Next Meeting

April 3, 2026 Dr. Annise Dobson, “Jumping Worms and the Challenge of Multiple Forest Stressors” Hybrid in Cambridge, MA and via Zoom.

Visit our Upcoming Meetings for up to date information. You can download a PDF version of our 2025-2026 Programs here.

Announcements

Issue #1006 of Rhodora is available. See this page for free electronic access for members through BioOne.

NEBS now has an online store! Merchandise options include shirts manufactured sustainably with organic materials. Modest proceeds support our mission.

“NEBS Mission and Vision statements and Strategic Goals for 2020-2025″

Lecture Series Videos. Video recordings of some past lectures are available on the Videos of Past Meetings page.

Upcoming Field Trips

CT2014 660x150 1

NEBS Day Field Trips and Collecting Trips in 2026

DAY FIELD TRIPS

Day field trips are informal, small-group outings to explore interesting places and to see (not collect) interesting plants, facilitated by knowledgeable and enthusiastic leaders. Bring your lunch, water, insect repellent, field guides, hand lens, and curiosity. Be prepared for the terrain and level of difficulty indicated for each trip. Please register at least 1 week in advance to get meeting time, location, and directions. Trips may be cancelled if enrollment is low or if inclement weather. Please note each trip has a capacity limit

Sunday, April 26 (9 AM – 1 PM) – Spring Ephemerals at Surry Mountain, Surry, New Hampshire

  • Leaders: Karro Frost, Massachusetts Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program Conservation Planning Biologist; Wendy Ward, retired USDA-NRCS District Conservationist; Nate Marchessault, Ecologist
  • Join for a leisurely walk along the base of Surry Mountain in search of the showy blooms of spring ephemeral wildflowers. Our exploration will take us through a diverse array of habitats—from fields and floodplain edges to upland forests, ranging from dark hemlock stands to bright, enriched forests teeming with ephemerals. The trip will be an out-and-back with a slight amount of elevation gain and up to four miles of walking, with optional off-trail excursions.
  • Terrain: Easy to moderate
  • Capacity: 12 participants
  • Register here

Saturday, May 9 (10 AM) – Maidstone Bends Preserve (The Nature Conservancy), Northumberland, New Hampshire

  • Leader: Scott Bailey, US Forest Service, Retired
  • Visit and explore the floodplain forests, oxbow wetlands, and a floodplain forest restoration project in the Maidstone Bends region at the junction of the Upper Ammonoosuc and Connecticut Rivers. A focus of the trip will be on willow identification, and the timing was chosen to coincide with the flowering or fruiting of most of the dozen species that might be seen.
  • Terrain: Easy to moderate. Participants will not travel far, approximately a quarter to half of a mile, and it will be fairly flat. However, participants should be prepared for wet and muddy conditions and should wear high boots, waders, or be prepared to get wet.
  • Capacity: 10 participants
  • Register here

NEBS COLLECTING FORAYS

NEBS is continuing the tradition of Society collecting trips! The goal is to better represent the modern distribution of plants in New England as a resource for research. We are sponsoring two collecting forays in 2026, both to the fascinating Norcross Wildlife Sanctuary in Wales, MA. These forays promise to be fun and will provide participants with the opportunity to visit new botanically interesting areas, learn new plants, and learn how to collect. We will also develop a species list for each locality as a resource for the local land managers. All specimens will be mounted, databased, and deposited in the NEBS Vascular and Cryptogams Herbaria (NEBC).

REMINDER: Each trip can accommodate a limited number of people, so please register at least 1 week in advance. This will ensure that you have a slot and will let the trip leader contact you if there are any changes due to weather or access. Trips may be cancelled if enrollment is low. The trip leaders will send meeting time, location, and directions to those who register for their trip. Please remember to bring all your collecting equipment, personal gear (lunch, water, insect repellent, field guides, hand lens), courtesy, and curiosity. Registration is Required.

Saturday, May 2 (10 AM – 3 PM) – Norcross Wildlife Sanctuary, Wales, MA

  • Leaders: Sarah Taylor, Scientific Collections Manager, University of Connecticut, G.S. Torrey Herbarium; Elizabeth Kneiper, NEBS Curator of Cryptogams.
  • This trip will focus on early spring herbaceous vascular plants, bryophytes and lichens. We’ll carpool to a variety of sites on the vast property and hike/scramble to collect. Be prepared for black flies!
  • Register here

Saturday, September 12 (10 AM – 3 PM) – Norcross Wildlife Sanctuary, Wales, MA

  • Leaders: Lisa Standley, NEBS Curator of Vascular Plants; Elizabeth Kneiper, NEBS Curator of Cryptogams.
  • This trip will focus on late-season vascular plants (primarily, but not limited to the Asteraceae and graminoids), bryophytes and lichens. Some sites may include forays off-trail in somewhat wet or steep terrain.
  • Register here