| Chapter
Meetings
Chapter meetings are open
to the public; there is no charge. Come early and browse our books.
Stay after the program for conversation and refreshments. We meet in
the heart of San Diego, in Balboa Park, in Casa del Prado, room 101
or 104. Casa del Prado can be reached by car from Village Place off
of Park Boulevard (served by the #7 bus), and is across from the west
entrance of the Natural History Museum. The meeting room is handicapped
accessible. (Balboa Park
map and driving directions) 7:00 pm -7:30 pm is a time for discussion, camaraderie, visiting, and enjoying the sales table. The meeting starts at 7:30pm Room 101 or 104, Casa del Prado, Balboa Park
New Feature at Chapter Meetings: 7 - 7:30 pm Mystery plants identified ! Bring your unknown plant and we will help you learn to identify it!
February 21, 2012
Speaker - Dr. G. Timothy Gross This presentation will examine what archaeologists have found in the archaeological record in the San Diego region that informs us about the use of native plants. Stone and ceramic artifacts give clues to plant use, and the remains of plants help to fill in the story. Charred seeds, charcoal, pollen and phytoliths give information on plants used by prehistoric Native Americans, as well as those used in the historic period. Although food is the most often considered aspect of ethbnobotany, other aspects of plant use such as their use as building material, firewood, and mastics will also be discussed. The San Diego area will be compared to other areas like the Southwest and Great Basin where much more detail is preserved in the archaeological record about the interaction of plants and humans. Dr. Gross earned his bachelor's in Anthropology from San Diego State University. His masters and doctorate are from Washington State University. He has been involved in the archaeology of the Western US for over 40 years. He teaches at the University of San Diego and consults for Ecology and Environment, Inc.
January 17, 2012
The presentation will focus on two main topics. The first is SDCL’s proposal to dedicate approximately 10,000 acres of city-owned land for permanent open space and parkland. His second topic will be about aspects of their Canyon Enhancement Planning (CEP) Committee, created in 2009, as a guide for community stakeholders that facilitates a systems approach for integrating our natural open spaces with the fabric of the urban environment. These aspects include visual and physical canyon access, restoration, preservation, environment-based education and ecologically sensitive recreation. The pilot for the program is Manzanita Canyon in City Heights and the on-the-ground benefits are already materializing.
November 15, 2011
This talk will present recent studies summarizing aspects of taxonomy and phylogenetic relationships of the genus Cryptantha and close relatives. The methodology, evidence, and rationale for splitting the genus into five separate genera, all named by previous workers decades ago, will be explained. Current studies and some preliminary results with regard to species and infraspecies definition, including some recent discoveries will be presented.
Michael Simpson, Professor of Biology, San Diego State University. PhD, Duke University. Expertise: plant systematics, including phylogenetic relationships of flowering plants, taxonomy related to species and infraspecies delimitation, and floristic studies.
October 18, 2011
The San Diego Botanic Garden, previously known as Quail Botanical Garden, covers 37 acres in Encinitas. It first opened to the public in 1971. It features a diverse variety of plants and displays that include native and exotic environments. Four miles of trails lead visitors to explore and observe examples of plant species from around the world. Many improvements have been made to increase the visitor’s experience. These include a native plant demonstration gardens entitled “California Garden Scapes”, and two children’s gardens, “Seeds of Wonder” and the “Hamilton Children’s Garden”. Continued attendance and visitation by the public is most important to the Garden’s mission: To Inspire People of All Ages to Connect with Plants and Nature. Julian Duval has been the director (President / CEO) of the San Diego Botanic Garden since 1995. He will provide a visual tour of the Garden and highlight how it has grown and improved over time. September 20, 2011
Koeleria In a state with towering redwoods, majestic oaks, vernal pools and other more "charismatic" plant communities, grasslands are often overlooked while right at our feet. In this information packed presentation you will learn that grasslands are very productive and diverse biologically, and provide numerous ecosystem services that benefit humans and natural systems alike. Yet today, less than 2% of our native grassland heritage remains. The focus of the presentation is on five components of what make California grasslands special and unique: California grassland tremendous plant and animal diversity, what are grasses?, the ecosystem values and services of grasslands, restoration and landscaping with native grasses, and the important work of the California Native Grasslands Association. Emphasis will be on southern California grasslands and their diversity. Zachary Principe is a biologist with The Nature Conservancy with 16 years of experience working with grasslands at Santa Rosa Plateau, Ramona Grasslands and in Kern County. As a result of his interest in grassland ecology and conservation, he has been on the California Native Grassland Association board since 2008.
