New England Wild Flower Society honored Tiverton, Rhode Island resident Garry Plunkett with the Rhode Island State Award. Dedicated to preservation of native North American flora., the Society works for the health of natural areas throughout New England with a focus on conserving the native flora, including the area’s rare plant species.  This award honors an individual or organization that has done great works in the field of botany or horticulture benefiting a New England State.  Joan Pilson, Award Committee member, presented the award to Plunkett for his outstanding contributions to the preservation and management of Rhode Island Natural habitats.

Plunkett  was commended for his work over twenty years conserving 1200 acres of contiguous land in the state, and for sharing his passion for native plants through teaching, writing, leading tours, as an active volunteer with the Society's plant conservation program (PCV) and through advocacy with local governance. He is a life member of the Rhode Island Wild Plant Society, a teacher of the Framework Trees of New England course for the Society's Certificate Program, and a member of the Board of Advisors of the Tiverton Land Trust, among other roles. A graduate of the University of Tulsa, the Naval War College of Newport, RI, and Salve Regina University of Newport, RI, he received the Certificate in Native Plant Studies from New England Wild Flower Society in field botany in 2003.

Plunkett thanked the Society saying, " I appreciate receiving this award but the appreciation really goes right back to the Society for satisfying my lifelong yearning to learn about native plants and habitats.  Ever since I was a kid I enjoyed being outside, but my knowledge was superficial.  When I came to New England and discovered the Society it was a giant, YES!  It's been pleasure learning through the Society's Certificate program and especially with Education Director Greg Lowenberg.  Learning with the Society has been a real life altering experience. Thanks to Greg for being such a great mentor.  With him, nothing is impossible and all ideas are great ideas."  

Saturday January 12, 2008 at the North Kinston Free Library in Wickford, Lowenberg leads a free talk, "Why Study Native Plants" and introduces the Certificate Program in Native Plant Studies. Sign up at registrar@newenglandwild.org or phone 508-87-7-7630 x 3303.