The Cullowhee Native Plant Conference

7:00 am - 8:00 am - Breakfast for Tuesday Participants
7:45 am - Check-In Begins for Field Trips at Norton Residence Hall (Arrive no later than 8:15 am)
8:30 am - 5:00 pm - Field Trips & Workshops (Descriptions in Field Trips and Workshops Section Below)
5:30 pm - 6:45 pm - Dinner for Wednesday Participants
7:00 pm - 7:30 pm - First-Timers Session
7:30 pm - 7:45 pm - Break
7:45 pm - 8:00 pm - Welcome at the Main Stage
8:00 pm - 9:00 pm - Plenary 1 – Listening to Native Plants with Holly Haworth
9:00 pm - 10:00 pm - Networking at Norton Hall

7:00 am - 8:30 am - Breakfast at Ramsey Concourse
8:00 am - 9:30 am - Vendor Walk
9:30 am - 9:45 am - Welcome at Ramsey Center
9:45 am - 10:45 am - Plenary 2 – How Can I Help? Saving Nature with Your Yard with Doug Tallamy
10:45 am - 11:00 am - Break
11:00 am - 12:00 pm - Plenary 3 – Many Hands: Collaboration in Public Horticulture with Thomas Woltz & Brad Odom
12:00 pm - 1:15 pm - Lunch
1:30 pm - 2:30 pm - Plenary 4 - Coloring the Conservation Conversation with J. Drew Lanham
2:30 pm - 2:45 pm - Break
2:45 pm - 3:45 pm - Concurrent Sessions 1 (Click for full descriptions)
3:45 pm - 4:00 pm - Break    
4:00 pm - 5:00 pm - Concurrent Sessions 2 (Click for full descriptions)
5:30 pm - 6:45 pm - Dinner
6:45 pm - 9:00 pm - Book & Plant Sales       
7:30 pm - 8:30 pm - Plenary 5 – Gardening for Moths with Jim McCormac     
9:00 pm - 11:00 pm - Music and Mothing with The World Famous Pancake Brothers (Ramsey Center)

7:00 am - 8:30 am - Breakfast at Ramsey Concourse
8:00 am - 5:00 pm - Conference check-in
8:00 am - 11:45 am - Friday Morning Field Trips (Descriptions in Field Trips and Workshops Section Below) Please note fieldtrips leave AT 8:00 am from Ramsey Concourse. Please be early as fieldtrips will leave at 8:00 am sharp.
8:30 am - 11:45 am - Friday Morning Walks & Workshops (Descriptions in Field Trips and Workshops Section Below)
8:30 am - 12:00 pm - Exploring & Networking, Plant & Book Sales
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm - Lunch 'n' Learn
12:00 pm - 1:15 pm - Lunch
12:45 pm - 2:45 pm - Book & Plant Sales
1:00 pm - 2:00 pm - Poster/Display Session (Rmasey Floor)
2:00 pm - 2:15 pm - Announcements (Main Stage at Ramsey)
2:15 pm - 2:30 pm - Tom Dodd Jr. Award (Main Stage at Ramsey)
2:30 pm – 2:45 pm - Break
2:45 pm – 3:45 pm - Plenary 6 - Ten Years of Managing a Piedmont Prairie at Sarah P Duke Gardens with Annabel Renwick       
3:45 pm – 4:45 pm - Plenary 7 - The Flora of the Southeastern United States as Foundation for Plant Conservation with Alan Weakley
4:45 pm – 5:00 pm - Break
5:00 pm - 6:00 pm -Book & Plant Sales
5:00 pm - Silent Auction Closes
6:00 pm - 7:00 pm - Picnic (Picnic Area)
7:15 pm - 8:30 pm - Talent Show with Jeff Jackson (Ramsey Center)
9:00 pm - 11:00 pm - Moth watch with Lenny Lampel
8:30 pm - 11:00 pm- Music (The Cullowhee Players)

7:00 am - 8:30 am - Breakfast at Ramser Center
8:30 am – 9:30 am -Plenary 8 - Writing "Plants of The Appalachian Trail" a Field Guide with Dr. Kristen Wickert
9:35 am - 10:20 am - Plenary 9 – Project of Promise with Kelly Holdbrooks and Matt Sprouse
10:30 am - 11:30 am - Plenary 10 – Plants of Promise with Katie Davis
11:30 am – 11:40 am - Closing Comments
11:30 am – 1:00 pm - Book & Plant Sales
1:00 p.m. - Conference Ends

ALL FIELD TRIPS WILL LEAVE ON TIME. PLEASE ARRIVE EARLY TO BE CHECKED IN, RECEIVE YOUR LUNCH, AND BE LOADED ON THE BUS BY 8:30 AM
Destinations may be subject to change depending on site availability due to Hurricane Helene

Wednesday (full day) Field Trips  = $89.00 (Please note select field trips have additional costs for equipment rentals. They are noted in the field trip descriptions)

Exploring Landscape Design Precedents in Panthertown Valley
Hosts: Preston Montague, Shelby Lyn Sanders, & Patrick Thompson

Conservation gardening, ecological landscape design, and naturalistic planting design benefit from a critical examination of naturally occurring plant communities and how soils, hydrology, and climate impact their organization and population densities. Join landscape architect, Preston Montague, along with ecologist, Shelby Lyn Sanders, and horticulturalist Patrick Thompson for a hike through Panthertown Valley's rich collection of habitats to explore the habits of plants and ways to translate naturally occurring plant communities into landscape design practices.
Note: This field trip’s difficulty level is 5 - very strenuous: steep climbs and wet terrain. Please be mindful that this field trip is ONLY for those who are ABLE to take on advanced hiking in a wilderness area. Distance is greater than 5 miles, expect a full day of hiking rain or shine.

