How do you sign up for Group A? And is it possible to only go for part of the tour. Specifically, I live in Raleigh, NC and I would like to attend everything up through the Green Swamp visit.
Are the field trips and other paid special events (such as the dinner) are open to spouses or other family members even if they didn't attend conference?
We are not opening the field trips or dinners or any conference events to people who are not a part of the conference. As for family members and spouses of someone who is attending the conference, That is a question I would have to confirm before officially answering. I'll get back to you as quickly as I can on that.
Also:
We are going to be using the NECPS Conference account for payments for the field trips too.
There will still be an individual payment to the Travel Agency for the Plane Tickets.
Then, there will be one payment for the New England and North Carolina trips.
We are working on the final costing details before opening up the registration for those trips and we also would like to give people some time to think about it. Once we open the Travel Agency reservations, we will only have two weeks to pay for the tickets!
quogue, I will definitely be attending to the conference, although I will not be purchasing the payed "tickets". They are a bit too expensive if you ask me.
Last Edit: Mar 31, 2012 0:26:49 GMT by nepenthes99
" At this present moment I care more about Drosera than the origin of all the species in the world. " - Charles Darwin
Are the field trips and other paid special events (such as the dinner) are open to spouses or other family members even if they didn't attend conference?
The official answer is "yes" they are certainly welcome! (although they will have to pay separately for the items that are included in the conference fee)
Here is the final version, please disregard any other posts in this thread
Field Trip Group A.
Field Trip Group A. will start in New England on Tuesday, August 14 and take the full day to tour local Carnivorous Plants in their natural habitats. Native Carnivorous Plants include Sarracenia purpurea ssp. purpurea, Drosera rotundifolia, Drosera intermedia, and Utricularia spp.
The next day, Wednesday August 15, the group will fly down to North Carolina. The theme of this trip will be the tenuous survival of the Venus Flytrap in the wild, with observations and discussions on the differences of the various habitats and the variety of the plants within them. We will also explore the man-made threats that pressure these plants and the uncertain future that they face.
There will be Venus Flytraps in their native habitat at various different locations, including two locations managed by the Nature Conservancy that are normally closed to the public, the Green Swamp and the Boiling Springs area. These and the other locations will represent a broad overview of the Venus Flytrap’s increasingly pressured natural habitat range.
There will also be numerous and spectacular Sarracenia, Drosera, Pinguicula and Utricularia to be seen at these locations as well.
We will also have a visit to the beach for some sun & sand and a chance to view the nearby wetlands with Carnivorous Plants as well. Afterwards, a quick visit to a Civil War Fort and then continuing on to a scenic Ferry ride across Cape Fear River to pay homage and visit the Burial Grounds of Governor Arthur Dobbs, Mister Tippitiwitchet himself: www.sarracenia.com/faq/faq2880.html & . We will then be stopping at Orton Pond to view Wild Alligators up close and personal, and finally onto the Boiling Springs area to visit more Carnivorous Plant locations and then to relax in the Town.
Most of the sites are within a half-hour drive of each other, maximizing time in the field for observations, photography and just enjoying the scenery! The group will be staying at one hotel for the duration of the North Carolina trip, which will be four days and four nights. There will be rented vehicles driven by NECPS volunteers to transport the group. Precautions will be taken to alleviate the heat, insect and exhaustion risks involved. Water will be provided.
Field Trip Group A. Costs:
Hotel in New England- Not Included
Tour Bus New England Bogs- Included
Transportation to Airport- Included
Flight to North Carolina- Not Included: Book reservations using Group code with Travel Agency to be provided
Rental Vehicles in North Carolina (4 days)- Included
2-Bed, Shared Hotel Rooms (4 nights)- Included
Return trip home- Not Included
Hot Breakfast Daily- Included
Other Meals- Not Included
Drinking Water during Field Excursions- Included
Payment to NECPS: $440
Estimated cost of Flight to North Carolina: $176 for One-Way Group-Rate Flight information will be provided for Round-Trip Flight for self-booking option
Prices are subject to change at any time until the reservations are made. Then the prices will be locked. For any cost savings, participants will be refunded the difference. For any cost increases, participants will be billed the difference. At this time, we anticipate no unmanageable cost increases and expect to issue a modest refund.
The Field Trip Registration Sign-Up and the Group-Rate Reservations for the Airline will begin April 30th and will close May 14th, full payment will be required upon Registration. After the Group Package closes, information will still be provided for interested individuals of the Flight, Hotel & Car Rental Company for people to make their own arrangements to meet the Group in Wilmington. There will be NO deviations of the main Group to accommodate any late-arrivals.
This will be an enjoyable trip that will also be quite enlightening, with focus on the most famous and classic member of all the Carnivorous Plants: The Venus Flytrap!! We hope that you can join us!
Scroll down to the bottom of the page for the payment link, click on the PayPal option bar to view the three payment options available.
The flight payment is seperate and will have to be made at the end of the registration period. That information will be provided at that time.
and another quick update is that Tim Bailey, Chairman and Publications Editor of The Carnivorous Plant Society as well as the Author of the most comprehensive look at the Venus Flytrap titled... Miraculum Naturae - Venus's Flytrap, will be joining us on the North Carolina leg of the Field Trip and will contribute his knowledge and observations to the experience.
Sorry to bother you again, but I have a quick question. I understand your point, but unfortunately I would not be able to go on the entire trip. What I meant is can I meet you guys when you are at the bog? I will also make a $50 donation to the ICPS to cover the costs.
" At this present moment I care more about Drosera than the origin of all the species in the world. " - Charles Darwin
It's never a bother to answer questions on the field trips!
But the official policy is the field trips are for those who are registered for the conference. You're not too far away, this is a great opportunity to attend an ICPS conference!
The Pine Barrens trip is up in the air at the moment... there are other New England trips that are definite. I'm only handling the speakers and the NC leg though so I'm not really able to answer questions about the other trips at this time.
