Join us in February 2026 as we explore our collective potential to safeguard the native plants we love and need. Lift your voice, share your knowledge, and get inspired at the next California Native Plant Society Conference!
When you save native plants, you save everything else. It takes a diverse community and many disciplines to do so.
The 2026 CNPS Conference is a gathering of the diverse people and perspectives powering California’s vibrant native plant movement. We welcome new and seasoned members of the community to join us as we come together to learn and share in celebration of California’s plants and our connections to them.
Conference Highlights
Held once every three years
Over 1,000 attendees
Inspiring keynote speakers
Workshops and field trips
Over 200 presenters across four program tracks: conservation, plant science, horticulture and education
Art, music, and photography celebrating California’s native plants and landscapes
Special sessions for students and emerging professionals
VOlunteer opportunities
Volunteer at the CNPS 2026 Conference – sign up today! Your support makes this conference possible.
Conference presenters represent a wide range of backgrounds and areas of expertise, from Indigenous and Western sciences to horticulture, education, and advocacy. Together, we’ll explore how our collective work today can lead to a better tomorrow for California’s native plants, through programming in four specific areas:
PLANT SCIENCE
Plant science provides a crucial framework for how we study and understand native plant communities and their habitats. This area offers ways to discover and share ideas, research, methods, and tools at the forefront of this dynamic field.
CONSERVATION
Conservation invites planners, data scientists, land stewards, community advocates, and more to share knowledge and ideas on the best ways to protect and steward natural landscapes and ensure their resilience to climate change.
HORTICULTURE & LAND MANAGEMENT
This track explores how we can deliver biodiverse gardens, resilient lands and thriving ecosystems by tending native plants. Sessions are designed for gardeners, horticulturists, restoration professionals, growers, landscapers, government agencies, and advocates.
EDUCATION
An ideal track for educators, program leaders, naturalists, interpreters, advocates, community scientists, and others working to connect people with the natural world and an ethic of conservation.
Art by Lola Camacho
Become a Conference sponsor or exhibitor!
Support the native plant movement and bridge your brand with passionate audiences at the same time! Contact us to learn more about sponsorship.
The mission of the California Native Plant Society is to protect California’s native plants and their natural habitats, today and into the future, through science, education, stewardship, gardening, and advocacy.