Panthertown Valley Ethnobotanical Tour
Hosts: Kara McMullen & Tom Groves
This hike aims to show participants the wonders of Panthertown, a special backcountry area in the Nantahala National Forest, in the form of the unique and rare botany that exists there. Panthertown's geological makeup, the temperate rainforest climate, and the presence of a rare high-elevation bog create an area in Western North Carolina that is one of the most biodiverse areas in the world.
Note: This field trip’s difficulty level is 5 - very strenuous: steep climbs and wet terrain. Please be mindful that this field trip is ONLY for those who are ABLE to take on advanced hiking in a wilderness area.

Botanizing on the Blue Ridge Parkway
Hosts: Greg Bruhn & Jeff Jackson
We will explore the botanical treasures along the roadsides at varied elevations on the Blue Ridge Parkway.  We will have stops along the Parkway from mountain cove to a gravity-defying bog garden and explore multiple ecotones within these areas and discover the unique plants that inhabit these ecotones. We will likely see sundews, lillies, orchids, and multiple hypericums. This is an easy trip along the Blue Ridge Parkway. Weather can change rapidly up on the Parkway. A light raincoat might come in handy. Little if any shade. No restroom facilities. No water.
Note: This field trip’s difficulty level is 1 - easy: light walking, in/out of a vehicle.

Pinnacle Park
Hosts: Matt Gocke & Brandon Wheeler
Join us for an introduction to the high-elevation wonders of the Spruce-Fir forests of Western North Carolina! We will begin our journey at Waterrock Knob, one of the highest summits along the Blue Ridge Parkway. Here we will experience climate and flora reminiscent of Canadian woodlands as the extreme elevation transports us hundreds of miles north. From Waterrock we will venture towards Pinnacle Park on the Pinnacle Ridge Trail, with wonderful examples of Northern Hardwood Forest. This ridge contains a suite of species endemic to the Plott Balsams and the nearby Smokey Mountains, while also offering wonderful views of the surrounding area. Be prepared for a few rocky scrambles and undulating climbs as we maintain the ridgeline to Blackrock Mountain. This field trip includes lunch on one of the most scenic peaks in the Plott Balsam range.
Note: This field trip’s difficulty level is 3 - moderately strenuous: elevation change of 1200 ft. 

Kayaking on the Little Tennessee River
Hosts: George Morris & Dawn Sherry
This field trip will explore the rich natural and cultural history of the upper Little Tennessee River valley, including the travels of the 18th century naturalist William Bartram, Cherokee Indian history, and the current botanical communities found along the river. Participants will observe the federally listed Virginia spiraea, along with other interesting riparian species, such as pawpaw, shingle oak, and more. The kayak trip is of moderate difficulty, ten miles in length, and requires some kayaking experience. Basic instruction will be provided. We will likely get into the water so make sure that you wear appropriate clothing. Water shoes, clothing suitable for water exposure, sunscreen are essential and recommended for a quality experience. Limit = 20.
Note: This field trip’s difficulty level is 3 - moderately strenuous: must be comfortable in a kayak on moving water with class 1-2 rapids. *There is an additional fee for Equipment Rentals for this trip. The cost is $104 per participant*

Highlands Botanical Garden
Hosts: Paul Manos & Botanical Garden Staff
Travel to the highest public native plant botanical garden in the Eastern US. At 3,800’ Highlands Botanical Garden offers cool temperatures, prolific blooms, and botanical diversity due to the high rainfall of the region.  We will peruse meadow paths, the trails of the Highlands Botanical Garden, and bog boardwalks where we will see rare wetland plants! Bring a hand lens and raincoat.
Note: This field trip’s difficulty level is 1 - easy; trail walking for about a mile.

Sam's Knob Valley and Flat Laurel Creek Hike
Hosts: Owen Carson & Lauri Lawson
This strenuous loop hike takes participants on a wild journey through some of WNC’s most amazing and diverse ecosystems! Beginning in the upper valley with Sam Knob looming in the distance, the rugged trail descends southward towards Flat Laurel Creek in the bottom of the valley, skirting beautiful spruce-fir forests to the east and steep, shrub-dominated balds to the west. On our way along the loop, we’ll pass through many different ecotones, including shrub balds, meadows, high-elevation bogs and seeps, northern hardwood forests, acidic coves, and more, and in transit we’ll discuss their defining characteristics, dynamics, and the interesting and uncommon plants they contain. We’ll also explore the natural and anthropogenic history of the valley and why it looks the way it does today. Hikers will take lunch beside Flat Laurel Creek and its beautiful cascades before ascending northward toward Sam Knob then back eastward to the trailhead. Participants should be prepared with plenty of water (a filter will suffice as there are many stream crossings), snacks and lunch, and gear for inclement weather; additional useful gear could include hiking poles, a hand lens, binoculars, and identification guidebooks. Potential hazards include slips/trips/falls, submerged crossings (wet boots), open, exposed terrain, and encounters with venomous snakes, stinging insects, and black bears.
Note: This field trip’s difficulty level is 5 - very strenuous: uneven terrain, rough trails, 4+ miles.

