The Western NC Chapter of the NC Native Plant Society will host a native plant symposium on Saturday, February 2, 2008 from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at The North Carolina Arboretum. This event is free and open to the public with no registration required. The symposium’s objective is to bring together all levels of gardeners and native plant enthusiasts to learn about the importance of preserving habitats and plants unique to the Western North Carolina region.

The symposium will feature a presentation on rare plants and plant communities of the Blue Ridge escarpment by Patrick McMillan, curator of the Campbell Museum at Clemson University and host of the award winning environmental education program, Expeditions, showing on ETV, South Carolina’s statewide network.

Amy Fahmy, horticulturist at Biltmore Farms will also present “Native Plants: Surviving and Thriving in The Ramble Biltmore Forest.” Sustainability is the guiding concept for development of this new community in South Asheville. Fahmy will describe the motivation for her approach and will discuss how native plants fit into the process, including plant rescue from construction areas, protection of native plants in the greenway and park corridors, preservation of native plants on individual lots, and the extensive introduction of native plants on the property.