Home in Hernando
The sandhills of Hernando County are showy in fall in the Croom Tract of the Withlacoochee State Forest. Florida paintbrush (Carphephorus corymbosus) help paint the scene.
It's natural to love Hernando County
The Hernando Chapter of the Florida Native Plant Society shares information with citizens who are interested in learning about Florida's native plants, their ecosystems, and all aspects of biological diversity.
Together, we learn how landscaping with native plants has a minimal affect on the environment. By using native plants, chemicals are eliminated, maintenance is reduced, water is conserved, and habitat is provided for wildlife.
Plant enthusiasts become acquainted with plant species that make their home in Hernando, and the types of conditions they prefer. Whether you best appreciate these plants in the natural landscape or the home landscape, we know you'll enjoy the Society.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Coming from the high deserts of the western USA, Christopher A. Kiahtipes has training in environmental archaeology and palaeoecology. His research assesses vegetation responses to changes in climate, regional hydrology, and human land-use decisions using plant microfossils, with the overarching goal of integrating cultural and environmental histories to better contextualize the state of modern environments. His doctoral research reconstructed vegetation changes in the Central African Republic from the Iron Age until present. His postdoctoral work focused on developing a network of pollen records from inner Congo Basin peatlands proximal to known archaeological sites. As Associate Curator of the Natural History collections at the University of South Florida Library, Dr. Kiahtipes works to develop archival and collections-based sources of data on environmental responses to climate change and conservation policy.
March 3, 2025 – 6:30 PM
South Brooksville Community Center, 601 E Dr Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Brooksville, FL 34601
Monthly Meeting and Public Program
The Archive of Life on Earth: Academic Libraries as a Repository for Natural History Collections
by Christopher Kiahtipes, Associate Curator, Florida Environment and Natural History Special Collections
Herbaria are globally significant collections with numerous potential applications spanning the biological sciences, Earth sciences, and social sciences. However, universities — constrained by space and budgets — have found themselves disinvesting in these collections over the last decades. In many cases, these collections are re-housed in major national collections such as the herbarium at the Missouri Botanical Gardens or international institutions such as Kew Gardens. Some collections have disappeared entirely.
Motivated by the belief that a well-maintained herbarium of regional and global plants can be a crucial resource for student and faculty research, the University of South Florida Libraries embarked on a collaborative mission with our College of Arts & Sciences to integrate the USF Herbarium into the library’s Special Collections unit.
Our presenter will briefly describe the essential functions of an herbarium and outline the history of the USF Herbarium. After this, he will address the contents of this collection in greater detail, identify the rationale for positioning this collection within the library, and explain the benefits for student and faculty research.
About our Speaker
As Associate Curator of the Natural History collections at the University of South Florida Library, Christopher A. Kiahtipes works to develop archival and collections-based sources of data on environmental responses to climate change and conservation policy.
Coming from the high deserts of the western USA, Dr. Kiahtipes has training in environmental archaeology and palaeoecology. His research uses plant microfossils to assesses vegetation responses to changes in climate, regional hydrology, and human land-use decisions with the overarching goal of integrating cultural and environmental histories.
His doctoral research reconstructed vegetation changes in the Central African Republic from the Iron Age until present. His postdoctoral work focused on developing a network of pollen records from inner Congo Basin peatlands proximal to known archaeological sites.
Logistics – Our regular monthly meetings are held on the first Monday of most months. They are notorious for intriguing topics and a great light supper. Arrive the South Brooksville Community Center at 6:30 pm for snacks and socializing; the formal meeting and program starts at 7:00 pm. The South Brooksville Community Center is located at 601 E Dr Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Brooksville, FL 34601. Contact us at hcfnps@gmail.com
About our Programs
The Mission of the Florida Native Plant Society is to champion the preservation, conservation and restoration of Florida's native plants and the habitats where they live. Each month the Hernando Chapter FNPS recruits expert speakers to explore our areas of interest. Talks range from native bees to beautyberries, hydrology to horticulture. Programs are free and open to the public.
About our venue. Join us at the South Brooksville Community Center, 601 E Dr Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Brooksville, FL 34601. This facility is on the East side of Brooksville proper at the apex of Jefferson (US 98) and Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
____________________________________________________
2025 Calendar of Monthly Meetings and Public Programs
We are busy gearing up for 2025. Our schedule follows – please mark your calendar! We look forward to the good times and good learning in the coming year. These are the first Mondays of the month, except for New Year's Day and September due to Labor Day.
January 6
February 3
March 3
April 7
May 5
June 2
July 7
August 4
September 8 (moved back due to Labor Day)
October 6
November 3
Get to know us,
get to know your county
get to know your county
Our meetings are held the first Monday of the month at 6:30 p.m. At each meeting we discuss native plants and native plant ecosystems. Subjects range from hummingbird gardening to black bear habitat.
Each meeting has delicious snacks, and friendly company, native plants on display, and an information table. Please join us for a meeting.
____________________________________________________
April 26, 2025 – 9:00 AM - NOON
Russell Street Park, Brooksville, FL 34601
Hernando Chapter's Fall Florida Native Plant Sale
Visit the Garden
Nature Coast Botanical Garden,
Florida Native Plant Demonstration Garden
1489 Parker Ave, Spring Hill, FL 34606
We encourage you to visit the Florida Native Plant Demonstration Garden during all seasons. There are many opportunities to study Florida's native flora.
For example:
The buzz on pollinators. The populations of many pollinators have declined due to loss of habitat and the plants that they depend on for food. The garden highlights native wildflowers you can plant in your yard to attract and support butterflies, bees, and other pollinators.
Attracting wildlife. Wildlife requires cover, food and water, and depends on native grasses, shrubs and trees to help provide. You can plan to attract and protect the birds and bunnies through creating natural areas for biodiversity to thrive and achieve its natural balance. The garden provides examples.
The right plant for the right place. Several areas of the Native Plant Garden feature plant species that are found growing in the sandhill and hammock ecosystems of Hernando County. See how you can bring the natural beauty of the Nature Coast into your home landscape and learn about native species that may work best for the conditions on your site.
____________________________________________________
Join us in the field
We also offer guided field trips to help celebration the natural beauty that is Hernando County. We hope you'll decide to join in!
Embrace the Mission
Preserve
Hernando County is home to a wide variety of natural areas from coastal scrub to the sandhills of the Brooksville Ridge to the cypress swamps of the Withlacoochee. Our fieldtrips explore the diversity of our landscapes and their habitats.
Conserve
Through research and advocacy the Society seeks to ensure that natural landscapes are set aside to protect native plants and their habitats. Join us as we speak out for native plants and the wildlife that depends on them.
Restore
Returning Florida's native plants to the human landscape is a critical action for increasing biodiversity and protecting pollinators and other wildlife. Our planting projects help point the way.