Utah Native Plant Society facts for kids
| Abbreviation | UNPS |
|---|---|
| Formation | 1978 |
| Founder | W. Richard Hildreth |
| Type | Nonprofit |
| Headquarters | Salt Lake City, Utah |
| Website | https://www.unps.org/ |
The Utah Native Plant Society (UNPS) is a group that cares deeply about the plants that naturally grow in Utah. It's a non-profit organization, which means it doesn't make money for its owners. Instead, it works to help people learn about, protect, and wisely use the amazing plants found in Utah and the nearby regions.
The main goal of UNPS is to show everyone how special and varied Utah's plants are. They encourage people to use local, native plants in their gardens and for fixing land that has been damaged. They also work hard to protect plants that are in danger of disappearing and to keep natural areas healthy.
How the Utah Native Plant Society Started
The Utah Native Plant Society began in 1978. A person named W. Richard Hildreth, also known as "Dick," was the main founder. He was in charge of the State Arboretum of Utah at the time. Later, he became the first director of Red Butte Garden.
In 2005, UNPS gave Dick Hildreth a special award for all his hard work over the years. The first president of the society was a plant expert named N. Duane Atwood.
Cool Projects and What They Do
Since 1982, UNPS has published a newsletter called The Sego Lily. This newsletter is named after the sego lily flower, which is Utah's state flower! It's the main way the organization shares information.
The newsletter often talks about rare plants, especially those that might be added to the Endangered Species Act list. It also shares tips on how to grow native plants. The Sego Lily has even been used as a source of information for important government publications.
In the 1990s, a leader named Susan Meyer helped UNPS start a "heritage garden program." This program created many gardens filled with native plants, often at schools and other learning places. UNPS also gives money to other groups and people who are doing research on rare plants or working on other native plant projects. One of their first grants helped protect a rare plant called the dwarf bearclaw poppy.
UNPS used to host yearly meetings about rare plants in the 1980s. They started doing this again in 2000. Since 2001, they have worked with Red Butte Garden to host these important conferences. In 2003, the society helped update a guide about Utah's endangered, threatened, and sensitive plants. This led to a new book called the Utah Rare Plant Guide.
