Registration open for Oklahoma Invasive Plant Council Field Day

Wednesday, June 4, 2014

Native plant species are making a comeback in Stillwater this summer.

The Oklahoma Invasive Plant Council (OkIPC) is hosting a field day during its annual meeting June 17. Specialists from across the state will join experts from Oklahoma State University’s Department of Natural Resource Ecology and Management (NREM) to present projects and lead discussions.

“This year’s meeting will be very beneficial for any landowner or manager who may have some concern about an invasive species on their property,” said Karen Hickman, NREM professor and OkIPC president. “Several experts will be on hand to discuss invasive plant management and habitat restoration.”

The field day will begin at 8 a.m. at the Botanic Garden at OSU, just east of Stillwater. In addition to a day full of tours and hands on activities, participants will visit invasive removal projects in the Lake Carl Blackwell area.

Gene Miller of the National Wild Turkey Federation will speak mid-day on the development of a Cooperative Weed Management Area in western Oklahoma and Texas Panhandle, before the afternoon session visits two habitat restoration sites at the Botanic Garden at OSU.

“We have scheduled tours of some large-scale restoration sites near Stillwater. All of these projects have been challenged by the removal of an invasive species prior to restoring the native plants,” Hickman said in reference to projects near the Botanic Garden at OSU and Lake Carl Blackwell.

Those interested in registering for the event can do so by visiting the OkIPC website, http://ok-invasive-plant-council.org. A box lunch will be provided at the Education Center at the Botanic Garden at OSU.

“Come prepared to walk in the field in the Oklahoma summer,” Hickman said.