Meetings
The Muhlenberg Botanical Society meets on the 3rd Thursday at 7pm in the Spring from February to May and in the Fall from September to November. Meetings are at the North Museum or on Zoom (link emailed to MBS members) or outdoors as noted.
Spring 2024 Meetings
March 21 (Thursday) 7pm - 9pm
Marching Mangroves: Ecological Implications of Mangrove Poleward Range Expansion
Location: North Museum
Presenter: Carolyn Weaver
As tropical marine woody plants, mangroves are sensitive to freezing temperatures, which in the past has restricted their range. However, as global temperatures rise and winters become less severe, mangrove ranges are expanding to the north, often into salt marsh ecosystems. The talk will focus on mangrove range expansion and what this could mean for future coastal ecosystems.
Carolyn Weaver is a coastal wetland ecologist with a doctorate in Ecosystem Science from Texas A&M University. She has spent over a decade researching mangrove range expansion into salt marshes, primarily along the Texas Gulf Coast. Carolyn also has experienced a recent range expansion of her own, as she is now an assistant professor in the Department of Biology at Millersville University and is enjoying getting to know her new home in Lancaster County.
May 16 (Thursday), 7pm - 9pm
Rebuilding Habitat and Restoring Streams with Plants: Lancaster County's Riparian Forested Buffer Initiative
Location: North Museum
Presenter: Lamonte Garber
As part of Lancaster County's water quality action plan, local partners are joining forces to plant 6,000 new acres of streamside trees and shrubs over the course of a decade. Can these buffers be developed in ways that support a wider native plant and animal community while sustaining the water quality benefits of these "micro-forests?"
Lamonte Garber is the Watershed Restoration Coordinator at the Robin L. Vannote Watershed Restoration Program, Stroud Water Research Center, Avondale, PA (2014–present). He has worked with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation and other environmental and agricultural groups.
May 18 (Saturday), 9am-noon
Plant Exchange
Location: Shenk Pavilion, Manor Township Community Park
Native plants are preferred, though others are also welcome. It is best to pot up the plants a couple of weeks in advance of the exchange so they have adjusted to the shock. Please label your plants, giving common names and sun conditions. Other helpful information includes scientific names, height at maturity, month of blooming, flower color, and special needs if applicable (well-drained soil, acidic soil, etc.). You may also bring books or magazines for which you wish to find new homes.
Directions: The Manor Township Community Park is located off of PA 741 (Millersville ROAD) between routes 462 (Columbia Ave.) and 999 (Manor Ave. in Millersville--the continuation of Millersville Pike). A warning: be very careful exiting back out onto 741 in either direction as visibility is not good and drivers tend to speed along 741. There are two entrances to the park. If you plug the park name into the GPS, it will lead you to the north entrance off Charlestown Rd.--NOT the entrance you should take (there is no way to drive through the park between the two entrances). The south entrance, where the Shenk Pavilion is located, is accessible only via PA 741 and goes through neighborhood streets.
From the intersection of PA Rt. 741 East and Columbia Ave., go east on 741 (Millersville Rd.) towards Millersville. After the stoplight at Charlestown Rd., go about 1/4 mile. Just as you round a curve, turn right at first street, Berkshire, then right on Colonial, then right on Richmond, which leads you straight into the park. Shenk pavilion is straight ahead down the hill as you enter the parking lot.
If you miss the turn onto Berkshire, continue up the hill to the next street, Stratford Rd., where you turn right, then right again at the second street, Richmond Rd. Follow that straight into the park. The address closest to the south park entrance is 1075 Richmond Rd., Lancaster.