Today we’d like to introduce you to Kelley.
Hi Kelley, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
It is hard to say where my journey as a naturalist began, probably being able to play in the woods when I was growing up. How I got to where I am today was by always being curious about the world around me and finding ways to participate. I am the nursery manager for Georgia Native Plant Society’s Stone Mountain Propagation Project. SMPP is a community supported endeavor that grows native plants for use in habitat restoration, plant conservation, and community pollinator gardens. My background prior to being a nursery manager involved working in the logistics industry, volunteering for the Univ. of Illinois Extension Service and then obtaining an associates degree in horticulture.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I always tell people interested in joining the habitat industry that the path ahead is viable, sometimes you have to bushwhack your way through. There is always the struggle of lack of validation; is what you are doing worthy, is it effective, does it have meaning? I have to keep telling myself that hope lies in every seed we try to grow. It can take several years before progress can is noticed.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Georgia Native Plant Society?
The Georgia Native Plant Society is not just your grandmother’s garden club! It is a statewide organization that champions people to be a steward of native plants and natural habitats in Georgia. Georgia is super unique as a state when it comes to native plants. Georgia a large landmass, stretching from the ocean to the mountains, with many unique habitats in between. The Piedmont region, where Atlanta is located, is home to ancient plant communities, often still existing in natural areas or your own backyard! GNPS helps to connect people from across the state on opportunities to learn more about native plants and how to get involved.
Is there a quality that you most attribute to your success?
Hope lies in a seed and propagation is always an act of faith. You have to be hopeful something good will happen but act, do to something to make it happen, while being a good steward.
Contact Info:
- Website: GNPS.org
- Email: SMPP_Admin@gnps.org
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/search/top?q=georgia%20native%20plant%20society
