California Native Plant Society Announces Leadership Changes

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Liv O’Keeffe
lokeeffe@cnps.org
916-447-2677, ext. 202

Nov. 19, 2020, Sacramento — Today, the California Native Plant Society (CNPS) announced Vince Scheidt as its interim executive director.

Scheidt, a biological consultant and CNPS board member, will temporarily assume the role of former executive director Dan Gluesenkamp who is no longer with the organization. Under Scheidt’s leadership, CNPS program directors will continue to operate CNPS programs and partnerships without interruption as the non-profit prepares its search for a new executive director.

“We’re feeling a lot of positive anticipation and pride as we enter this next chapter for our Society,” Scheidt said of the changes. “This is an important opportunity to both recommit to what we do best and stretch into a bright future.”

CNPS, whose mission is dedicated to the protection of California native plants and habitats, runs a wide range of projects, including the Important Plant Area initiative, rare plant rescue and ranking, fine-scale vegetation mapping, post-wildfire monitoring, legislative advocacy, and a “Habitat Revolution” campaign for gardening. With its conservation science focus, the organization is also responsible for widely-used resources like the California Inventory of Rare Plants, Calscape.org, and the Online Manual of California Vegetation. 

Scheidt has been a member of CNPS since 1980, during which time he helped list endangered species, conduct rare plant studies, conserve wildlands, and support the robust native plant sales of his local CNPS San Diego Chapter.

About the California Native Plant Society:

The California Native Plant Society is a statewide organization working to save and celebrate California’s native plants and places via plant science, advocacy, education, and horticulture. CNPS has nearly 10,000 members in 35 chapters throughout California and Baja to promote its mission at the local level. www.cnps.org