The North Carolina Arboretum
Hosts: Carson Ellis & Arboretum Staff
The North Carolina Arboretum is a 434-acre public garden located within the Pisgah National Forest. Surrounded and crisscrossed by forested coves and meandering creeks in the botanically diverse Southern Appalachian Mountains, the Arboretum gives visitors a unique experience in one of North Carolina’s most beautiful natural settings. In its mission to creatively connect people and plants through place-based education and design, the cultural and natural heritages of Western North Carolina are celebrated throughout the Arboretum’s displays and landscape. The Arboretum’s 65 acres of cultivated landscapes feature favorite exhibits such as a world-renowned Bonsai Collection. Beyond the Core Gardens, the Arboretum stewards 10 miles of trail for hikers and cyclists. These trails traverse the Arboretum’s diverse topography, taking visitors up along rocky slopes, and down to the lush, shaded banks of Bent Creek. While the campus was severely impacted by Hurricane Helene in September 2024, staff are excited to welcome visitors in 2025 and share the Arboretum’s story of recovery and resilience. 

With so much to see, the Arboretum will be offering Cullowhee participants two experiences to choose from. Both tour groups will spend the morning together, visiting Willow Pond and the Bonsai Collection before breaking for lunch. After lunch, the groups will split for unique itineraries: those interested in a slower-paced, in-depth exploration of the Arboretum’s Core Gardens, with an emphasis on native plants in designed landscapes, may prefer Tour A: The Gardens Tour. Tour A will cover 1 mile, walking on primarily level, paved pathways. For those excited for a more rigorous pace and want to explore the Arboretum’s hiking trails and natural landscapes, Tour B: The Trails Tour will cover 3.5 miles over varying topography and pathway surfaces, including chipped single tracks and gravel roads.
Note: This field trip’s difficulty level is 3 - moderately strenuous: requires participants to be on their feet the entire time covering a variety of terrain types for approximately 2-3 miles with some elevation loss/gain.

Big Ridge Preserve and Amazing Grace Properties LLC
Host: Ron Lance
Big Ridge Preserve is a private tract of land covering 1800 acres of forested mountainous terrain in the Big Ridge Community of Jackson County. It is not open to the general public. The group will be led on three walks by Ron Lance, Land Manager of the property. Natural habitats to be visited include a rock cliff, a mountain oak-hickory forest, a cove hardwood forest, and a meadow of Ceanothus and other native species. Some of the many interesting native species along the proposed tours include Populus grandidentata, Amelanchier sanguinea, Lonicera flava, Scutellaria incana var punctata, Sabatia angularis, Mimulus ringens, Crataegus schuettei, Carya pallida and white-flowered Rubus odoratus.
Note: This field trip’s difficulty level is 2 - moderate: trail walking, 1-2 miles total.

Blue Ridge Grassland Communities
Hosts: Nancy Adamson & Gary Kauffman
Join botanists/ecologists Gary Kauffman and Nancy Adamson to visit one of the most grass-rich sites in western North Carolina. Managed with prescribed fire, Buck Creek’s unusual geology, serpentine dunite with higher Magnesium content, supports more than 25 grass species, along with diverse wildflowers and associated wildlife. Gary has been monitoring and managing the site for 30 years. With Gary’s in-depth plant and cultural knowledge and Nancy’s native bee and other insect skills, we hope participants will gain a deeper appreciation for connections between people, plants, and other wildlife on this trip. Always good to bring a hand lens! We will spend at least ½ day exploring the serpentine barrens, followed by a quick trip to a nearby wetland to explore other grasses.
Note: This field trip’s difficulty level is 3 - moderately strenuous: rocky uneven terrain and a few miles in length.

Botany By Boat on Bear Lake
Host: Adam Bigelow
Join Adam Bigelow for a day filled with boats, plants, and waterfalls as we paddle around Bear Lake in kayaks. As a man-made lake, the lakeshore is really mid-slope on a mountain and affords the opportunity to observe Native Plants and Wildflowers from the comfort of your boat seat. We will take a short but strenuous excursion to visit an incredible waterfall. There will be time for swimming and botanizing throughout the day. Experience with kayaking on a lake is REQUIRED as is the ability to get in and out of your boat. 
Note: This field trip’s difficulty level is 4 - strenuous: hiking, uneven trails, steep terrain, up to four miles. 

Whiteside Mountain and Highlands Garden
Host: Jeff Zahner
This field trip includes a hike up Whiteside Mountain in the morning, a bagged lunch on top and then a garden tour of the old Zahner gardens in Highlands. The hike is a 2-mile loop trail that crosses a variety of habitats and offers many high-elevation species to explore plus tremendous views of the Chattooga River basin and escarpment. The mountain is home to many plant species endemic to the southern Blue Ridge Mountains and offers summer refuge to Peregrine falcons, successfully reintroduced to the high cliffs in the 1980s. After lunch on the top, we shall make our way to the old Zahner gardens in Highlands where many types of native plants have been used in the restoration of an old “formal” garden. The use of native plants in design and the long-term benefits and challenges will be discussed. Bring a pack for lunch & water plus a raincoat just in case.
Note: This field trip’s difficulty level is 4 - strenuous: hiking, uneven trails, steep terrain, up to four miles.

Year-Round GREEN Success: Moss Landscaping with Mossin' Annie
Host: Mossin’ Annie Martin
Roll up for a Magical Moss Tour!  Mossin’ Annie is ready to take you away into magical moss retreats! This year we’ll have a relaxing, enjoyable tour of moss gardens in Cashiers and Brevard. Each location will exemplify various considerations of intentional horticultural practices that lead to successful moss landscapes.

