photo by Dr. Thomas G. Barnes
Mark your calendars and plan to meet up with other KNPS members and friends as we head to the Natural Bridge SRP for the Society’s 2025 Fall Meeting, on Sept 6th. We will meet in the Woodland Center, which is a short walk from the Hemlock Lodge where you can park. If you want to learn more about KNPS, meet other Kentucky native plant enthusiasts, and learn more about the native plants of Kentucky, then the KNPS Fall Meeting is for you!
We are still finalizing details of the Fall Meeting, but here is the schedule for the day (all times are Eastern Daylight Time).
Morning Session, 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon
We will meet in the Woodland Center which is short walk from the Hemlock Lodge at Natural Bridge SRP. The session will begin with an update from KNPS leadership on the Society’s activities in 2025 and plans for 2026. After the update, Kendall McDonald, KNPS Vice President, will talk about the conservation success of the federally delisted white haired goldenrod (Solidago albopilosa) and the sandstone rockhouses of the Red River Gorge.
9:30 a.m.-10 a.m.: Doors open. Coffee served.
10:00 a.m. – 10:45 a.m. – Welcome and KNPS Updates – KNPS Board
10:45 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. – Open Discussion from the Group
Ask the KNPS Board questions or express thoughts and ideas you have about KNPS
11:00am – Kendall McDonald, KNPS Vice President. White Haired Goldenrod and Sandstone Rockhouses of the Red River Gorge
White haired goldenrod (Solidago albopilosa) is a federally delisted goldenrod species that is endemic to Kentucky, found only in the Red River Gorge of Kentucky. Within this narrow range, the species grows exclusively in sheltered, cave-like habitats refered to as “rockhouses”. Learn about the connections between the gorge’s geology, archeology, and the white haired goldenrod, and what you can do to help this Kentucky endemic.
Lunch, 12:00 noon – 1:00 p.m.
12:00 noon – Lunch is on your own. You can get lunch at the Sandstone Arches restaurant in the Hemlock Lodge or bring your own lunch.
Afternoon Walk – 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. (approximately)
1PM-End: Travel to White Haired Goldenrod location with high recreation impact to learn about this endemic plant, it’s associated flora, and remove invasive species threatening the population. Participants will have a chance to sign up for the Adopt-A-Rockhouse Program and learn the basics of monitoring WHG. Location and carpooling details will be discussed after lunch.
There is no fee to attend the meeting, but we are requesting that folks pre-register for the meeting using the form below.
If you have any questions, send an email to KYPlants@knps.org
Please use this form to indicate that you are currently planning to attend the Fall Meeting.