How to get involved

[NC_Palms]

Hello everybody!

I have been a long term member of the IPS and Palmtalk and I really think this is an incredible organization, and I have been wondering how I can do more as a member. I live in areas where it’s difficult to get involved with local chapters, but are there other ways I could volunteer for the IPS through volunteering roles I could do from online?

Again I really love the IPS and as someone who studies biology with a focus in tropical horticulture I believe a lot of my goals align with the IPS and I genuinely believe it to be a wonderful organization that I would love to get involved with!

 

 

[kinzyjr]

A good question.  Any board members have any suggestions where the enthusiasm could be channeled?

@IPS President @IPS Newsletter Editor @Cindy Adair

[waykoolplantz]

im not a board member but see a serous lack of education.....any effort to instill palm passion in younger folks will help the IPS continue as im afraid were all getting older

[NC_Palms]

On 4/13/2025 at 12:38 PM, waykoolplantz said:

im not a board member but see a serous lack of education.....any effort to instill palm passion in younger folks will help the IPS continue as im afraid were all getting older

And this is my thoughts exactly. I am in my early twenties. While younger people are not the majority in the palm community, I think there are enough of us that want the IPS to remain and to grow. 

I would even argue for the IPS it might be good to create a role that is geared towards trying to get younger people involved. Gen Z already loves tropical plants. And they are involved with houseplant organizations, Aroid societies, etc. We know this. It is just a matter of letting them know that such organization like the IPS exists.

And to be frank, if there is an option to work with the IPS to "market" it to younger audiences who already know plants, then I would take on this responsibility for sure. 

 

[NC_Palms]

And if anyone in the board is seeing this, I would love to hear some feedback regarding this.    

[PAPalmtrees]

On 4/13/2025 at 6:38 AM, waykoolplantz said:

im not a board member but see a serous lack of education.....any effort to instill palm passion in younger folks will help the IPS continue as im afraid were all getting older

I think there will still be young people interested in palms i'm only in high school and I love palms and tropicals

[Cindy Adair]

I just saw this topic and scanned the replies.

I think these are very important and I want to write more, but as sometimes happens to all of us real life has intervened. 

Please keep the comments coming and I will reply properly in the next 1-2 weeks. 

Thanks!

[NC_Palms]

5 minutes ago, Cindy Adair said:

I just saw this topic and scanned the replies.

I think these are very important and I want to write more, but as sometimes happens to all of us real life has intervened. 

Please keep the comments coming and I will reply properly in the next 1-2 weeks. 

Thanks!

Thank you Cindy! 

[Kim]

Former board member here.

I am acquainted with a 10-year-old with an inquisitive mind and a budding fascination for palms. I bought a membership for him in the Palm Society of Southern California, and he has attended at least one garden tour -- not easy because it can require participation from busy parents and there are conflicts with soccer games. Whenever I see him we talk about palms. I gave him some of my Hawaii Island Palm Society t-shirts and he was thrilled. A neighbor gave him a Chambeyronia macrocarpa.

We must reach out to cultivate youthful curiosity.

[NC_Palms]

5 hours ago, Kim said:

Former board member here.

I am acquainted with a 10-year-old with an inquisitive mind and a budding fascination for palms. I bought a membership for him in the Palm Society of Southern California, and he has attended at least one garden tour -- not easy because it can require participation from busy parents and there are conflicts with soccer games. Whenever I see him we talk about palms. I gave him some of my Hawaii Island Palm Society t-shirts and he was thrilled. A neighbor gave him a Chambeyronia macrocarpa.

We must reach out to cultivate youthful curiosity.

I love this 

[MrTropical]

On 4/14/2025 at 7:08 PM, NC_Palms said:

And this is my thoughts exactly. I am in my early twenties. While younger people are not the majority in the palm community, I think there are enough of us that want the IPS to remain and to grow. 

I would even argue for the IPS it might be good to create a role that is geared towards trying to get younger people involved. Gen Z already loves tropical plants. And they are involved with houseplant organizations, Aroid societies, etc. We know this. It is just a matter of letting them know that such organization like the IPS exists.

Absolutely. I am also in my early twenties, and I want to do everything in my power to ensure the continuance of the IPS for the many years to come.

@IPS President, I sent you a private message.

@Cindy Adair, I also sent you a private message. 

4-16-2025

[PAPalmtrees]

21 hours ago, Kim said:

Former board member here.

I am acquainted with a 10-year-old with an inquisitive mind and a budding fascination for palms. I bought a membership for him in the Palm Society of Southern California, and he has attended at least one garden tour -- not easy because it can require participation from busy parents and there are conflicts with soccer games. Whenever I see him we talk about palms. I gave him some of my Hawaii Island Palm Society t-shirts and he was thrilled. A neighbor gave him a Chambeyronia macrocarpa.

We must reach out to cultivate youthful curiosity.

This is amazing love it!

[waykoolplantz]

i would like to see the IPS commit to a education program...as its mission solely is education and conservation. 

The IPS should assemble a sample course study which can be provided to schools with AG programs to be incorporated in their teachings. 

 

lets return to our stated mission of education as it appears we are moving toward a elite travel club

[NC_Palms]

1 hour ago, waykoolplantz said:

i would like to see the IPS commit to a education program...as its mission solely is education and conservation. 

The IPS should assemble a sample course study which can be provided to schools with AG programs to be incorporated in their teachings. 

