April is Wyoming Native Plant Month

Read the Proclamation here.

Poster winners have been chosen!

In celebration of Wyoming Native Plant Month in April 2024, the Wyoming Native Plant Society received many lovely posters from 6th-8th grade students. The theme of the contest is “Help Wildlife: Grow Native Plants.” The four winners will each receive $250 and their teacher will also get $250. Winners are (posters in this order):
Claire S (Casper homeschooled student) and her teacher, Jody Scott;
Violet P of Powell Middle School and her teacher, Kix Carter;
Eva B of Torrington Middle School and her teacher, Morgan Von Lintel;
Isla B of Pinedale Middle School and her teacher, Kandase Youtz.

Honorable mentions go to;
Aiden W from Hulett High School (Tom Maupin, teacher);
Ana L from Moorcroft Secondary School (Kasey Stroud, teacher);
Bailey G from Rocky Mountain Middle School (Berta Newton, teacher);
Ismael M from Pinedale Middle School (Kandase Youtz,, teacher)
Kaya S from Clear Creek Middle School (Aaron Kessler, teacher);
Lottie S from Mountain View Elementary School (Randi Egley, teacher)
Marcus B from Douglas Middle School (Emily Jensen, teacher);
Molly D from Encampment K-12 School (Daniel Greenwood teacher).

Collages of all entries can be viewed here.

2024 Annual Meeting, June 13-16

Special opportunity to explore our flora, June 13-16!!
This year’s Annual Meeting and Wildflower Weekend will be held in conjunction with the Wyoming BioBlitz, hosted by Wind River Tribal Buffalo Initiative (WRBI) in Morton, WY. We will be assisting the WRBI in gathering ecological
data related to buffalo reintroduction on their current lands and the 17,000 acre expansion area. Learn about the WRBI here: https://windriverbuffalo.org/. WYNPS expects to contribute substantial botanical knowledge to
local researchers and students, to help answer the questions they have identified as of most significance; in addition, we have committed $1000 to help fund this event, making it possible to hold the event cost-free to Wind River Indian Reservation community members. Registration for the BioBlitz will open in April at https://rockies.audubon.org/naturalist/wyoming-bioblitz. Registration is optional but encouraged, as is payment of the registration fee for those who can afford it. Camping space will be available in Morton.
We will be joining Audubon Rockies, UW Biodiversity Institute, WY State Parks, WRBI and others to provide this opportunity to explore biodiversity and traditional ecological knowledge on the Wind River Indian Reservation.
In addition, WYNPS will be gathering Saturday evening and Sunday for our own activities. See the next newsletter and online.

Watch this space and future issues of Castilleja for updated information.