At Stillmont (location of previous WHEE workshops), we’ll cover the aesthetics and visual appeal of a well-established serene moss retreat; professional installation and ongoing maintenance; dealing with other landscape crews; and “let it grow in” conversion from grass to moss lawn.

We’ll visit the Transylvania County Master Gardener’s moss feature at Silvermont, a public park in Brevard. Created in 2012, using rescued mosses, Master Gardener Volunteers transplanted them to create a stunningly beautiful educational experience at their public demonstration gardens.

Mossin’ Annie welcomes WHEE participants to her home to discuss the evolution of her moss garden, incorporating native plants and ornamentals, conversion of an asphalt driveway into a superb moss retreat, advantages of supplemental watering, and more. Brief lunch break is included.

Our last stop in Sylvan Heights showcases a meticulously maintained moss and native pollinator retreat. Special topics will include the conversion of sunny grass areas to mosses and trouble-shooting critter damage issues.
Note: This field trip’s difficulty is 1, easy: trail walking, 1 mile.

Exploring Old Growth Groves in Joyce Kilmer-Slickrock Wilderness
Hosts: Stephan Hart & Nicole Harris
Join us as we stroll along an easy-to-moderate two mile loop in the Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest, dedicated to the writer, journalist, and poet, Joyce Kilmer. Containing one of the largest stands of old growth hardwood forest in the eastern U.S., this wilderness area functions as a complex filtration system, providing carbon sequestration, water purification, and supporting a diversity of flora and fauna in the multi-layered canopy soaring above, and the deep organic soils on the forest floor below. We’ll meander through groves of spectacular, twenty-foot circumference trees, some estimated to be 400+ years old. Giant specimens of tulip poplar, basswood, sycamore, oak, magnolia, and silverbell protect a variety of understory plant life. As we drive through the Nantahala River Gorge, side stops (time permitting) may include Ledbetter Creek and the Bartram Trail; cove forest ecozones that are hotspots for endemic species. Flush toilets and picnic tables are available for lunch.

8:30 am - 4:30 pm

Wednesday (full day) Workshops = $89.00

Leaf-ing Good Impressions: Casting Botanical Imprints
Host: Grace Buffaloe
It’s always great to leave a good impression, especially with your garden. Join Grace Buffaloe in this hands-on workshop where you will certainly get your hands dirty and unleash your creativity! Learn how to create beautiful and unique stepping stones for your garden using real flowers and leaves; the perfect way to add a personalized touch to your landscape! You will be guided through the process from beginning to end, ensuring you leave with a durable and wonderful piece of art. Please bring clothes you are comfortable in and are okay with getting messy!

An Introduction to Southeastern Graminoid Identification (Partial Fieldtrip/Partial Workshop)
Host: Scott Ward
Graminoids consist of grasses, sedges, and rushes and are a notoriously challenging group of plants to learn, although workshopping these difficult groups is often a valuable first step used to rise past the initial learning curve of graminoid morphology. This workshop will be an all day event split into a morning and afternoon session. In the morning, we will travel to one or more field destinations (to be determined) to learn some basic ID tips and ecology of graminoids in their respective habitats, returning around lunchtime to a classroom with microscopes where we will dissect and examine some key morphological features. Some goals of this introductory workshop will be to provide an overview of common reproductive and vegetative structures in each of the three families, use of dichotomous keys, and some basic tips on microscope use and field collection. Hiking should be moderate to moderately strenuous with some possibility of at least a few botanists sacrificing the dryness of their shoes for the betterment of group instruction.
Note: This workshop’s difficulty level is 3 -  moderately strenuous: away from vehicle, rough terrain, 2-3 miles

Gardening for the Planet: Native Pollinators, Native Plants, No Pesticides
Hosts: Brannen Basham & Jill Jacobs
Discover the countless benefits of viewing your land as part of the ecosystem and mimicking the incredible power of natural spaces. Recreating that process is possible within your own garden, and it all starts with gaining a deeper understanding of the native beneficial creatures that are the cogs of our ecosystem. Learn how to foster pollinators and other wildlife through your plantings, so that they in turn can help your garden operate at maximum efficiency. Explore methods of creating a balance in your garden through native plantings and other key pieces of habitat to attract the pollinators, predators, prey, and microbes needed in a thriving and well-balanced ecosystem. The course will be held primarily inside, with explorative walks around campus in the morning and afternoon. Information on Integrated Pest Management (IPM) and a general IPM template will be provided as part of this course.
Note: This workshop’s difficulty is 1 - easy: trail walking, 1 mile.

Traditional Knowledge & Indigenous Engagement In Environmental Programming
Host: David Rahahę-tih Webb
This workshop will cover the role of Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) and Native Science in environmental programming as well as the legacy of colonization on environmental programming and spaces. There will be a discussion of how TEK and Native Science can be incorporated into current programming in a variety of contexts.

Native Plant Propagation
Host: Emily Driskil
Join native plant grower Emily Driskill to learn about propagation methods for a variety of native plant species. This workshop will cover seed and vegetative methods, including how to decide which approach to take. The seed discussion will go over sustainable collecting, conserving genetic biodiversity, cleaning, stratification, and sowing. Vegetative methods will cover cuttings, layering, live stakes, and division. We will go in-depth on demonstrations and hands-on practice of multiple forms of seed cleaning and vegetative methods. We will also cover some botany basics to help students understand the terminology, how, & why of our propagation methods. We will discuss ways to adapt methods to various production scales. You will leave with cuttings and seeds, a list of supplies needed to get started, and a trusty compilation of references. Please bring clean & sharp pruners or scissors if you have them, as well as any (non-invasive) seeds you’d like advice on cleaning or sowing.