July 19, 2011 Protecting and Restoring Sensitive Vegetation Communities on the San Dieguito Watershed, by Leslie Woollenweber The San Dieguito Watershed is the fourth largest in San Diego County, stretching from the Volcan Mountain Ridge north of Julian to the ocean between Del Mar and Solana Beach. Largely undeveloped and comprising large areas of protected open space, the watershed provides wonderful examples of mixed conifer forest, oak woodland, chaparral, coastal sage scrub, freshwater wetlands and intertidal marsh. From Englemann oaks to short-leaved dudleya, many special status, rare and endemic plants can be found here. Non-native plant and animal species, human encroachment and catastrophic wildfire also threaten the watershed’s most fragile vegetation communities. Stakeholders across the region are cooperating in large-scale efforts to battle invasives, restore wildlife habitat and preserve rare plant populations. The presentation will describe the beautiful natural landscapes from the headwaters of the San Dieguito River to the beach, great places to experience scenic vistas and wildflowers, and the multi-million dollar effort to protect the special nature of the San Dieguito River Valley. Leslie Woollenweber is Director of Conservation Programs with the San Dieguito River Valley Conservancy and has worked for the Conservancy for 5 years. She chairs the San Dieguito Invasives Management Group, oversees the Conservancy’s large-scale invasives removal projects and supervises its youth-oriented volunteer program with a focus on habitat restoration.
June 21, 2011
7:00 - 8:00pm CNPS San Diego Chapter June general membership meeting will be held at the Old Town State Historic Park Native Plant Garden, instead of being held in the usual Casa del Prado.
May 17, 2011 Bart O'Brien returns again to the delight of San Diego CNPS members. He will present an overview of the newly published book "Reimagining The California Lawn" of which Bart is co-author. Books will be available for sale and signing by the author after his presentation.
April 19, 2011 - Three Restoration Success Stories This program will look at three separate habitat restoration projects, each with its own story. Somewhat different approaches were used in the restoration process because of issues with land ownership, physical characteristics of the sites, and general preferences by those managing the restoration. Each project moved from invasive eradication, to planting, to post planting care and finally long term maintenance and weed control. Almost all of the work was done by volunteers. Of the three projects, Famosa Slough has the longest history going from a badly degraded wetland about to be developed in the 1970’s, to a thriving habitat for native vegetation, birds, and other wildlife. The 37-acre Slough straddles West Point Loma Boulevard just east of Nimitz and is managed by the San Diego Park Department with help from Friends of Famosa Slough. David Kimball oversees the restoration of Sunset Cliffs Natural Park in Point Loma as Chair of the Revegetation Committee for the Sunset Cliffs Recreation Council. This 68-acre park overlooks the Pacific Ocean along the western edge of Point Loma. What was once a weedy field dominated by crown daisies is now filled with native plants and birds. Much more work remains, but the side by side comparison of restored and un-restored land is striking. Mel Hinton’s involvement with native plants began by creating a mini wildlife habitat in his backyard. He now supervises the restoration of former agricultural land at a 11½-acre nature preserve near Vista owned by the San Diego Audubon Society (SDAS). The property has a 1½-acre pond, coastal sage scrub and oak/willow riparian woodland habitat. Kay Stewart developed the original restoration plan which was initially implemented by Claude Edwards. Many kinds of wildlife have been sighted at the Anstine-Audubon Nature Preserve, including 100 different bird species. Co-presenters Mel Hinton, David Kimball and Jim Peugh are all members of CNPS and Friends of Famosa Slough. They also are active members of the San Diego Audubon Society (SDAS) and have worked on numerous habitat restoration projects managed by the local Audubon chapter. All have been on the Board of Directors of SDAS for a number of years.
