David's friends and colleagues have established this fund to honor his memory and support young people interested in working with native plants. Donations provide travel assistance, pay registration fees and provide other educational support to students and young emerging professionals.
David always had time to talk, share information about plants, and to encourage others.
Honor and continue his legacy with your gift.
About David Chiappini
David Chiappini, together with his wife, Marilyn, founded Chiappini Farm Native Nursery in Melrose, Florida, in 1994, after many years of farming and other rural business pursuits. David quickly engaged with Florida's native plant industry. He became president of the Florida Association of Native Nurseries (FANN), serving for 13 years. He was a fun-loving, gregarious man with a seemingly endless stockpile of entertaining stories. But he was also a very serious advocate for Florida's natural environment and the use of native plants. David's energy and persistence expanded the use of native plants, particularly by Florida's Department of Transportation. He was instrumental in the publication of Florida's Best Native Landscape Plants by Gil Nelson, still a favorite industry reference. David always emphasized the importance of native plant education. He spent countless hours hosting landscape architects and university students at the farm. David propagated over 200 species of native plants. He enjoyed finding species that no one else was growing and continued introducing "new" native plants while receiving cancer treatments in the last year he was alive (2023). Chiappini Farm Native Nursery remains a favorite visit for the native plant enthusiast and important source of rare and uncommon natives for specialty nurseries.