8:30 am-12:00 noon

Wednesday (half-day) Workshops = $45.00

Upcycling Paper Products Into Plantable Seed Paper
Hosts: Elizabeth Evans
Breathe new life into junk mail and other paper scraps by turning them into beautiful and plantable native seed paper. During this workshop, you'll learn the basics of paper making and have the opportunity to make your own paper to take home with you. You'll be using tools that you probably already have in your kitchen; making this a craft you can reproduce again and again. During the paper making process, you'll be able to add native plant seeds to your paper, so you can plant it once you're home

Earth Color Workshop
Host: Robin Whitfield
Play with wild pigments including black walnut, poke berries, oak galls and more! This 3 hour workshop offers a creative practice for connecting to nature through finding, foraging, and processing plant and mineral pigments. The workshop is focused on the delights of working with found raw materials directly on paper. The class includes a pigments foraging walk on campus and activities around an “Earth Color Buffet” featuring inks and raw pigments gathered from wild locations in Mississippi and beyond. Introduction to foraging as for water, pigments, and creative tools in any landscape.

Explore wild pigments with notes on ethical collecting: Creative play with a buffet of foraged plant and mineral pigments, Process natural materials into usable inks and paints, and Collect color samples on a foraging walk

Distilling and Extracting Native Plants for Medicinal and Aromatherapeutic Use
Host: Erika Galentin
The native flora of this continent have rich and diverse ethnobotanical histories. Indigenous knowledge about the healing use of native plants has been incorporated into the traditions of Western Herbalism currently being practiced by herbalists in modern America. Join clinical herbalist and native-plant enthusiast Erika Galentin of Sovereignty Herbs for a workshop intensive focused on teaching participants how to create and prepare extracts of native plants for medicinal and aromatherapeutic purposes. Participants will learn all about the distillation of essential oils and hydrosols using a traditional copper still as well as options for home distillation on the stove top. While distilling, we will also explore how to safely dry herbs for teas and how to produce extracts such as tinctures, vinegars, and infused oils.

Evocative Nature Writing: Capturing the Imagination with Poetry and Narrative Nonfiction
Host: Jarod Anderson
Poet and memoirist Jarod K. Anderson will lead participants through discussion and writing exercises focused on building compelling poetry and prose to connect readers (and writers) with the natural world. Topics will include: bringing nature home to a personal context, the power of concrete imagery, and imaginative metaphor.

Crafting Your Climate Story
Host: Margot Lester
Whether climate change is your mission or impacts your mission, you’re going to be talking about it – and sometimes to people who aren’t sure about the facts or who experience climate anxiety. This session shares the latest research from the climate communication programs at Yale and George Mason Universities and the Edelman Trust Barometer, shows how to blend data and narrative, and reviews different approaches to creating a climate story for yourself, your job or your organization. We test-drive storytelling frameworks from Project Drawdown, the Climate Stories Project and the National Park Service’s History & Hope for Climate Action program. Then you choose the one you like best to craft your message and workshop it with the group. You leave with an understanding of the traits of and approaches to effective climate storytelling and a strong climate story of your own. In addition to time to troubleshoot, you receive a digital playbook of strategies and examples.

Illustration: Ink
Host: Dayna Walton
Join Dayna Walton of Solstice Handmade to learn the basics of botanical drawing. You will leave with an understanding of the fundamentals of drawing in ink, plus the watercolor basics to add color to your drawings. Using two different styles of ink pens, together we will walk through the drawing process, from sketching to mark making techniques to create rich values and textures. There will be an emphasis on drawing from life, discussing how to sketch efficiently to quickly capture botanical likeness. As we practice we will create a field journal highlighting favorite native plant species of the season. Class will include technique instruction and demonstrations while also offering open time to create. Throughout the day, we will discuss the work of botanical artists from the beginnings of botany to today.

Note: This class is suitable for all levels, no creative experience required, just bring an open mind. All materials will be provided, students will leave with a sketchbook and pens to keep and continue experimenting. Feel free to bring your own art making supplies to experiment and ask questions about!

1:15 pm - 4:45 pm

Wednesday (half-day) Workshops = $45.00

Native Plants for Commercial, Municipal, and Urban Areas: Navigating Plants, Clients, and Contractors
Host: Kurt Frega
Planters and commercial/municipal landscaping in heavily paved and urban settings have traditionally utilized a notably un-diverse selection of exotic plant material. In this session, we will explore the use of native plants in these settings, including plant selection, care, and sourcing. We will also discuss navigating restrictive covenants and bylaws, communicating effectively with contractors and builders, and educating clients on the benefits of incorporating native plants into both new and existing installations.

Cultivate Your Writing
Host: Margot Lester
Get actionable advice on how to make your work even more effective from a professional writing coach. Bring whatever you’re working on -- articles, research papers, grants, marketing, fiction, reference, creative nonfiction or something else entirely. As a group, we review the 6 traits of effective writing and the 9 revision strategies that instantly level up your work. Then we have work time to apply the strategies that resonated most and get one-to-one coaching and feedback. We end with a group session that includes time for sharing your work (optional) and an Ask Me Anything lightning round. After the workshop, you have a stronger piece with more impact and we have a writing community that continues after the Conference. Participants also get a digital playbook that includes the traits and strategies.

