Kentucky Native Plant Society

04/10/2026

LAST CHANCE: Online registration for Wildflower Weekend closes Sunday!

Here are the Friday hikes with spots left!

If you are not yet sure if you will be able to attend Wildflower Weekend you can register on-site on both Friday and Saturday, April 17 and 18. Just show up at the registration desk in the Woodland Center at Natural Bridge SRP. Many hikes have last minute cancellations and most of the hikes will be able to accommodate one or more additional hikers. So if your schedule frees up at the last minute, come on up to Natural Bridge. We would love to have you join us.

Register here: https://www.knps.org/wildflower-weekend-2026-registration-is-now-open/

04/09/2026

Sunday's weather is looking beautiful for an afternoon stroll through St. Anne's Wetlands! Join Dr. Maggie Witson and Dr. Richard Boyce as they walk through spring ephemerals to the Ohio River on Sunday, April 12th at 2pm!

Register here: https://www.knps.org/begin-botany-blitz-2026-with-a-kick-off-hike-on-april-11th-12th/

04/06/2026

Nothing like spending a beautiful spring day in a dolomite glade and limestone barrens! Pine Creek Barrens holds many interesting plants that KNPS member, Alan Abbott, will help you explore as part of our Botany Blitz! This Saturday, April 11th at 10:00am EDT.

Register here! https://www.knps.org/begin-botany-blitz-2026-with-a-kick-off-hike-on-april-11th-12th/

04/04/2026

One week away from our Botany Blitz kickoff hike at Dale Hollow Lake! This will be a lovely hike to see spring wildflowers and some geological features! Register here:
https://www.knps.org/begin-botany-blitz-2026-with-a-kick-off-hike-on-april-11th-12th/

04/01/2026

Looking for an exciting Saturday activity? Join Tyson Gregory on a hike through the Blue Heron Trail in the Big South Fork Recreation Area! This is a great way to explore a new place and learn spring wildflowers! There are a few spots left, so be sure to register on our website: https://www.knps.org/begin-botany-blitz-2026-with-a-kick-off-hike-on-april-11th-12th/

03/23/2026

Join KNPS in our annual Botany Blitz kickoff hikes! These hikes are a great introduction into Kentucky's spring wildflowers and how to use iNaturalist. This year we have 5 hikes across the state on Saturday, April 11th and Sunday, April 12th. Register on our website today!

https://www.knps.org/begin-botany-blitz-2026-with-a-kick-off-hike-on-april-11th-12th/

02/28/2026

Kentucky Native Plant Society is proud that Wildflower Weekend’s registration price has remained at an affordable $10, even in a world with exponentially climbing costs. It is the belief of KNPS that botanical education is for everyone and financial barriers should not prevent someone from learning about the wonderful native plants of the Commonwealth. Unfortunately, the modest registration fee of $10 no longer covers all Wildflower Weekend expenses, but KNPS is still dedicated to providing high quality botanical education for affordable prices to all.

Therefore, we humbly ask for your donation to help us offset the growing cost of this 35+ year Kentucky tradition.

Your donation will go towards event space reservations, material creation, workshop/hike supplies, student poster printing, student scholarships, refreshments for the social, thank you gifts for volunteers, and speaker fees. Our officers, board members, and volunteers complete all KNPS work as volunteers with absolutely no monetary payment.

Use this form to make your donation. And thank you very much for your support.

KNPS Donations Page

02/07/2026

Attention Kentucky higher education students!

KNPS is hosting our second annual Student Research Poster Session at Wildflower Weekend 2026 at Natural Bridge State Resort Park. There will be two poster sessions on Saturday, April 18th, 2026.

Abstracts and scholarship applications are due March 1st, 2026!

All poster printing costs will be covered by KNPS. Scholarships are available for lodging and travel.

See details in link below.

Because of the success of the Student Research Poster Sessions in 2025, KNPS is going to host these sessions again in 2026.

01/12/2026

Reminder to register! Wedensday, Jan 14th, 2026 is the Kentucky Botanical Symposium! It is virtual and free!

Get updates on KNPS, Office of Kentucky Nature Preserves projects, the state of Kentucky plant conservation, Kentucky’s major herbaria, and volunteer opportunities.

Featured speaker Dr. Joey Shaw of University of Tennessee at Chattanooga will present an Introduction to Version 7.1 of the Tennessee-Kentucky Plant Atlas: understanding the data and tools behind this resource

Keynote Speaker Dr. Wesley Knapp of the Center for Plant Conservation will present How the Center for Plant Conservation Slows the 6th Mass Extinction

Learn more and register at the link below:

https://www.knps.org/register-for-the-5th-annual-virtual-kentucky-botanical-symposium/eke

The Kentucky Native Plant Society (KNPS) and the Office of Kentucky Nature Preserves (OKNP) is co-hosting the 5th annual Kentucky Botanical Symposium on Wednesday, January 14th, from 9:00AM-12:00PM EST.