General Board Meeting of the Colorado Native Plant Society
Sunday, April 23, 4:00-5:00pm
DRAFT Minutes
Present: Alex Crochet (at large), Alex Smith (at large), Amy Yarger, Ann Grant (OC/ Northern Chapter),
Barb Valenti (SE Chapter), Deryn Davidson (at large/ OC), Gwen Kittel (at large), Maggie Gaddis, Kathy
Okon, Pat Butler (Boulder Chapter)

1. Welcome – Ann Grant opened the meeting at 4:05 pm.

2. Roll call – 8 voting members present, quorum

3. USFS Seed Collection Overview – Maggie, 10 min

a. Maggie put this presentation together to educate about the role of CoNPS, will beshared with USFS botanists soon
b. Reference documents: National Seed Strategy for Rehabilitation and Restoration 2015-2020. https://www.blm.gov/sites/default/files/docs/2020-12/NationalSeedStrategy_2015-2020.pdf
BLM webpage with The National Seed Strategy.
c. CoNPS plan aligned with national seed strategy for rehabilitation and restoration

i. Goal 1 – CoNPS is working with CNHP to build database to help land managers select seeds
ii. Goal 2 – A future goal might be to assist with research on native plant seeds
iii. Goal 3 – Developing tools (see Goal 1)
iv. Goal 4 – CoNPS is developing strategies for internal and external communication – this is where we can really shine

d. Pat B. recommended that a brief summary be written about this project for Aquilegia; this will also be presented during the annual meeting
e. Chapters may have the opportunity to participate in the overall plan; much of this will be done via the Restoration Committee

4. Strategic Plan Check-In Goal #1 – “Support the growth of new scientific knowledge”

a. Process of updating strategic plan started in 2018
b. Question: Should we add Alice Eastwood scholarship under “Support grants”?
i. This might fit into the educational goal instead
c. Publicize results of research sponsored by CoNPS – partially implemented (via website and Aquilegia),

i. Review grant requirements; perhaps create “speakers bureau” of grant recipient – invite to chapter meetings, speaker series and/or annual meeting (perhaps as a panel)?

1. See previous recipients: https://conps.org/home-2/conps-grants/

d. Conduct botanical surveys and other field research – continuing, Adopt a plant reboot; Field Studies committee,
e. Choose one new scientific area to investigate and support – continuing, USFS seed collection and phenology community science
f. For next time, Ann will put working doc on the Google Drive
g. Next mtg, we’ll cover Goal #2

5. Approval of February meeting minutes
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1YI4_U8Z0RfFGq5lwIhRNhsJMYyFsjtco/edit?usp=share_link&ouid=100976063399971844406&rtpof=true&sd=true

a. Pat moved, Ann seconded to approve February board minutes. All voted in favor.
Motion passed

6. Video Release Form – Video Release Form for recorded meetings or programs

a. Maggie will share with her father-in-law, a lawyer, for feedback
b. Gwen moved to discuss and vote on this video release form electronically. Alex seconded. All in favor. Motion passed. We will review document ahead of time.
c. To set up a subcommittee for close review: Pat, Gwen, Alex Smith
d. More for general participants in field trips or for speakers – consideration for different release forms for different kinds of events; we do have a separate waiver for field trips (include photos). The form should have a clear introduction for the release’s purpose.

i. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1DFL6QTfGe9dIiI1KAPqdM_SCphz6o7Hs/view?usp=sharing
ii. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fxI-w2NiEHUqcuDqvxpj_GCz6lGF0UI4/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=116275068532629037166&rtpof=true&sd=true

7. Ann closed the general session at 6:12 pm.

For next meeting June 25

8. Nomination for board officers: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1m2UlwFpRWaUDK7wC7kAjlps2PflWctD6lPO_7fJ-cWQ/edit?usp=sharing

9. Profit and Loss – Budget

10. Chapter and Committee Updates

a. Northern Chapter–convening a Field Trip Committee; June visit to Houston Gardens a joint meeting with Weld & Larimer County
b. Plateau chapter – field trips and other event planned: overnight Potholes- Escalante, Ethnobotany garden tour and Montrose Botanic Gardens, Buckhorn Lakes park, 7 programs with Weehawken Creative Arts Program, native garden walk – Grand Junction
c. Boulder chapter – field trip planning
d. Metro Denver – speaker series and field trip development, Rahman Minhas, Elizabeth Wu. Set the standard for the speaker honorarium, leadership team volunteer hours tracking
e. SLV – Annual conference planning, chapter field trips will be practice runs for conference field trips
f. SW – Durangoscape
g. SE – meetings are planned through May, 10 field trips planned