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Program Archive An archive of past Chapter Meeting programs going back to 1999 as announced on this web site 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. 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 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 franklandis03@yahoo.com. Biographies February 16, 2010 - Edible, Medicinal, Material, Ceremonial: Contemporary Ethnobotany of Southern California Indians 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. 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 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. 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 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. 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.
September 22, 2009 - Save water....build habitat Many agencies and municipalities are introducing strict measures for mandatory water conservation, especially for outdoor use and landscape irrigation. We are told about numerous ornamental plants that will "work" in the landscape to save water; plants which fit into the category "California Friendly." The only plants that will truly use less irrigation water and also attract beneficial wildlife species are California native. We will discuss why native plantings are the "friendliest" of the California Friendly" plants, and the crucial need before us to enhance and build wildlife habitat within the human environment. Biography July 21, 2009 - Finding Connection in Nature
Biography June 16, 2009 - Native Landscape Myths and Legends
Biography
May 19, 2009 -Real California Natives: Experience the food, drink and medicine The indigenous people of San Diego County have been using native plants for many thousands of years. These plants have significant meaning and are still commonly used for food, drink and medicine. This month’s presentation is a special opportunity for all of us to experience what many native people already know. Our meeting will begin with tasting three food items including Shaawii (acorn pudding), miners lettuce and chia seed mix. We will also enjoy Manzanita berry tea, lemonade berry tea and chia energy drinks. And we will learn about and experience the medicinal use of elderberry, mistletoe wash and oak gall wash. Please note that some foods may be substituted, depending on harvest abundance and seasonal availability; however, every effort will be made to make the above mentioned plants and foods available. Biography September 22, 2009 - Save water....build habitat Many agencies and municipalities are introducing strict measures for mandatory water conservation, especially for outdoor use and landscape irrigation. We are told about numerous ornamental plants that will "work" in the landscape to save water; plants which fit into the category "California Friendly." The only plants that will truly use less irrigation water and also attract beneficial wildlife species are California native. We will discuss why native plantings are the "friendliest" of the California Friendly" plants, and the crucial need before us to enhance and build wildlife habitat within the human environment. Biography
July 21, 2009 - Finding Connection in Nature Biography June 16, 2009 - Native Landscape Myths and Legends
Biography May 19, 2009 -Real California Natives: Experience the food, drink and medicine The indigenous people of San Diego County have been using native plants for many thousands of years. These plants have significant meaning and are still commonly used for food, drink and medicine. This month’s presentation is a special opportunity for all of us to experience what many native people already know. Our meeting will begin with tasting three food items including Shaawii (acorn pudding), miners lettuce and chia seed mix. We will also enjoy Manzanita berry tea, lemonade berry tea and chia energy drinks. And we will learn about and experience the medicinal use of elderberry, mistletoe wash and oak gall wash. Please note that some foods may be substituted, depending on harvest abundance and seasonal availability; however, every effort will be made to make the above mentioned plants and foods available. Biography September 22, 2009 - Save water....build habitat Many agencies and municipalities are introducing strict measures for mandatory water conservation, especially for outdoor use and landscape irrigation. We are told about numerous ornamental plants that will "work" in the landscape to save water; plants which fit into the category "California Friendly." The only plants that will truly use less irrigation water and also attract beneficial wildlife species are California native. We will discuss why native plantings are the "friendliest" of the California Friendly" plants, and the crucial need before us to enhance and build wildlife habitat within the human environment. Biography July 21, 2009 - Finding Connection in Nature Biography June 16, 2009 - Native Landscape Myths and Legends Biography May 19, 2009 -Real California Natives: Experience the food, drink and medicine The indigenous people of San Diego County have been using native plants for many thousands of years. These plants have significant meaning and are still commonly used for food, drink and medicine. This month’s presentation is a special opportunity for all of us to experience what many native people already know. Our meeting will begin with tasting three food items including Shaawii (acorn pudding), miners lettuce and chia seed mix. We will also enjoy Manzanita berry tea, lemonade berry tea and chia energy drinks. And we will learn about and experience the medicinal use of elderberry, mistletoe