North San Diego County Satellite Meeting
March 30, 2011 - Butterfly Gardening as Back-Yard Conservation and the Migration of Monarch Butterflies in San Diego County Speaker - Seiko Sudo Learn about the butterfly life cycle, interesting butterfly behaviors, and how to attract these loveliest of pollinators to your garden by using native plants. Also, learn how you can contribute to the conservation effort of saving monarch butterflies in your own garden. Seiko Sudo graduated from Humboldt State University with Bachelor’s degree in Wildlife in 2005. For the past six years, she has worked as an Interpretive Specialist for the Monarch Program, a research and education program using the monarch butterfly as an educational model to learn more about our local environment. The Monarch Program educates teachers, visitors, and children about butterfly gardening in San Diego County.
March 15, 2011 - San Diego County Plant Atlas Project: Seven Years and 50,000 specimens later,
February 15, 2011 - What The Heck Is A List 1.B Species? An overview of rare plants in San Diego Speaker - Frank Landis San Diego County has 2,143 plant species, more than any other county in the contiguous United States. Among this botanical plethora are (sadly) about 260 rare plant species. But not all rare plants are the same. Some are rarer than others (the list 1.B species of the title), and some are, well, weirder than others. This talk will cover the four different lists that CNPS groups rare plants into, and will discuss some of the different factors that make plants rare, with illustrations from San Diego's plants.
January 18, 2011 - The El Monte Valley Project
North San Diego County Satellite Meeting
January 12, 2011 - Public Participation and the Environmental Process Speaker - Megan Wnright The purpose of the California Environmental Quality Act includes disclosing to the public the significant environmental effects of a proposed discretionary project and enhancing public participation in the environmental review process. As a member of CNPS and a citizen of the state of California, you have the right have your voice heard. Join us and learn how to effectively communicate your concerns about preventing or minimizing damage to botanical resources. Megan Enright is a senior project manager at Dudek, a local environmental consulting firm, and has 13 years’ experience in environmental planning, specializing in biological resource analyses for environmental documents, regulatory compliance, and botanical surveying. Ms. Enright serves as the botanical services manager for Dudek and is trained and skilled in botanical surveying. Directions to Agua Hedionda Lagoon Discovery Center, 1580 Cannon Rd, Carlsbad: Exit I-5 east @ Cannon Road, turn left at Faraday Ave. signal into driveway.
December 21, 2010 - Gala Holiday Party Extravaganza No need to RSVP. Just come and bring your choicest delicacies (or most down-home goodies) to share with us.
November 16, 2010 - Where the Native Plants are in Balboa Park
North San Diego County Satellite Meeting
November 10, 2010 - Habitats and Flora of Carlsbad's Lake Calavera and Calavera Heights Preserves Speaker - James Dillane Five years ago CNPS was asked by Preserve Calavera to lead a native plant hike in these preserves. James volunteered for what became an annual event and was so taken by the area's unique geography that he embarked on a study of the plants and habitats of the two preserves, particularly the rare and unusual species. Mt. Calavera is an ancient volcanic neck and the plants in the area range from salt marsh species to rare and unusual clay and maritime chaparral endemics. Directions to Agua Hedionda Lagoon Discovery Center, 1580 Cannon Rd, Carlsbad: Exit I-5 east @ Cannon Road, turn left at Faraday Ave. signal into driveway.