Sustainable Landscaping
Host: Laura Lee Rose
This presentation will cover the basic steps in creating a beautiful and functional landscape. By using low maintenance native plants participants can discover techniques to determine site conditions, climate, and microclimates while conserving and protecting delicate ecosystems and plant communities. It will also include the importance of best landscaping practices: buffers, rain gardens, discussion of invasive plants and native alternatives, and local sourcing of materials.

Ethical Seed Collection
Host: Ryan Merck
Join Ryan Merck with Blue Oak Horticulture for an in-depth workshop on ethical seed collections, designed for native plant enthusiasts, conservations, and restoration practitioners. This session will cover best practices for responsible harvesting, including when, where, and how to collect seeds without impacting wild populations. We’ll discuss genetic diversity, landowner permissions, legal considerations, and seed handling techniques that support ecologically responsible native plant propagation. Whether you’re gathering seeds for personal projects or large-scale restoration, this workshop will provide practical guidance to ensure sustainability and resilience in native plant communities.

Invasive Species Removal Work Session: The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly
Host: Sally Heiney
Come help with an invasive species removal project on the WCU campus. We will be working near the campus Picnic Grounds, identifying and removing invasive exotics. This is a hands-on activity and will involve working on a sloped and wooded area. Tools will be provided, but participants should dress appropriately to be outdoors (gloves, a hat, water, sunscreen, bug spray). This is an opportunity to help out locally in the removal of noxious nonnative plants that do not belong here. Each session will discuss nonnative weeds and management strategies you can take home.
Note: This workshop’s difficulty level is 3 - moderately strenuous: This location is a short walk from the Ramsey Center (1/2 mile). The site is steep in places and fully vegetated. Participants will be on uneven ground, bending, stooping, kneeling, and exerting some force throughout.

Botanical Illustration: Watercolor
Host: Dayna Walton
Join Dayna Walton of Solstice Handmade to learn the basics of botanical drawing. You will leave with an understanding of the fundamentals of drawing in ink, plus the watercolor basics to add color to your drawings. Using two different styles of ink pens, together we will walk through the drawing process, from sketching to mark making techniques to create rich values and textures. There will be an emphasis on drawing from life, discussing how to sketch efficiently to quickly capture botanical likeness. As we practice we will create a field journal highlighting favorite native plant species of the season. Class will include technique instruction and demonstrations while also offering open time to create. Throughout the day, we will discuss the work of botanical artists from the beginnings of botany to today.
Note: This class is suitable for all levels, no creative experience required, just bring an open mind. All materials will be provided, students will leave with a sketchbook and pens to keep and continue experimenting. Feel free to bring your own art making supplies to experiment and ask questions about!

8:00 am - 12:00 noon

Friday (half-day) Morning Field Trips = $55.00

The Secret World of Lichens
Hosts: Karin Heiman & Scott LaGreca
Welcome to the wonderful world of lichens! We are lucky to be in a hotspot of lichen biodiversity here in the Southern Appalachians. The field trip will be at the Balsam Mountain Preserve, which is a location that is generally closed to the public and is fairly high elevation, so we look forward to finding very interesting lichen species there. Lichens will indeed be very different than any plants you may have studied. We will start with an introduction and basics about lichenology, then meander the trails to find different species in a variety of habitats. Limit 12 participants.
Note: This field trip’s difficulty level is 2 - moderate: trail walking, 1-2 miles total.

The Vertical Bog
Host: Adam Bigelow
One of the most special and iconic spots on the Blue Ridge Parkway, the Vertical Bog is a roadside seepage area unlike any other, filled with special, rare and endemic plants that exist right along the parkway across from an overlook. Carnivorous Sundews, Grass-of-Parnassus, Sticky Tofieldia, and five different species of St John's wort can all be seen at this short and easy walk. Limit 12 participants.
Note: This field trip’s difficulty level is 1 - easy: roadside and trail walking, 1 mile.

Birding Cullowhee
Hosts: Dawn Sherry & Laura McDonald
Western North Carolina is an excellent place for people who enjoy bird watching! Over 200 birds make their home here year-round, and another 80 species migrate through the Southern Appalachian mountains. Join us for a fun walk, learning to identify birds by sight and sound. The location will be the Kituwah Mound, the center of the “Cherokee Mother Town”. Tips and tricks for bird identification will be covered as well as planting ideas for native plants to attract them. Handouts will be provided and participants will learn to use Merlin and eBird, please have them downloaded on your phone prior to the trip. We recommend you wear good walking shoes, bring a bird identification guide, binoculars, a water bottle and a snack for the best experience.
Note: This field trip’s difficulty level is 2 - moderate.

Deepen Your Nature Connection with Forest Therapy
Host: Nadine Phillips
Immerse yourself in the healing ambiance of the inviting woodland space of Pinnacle Park Forest Therapy Trail. This welcoming path is nestled between two streams, surrounded by abundant wildflowers and lush understory, and featuring as well ample rocks and openings to view the sky. Such an atmosphere is ideal for slowing down and harmonizing with nature. After a brief opening, your certified Forest Therapy guide will offer insight and subtle practices to reorient the senses and help activate the body’s intuitive relaxation response. You will then be free to roam, discover, and engage in your own solo connection for a time before rejoining the group. A circle will be open for sharing before closing. Registrants will receive an orientation email beforehand to help prepare for this outing.
Note: This field trip’s difficulty level is 2 - moderate: Pinnacle Park Certified Forest Therapy Trail is .45 miles with 153 feet in elevation gain.

