The  Native Plant Society of Texas is a very decentralized sort of organization.  There are 32  chapters and it is at this level where most of the activity takes place.

Each chapter is allowed a directory or folder off the main website where they can do whatever they want.   Each directory has a default page loaded containing some basic information and about a third of the chapters have left it at that.  The others have sets of webpages of varying complexity built and maintained by chapter webmasters.   Some of these are skillful and others are not.  Some have not been diligent in keeping information current.  One chapter has a redirect in their folder to an external website that is fairly complex.

When I was appointed NPSOT webmaster in January,  one of the things I was told I needed to do was to improve the chapter pages.   Most of the chapters want to have their own set of pages but usually don’t have a volunteer with the necessary skills to set it up and maintain it.

Since our website use the WordPress platform, I have been thinking of implementing WordPress μ or WordPress MU,  as it is sometimes called.  This is the multiple user version  that would allow each chapter to build their own pages.  I would be able to limit them to a single theme to give visual continuity. Another benefit is that it would be easy to go from there to offering individual blogs on the site, which is another stated goal of the organization.

I am wondering how complex it would be for me to maintain however.  I have been searching the web to learn a little about the experiences of others with Wordpress μ, but so far haven’t learned much.