October 19, 2010 - The Goldspotted Oak Borer - A New Non-Native Pest in California Biography
September 21, 2010 - Cedros and Guadalupe Islands: Pacific Coast Islands with diverse and unique species and habitats. Speaker - Thomas A. Oberbauer Isla Cedros is the largest of the California and Baja California Islands. While it lies within an arid climatic region where the lowland seasonal rainfall is only 85mm., it contains stunningly sharp environmental gradients on the upper elevations which range up to 1,194m. This has resulted in presence of a diversity of vegetation community associations. These range from sarcocaulescent desert, made up of succulent-stem trees and shrubs, to coastal sage scrub, chaparral and maritime pine forest typical of southern and central Alta California. Because of the fog enhanced climatic conditions, the gradient between the pine forest and desert is particularly steep. The Island supports approximately 230 native taxa with those representing a flora from the north including Alta California, a number representing a flora from the south and roughly a dozen may be endemic. Isla Guadalupe was discovered in 1602. Seal hunters and mariners released goats onto the island in the early 1800’s. They ravaged the vegetation for nearly 200 years growing in population to nearly 50,000 animals. Their impacts resulted in the extinction, extirpation and near extinction of species of plants and several endemic varieties of birds. It appeared that all hope was lost until a cooperative effort between several agencies in the Mexican Government and conservation groups worked over a period of 6 years to remove the goats entirely from the island. Since the removal of the goats and prior to it as the numbers were greatly reduced, the vegetation has begun to show signs of natural recovery. Shrubs that were confined to a few individuals on cliff sides are now appearing in widespread clusters over the upper reaches of the island. Endemic pines and cypress that appeared doomed to extinction are reproducing with thousands of seedlings. Barren slopes are now becoming covered with bushes and a mixture of annual grasses with Mediterranean origins but also native annual herbs. Shrubs that had not been seen in more than 100 years have appeared in open lands indicating that even after 100 years, a seed reserve still resides in the eroded remnants of the soil. While much of the vegetation has not yet assembled itself into real community associations, its reestablishment appears promising. With the growth of vegetation, there are new challenges including the issue of fire, but with appropriate management, the vegetation appears to be growing back at a rate that is greater than what would be expected. Thomas A. Oberbauer – Tom is a third generation San Diegan and was educated in local schools with a Master’s Degree from San Diego State University. He has been a member of the San Diego Chapter of the California Native Plant Society for 35 years and past chapter president and director at large. He has also worked for the County of San Diego for nearly 35 years and is currently Chief of the Multiple Species Conservation Planning Division where he supervises the preparation and implementation of the regional preserve system in this County. Since 1998, approaching 40,000 acres of land have been preserved under this program.
July 20, 2010 - Watershed Avengers: engaging urban and diverse communities in habitat restoration through youth leadership Speaker - Dylan Edwards
Watershed Avengers is a program of Ocean Discovery Institute and is lead by a team of eight students from Hoover High School. These students engage, educate and inspire the community of City Heights to steward and restore their local canyons, watersheds, and habitats. Over the last two years, this program has connected over 2,000 volunteers in the restoration of Swan Canyon. The community has transformed what was once a canyon degraded by invasive plants, trash, and illegal activity, to a community resource where people can reconnect with nature and learn about native plants and animals. Come learn about our recent success, our exciting next steps in the project, and how you can get involved.
North San Diego County Satellite Meeting
June 30, 2010 - The Live-Forevers Speaker - Fred Roberts The live-forevers, members of the genus Dudleya, are a popular and easily recognized group of succulent plants. Of the about 45 species, most live in southern California and northern Baja California, Mexico. Among the live-forevers are many narrow endemics and rare species. Some are obscure, others dramatic. Join Fred Roberts, the San Diego Chapter Rare Plant Botanist, as he talks about this interesting group of plants, where we can expect to see them, and introduces us to their diversity in San Diego County and adjacent areas. Fred is better known for his work on Orange County plants and oaks but he has has a passion for the genus Dudleya since he was an undergraduate at UCSB. Directions to Agua Hedionda Lagoon Discovery Center, 1580 Cannon Rd, Carlsbad: Exit I-5 east @ Cannon Road, turn left at Faraday Ave. signal into driveway.