Judaculla Rock - Sacred and Mysterious Site of the Cherokee
Hosts: Jeff Jackson & Jerry Parker
Come join us on a short trip down the road to a most fascinating historical, cultural, and geological site, Judaculla Rock. This massive soapstone boulder, absolutely covered in petroglyphs, is truly a wonder to behold. We will discuss its history and significance to the Cherokee, and ponder the potential meanings to its centuries of carvings. Then, time permitting, we will check out a few local native plants as well. Weather-appropriate clothing suggested! No restroom facilities. Little if any terrain. Some shade. No water.
Note: This field trip’s difficulty is 1 - easy: minimal walking.

8:30 am - 11:45 am

Friday (half-day) Morning Workshops = $45.00

Prepare to Play with Plants!
Host: Robin Whitfield
Play with wild pigments including black walnut, poke berries, oak galls and more! This 3 hour workshop offers a creative practice for connecting to nature through finding, foraging, and processing plant and mineral pigments. The workshop is focused on the delights of working with found raw materials directly on paper. The class includes a pigments foraging walk on campus and activities around an “Earth Color Buffet” featuring inks and raw pigments gathered from wild locations in Mississippi and beyond. Introduction to foraging as for water, pigments, and creative tools in any landscape.
-Explore wild pigments with notes on ethical collecting
-Creative play with a buffet of foraged plant and mineral pigments
-Process natural materials into usable inks and paints
-Collect color samples on a foraging walk

Invasive Species Removal Work Session: The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly
Host: Sally Heiney
Come help with an invasive species removal project on the WCU campus. We will be working near the campus Picnic Grounds, identifying and removing invasive exotics. This is a hands-on activity and will involve working on a sloped and wooded area. Tools will be provided, but participants should dress appropriately to be outdoors (gloves, a hat, water, sunscreen, bug spray). This is an opportunity to help out locally in the removal of noxious nonnative plants that do not belong here. Each session will discuss nonnative weeds and management strategies you can take home.
Note: This workshop’s difficulty level is 3 - moderately strenuous: This location is a short walk from the Ramsey Center (1/2 mile). The site is steep in places and fully vegetated. Participants will be on uneven ground, bending, stooping, kneeling, and exerting some force throughout.

Weave and Let Live- Using Last Year’s Perennial Stems and Fallen Branches to Create Habitat in Cultivated Spaces
Host: Chris Liloia
Cleaning up a garden to prepare for spring can be deeply satisfying work that connects us to the seasons and to the spaces we care for but our desire for tidiness often results in landscapes that fall short when it comes to providing habitat. Last year’s perennial stems may hold eggs and larval stages of insects, and, when left in the landscape, provide nesting sites for cavity nesting bees.  We’ll spend the morning exploring some techniques for keeping last year’s perennial stems as well as fallen branches and limbs in the garden by repurposing them into creative garden features that preserve habitat and food sources for insects, lizards, birds, fungi, and others.  This workshop will include a mix of demonstration and hands-on creation. We’ll build some ‘wattle’ elements from last year’s perennial stems experimenting with several styles of woven and stacked structures.  We’ll also use fallen branches to assemble artisanal brush piles. Bring your creativity, not too nice clothes, and perhaps some gloves and clippers if you have them. We’ll be outside!  I hope we will also learn from each other and talk about our own innovations in stickery, stumpery, and leaf leaving. Maximum 12 participants.

Southern Appalaciahian Native Grasses and Associated Communities
Hosts: Nancy Lee Adamson & Gary Kauffman

Join botanists/ecologists Gary Kauffman and Nancy Adamson for a hands-on native grasses workshop highlighting grass identification and grassland communities. We’ll learn to use a Southern Appalachian grasses key derived from Weakley’s Flora of the Southeastern U.S. and other identification tools, look at samples of common native grasses, and learn a bit about grassland communities and the wildlife they support. You should come away from the workshop able to use the key to Poaceae groups and genera, recognize a dozen common grasses by sight, and have ample resources to hone your grass skills. This year we will have a few microscopes, but please do bring your hand lens, FloraQuest or Flora of Virginia apps if you have them, and/or a copy of the grass section from Weakley’s Flora.

Curiosity in the Classroom: Strategies for inspiring students with native flora and fauna
Host: Clara Aus
Are you an educator hoping to further cultivate a love for native plants and animals in your students? Join Clara Aus, educator from Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden in Richmond, Virginia, for this interactive, in-depth workshop. She will help participants define unique plant education goals and specific strategies to accomplish these goals. Sharing knowledge of natives with our students is of the utmost importance to protect and preserve our ecosystems, but learning about native plants can be FUN too! Let’s work together to inspire the next generation to love, care for, and appreciate our native flora and fauna. Through round-table discussions, case studies, small groups, and hands-on activities, participants will explore how to incorporate natives into lesson planning and facilitate deeper interactions between students and nature. Please bring a notebook or paper, a writing utensil, any questions you may have, and a positive attitude!

On the Ground Impact: Establishing and Managing Large-Scale Native Plantings
Host: Tyler Wayland
The conversations and awareness surrounding the negative impacts of habitat loss and the need to restore native grasslands in support of healthy ecosystem function are gaining traction and national attention. Land development and fragmentation are increasing, but so is the demand for the successful restoration, reconstruction, and enhancement of healthy and functioning habitat. A reliable native seed supply, proper site preparation, sound planting techniques, and effective post-planting management are all integral components to the successful establishment of native plants on large-scale projects. This workshop will discuss and share practical tips and real-world strategies to help practitioners, designers, and enthusiasts implement revegetation projects at all scales. Attendees can expect to learn about and discuss all aspects of the planning process, several different implementation techniques, and what to expect for post-planting management considerations.

