Bring Nature Home with Native Plants

Discover the beauty and importance of Floridas native plants during this special Discovering Nature Nearby program. Join us for an engaging morning of learning asmaster naturalist, Lisa Williams, and Candy Rue guide you through the role native plantsplay in supporting pollinators, wildlife, and healthy local ecosystems.Guests will explore the native plants found throughout the Jacksonville Arboretum &Botanical Gardens, gain a deeper understanding of how to identify and incorporate them into home landscapes, and learn about the benefits of choosing native species over exotic plants in Northeast Florida. This program offers a wonderful opportunity to connect with nature and learn from local native plant enthusiasts! There will be an optional walk around the Arboretum after the presentation. Speaker Bio- Lisa Williams has been a member of the Sierra Club for decades and served as a member of the SCNEF Executive Committee for 10 years. She is currently the Program Chair, and author of the monthly series, Planting with a Purpose.It was during Lisa's tenure as an environmental educator at Tree Hill Nature Center that she became hooked on native plants and their importance to functioning ecosystems.She is certified as a UF Master Naturalist and has received the State of Florida Sierra Panther Award and the NEFL Leadership and Service award. She has also received the Garden Club of Americas Weezie Smith Horticultural Award for her efforts advocating for and teaching about native plants Lisa's yard won the Florida Native plant Society's Honorable Mention Landscape Award for its beautiful use of native plants in the landscape.