Every three years, the California Native Plant Society (CNPS) organizes the largest native plant conference in California, uniting the native plant community along with the various disciplines and perspectives that shape it. The sessions encompass a wide range of subjects, while special events allow for collaboration, networking, and a celebration of California's wonderfully diverse flora. Historically, the conference has attracted over 1,000 participants, including both professional and amateur botanists, biologists, ecologists, conservationists, architects, landscaping experts, nursery managers, educators, researchers, outdoor enthusiasts, culture keepers, and many others.  This year the conference will be held at the Riverside Convention Center, from February 5-7, 2026.  For further details about the conference, visit:https://conference.cnps.org/

The Santa Clara Valley Chapter of CNPS is providing several scholarships for eligible local students to attend the conference. These scholarships will cover the registration fee and offer a travel and lodging stipend of $750. However, the scholarships do not include costs for field trips and workshops that occur outside the main conference. The scholarships are available to college students who are attending a college in our chapter area (Santa Clara County and southern San Mateo County). Preference will be given to those students who are presenting a poster or giving a talk at the conference.  The application can be found at:https://forms.gle/7ZW9RpUVuear5JFAA.  The deadline for applications is December 7, 2025, and the awardees will be notified in mid-December.