Native Plant Society Monthy Meeting

Philip Patterson, our presenter on Tuesday, May 20, and walk leader on Saturday, May 31, came to the NAU Research Greenhouse Complex as Plant Production Manager in 2002, and then became Greenhouse Manager in 2012.

He has managed plant production for numerous projects including the production of restoration seedlings for the Rodeo-Chediski, Aspen, and Shultz Wildfires along with growing research seedlings for the Palo Verde Ecological Reserve and Cibola Wildlife Refuge.  During that time over 700,000 plants have been propagated, grown, and shipped from the Research Greenhouse.

Currently he is developing propagation methods for the historic George Washington Elm on North Campus, which is part of the NAU Arboretum that was established with a grant obtained in 2004. He is also the principle investigator on a grant that established a Ponderosa Pine Seed Bank. However, his main pursuit is finding time to explore the canyons (by foot and raft) of the Colorado Plateau and climb Colorado 14ers with his wife and two children.  He is a NAU alum with a BS in Forestry, 1979.