Ixia Chapter News Briefs

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Ixia Chapter Members and Volunteers contributed 6,417 volunteer hours during 2023. The Chapter also hosted or participated in over 100 events and significantly increased its membership and social media followers. The complete 2023 Annual Report can be found at this link:  https://ixia.fnpschapters.org/data/uploads/documents/ixia-2023-annual-report.pdf

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 A Little Free Library was installed in Native Park in November 2023. The library was constructed by Boy Scout Troop #1 under the direction of Eagle Scout Noah Cummings. The library will be serviced regularly with new books by Ixia Chapter volunteers. The public is also welcome to add books.

If you would like to donate books fort he library, contact us at  ixiachapter@gmail.com

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The Ixia Chapter made a $500 grant to Jacksonville’s Museum of Science & History (MOSH) during 2023 for enhancement of the Hixon Native Plant Courtyard and Rain Garden. MOSH is on a mission to immerse the community in the fascinating world of Florida’s native plants. They are transforming the Hixon Native Plant Courtyard into a vibrant showcase of our state’s hidden botanical gems, including the elusive blood sage. Visitors will experience brand-new MOSH programs dedicated to Florida’s unique plants and home-garden use. Plant enthusiasts can also follow MOSH on Instagram, where we share “crash courses” on the botanical plants residing in the Courtyard. 

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Sally Steinauer, a founding member of the Ixia Chapter and a driving force in the Chapter's adoption as the stewards of Native Park in 2010, passed away on August 12, 2023 at age 89. Tributes poured in from current Chapter members and former members. A "In Memoriam" to Sally can be found at the following link:  https://ixia.fnpschapters.org/data/uploads/documents/sally-memorial-write-up-for-sabal-minor-with-photo.pdf

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The Ixia Chapter received a $1,000 grant from the Burroughs Family Foundation in July 2023. This generous donation will be used to fund activities of the Ixia Chapter to further the mission of the Florida Native Plant Society. Many thanks to the Burroughs Family for their support.

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Volunteers installed over 70 new native plants in Native Parks 1 & 2 during our June 3, 2023 workday. Several new species were added and plants that had been damaged by the hard freezes in December were replaced.

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The May 27, 2023 field trip to Black Creek Ravines Conservation Area was described as "spectacular" by many of the attendees. Thanks to Ixia Chapter director Adam Arendell, the participants saw and learned about dozens of Florida native plants. 

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The April 15, 2023 8th Annual Native Plant Sale was even more successful than the previous year. Interest in native plants continues to grow and with limited retail availability of native plants in northeast Flordia our plants sales are becoming very popular. The chapter raised over $4,200 which will be used to fund chapter activities.

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The Ixia Chapter made a $500 grant to the University of North Florida Institute of Environmental Research and Education to help restore native habitat of Sarracenia minor, Drosera spp. and other carnivorous species in Sawmill Slough. Students and faculty from UNF and other volunteers installed over a dozen plants in March 2023. 

Also of interest is the boardwalks have been repaired and nature trails upgraded at UNF campus so a hike to check out the restoration should be on your to do list.

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Ixia Chapter volunteers put in 3,473 hours managing and working on chapter activities during 2022. The public value of those mission related hours was over $96,000.

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The April 9, 2022 7th Annual Ixia Native Plant Sale was the most successful ever for our chapter.  We earned over $3,000 from our sale and sold all the plants that were donated for the sale.  Many thanks to all of the volunteers who donated plants and to gardeners who purchased the plants. Also, we thank Native and Uncommon Plants for participating in the sale; they sold almost all the plants they brought to the sale.

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Over 225 people participated in-person and via Zoom in the March 3, 2022 "Homegrown National Park Challenge" presented by Dr. Doug Tallamy.  For more information about Dr. Tallamy's initiative to create 20 million acres of native plantings to regenerate biodiversity and ecosystem function, go to the Homegrown National Park website at homegrownnationalpark.org/

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Ixia volunteers worked with Duval Audubon volunteers to remove dozens of invasive trees from the Crosby Sanctuary on February 19, 2022.

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Ixia Chapter volunteers contributed over 1,800 volunteer hours to the mission of the Florida Native Plant Society during 2021.

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Native Park has a beautiful new picnic table custom built for the park by Eagle Scout Brennan Doherty of Boy Scout Troop #2.  Many thanks to Brennan and Troop #2 for this valuable contribution to Native Park.  Check it out when you are in the park. 

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The Ixia Chapter conducted a native plant rescue on a parcel of property in Hilliard on June 26, 2021 that has been sold and expected to be developed.  A number of volunteers helped remove numerous native azealia, St. Johns wort and various other plants.  Some of the plants were planted at the Jacksonville Arboretum and others were taken in by the volunteers.

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Volunteers from the Ixia Chapter worked  at the Jacksonville Arboretum & Gardens on June 19, 2021 to remove invasive coral ardisia, tuberous sword fern, Chinese tallow and other plants that are a threat to our native Florida species.

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Check out the new Ixia Chapter YouTube Channel.  Videos of past meetings are posted and more content will be added.  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbe_afmUCci0He5gm7vtJVQ

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Native Park was on the Riverside-Avondale Preservation Garden Tour held on May 8, 2021.  Approximately 130 people visited Native Park during the tour. Many thanks to all who attended.  

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The Ixia Chapter 6th Annual Plant Sale in the Native Parks on April 24, 2021 netted the chapter $2,134.12, our most successful plant sale ever.  In addition to the plants sold by the chapter, Native and Uncommon Plants sold every plant they had.  

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The Ixia Chapter hosted invasive plant removal workdays in Walter Jones Historical Park during February & March, 2021 and again in February 2022. Several volunteers removed a good amount of invasive plants in two areas.  The Late Bloomers Garden Club has created a native plant area in the park.