Trail Stewards needed along Ontario Pathways!

 There is a dedicated crew of volunteers who maintain the Ontario Pathways trail on Wednesday mornings.  They are seeking folks to help once in awhile or every week if you're able.  They'll begin again in April and are especially in need of folks to mark buckthorn to be removed.  The buckthorn identification can happen anytime beginning today!

If you might be interested or know of folks who might be interested check out: https://ontariopathways.org/

OR contact us at canandaiguabotanical@gmail.com and  Laura will get you in touch with Tim Wilbur.

Seeking a Canandaigua Botanical Society Historian

The Canandaigua Botanical Society was organized in 1874 making it the second longest running Botanical Societies in the United States.  (Torrey Botanical Society was founded in 1867)

Many of the Canandaigua Botanical Society records are now housed at the Ontario County Historical Society museum at 55 North Main Street in Canandaigua. We also have new acquisitions of records spanning 1920s to 1980s from Helen Ellis and Dottie Maffin's slides with narrative presented at a Botanical Society meeting in the 1970s.     

Before losing her battle to cancer, Melissa Virag was following research which indicated a connection between the early Botanical members and Frederick Ferris Thompson of Sonnenberg.

We are seeking people who would be able to serve as Canandaigua Botanical Society historians with the hopes of having a historical report to share at our 150^th celebration in 2024.  Please let us know if you are interested!

Canandaigua Botanical Society begins 147th year!

 The skunk cabbage was just beginning to emerge near the boardwalk of FLCC campus' Lincoln Woods.  These three buds were the only ones seen on the windy Friday afternoon of March 5, 2021.

 Canandaigua Botanical Society may look different again this year.  We are still trying to navigate safely through the Covid Pandemic.  Your ideas are certainly welcome.  Please share them by email: canandaiguabotanical@gmail.com.  

Here are some current highlights:

Canandaigua Botanical Society supported Jim Engel and the Canandaigua Lake Watershed Council in getting another exception to the Canandaigua City Council's 5 year moratorium of herbicide use on city property.  This will allow continued Lagoon Park restorations (17 links in Index to Past Postings/left column).  Jim Engel will again cut invasive buckthorn  and "paint" the buckthorn stumps with Rodeo.  Canandaigua Botanical Society will donate $600 towards this continued restoration effort with hopes of planting more native plants to assist in a healthier ecosystem.  We are encouraging additional donations towards this current restoration project.  If you would like to donate, please email Canandiguabotanical@gmail.com and we'll provide the address of our treasurer, Bill Bross.  

A listing of public trails is being put together to encourage folks to enjoy plants found in the Finger Lakes Region.  If you have ideas of particular properties and best times to see certain species please email them to canandaiguabotanical@gmail.com   * FLCC trails south of the FLCC arboretum is a great place to spot skunk cabbage buds throughout March.  * Mertensia Park in Victor is a great place to enjoy bluebells just around Mother's Day (early May).

Ideas are forming to hold our annual meeting at an outdoor venue later in May or June. 

If you are already on our Canandaigua Botanical Society email list we will be sending more updates soon.   If you'd like to be added to the Canandaigua Botanical Society email list please send your name and email address to canandaiguabotanical@gmail.com.

More pictures from FLCC:

Good place to see skunk cabbage