 

lets return to our stated mission of education as it appears we are moving toward a elite travel club

Alongside this, we should do something what the Conifer Society does and create reference gardens at botanical gardens and universities.  I know the Southeastern Chapter of the IPS puts a lot of work into palms at the Coastal GA Botanical Gardens, but what if we expanded upon this, and created reference gardens where we could. The conifer society will designate preexisting collections, but I think we as a society should work on both creating and and identifying palm collections that we believe are a good reference to the palm world. This can also tie into conservation with placing an effort on endangered and threatened palm species when we create palm collections where it is permissible to do so.

And I think if our focus is universities and botanical gardens, we could easily find horticulturalist who would want to work with us who can help us create elaborate palm reference gardens. And this can be anywhere where palms grow and we could do across the U.S. 

And expanding the local chapters might be a way to encourage more local palm involvement so people can enjoy the palms near them without having to spend thousands to fly to the South Pacific to experience what the IPS can offer. 

 

https://www2.conifersociety.org/page/Referencegardens

[PAPalmtrees]

24 minutes ago, NC_Palms said:

Alongside this, we should do something what the Conifer Society does and create reference gardens at botanical gardens and universities.  I know the Southeastern Chapter of the IPS puts a lot of work into palms at the Coastal GA Botanical Gardens, but what if we expanded upon this, and created reference gardens where we could. The conifer society will designate preexisting collections, but I think we as a society should work on both creating and and identifying palm collections that we believe are a good reference to the palm world. This can also tie into conservation with placing an effort on endangered and threatened palm species when we create palm collections where it is permissible to do so.

And I think if our focus is universities and botanical gardens, we could easily find horticulturalist who would want to work with us who can help us create elaborate palm reference gardens. And this can be anywhere where palms grow and we could do across the U.S. 

And expanding the local chapters might be a way to encourage more local palm involvement so people can enjoy the palms near them without having to spend thousands to fly to the South Pacific to experience what the IPS can offer. 

 

https://www2.conifersociety.org/page/Referencegardens

That's an amazing idea

[NC_Palms]

1 minute ago, PAPalmtrees said:

That's an amazing idea

When I was in high school I convinced my school to create a garden to emphasize on native plants and it worked. But this was in Hershey, PA so no palms native there lol

 

[PAPalmtrees]

2 minutes ago, NC_Palms said:

When I was in high school I convinced my school to create a garden to emphasize on native plants and it worked. But this was in Hershey, PA so no palms native there lol

 

That's pretty cool what did you grow there

[NC_Palms]

Just now, PAPalmtrees said:

That's pretty cool what did you grow there

I was able to plant White Pine, Eastern Hemlock (the state tree), sugar maple and dogwood and we planted northern bayberry, coneflower and black eyed susans. 

I graduated HS in 2019 and I haven't been back since 2021 so I assume everything has grown in nicely.

[PAPalmtrees]

3 minutes ago, NC_Palms said:

I was able to plant White Pine, Eastern Hemlock (the state tree), sugar maple and dogwood and we planted northern bayberry, coneflower and black eyed susans. 

I graduated HS in 2019 and I haven't been back since 2021 so I assume everything has grown in nicely.

I love  Eastern Hemlocks one of my favorite trees

[Fusca]

35 minutes ago, NC_Palms said:

But this was in Hershey, PA so no palms native there lol

Isn't there a Chocolate Palm in Hershey?  😂

[Cindy Adair]

Circling back to the very important topic of “How to Get Involved” the current bylaws specify 34 Directors with concentration based on parts of the world with the greatest number of IPS members. 
 

In theory this number of diverse dedicated people meet yearly in person and also divide the organizational duties on committees. 
 

I have always wanted an official volunteer program, but have been told in the past that because there are so many Directors that there is no need. 
 

As we all know, numbers don’t translate into workers! 
 

New President Andy Hurwitz is full of ideas and although he is needed elsewhere right now he will be back on PT as soon as he can. 

I personally think the ideas here are well worth pursuing. Should any of you be able to attend the first ever December weekend Biennial in Texas I would push for you to have time to speak up. 

If not, give me a paragraph of what you personally would like to volunteer to do and I will make sure it gets sent out to all Directors before the meeting along with all committee reports. 
 

Looking at it another way, as Chair of Grants and PalmTalk I reached out to two IPS members when a past President included Directors on those committees who never even responded to my emails. 
 

FYI I began by losing in a run for Director, but agreed to be a volunteer (on the PT committee). I was later asked to head Grants (secretarial duties only for the latter) when that Chair suddenly died so I agreed.  I was also offered by that President to be appointed a Director to fill the space. 
 

I opted to wait and run officially the next round now that other Directors could see that I am willing to try to help as needed

despite no background in botany, one finger typing and no ability to make big donations. 
 

Andy and I have spoken together about asking every candidate for new or renewal of Director positions to write what they want to accomplish and (if a renewal) what they have done in their previous term even to the point of how many times they voted and attended zoom or in person meetings.

It is my expectation that the composition of the Board may change leaving more opportunities for younger people who can bring renewed energy and perspective to the IPS. 

I would certainly love a volunteer who would take on the role of developing an official IPS volunteer program.  It would be fine with me if all Directors were even required to start by being part of such a program. 

It should not be just about a title or travel opportunities, but about wanting to help the IPS fulfill its nonprofit mission of education, conservation and research. 

Please keep talking and I will keep listening.