Reminder: there will be no meetings in January and February.

March 12, 2013* Tuesday, 7:30 PM
David Werier: “Rare or Rarely Identified Non-native Species on Long Island.”
In 2012, David conducted research for the Long Island Invasive Species Management Area (LIISMA) on a number of populations of rare or underreported non-native species throughout the LIISMA region (Long Island and NYC excluding the Bronx). This research took him to all parts of the region from Fishers Island to Fire Island to Staten Island and beyond, as well as to various types of sites from pristine natural areas to urban garden beds. This presentation will cover how he conducted the research, the fascinating stories that resulted, details on the species he found, and their current status within this part of New York State. David is a consulting botanist and ecologist working out of the Ithaca, NY area. His interests include New York State floristics, taxonomy of “cryptic” taxa, and spending time in the field.
Location: Bill Paterson Nature Center, Muttontown Preserve, East Norwich

April 9, 2013* Tuesday, 7:30 PM
Andy Greller: “Leapin’ Lemurs! The Natural History of Madagascar.”
Drawing on the personal experience of an ecotour that visited some key spots for biodiversity, Andy scoured the web for the most illustrative examples of the bizarre plant and animal life on that troubled island. He presents an illustrated talk that puts it all into ecological perspective. Andy is Vice President of LIBS, Past President of the Torrey Botanical Society, and Professor Emeritus of Biology at Queens College—CUNY.
Location: Museum of Long Island Natural Sciences, Earth and Space Science Building, Gil Hanson Room (Room 123), Stony Brook University, Stony Brook

May 14, 2013* Tuesday, 7:30 PM
Matt Kaelin: “Carnivorous Plants from Long Island and Around the World.”
Learn about Long Island’s carnivorous plants, their habitats, distribution ranges, and current conservation status and threats. The possibility of a Utricularia hybrid on Long Island will be discussed. There will also be a brief introduction to the natural distribution of the species of carnivorous plants throughout the world, as well as hybrids and cultivars, including a cultivar newly named by the presenter. Matt is a renowned cultivator and photographer of carnivorous plants. He has won many horticultural awards at New England Carnivorous Plant Society exhibitions, was a lead organizer for the International Carnivorous Plant Society’s conference in 2012, and is a consultant for the North American Sarracenia Conservancy
Location: Bill Paterson Nature Center, Muttontown Preserve, East Norwich

June 11, 2013* Tuesday, 5:30 PM (please note early start time for the barbecue)
Annual Barbeque
The annual barbecue, featuring Chef Eric's made-to-order hot dogs and hamburgers. Salads, deviled eggs, desserts, etc. gladly accepted. The traditional location—on the green behind the Muttontown Preserve meeting house.
Location: Bill Paterson Nature Center, Muttontown Preserve, East Norwich

September 10, 2013* Tuesday, 7:30 PM
Jane Jackson: "The North Shore Land Alliance—Protecting Open Space through Ownership, Easement, and Stewardship."
This program will describe how and why the North Shore Land Alliance has been working to protect land on Long Island's north shore for a decade. It will highlight their activities that focus on invasive plants, New York State invasives legislation, and native alternatives. Jane still feels like a Long Island newcomer, having moved in 2007 from Brooklyn to Oyster Bay for her position as Associate Director of Stewardship with the North Shore Land Alliance. She came here after her five-year stint as Director of Programming for New York Restoration Project in the City, which followed a position as Stewardship Specialist in the Rhode Island Field Office of The Nature Conservancy in her native New England.
Location: Bill Paterson Nature Center, Muttontown Preserve, East Norwich

October 8, 2013* Tuesday, 7:30 PM
Stephen Schott: "Nonindigenous Macroalgae Species (NIMS) in Long Island Waters."
The potential costs and impacts of introduced marine macroalgae, or seaweeds, are largely overlooked in the invasive species realm. This talk will cover the ecology, impacts, and potential management of the 12 nonindigenous seaweeds that have either been confirmed in LI waters, or pose an imminent threat of introduction. Steve has a B.S. in Botany and an M.S. in Biology, both from the University of Rhode Island, with a focus on marine plants and ecology. He has been working for Cornell Cooperative Extension’s Marine Program for over 13 years in habitat monitoring and restoration.
Location: Museum of Long Island Natural Sciences, Earth and Space Science Building, Gil Hanson Room (Room 123), Stony Brook University, Stony Brook

November 12, 2013 * Tuesday, 7:30 PM
Daniel Atha: "The Flora of Ice Pond Conservation Area."
This talk will briefly introduce The New York Botanical Garden (NYBG) and the work it does to document and conserve the World's plant diversity. In what will be the first published flora of any area in Putnam County, New York, it will briefly introduce the diversity of habitats found at Ice Pond and how this diversity supports a remarkable number of species. Within an area of less than one square mile (about 640 acres), Daniel has documented over 540 species of flowering plants, including three endangered, two threatened and four rare state-listed species. One hundred seventy-nine species are new records for Putnam County, including one new record for New York State. Daniel Atha is a research associate at NYBG. He has conducted botanical field work in all 50 states of the US as well as such far-flung places as Vietnam, Bolivia, Mexico, Belize, and several states of the former Soviet Union. His work is focused on floristics, taxonomy, and applied botany. He has published a catalog of the plants of Belize, and, recently, he has discovered two new species of knotweed for North America, one of which was found in New York City. He has published two species new to science, and is currently working on a monograph of a section of Acalypha (the copper-leaf genus) of Central America. Daniel has collected plant material for Merck, Pfizer, the National Cancer Institute, L’Oreal, and many other organizations. He has taught anatomy and systematic botany courses in NYBG's School of Professional Horticulture, and he is an associate editor of the Garden's systematic botany journal, Brittonia.
Location: Bill Paterson Nature Center, Muttontown Preserve, East Norwich

December 10, 2013 * Tuesday, 7:30 PM
Members Night
Members are welcome to bring photos, stories, specimens, and tales of peculiar sightings of favorite plants. A great opportunity to show what you have found while exploring on Long Island or elsewhere. Please call Rich Kelly (516-354-6506) in advance to advise as to the approximate number of images/slides that you would like to show and preferred medium of presentation. Thanks.
Location: Bill Paterson Nature Center, Muttontown Preserve, East Norwich

Reminder: there will be no meetings in December, January or February

*Refreshments and informal talk begin at 7:30.
Formal meeting starts at 8:00 PM.
Directions to Muttontown: 516-354-6506

2018 programs
2017 programs
2016 programs
2015 programs
2014 programs
2012 programs (partial list)

LIBS Speakers' Bureau