Learning Outdoors

We love to help our members learn to recognize and name Oregon’s native plants. We sponsor outings in spring and summer to blooming hotspots within easy driving distance of Portland. Our annual meeting, to which all state members are invited, is sponsored by one Oregon chapter each year. This weekend-long event may center us in the Siskiyous, the Wallowas, the Ochocos, the Blues, or anywhere in between to explore blooming treasures with local botanists, enjoy expert speakers, great food, and warm fellowship with plant enthusiasts from all over the state. More at http://npsoregon.org. We also sponsor stewardship activities to protect and enhance plant habitats including pulling scotch broom at Canemah Bluff, and removing invasive plants at Elk Rock Island, Nob Hill Nature Park, and Metro Natural Areas such as Oxbow Regional Park and Mt. Talbert.

Learning Indoors

Each month we feature a virtual evening program via Zoom. Our speakers present on topics across a wide range of botanical interests, including plant identification techniques, endangered species, habitat restoration, and climate change. In December, members share their favorite photos and stories from the year’s outings. We also sponsor classes and hands-on labs to refine our plant identification skills. We offer trips to learn about ongoing research and donate to important projects and publications supporting our mission, such as Oregon Flora. We publicize and support events and fundraisers by sister organizations that support the knowledge and protection of Oregon’s native plants.

Supporting Our Community

The Portland Chapter of the Native Plant Society of Oregon recognizes the Multnomah, Kathlamet, Clackamas, bands of Chinook, Tualatin Kalapuya, and Molalla peoples whose traditional homelands we occupy. We extend gratitude and respect for the wealth of knowledge and wisdom the tribes possess and share in stewarding the land and its resources. We also know that freely exploring the wonder and beauty of native plants should not be a narrow privilege. In order to fully engage all our communities, we are committed to correcting policies and actions that create barriers to participation. We invite our members to stand with us and with those of every color, ethnicity, or gender expression as we work to create a respectful, safe, and welcoming environment.