The Native Plant Society of Texas (NPSOT) is a Texas not-for-profit organization that promotes the conservation, research and utilization of the native plants and plant habitats of Texas through education, outreach and example. The NPSOT was founded in 1981 by Carroll Abbott, of Kerrville, Texas, and sponsored by several members of the faculty of Texas Woman's University, along with other interested individuals.
The organization works largely through more than 30 local chapters throughout the state. Chapters participate in community work projects, plant surveys, workshops, landscaping projects, and demonstration gardens. Members range from amateur plant enthusiasts and gardeners, to professional botanists and horticulturists, alongside naturalists, hikers, and nature photographers.
The organization is funded by a combination of gifts, grants and membership dues. The headquarters is located at 320 West San Antonio St, in Fredericksburg, Texas.
Contents |
NPSOT aims to educate both its members and the general public and to foster a greater awareness of the Texas native flora; to encourage landscaping with appropriate native plants; to protect, conserve and retore native plants threatened by development; to encourage the responsible propagation of native plants; and the promote appreciation and understanding of current, historical and potential uses of native plants.
The organization awards scholarships and educational grants at both the graduate and undergraduate level. There is an annual awards program to recognize publications, research and other activities in the field of native plants.
Chapters of NPSOT organize many events of local significance. In keeping with the public outreach and education mission of the society, these events are usually free and open to the public.
NPSOT publishes a quarterly magazine called NPSOT News which is distributed as a benefit to all members. The magazine includes news about organization activities as well as stories and photographs on native plants and native plant habitats in Texas and related items.
Every fall an annual educational symposium is held in a different vegetational region of Texas celebrating the unique flora of the region, along with an awards banquet, exhibitions, lectures and field trips within the region. The 2010 Symposium was held in Denton, Texas to celebrate the 30th anniversary. The 2011 Symposium will be in Houston, Texas on October 13–16, 2011 and will feature the coastal prairies and marshes of Texas with the theme "Creating, Preserving and Restoring Native Habitats in a Changing World."