Native plants are part of Oklahoma’s heritage and many organizations, such as the Oklahoma Native Plant Society, work to preserve them for future generations.

Learning about Oklahoma’s native environment and planting natives in our gardens are two ways individuals can participate in preservation. Using native woodland gardens, wetland areas, native trees, grasses and flowers, reduce the amount of work you have to do to keep your surroundings beautiful.

Native plants are easier to grow and maintain than the imports from Europe and Asia because they adapt more easily to our weather extremes and soils. After they are established they require fewer chemicals and water.

These plants support the wildlife native to our area since they are already evolved to live in their shelter. In every area, as more development occurs, natural habitat decreases. The preservation and new planting of natives allows Oklahoma butterflies, birds and other species to survive.

The Oklahoma Native Plant Society is holding its 31st annual Wildflower Workshop on Sept. 26 and 27 at the museum of the Red River in Idabel.

The museum of the Red River has a collection of the world’s finest southeast archeological and historic materials, modern Southwest ceramics, contemporary Amazonian Kuna needlework and pre-Columbian ceramics from Mexico.

Ken and Marilyn Stewart of Wild Things Nursery in Seminole will be there Sept. 26 offering native plants for sale.

Vendors also will include the local wood turners association and a gem and mineral club. Oklahoma Native Plant Society also will have a booth. There will be plant T-shirts and books for sale.

ONPS has arranged a full day of workshops and a plant sale on Sept. 26 plus interesting field trips on Sept. 27.

Friday speakers and topics

• Dennis Wilson — “Ecologies of McCurtain County.” Wilson is an instructor at Southeastern Oklahoma State University and research specialist at Oklahoma State University Field and Research Service.

• Berlin Heck— “Oklahoma Champion Trees of McCurtain County.” Heck is an avid birder, retired director of the Little River National Wildlife Refuge. Heck was formerly with National Wildlife Refuges at Great Meadows NWR, Concord, Maine, and member of Oklahoma Ornithological Society. Heck will describe the different environments that exist in McCurtain County which are vastly different than some of the other parts of Oklahoma. The Red Slough is a wetland and birding paradise and the pine forests of southeastern Oklahoma are unique.

• Quintus Herron — “A Vision of Nature.” Dean of McCurtain County Foresters and president of Herron Industries, the largest private tree growing company in the country. Quintus and Mary Herron received the Oklahoma Governor’s Award for building the Museum of the Red River, providing a $50,000 grant to the McCurtain County Community fund and contributions to the Oklahoma Forest Heritage Center in Beaver’s Bend State Park.

• Lynn Michaels — “Those Darn Composites: How to Identify members of the sunflower family.”

• Bruce Hoagland — “Wildflowers of McCurtain County,” an overview of native plants. Hoagland is director of the Oklahoma Natural Heritage Inventory and Department of Geography, University of Oklahoma.

• Michelle Finch-Walker, dinner speaker — “Oklahoma’s Forestry History.” Finch-Walker is communications specialist, and serves as fire information officer at Rocky Mountain.