This year the Native Plant Conference offers a special tribute to Alan Weakley, who for many years has made significant contributions to the study, understanding, appreciation, and conservation of the Southeast’s distinctive native flora and its habitats.
“What do you say about the contributions of one of the most gifted botanists of our time, someone who knows and continues to refine the taxonomic tapestry of thousands of vascular (and non-vascular) plants of the Southeast, who through his work has helped protect thousands of acres of critically important lands, and who has unhesitatingly shared his deep passion and insights into our remarkable flora with so many? One thing you can call him is one in a million and a godsend to those who share his passion and even perhaps more importantly to those that don’t. It is through his work and the others he inspires that we may hope to ultimately decipher the complexities of our regional flora and conserve it for future generations. We all look forward to Alan continuing this incredibly important work for many years and to see what he does next.”—Latimore Smith of Southern Wild, formerly of The Nature Conservancy in Louisiana