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 typically at the North Museum and/or on Zoom (link emailed to MBS members), or may be at other locations as noted.
Fall 2026 Meetings
September 19 (Saturday) 9am - noon
MBS Fall 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 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 to the park will be supplied in the reminder in early May. In the meantime, if you have any questions, contact Ruthann Richards.
October 15 (Thursday) 7pm
Location: North Museum
Speaker: Keith Williams
Program: “The Importance of Native Landscaping in Protecting Regional Biodiversity”
We are losing species at a frightening pace due to habitat destruction. Land conservation is part of the solution to protect regional biodiversity. Implementing native landscaping techniques is the other. This presentation will focus on the importance of native landscaping in terms of protecting insect, reptile and amphibian biodiversity and abundance.
Keith is a naturalist, educator, writer and photographer. He has a BS in Environmental Biology from Kutztown University and MS in Ecological Teaching and Learning from the Lesley University Audubon Expedition Institute. He has been taking people into back-country settings for 30 years and has established outdoor education programs across the US, in China, and in Puerto Rico. His first book, Snorkelhead: Adventures in River Snorkeling, was published in 2016, and his second book, Snorkeling Rivers and Streams: an Aquatic Guide to Underwater Discovery and Adventure, was published in March, 2020.
Keith is the Vice President of Engagement and Education at the Lancaster Conservancy, where he serves as the Conservancy's lead naturalist. He develops and manages volunteer and education programs and manages the interpretive ranger program. He is a Master Herpetologist and serves on several amphibian specialist groups.