnard
- Red Hills Wildflowers – Phyllis Scherich
- State Grass Initiative
- Introduced children and adults to the prairie, prairie plants, and the legislative process
- Lead by Nancy Goulden and Valerie Wright with assistance from other KNPS members
- Promoted via online resources and presentation
- Little bluestem named state grass of Kansas by Kansas Legislature on July 1, 2010
- Mary A. Bancroft Scholarship Award (1998-2017):
- $12,000 in twelve years
- Seventeen students (2 BA, 11 MA, 4 PhD; from seven colleges and universities)
- Stephen L. Timme Excellence in Botany Award (2001-2018):
- Twelve recipients, including amateurs and professionals
- Rachel Snyder Memorial Landscape Award (1991-2018):
- Thirteen recipient organizations and individuals from across state
- Sheldon and Virginia Cohen Memorial Award for Service to
KNPS (2008-2018):
- Twelve recipients making lasting impacts on KNPS through service
- KNPS has promoted a Kansas Wildflower of the Year since 1999
- Intended to increase public awareness of native plants and use of native plants in landscapes and gardens
- KNPS has promoted stewardship of natural resources and native vegetation in a variety of ways
- Growing Native Wildflowers publication
- KDOT Roadside Aesthetic Taskforce
- Kansas Nongame Wildlife Advisory Council
- Plant vendor list
- Invasive plants list
- Members have contributed to basic science
- Rare and declining species
- Invasive species
- Phenological observations
- Data and specimens have improved databases, monographs, and floras
