Photo of Indian Creek in the Mogollon Mountains
Photo credit: Patrice MutchnickAt the meeting of the Gila Native Plant Society on September 8, 2017, botanist Patrice Mutchnick will present a talk entitled "Important Plant Areas of the Gila, a Virtual and Photographic Tour". Through photos and interactive maps, she will explain the concept of Important Plant Areas as defined by the 2017 state-wide Rare Plant Conservation Strategy. Eight distinct areas have been identified in the Gila. We'll examine some of the rare plants that reside in each of these unique habitats to understand what makes these areas worthy of special protection.

While Patrice Mutchnick's background is in tropical forestry - she did graduate work in ethnobotany in the Peten region of Guatemala and was a plant collector for the Smithsonian Biological Diversity of the Guianas Program - she loves forests of all kinds and since coming to New Mexico has developed her interest in rare plants. She served as Biology Lab Director at Western New Mexico University from 2003 to 2014 and worked with the Gila National Forest Rare Plant Program from 2011 to 2016. Currently she is collaborating with the Upper Gila Watershed Alliance (UGWA) on salt cedar control in the Gila.

Exceptionally, the Gila Native Plant Society will hold this first meeting of the season on the second rather than the usual third Friday of the month. Meet on September 8th at 7.00 p.m. in Harlan Hall, second floor, Room 219, on the Western New Mexico University campus for this interesting program about our own area. Free and open to the public. Refreshments following the program.

The Gila Native Plant Society is committed to promoting education, research and appreciation of the native flora of the Southwest, encouraging the preservation of rare and endangered plant species and supporting the use of suitable native plants in landscaping. For information on programs, publications and membership, please visit www.gilanps.org.