Join us in Grand Junction to learn from the best!
Our hosts, the Plateau Chapter have provided a variety of activities to suit everyone from seasoned botanists to backyard gardeners. Choose from talks, plant walks, social events, and garden tours. Come to learn, come to network, come to enjoy the beautiful scenery.
Event Details
Where: University Center Ballroom, Colorado Mesa University, Grand Junction
When: May 22 – 24, 2026 | 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
Cost: $65 (CoNPS members) / $75 (non-members) — Early Bird pricing through April 15
In addition to Saturday’s conference, the weekend will include Plant Walks for conference participants on Friday, May 22 and on Sunday morning, May 24.
Friday Schedule: Plant Walks
Sign up form will be sent after registration is received.
1. Echo Canyon 8 am – 12:00 pm
Location: Colorado National Monument,
2.. Alcove Nature Trail 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm
Location: Colorado National Monument Visitor Center
3. White Rocks 5:00 pm – 7:30 pm
Location: White Rocks Trailhead
4. Lunch Loops 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm
Location: Lunch Loops Trailhead
5. Willows of the Grand Mesa 1 pm – 5:00 pm
Location: Multi-stop car hop
6. Lower Colorado National Monument 8:30 am – 12:00 pm
Location: Private property, address provided at sign up
7. Colorado National Monument Birding Trip 8:00 am – 12:00 pm
Location: Multi-stop car hop to juniper-piñyon habitats
Saturday Conference Schedule
|
Time |
Description | Speaker |
| 8:00 AM | Attendee check-in/registration; on-site CoNPS Bookstore, Photo viewing | |
| 9:00 AM | Welcome and Introductions | |
| 9:10 AM | Review by Table Sponsors | |
| 9:30 AM | Grand Junction’s Hidden Horticultural Gems | Jeff Pieper, CSU Extension Area Specialist Commercial Horticulture & Natural Resources |
| 10:25 AM | Botany on the Western Slope | Stephen Stern, Professor at Colorado Mesa University |
| 11:20 AM | Break | |
| 11:35 AM | Coloradoscape Design with Natives | Susan Carter, water conservationist and Emeritus CSU Extension Professor in Natural Resources and Horticulture |
| 12:30 PM | Lunch | |
| 1:30 PM | Feed and House the Little Creatures in a Colorado Garden | Kenton Seth, Fruita, Colorado- based garden designer, horticulturist and author |
| 2:25 PM | Fire Resilient Landscaping | John Rizza, Executive Director for Two Rivers Wildfire Coalition |
| 3:20 PM | Break | |
| 3:35 PM | Natives of the Western Slope (and using them at home) | Panayoti Kelaidis, Director of Outreach and Senior Curator at Denver Botanic Gardens |
| 4:40 PM | CoNPS Review and Closing | Maggie Gaddis, Executive Director of CoNPS |
| 5:00 PM | Social Hour with Appetizers and Cash Bar |
Saturday Evening Social Event
Meet new friends and reconnect with old ones! The Social will include appetizers and beverages in addition to a wine and beer cash bar. Held at the CMU University Center lounge and rooftop terrace. Attendance at both the Social and the Plant Walks is included in the Conference fee, but you must register for both so we can plan for the best experiences. A form will be sent for you to select Plant Walks and to attend the Social after you register for the Conference.
PARKING IS FREE FOR ALL CONFERENCE EVENTS
University Center Parking Garage (CP11).
Take the Elevator to the Level 2 to University Center Ballroom.
Parking map: https://www.coloradomesa.edu/campus-info/documents/parking-map-events.pdf
Saturday – Sunday
Campground Walk
Escalante Canyon Field Trip – Camp Saturday night –
walk begins 9:00 am Sunday
Location: Potholes Camping Area, Escalante Canyon
Sunday Schedule: Plant Walks
Location: Grand Junction, along the Colorado river
Location: Connected Lakes State Park.
3. Rare Plant Hunt (Statewide Natural Heritage Survey)
Sign up for Rare Plant Hunt is separate from Conference – CLICK HERE
Sunday: Optional Garden Tours
Register separately for the Grand Valley Garden Tour on Sunday, May 24 (10 am – 3 pm) — a rare peek inside beautiful private and public gardens showcasing Coloradoscapes in action across the Grand Valley.
Garden Tour Details
When: Sunday, May 24 | 10:00 am – 3:00 pm
Cost: $15 (CoNPS members) / $25 (non-members)
Speaker Spotlight
Panayoti Kelaidis
Natives of the Western Slope
Panayoti is Director of Outreach and Senior Curator at Denver Botanic Gardens where he has worked since 1980. He is NEARLY a charter member of CoNPS (he joined in 1977 when he was elected Secretary). He has explored for plants around the world, especially in the American West where he has collected hundreds of taxa he’s grown at DBG and in his home gardens, and shared widely. Also included: Tips on using them at home!
Kenton Seth
Easiest Ways to Feed and House the Little Creatures in a Colorado Garden
Kenton is a Fruita, Colorado- based garden designer, horticulturist and author specializing in western landscapes and realistic, sustainable practices.
Susan Carter
Coloradoscape with Natives
Susan has a degree in Ornamental Horticulture and Masters of Landscape Architecture. Susan has recently retired a second time as a water conservationist. She is an Emeritus CSU Extension Professor in Natural Resources and Horticulture. Susan is a qualified water efficient landscaper, a certified arborist and past CSU Native Plant Master leader.
Dr. Maggie Gaddis
CoNPS Around the State: Our Good Works, Opportunities, and Partnerships Explored
CoNPS Executive Director, Maggie is a restoration ecologist and botany educator engaging community scientists in revegetation research. Before assuming the ED role, Maggie was the CoNPS SE chapter chair and a faculty member of the University of Colorado – Colorado Springs.
Jeff Pieffer
Introduction to the Grand Valley
A two time alumnus of CSU, Jeff has been working for Extension and the Agriculture Experiment Station on the Western slope for nearly 15 years. In his role with Extension, Jeff is the commercial horticulture and natural resource specialist for the Tri River Area, which covers Grand Junction to Ouray.
John Rizza
Fire Resilient Landscaping
John is the Executive Director for Two Rivers Wildfire Coalition here in Mesa County, with over 20 years of forestry and wildfire mitigation experience.
Stephen Stern
Botany on the Western Slope
Stephen Stern is a Professor at Colorado Mesa University where he teaches numerous classes including introductory botany, plant systematics, plant identification, and grass taxonomy. He received his B.S from UNC-Asheville and a Ph.D. in Plant Biology from the University of Utah. In addition to botanizing on the Western Slope for the past 15 years, he is an expert on the plant genus Solanum.
Contact Information
Annual Conference
Susan Carter
slcarter219@gmail.com, (970) 361-7372
Garden Tour
Kathy Heath
plateauconps@gmail.com, (970) 216-0643
