Despite yesterday's snow (and ice) storm, with temps in the 40's today, can spring be that far behind??? We're just 4 short weeks away from our annual Spring meeting! Les Mehrhoff is putting together an excellent program on Invasive Plants (preliminary title: "No New Invasives"); see below for details. If you haven't done so already, now is the time to send in your registration. The meeting will be held on Saturday, March 31 at the Muskie Archives at 70 Campus Avenue in Lewiston, Maine. This is in the building right next door to our usual spring meeting location, which traditionally has been Chase Hall. When standing on the sidewalk on Campus Ave, facing the Chase Hall entrance, the Muskie Archives is the building to the right. The meeting will be held in the large hall on the second floor of the Archives. The building will be open at 8:30am for mingling, coffee, tea, carbs, etc. The meeting will begin promptly at 9am and will be ending at 3pm. Registration fees are $12 for those that pre-register by Friday, March 23 or $15 at the door. (the registration includes lunch in the Bates College cafeteria in Chase Hall) To pre-register, please send a check payable to Rick Speer for $12. The check should be mailed to: Rick Speer, 566 N. Auburn Road, Auburn, ME 04210. This meeting is open to members and non-members alike, but please be judicious in spreading the word. If you know of interested individuals, feel free to forward this announcement. For now, the JBS Board is asking that it not be posted on any other electronic mailing lists as we are somewhat afraid that we could be overwhelmed with potential registrants that might exceed the maximum capacity (110) of the location. For directions to Bates College: http://www.bates.edu/directions.xml Preliminary agenda: 9:00 Welcome, JBS President Chrisopher Campbell 9:15 Keynote: "Why all the Fuss about Invasive Plants? - Because I Like Maine," Les Mehrhoff, Director, Invasive Plant Atlas of New England 10:30 "Barbing Sweet Bitter and Other Invasive Terrestrial Plants in Maine - Past, Present, and Future," Ann Gibbs, Maine State Horticulturist, Maine Dept of Agriculture 11:00 "Early Detection and Rapid Response: Lessons from the Jungle," Don Cameron, Botanist/Ecologist, Maine Natural Areas Program 11:30 "Invasive Aquatic Plants in Maine: Spread Prevention and Plant Suppression," John McPhedran, Biologist, Maine Dept of Environmental Protection 12:00 lunch 1:00 "Impatiens glandulifera Research and Results," Nava Tabak (former IPANE Project Staff) 1:20 TBA 1:40 "Wonder Weeders!: Tales of Volunteer Heroism in the Struggle to Document and Remove Invasive Species," Ted Elliman & Aileen Kane, IPANE and NEWFS volunteer coordinators 2:00 "Managing Small and Moderate Invasive Plant Infestations," Chris Mattrick, Forest Botanist, White Mountain National Forest 2:30 Open discussion on the future of Invasives control in Maine For more information, shoot me an email directly at: [log in to unmask] Rick Speer Corresponding Secretary, JBS