June 15, 2010 - Making the Most of the New Edition of the Manual of California Vegetation Speaker - Dr. Todd Keeler-Wolf
May 18, 2010 - The Goodan Ranch/Sycamore Canyon Open Space Preserve By Carol Crafts President of the Friends of Goodan Ranch
Managed by a Joint Powers Authority consisting of the California Department of Fish and Game, County of San Diego, and the cities of Poway and Santee, the Goodan Ranch - Sycamore Canyon Open Space Preserve encompasses varied and rugged terrain that supports some of southern California’s prominent and familiar plant communities. When you head south along Sycamore Canyon Road from Poway you will leave the busy world of our every day lives and find an oasis of history and peacefulness. The preserve offers opportunities to use your zoom lens as there are many birds and “belly flowers” to find and enjoy. Visitors may explore on foot, by mountain bike, or on horseback along a network of varied trails. Some trails are quite challenging but most are family friendly. You may encounter volunteers and Rangers maintaining trails, removing weeds or leading public hikes. Off trail, San Diego thorn-mint and other sensitive plants survive in hidden pockets. In the center of the valley are the remnants of the Goodan family’s stone house (1937 to 2003) which was destroyed during the Cedar Fire. Alongside it is the new visitor’s center where visitors can learn about homesteaders associated with an old school and post office referred as to ‘Stowe’ (1890 to 1905), and plans for the Trans County Trail. Bring a picnic to enjoy under the oaks and we may see one another there! Carol Crafts is President of the Friends of Goodan Ranch, where she coordinates support for the Rangers and their public outreach activities. She is also a volunteer with two historical societies, the San Diego Tracking Team and Project Wildlife, as well as at the Blue Sky Ecological Reserve. She lives in Poway.
April 20, 2010 - Filming the Wilds of San Diego By Jim Karnik Photographer/filmmaker Jim Karnik, will give a presentation on filming San Diego’s incredible natural diversity for a new high definition habitat series.
The Wilds of San Diego is a proposal to produce, display and distribute a multi media project using digital photography and high definition video to increase public awareness and appreciation for the unique beauty of wild habitats and species in San Diego County. The series will focus on connections between wildlife, habitats and humans. The ultimate goal of this project is to reach as large an audience as possible using multiple media outlets including internet, broadcast, DVD and public presentation. The key to reaching a broader spectrum of the San Diego residents will be the use of traveling theater exhibits. These mobile theaters will be installed in public spaces such as visitor centers, libraries, public buildings and shopping malls. Jim has been filming nature in San Diego for over 20 years. He has filmed most of the habitats and species in the county and is now excited to recapture the beauty and natural diversity of San Diego using the latest DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras which allow for both high definition video and high resolution still photography. Accompanied by sample video clips from the new series, Jim will give an overview of San Diego’s major natural habitats and unique qualities. Since 1987 photographer/filmmaker, Jim Karnik has focused his efforts on helping conservation organizations increase public awareness of human and natural history through film, video and photography. Through close collaboration with clients, he strives to create video programs that inform, motivate and inspire.
March 16, 2010 - A Conservation Puzzle: Members invited to hunt for San Diego thornmint By Jonathan Snapp-Cook and Jessie Vinje
Biographies
February 16, 2010 - Edible, Medicinal, Material, Ceremonial: Contemporary Ethnobotany of Southern California Indians
Biography
Deborah Small is an artist, photographer and professor of Visual and Performing Arts at California State University San Marcos and is the co-founder of the Indian Rock Native Garden Collaboration. She currently is working on a photographic book about southern California Indian basket weavers. For more see www.deborahsmall.wordpress.com January 19, 2010 - Connecting Native Plants, People and Politics
Biography Anne Fege Ph.D., M.B.A, is co-founder of the San Diego Children and Nature Collaborative. Dr. Fege's thirty years of accomplishments in natural resources management encompass biodiversity and habitat conservation, wildfire ecology and education, urban forestry, wilderness management, wood energy research, community involvement, and nature education. Fege is an adjunct professor in the Department of Biology at San Diego State University, Botany Research Associate at the San Diego Natural History Museum, a lifetime Girl Scout and volunteer, and retired Forest Supervisor of the Cleveland National Forest. November 17, 2009 -Update on San Diego’s Multiple Species Conservation Program
Biography
October 20, 2009 - San Diego Canyonlands
Eric will talk about San Diego Canyonlands’ goals and programs and opportunities to support a vision of restoration and sustainable stewardship of San Diego’s unique habitats. He will discuss current threats to wetlands and creek channels for the sake of flood control and solutions that could result in sustainable green infrastructure in the San Diego Region.
