The Horticulturist Awards Program (HAP) currently is idle, having no chair or meetings. M.A.S. members may submit HAP items through the auction for future consideration, but no one currently is managing the awards or this horticultural program.
The Horticulturist Award Program (HAP) was established to recognize achievement in growing and reproducing aquatic plants. It is hoped that it will also help to gather knowledge about plants with the ultimate goal of making the hobby more successful and interesting for everyone.
The Minnesota Aquarium Society (MAS) is a nationally recognized, award winning member of the Horticultural Award Program of the Federation of American Aquarium Societies. The Horticulturist Award Program rewards participants with points for the propagation and flowering of aquatic plants.
...New as of November 2018:
Any participant of HAP may bring one extra bag each month of a plant species that he/she has previously HAPed. (or for BAP, a bag of fry or breeding adults.) This bag will be auctioned during the BAP/HAP auction, and the seller will receive 50% of the selling price. The intent of this allowance is to provide more member access to member-propagated species, and for the horticulturist to pass on excess plants of interesting species to fellow MAS members. Such bags do not qualify for any HAP points, awards, credit toward membership, or anything beyond the 50% split. Additional bags of the same species may be donated during the month of its HAP, but a split is offered only on one bag and for a species HAP'ed in a previous month. Note: the one bag applies to either one HAP bag or one BAP bag, but not both the same month.
These points are recorded and used to determine the level of distinction that will be awarded to the HAP Participant. In addition to these cumulative awards, two annual awards are given, "Rookie Horticulturist of the Year" and "Horticulturist of the Year". HAP points also earn book points that can be redeemed for free aquatic books.
