Presentation -Florida Native Plant Society - Restoration at the Eide Center

Join us in person to learn about restoring Florida’s native plants at the Eide Center! Hidden along the shores of Little Sarasota Bay, the 72-acre Elling Eide Center preserve encompasses a unique mosaic of coastal habitats, impressive arboretum collections, and ecologically sensitive wetlands. Join us for the monthly meeting of the Florida Native Plant Society, Serenoa Chapter, where Lee Amos, Eide Center Director of Land Managment and Environmental Programs, will detail the center’s ambitious initiatives of land restoration and enhancement. Lee will walk attendees through the multi-phase strategy designed to enhance biodiversity across the property—from invasive species removal and hydrologic enhancement to prescribed fire within pine flatwoods. Presentation Highlights • Habitat Restoration on the Eide Property: Insights into the ecological assessment, invasive plant mitigation, and re-wilding strategies tailored to coastal shoreline and pine flatwood communities. • Building a Native Plant Nursery: How the center is developing a dedicated, on-site propagation facility focused on producing site-appropriate native trees, shrubs, and wildflowers for internal restoration and broader purposes. • Establishing a Regional Seed Bank: The vision, setup, and protocol for creating a seed bank aimed at preserving local ecotypes, safeguarding rare coastal flora, and ensuring genetic resilience against climate pressures. • Community & Volunteer Opportunities: Ways FNPS members and local naturalists can get involved with hands-on seed collection, nursery propagation, and citizen-science monitoring projects. Whether you are a home gardener passionate about native propagation, a seasoned restoration practitioner, or simply curious about local land stewardship, this presentation will offer practical knowledge and an inspiring look at the future of native plant conservation in our region.