Wetlands Preservation in Virginia by Kati Rubis, The Nature Conservancy

Free and open to the Public - the September meeting of the Northern Neck Chapter of the Virginia Native Plant Society (NNNPS) will be held on Thursday, September 20th at noon at the Wicomico Parish Church (Episcopal) on Route 200 in Wicomico Church.

The Chapter will have a presentation on “Wetlands Preservation” by Kati Rubis, a botanist and wetlands project manager wetlands for The Nature Conservancy (TNC). “TNC operates one of the most ambitious wetlands programs in the state to restore, create and enhance these high-value habitats”, said president Kevin Howe. “Not only do fresh water and marine wetlands contain rare plants and unique animals but they give us a whole bundle of ecosystem services from stormwater management to water filtration to recreation to nurseries and habitats for a wide variety of birds, fish and other plants and animals.”

Ms. Rubis will review some of the TNC’s Virginia projects, especially their work at our local Dameron Marsh and Ball Creek. TNC is a leading organization in protecting unique ecological habitats and works with governments, businesses, individuals and countries to conserve nature.

Vice-president Gary Chapin’s popular Plant of the Month which, for September, is Three-nerved Joe-pye Weed (Eutrochium dubium), a wonderful fall plant, will be presented by Betsy Washington who often provides their accompanying photographs.

We invite the public to attend and feel free to bring a brown bag lunch; some snacks and beverages will be available. We will have a social lunch for a short while before our featured presentation. 

For anyone interested, we may go on a walk in Chilton Woods, Dameron or Hughlett Point or take a kayak paddle to Bluff Point from our house.  Let me know if you are interested in any of the them.  I am interested in having her see Bluff Point which is really only accessible by kayak.