Field Botanists of Ontario’s 39th Annual General Meeting

Saturday – Sunday, September 23 and 24, 2023

London

Dear Field Botanists of Ontario:

Enclosed is the schedule of our 2023 Annual General Meeting and its associated activities and field trips. The AGM weekend activities will be held in the London area. The meeting and dinner will be held at the Stoneridge Inn and Conference Centre on Saturday September 23, beginning at 5:30 p.m. Please join us for an evening of good food, socializing, and entertainment. Enjoy a dinner prepared by Pasto’s Grill and a presentation by Daria Koscinski, Executive Director of the Thames Talbot Land Trust. Back by popular demand, we will have FBO swag available for purchase on Saturday evening and will hold a prize raffle for all in attendance. For those members unable to attend in person, we will have the awards, presentation and business portion of the meeting available online via Zoom, free of charge (see the registration link on the last page).

We have a variety of great field trips lined up for Saturday and Sunday that showcase the botanical diversity of areas including a trip to a Thames Talbot Land Trust property, a combination trip to Westminster Ponds and Meadowlily Woods ESAs, Springwater Conservation Area, and Komoka Provincial Park. Enjoy a hike or two led by knowledgeable guides that will showcase some of the interesting species at these sites – the fall colours will be wonderful no matter which trips you choose to attend. The trip descriptions are included below. Note that field trips are open to non-FBO members after priority has been given to members. For non-members, there is a surcharge of $5 per person per trip. Trips will run rain or shine.

We strongly encourage members to sign up for the meeting and trip portions of the AGM using the provided Eventbrite links. If you prefer to mail a registration form and 1 cheque, please see the instructions on the form provided. Your cheque will be cashed following the AGM. Refunds for cancellations will be issued, provided cancellations are received 7 days prior to the AGM, at the latest. No-shows will not be refunded.

In order to finalize the event catering, we require that members register by 8:00pm September 3, 2023 at the latest. 

For those staying overnight, we have reserved a block of rooms at the Stoneridge Inn, or you may wish to explore other hotel, bed & breakfast or camping options available in the London or St. Thomas area.

For the field trips, please arrive adequately supplied with food and drinks, proper footwear and clothing, and sun, bug, and rain protection. As per our policies, personal collecting of plant material (whole specimens or parts, seeds, etc.) is not permitted on trips unless stated otherwise.

Field Botanists of Ontario Annual General Meeting and Dinner

Saturday September 23, 2023 Stoneridge Inn and Conference Centre 5:30 pm – 11:00 pm

AGM Program

5:30 – 6:00      Social time: an opportunity to meet and chat with fellow FBO members and enjoy some refreshments

6:00 – 7:00      Buffet Dinner

7:00 – 7:30      Awards: presentation of the Goldie Award, FBO Student Award and Bill Crowley Memorial Award for Photography

7:30 – 8:00      Feature Speaker: Daria Koscinski (Executive Director of the Thames Talbot Land Trust)

Daria’s presentation is titled “Protected Forever: Land Conservation in a Biodiversity Hotspot” The Carolinian Life Zone is one of the most diverse in Canada, including some of the rarest species found in the region. Conservation in this fragmented landscape with colonial land structures and mostly private land ownership is challenging. Daria will highlight strategic projects and collaborative approaches that have proven successful for land conservation.

       8:00 – 8:15      Prize Raffle

8:15 – 9:15      Annual General Meeting (the location of the 2024 AGM and potential field trips for next year will be discussed - everyone is encouraged to attend, in person or online)

9:15 – 11:00    Social time

Annual General Meeting

Agenda 

1                Call to Order

2                Introduction of FBO Executive and address of the President (5 min)

3                Approval of Agenda (2 min)

4                Approval of the 2022 AGM Minutes (2 min)

5                Treasurer’s Report (5 min)

6                Auditor’s Report (5 min)

7                Membership Chairman’s Report (5 min)

8                Review of governing documents (10 min)

9                Nominating Committee Report and election of officers (5 min)

10              Suggestions for future trips and location of 2024 AGM (15 min)

11              General discussion and other business (5 min)

12              Adjournment