Biography Eric Bowlby is a Massachusetts native who moved to San Diego in 1976 and earned Associates degrees in English and Computer Science from local Community Colleges. He began his involvement in environmental issues in 1990 working to protect wetlands and other habitats along the San Diego River in western Mission Valley. He became Coastal Committee Chair for the San Diego Chapter of Sierra Club in 1996 and served as Chair of the Chapter’s Executive Committee in 1999 and 2000. He helped establish and build the Sierra Club’s San Diego Canyons Campaign from its inception in 1998 and in 2000 stepped down as chair to take a part time job managing the campaign. He and the Canyons Steering Committee grew the campaign to three full time positions and established 40 new friends groups for canyons and creeks throughout San Diego. In February 2008, with the Sierra Club’s blessing, Bowlby and the Steering Committee launched a new non-profit, (San Diego Canyonlands, SDCL), dedicated to San Diego’s canyons. Bowlby was hired as Executive Director in August 2008. Bowlby has also served for years on the City of San Diego Wetlands Advisory Board and the Open Space/Canyons Advisory Board.
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![[Dedicated to the Preservation of California Native Flora]](images/mission.gif){kind=small}
In just a few short weeks the pink and white blooms of San Diego thornmint (Acanthomintha ilicifolia) will emerge from its green thorny foliage. When surveying for this small annual you might feel the crunch of the crumbly clay soils or smell its wintergreen-like scent before seeing the plants. San Diego thornmint is limited in distribution to San Diego County and northwestern Baja California. The species is only found on gently sloping clay lens habitat. Jonathan Snapp-Cook will provide a virtual tour of some of the locations where this species is found and present the findings of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s 5-year Review for San Diego thornmint. Jessie Vinje will provide a first hand account of her work managing San Diego thornmint on three North County preserves. Jonathan also hopes to lure in volunteers to our spring search for thornmint with tales of populations of greater than 30,000 beautiful plants and unique clay lens habitats scarcely the size of a kitchen table. If you already know that you want to volunteer for our chapter’s spring surveys for San Diego thornmint please contact Frank Landis at 
Native plants were an incredibly important part of Indigenous people’s daily life. Many of those plants had profound importance to the intellectual, spiritual, and cultural vitality of California Indian people. This month’s presentation is an ethnobotanical calendar that documents the contemporary uses of twelve native plants. The presentation will include interviews, photographs, videos, and a multimedia presentation of southern California Indians as they gather, prepare, and use native plants. Don’t miss this important work.
Native plants, nearby nature, and the work of CNPS are more important than ever, and this presentation will be a dialogue about the values of learning in nature and “playing” outdoors. When people spend time “connecting to nature,” they are more likely to make personal lifestyle changes, participate in community projects, grasp the imperative of greenhouse gas reductions, and give political support for biodiversity. When children spend time in nature and outdoor play, they are healthier and happier, develop their curiosity and creativity, get a sense of place, and learn about stewardship of the environment. Locally, the San Diego Children and Nature Collaborative brings educators, ecologists, parents, community leaders and activists together and is inspired by local columnist Richard Louv, his book Last Child in the Woods, and the national “Children and Nature” movement. 
San Diego County is home to many rare, threatened, and endangered species. On a national and global scale, the region has been identified as a major "hotspot" for biodiversity. It is also one of the most rapidly growing regions in the country. This combination of high biodiversity, large numbers of rare and unique species, and rapid urbanization has led to conflicts between growth and biological conservation. In the 1990s the County initiated a Multiple Species Conservation Program (MSCP) for unincorporated areas of the County. The goal of this program was to develop comprehensive conservation plans that would allow for the conservation of biodiversity and continued growth within the County. The North County Plan (Plan) expands the MSCP into the northwestern unincorporated areas of the County. In this presentation we will outline the goals, objectives, and polices of the Plan that will allow for the streamlining future development outside of proposed preserve areas and for the conservation of rare and endangered species within the proposed preserve system.