Covering Ground with Native Plants
Hosts: Preston Montague & Shannon Currey
Traditional landscapes often require significant inputs to thrive. Rather than mulching, mowing, and watering, take a different approach by creating a resilient garden that uses fewer resources while boosting ecological benefits. With those goals in mind, this workshop focuses on using native plants to cover the ground and create a living mulch. You’ll learn about the benefits, the strategies plants use to cover ground, and discuss choosing plants for your landscape. You’ll apply this knowledge in a design exercise, making plant decisions across a landscape with familiar conditions, like steep slopes, dry areas, and under trees. The exercise engages creative problem-solving to place plants where they are best adapted. We will aim to arrange plants in a way that not only increases their survivability but also looks great. Participants will have a vetted plant list to work with during the workshop and will gain skills to research, select, and plan for other species 

8:30 am - 11:45 am

Campus Tree Walk
This walk will meet on the floor in front of City Lights Vendor Space in Ramsey Center.
Host: Geoffrey Neal

This walk is for folks with an interest in learning more about identifying common trees in the landscape. Together we will check out the many species of native (and nonnative) woody plants found on the WCU campus. We will discuss identification of trees in the landscape as well as general horticultural and arboricultural practices that are essential for a healthy plant community. Time will be given to talk about the ecology of the built environment where these trees now find themselves as well as a critical examination of this environment as it relates to overall tree health and function. Questions and comments will be encouraged throughout. This is a great walk for beginners, folks interested in the trees they might encounter on the street or in the woods, and folks who just want to explore a bit of the WCU campus! 
Note: This hike’s difficulty rating is 2 - moderate: about 2 miles total, slow pace, mostly paved surfaces, some steep slopes and grassy areas.

Cullowhee Creek Restoration Walk
This walk will meet to leave at Concourse A & B in Ramsey Center
Host: George Morris
We will have a short presentation about the pre-construction conditions, construction, and habitat improvements along Cullowhee Creek and then take a walk on the stream restoration project that dissects the WNC campus. The project was started during the summer of 2005 and construction was completed during the summer of 2006. We will discuss the structures and construction methods used and explore how vegetation plays a role in stream restoration. Limited to 20 people.
Note: This walk’s difficulty level is 1 - easy: trail walking, 1 mile.

Woody Ethnobotanical Walk
This walk will meet on the floor in front of City Lights Vendor Space in Ramsey Center.
Host:  Marc Williams
Spend a class learning more about the food, medicine and craft uses of woody plants. We will take a walk around the WCU campus and practice ways to systematically identify trees, shrubs and vines by their bark, ecotypes, flowers, fruit and growing conditions. Common and obscure sustainable uses for woody plants that may support overall health, well-being and sustenance will also be discussed. The connection between woody plants and other lifeforms such as birds, butterflies and fungal species will be an additional topic of conversation. The possible use of exotic invasive woodies as one potential means of control will round out our discussion.
Note: This walk’s difficulty level is 1 - easy: easy trail and sidewalk walking, 1-2 miles.

Plant and Fungal Associations Ecology Walk and Mushroom Identification Techniques
This walk will meet outside the Tunnel entrance on the SW side of the entrance under the trees.
Host: Tradd Cotter
Join mycologist Tradd Cotter on this easy, fun 1.5 hour walk through some campus trails to locate and find fungi and hopefully mummified insects, discuss their roles in the ecosystem, and after take what is collected to the pavilion for a mini-lecture on how to separate groups and classify most species of mushrooms you find.
Note: This walk’s difficulty level is 1 - easy: trail walking, 1-2 miles

Bee Campus Walk
This walk will meet outside the Tunnel entrance on the SE side of the entrance under the trees
Host: Sarah Parsons
Please join us in a walking tour of campus grounds and our Bee Campus pollinator gardens.  Western Carolina University received Bee Campus certification last year and is in the process of installing pollinator gardens around campus.  Pollinator gardens include many native pollinator plants and are the product of collaborations between WCU Grounds, students, and faculty in environmental science and biology.  Dr. Sarah Parsons will discuss Bee Campus certification and WCU's approach to Bee Campus certification. Also on the walking tour we will discuss other plantings around campus and Andy Pedonti (WCU Grounds Superintendent) will explain the process of plant selection and plant installation on a college campus.  

Foraging for Wild Goodiments with Planty Kim
This walk will meet outside the Tunnel entrance at the picnic tables
Host: Kim Calhoun
Let’s celebrate the nourishing wild food and medicine generously gifted to us by the Earth on a slow-paced ramble around campus. Kim will cover safe and sustainable foraging guidelines including:

• • Utilizing all our senses to recognize edible and medicinal plant and tree friends
  • Honoring the original stewards of this land and the many communities and generations who lived in relationship with our plant neighbors
  • Exploring which native plants are abundant enough to harvest, and how foraging can be a thoughtful and tasty way to tend invasive plants and support biodiversity

We’ll close by enjoying a wild tea created on site. You'll go home inspired to weave foraging into your daily life with gratitude and reciprocity. *Goodiments was a term used by Kim’s great grandma Bessie when sharing plant medicine with her 15 kids in eastern rural North Carolina. 
Note: This walk’s difficulty is 2, moderate: Uneven ground, some steep slopes, and grassy areas. Distance 1-2 miles.