Plants Out of Place: Communicating Effectively About Invasive Species
What do we really mean when we call a plant “invasive”? Join us online with Dr. Mason Heberling for a timely and thought-provoking webinar that explores how human choices, language, and ideas of stewardship have shaped the past—and future—of invasive plants in our ecosystems.
Thanks to support from the Richard King Mellon Foundation, Dr. Heberling initiated a new project at Carnegie Museum of Natural History focused on increasing public awareness of invasive plants. During this webinar, Dr. Heberling will share outcomes and some lessons learned in connection to the changing scientific perspectives on the categorization and perceived threats of invasive plants and highlight the need for updated, inclusive communication strategies.
As an added feature, this program will highlight these strategies, experiments, and collaborations that led to a new museum exhibition, Uprooted: Plants Out of Place. This exhibition integrates historical-scientific narratives through archival objects and museum specimens. It also recontextualizes the museum’s Hall of Botany of plant-centric dioramas dating from the 1920s that portray idealized plant communities—including the role of human responsibility and agency, invasive plants as passengers, the role of language in shaping attitudes, and other cultural points of view.
This program is part of our ongoing gardening series offering a varied focus on native plants throughout the seasons for gardeners of all levels and learning styles. The 2026 “Misunderstood Natives” theme aims to explore diverse perceptions of native plants, inviting audiences to see them through a new lens—one that offers fresh insights and practical tools for understanding the value native species bring to people, wildlife, and the places we live.
About the presenter
Mason Heberling is the associate curator in the Section of Botany at Carnegie Museum of Natural History (CMNH). Heberling received his Ph.D. from Syracuse University in Biology in 2015, and a B.S. from Penn State in Biology (Ecology) in 2010. He conducted postdoctoral research at the University of Tennessee Knoxville in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and in the Section of Botany at Carnegie Museum of Natural History. In addition to his primary role as curator at CMNH, Heberling is also an adjunct associate professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at University of Pittsburgh and an adjunct scientist at Carnegie Mellon University’s Hunt Institute for Botanical Documentation.
Learn more about Dr. Heberling here.
This event is open to the public and may be recorded. It is a "pay what you wish" program with proceeds covering presenter fees and supporting Brandywine Conservancy’s education and engagement. Registration is required to receive the Zoom link. Thank you for considering a donation.
Due to technical difficulties beyond our control, you may not immediately receive a confirmation email after registering, but you will receive the Zoom login information in the reminder email that will be sent the morning of the program. If you wish to double check your registration, please email Julia Steiner at [email protected]. Approximately two weeks after the program, all registrants will receive a link to the recording to watch at their leisure.