On Saturday, Nov. 7, the Humboldt Botanical Gardens Foundation will present a symposium of guest speakers at the CR Forum Theater from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The theme of the symposium is “Humboldt County Roots,” and will feature three successful speakers with ties to the local community: Chris Carley, Jim Zarucchi, and Amy Stewart.

Chris Carley is a Supervisory Horticulturist for the US National Arboretum in Washington D.C. He will be speaking about the Gotelli Conifer Collection, the oldest and largest curated conifer collection in the U.S. Chris maintains a home in Trinidad.

Jim Zarucchi is a Eureka native who has been a curator at the Missouri Botanical Garden in St. Louis for the past 25 years. He is editor and/or publisher of 18 books focusing on Flora of North America. He will be speaking about the progress of publishing a 30-volume set of books on the subject.

Amy Stewart is a local author whose newest release, “Wicked Plants: The Weed That Killed Lincoln’s Mother & Other Botanical Atrocities,” is a New York Times bestseller. She will be presenting tales of bloodcurdling botany that will entertain, alarm, and enlighten even the most intrepid gardeners and nature lovers.

Pre-registration for this event is highly recommended, as seating is limited. Lunch will be provided by Roy’s Club Italian Restaurant.

For registration or more information about this event, call 442-5139 or email: hbgf@hbgf.org.