Come Learn About Soldiers Delight and its Rare Plants!
The theme for the 2026 fall conference of the Maryland Native Plant Society, to be held Saturday and Sunday, September 12 and 13, on the campus of the University of Maryland, College Park, is Diverse Landscapes of Maryland's Piedmont and Western Shore. To highlight Soldiers Delight Natural Environment Area in Owings Mills' position as the single most biodiverse ecosystem in the state, one of the featured speakers will be Paula Becker, biologist in charge of conservation efforts at our beloved habitat.
On Saturday, September 12 at 9:00 a.m., Paula's talk, entitled Soldiers Delight's Serpentine Barrens: Restoration of a Globally Rare Ecosystem with Amazing Plants, will include fascinating and downright incredible facts about the flora that call the barrens home. Dr. R. Wayne Tyndall's book, All About Serpentine at Soldiers Delight, will be offered at a discount after the lecture. Don't miss it!
Additionally, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, MNPS will host a native plant sale on the College Park campus' Hornbake Plaza that is open to the public.
During the conference on Sunday, September 13, Paula will lead a field trip to Soldiers Delight titled: A short hike across 9000 years.
Registration for the conference will close September 3 to meet catering deadlines, so don't delay! For information and to register, click here. Hope to see you there!
