Spotlight on Volunteers!

April 20-26, 2025 is National Volunteer Week, a time to shine a light on the people and causes that inspire us to serve. Here at the Florida Wildflower Foundation, our greatest impact happens when we support grassroots, community-led initiatives. Our dedicated volunteers are on the ground, making wildflower conservation and outreach happen every day.

Read on as we celebrate some of the folks doing this incredible work:

A person in a hat and long sleeves stands in a grassy field with wildflowers and tall plants, surrounded by trees in the background.
Suzanne Spencer conducting a roadside survey.

SUZANNE SPENCER has been a longtime champion for wildflowers in Santa Rosa County. She played a key role in passing the county’s wildflower resolution and launching its roadside wildflower program — and she’s been spreading the word ever since. These days, Suzanne continues to share her passion as an FWF ambassador, giving presentations and tabling at events throughout the region. Her dedication to advocacy and education has made a lasting impact in her community.

Why do you volunteer with us? I volunteer for the Florida Wildflower Foundation (FWF) because of the excellent job it does in promoting and educating the public on the need to protect and expand native wildflower habitats and that the educational aspect of their program is research based.

How did you first get involved? I became involved with FWF in 2016 when Santa Rosa County Extension became aware of the county roadside wildflower conservation programs sponsored by FWF. The Santa Rosa County Master Gardener Association, of which I was a member, became the lead organization to put into place the Santa Rosa County Roadside Wildflower Program upon the passage of our Wildflower Resolution in 2016. 

What’s your favorite wildflower? My favorite wildflower is that of Drosera tracyi, Tracy’s Sundew, which is found in the Florida Panhandle. It blooms in the spring in great abundance along the roadside of one of Santa Rosa County’s designated wildflower areas. 

A woman in a bee costume walks in a parade on a brick street while clapping, with a crowd of onlookers in the background.
Janice Garry representing Bee City Gainesville in a local parade.

JANICE GARRY has been a driving force behind Bee City Gainesville since before it officially began. This project truly wouldn’t exist without her hard work, passion and dedication. Janice is always ready to represent Bee City — whether it’s at local events, in front of city planning councils, or even in parades. And she doesn’t hesitate to get her hands dirty, helping install and maintain pollinator gardens all across Gainesville. Her commitment to creating a more pollinator-friendly city is unmatched.

Why do you volunteer with us? The health of our planet happens from the ground up. From the microbes in the soil; to the inter-relationship of wildflowers, plants and insects; to the tallest trees — that foundation is the basis of all the fantastic life forms on this planet. The Florida Wildflower Foundation recognizes this stratiform. Their work supports and nourishes the planet where it counts, from the ground up. I love being a part of the work!

How did you first get involved? In an unusual way! A generous financial donor in Gainesville wanted the city to become a Bee City USA affiliate. To do that, a relationship was needed between a non-profit organization and the City. I sought out FWF to be the non-profit. They, and the city, jumped on board and Bee City Gainesville came into existence in 2022. We are creating native plant sites all over the city while teaching about their importance to the health of our environment.

What’s your favorite wildflower? Oh, my goodness, what a hard question! There are so many! No single favorite. Stokes aster. Blue-eyed grass. Snow squarestem. Green eyes. Starry rosinweed. Liatris. Ironweed. What I love the most is the interplay of growth and blooming with a garden bouquet of different species. 

A man in a white t-shirt and shorts stands outdoors next to a plant with red flowers, surrounded by greenery and trees.
Jim Folsom

JIM FOLSOM has been volunteering with the FWF since 2022, helping monitor reduced mowing efforts in Franklin County. In 2024, he partnered with the Foundation to launch Botany in Context, a six-part webinar series designed as a crash course in basic botany for beginners. Drawing on his experience as a research botanist, Dr. Folsom guides participants through plant anatomy, physiology, taxonomy and the botanical language that helps decode plant keys and identification. Each session connects these concepts back to Florida’s native plant communities, making the science both accessible and deeply relevant. Jim is also expanding on the webinar content through his website, where he’s publishing even more in-depth resources. Explore these resources here!

Why do you volunteer with the Florida Wildflower Foundation? Having worked at a public botanical garden for nearly four decades, one of my goals is to popularize basic scientific information about plants — hopefully to make plant science more accessible and interesting. FWF is a great platform to reach audiences, with staff who have enabled my webinars.

How did you first get involved? About three years ago, I discovered that the Franklin County roadside monitor had moved out of the area, and a new representative was needed. That seemed to be a task I could take on, one that would help re-introduce me to the flora of the area.

What’s your favorite wildflower? There are so many. My greatest emotional investment has to be with Platanthera chapmanii, a plant I’ve spent hundreds (perhaps thousands) of hours documenting and studying since 1975. But practically any plant is a favorite when I’m right there with it.

A person wearing a wide-brimmed hat and neon safety vest examines or collects small purple flowers in a grassy outdoor area.
Scott Copeland on a roadside survey.

SCOTT COPELAND is a steadfast volunteer in Gadsden County who can always be counted on for seasonal roadside surveys. Since 2022, Scott has joined Marina [Mertz, FWF Roadside Program Coordinator] each spring and fall to document blooming wildflowers along the county’s roadsides. He keeps a particularly close eye on Dover Road — watching out for early mowing — and even helps pick up trash to keep the area looking its best.

Why do you volunteer with us? How did you first get involved? A couple decades ago, Eleanor Dietrich [FWF’s first Panhandle Alliance Liaison] first asked me to work on county roadsides, but I felt I didn’t know much. Sometime later, [Eleanor’s predecessor] Liz Sparks took over, got me involved and confirmed I would not have to deal with the county officials — just spot plants and be observant. Now I do know quite a bit about wildflowers and spend hours looking as I drive around the county to other volunteer workdays. Basically, helping with the roadside project is a way to learn more and share.

What’s your favorite wildflower? Fave wildflower? Depends on the month and where I am. Any species in the genus Liatris is probably tops. Right now, in late spring, I’m fascinated by the tiny plants with white flowers, tinier than Bluets and Partridgeberry.