wash and oak gall wash. Please note that some foods may be substituted, depending on harvest abundance and seasonal availability; however, every effort will be made to make the above mentioned plants and foods available. Biography April 21, 2009 - Native Treasures: Plant Encounters in the California Outback Nevin Smith has spent his entire life growing plants in California and exploring its wild landscape with a passion. Our speaker this month will present a personal account of the joys and challenges of exploring the California landscape, working with its native plant treasures, and bringing them to California gardeners. March 17, 2009 - Nature as the Enemy: A discussion of proposals to masticate, burn, and graze native plant communities in the name of “fire safety.” The cost of viewing chaparral as fuel. This remarkable stand of manzanita chaparral in the Cleveland National Forest that was featured on the Fall 2007 cover of the California Native Plant Society’s quarterly journal Fremontia was masticated by the USFS in 2008. The mastication shown above continues around a Coulter pine tree plantation. The area is miles away from any community Rather than dealing comprehensively with wildfire risk, many local governments are promoting vegetation “clearance” strategies that seriously compromise protected wildlands, challenge the integrity of habitat conservation plans, and increase the spread of invasive species. Some San Diego County officials have expressed the desire to exempt such vegetation “treatments” from the California Environmental Quality Act. Under the federal Healthy Forests Restoration Act, millions of dollars are spent to “treat acres” rather than dealing with fire risk where it would be most effective, immediately around and within human communities. Please join us as we discuss threats posed to California’s native plant communities by misguided fuel treatment projects and what you can do to help protect San Diego County’s native plants from unwise land use policies. Feb 17, 2009 - San Clemente Island Habitat Recovery San Clemente Island, which is home to several rare and endemic plant and animal species, is also managed by the US Navy as an alternative landing field and training facility. Unmanaged grazing by feral goats during the last century caused extensive damage to the island's unique biota. During the last two decades the Navy has invested considerable effort on San Clemente Island to assist the recovery of endangered species and stabilize the island's damaged ecosystems. Jonathan Dunn, currently a biologist at EDAW, is a former project manager for the San Clemente Island Native Habitat Restoration Program. Jonathan will present a status review of habitat and species recover projects undertaken by the Navy in recent years on the island. Biography - Jonathan Dunn is a native San Diegan with fifteen years of experience in the field of native plant conservation. Jonathan has planned and the directed the implementation of large scale habitat restoration projects on San Clemente Island, the Mojave desert, and coastal San Diego county and has participated on multidisciplinary endangered species recovery teams. Jonathan has broad experience in the collection of native seed for habitat restoration and plant conservation and has studied seed conservation practices at the Millennium Seed Bank in Wakehurst, England. Jonathan is currently working as a plant ecologist for EDAW, and he is the former manager of the CRES Botanical Conservation Center and Native Seed Gene Bank. Jan 20, 2009 - The Right Plant in the Right Place:California Natives for Particular Landscape Situations Many of our natives have wide landscape potential, others a more narrow application and some can be used in unexpected ways! Some of the plants discussed will fit into one of the situations you have in your home garden, or you may see ways to use natives you have not considered before. For instance, do you have a slope in that you wish covered in durable, drought tolerant plants? Is there a section of your yard that is always dry and you really need a plant that can live with rainwater alone and still be gorgeous? Are you contemplating using a native tree and wonder if you have the room or the right situation? Need a hedge or a screen plant between you and your neighbor? Simply looking for fragrance and color for use in a Mediterranean style bed? No problem! Many examples of our versatile natives will be touched on during Dan’s presentation. Biography - Dan Songster Nov 18, 2008 - Native plant uses by the Santa Ysabel Kumeyaay by Ken Hedges The Kumeyaay People of Southern California have been mastering the use of native plants for thousands of years. Author and ethnobotanist Ken Hedges has studied this history in Santa Isabel and together with Christina Beresford wrote a book in 1986 which highlights some of the most important uses of native plants in Kumeyaay culture. Please join Ken to hear this fascinating presentation on native plant uses for food, medicine and basketry. Photo: Christina Beresford grinding Q. kelloggii Biography Ken Hedges is Webmaster, Publications Editor, and a former curator of the San Diego Museum of Man. He graduated from Mount Miguel High School, Spring Valley, California, in June 1961, and received his BA (1966) and MA (1970) Degrees from San Diego State University, where his thesis title was An Analysis of Diegueño Pictographs. Ken is the author of Santa Ysabel Ethnobotany, based on fieldwork with his collaborator, Christina Beresford, now deceased, who was one of the last Northern Diegueño individuals to have an extensive knowledge of native plant uses. Published in 1986 and continuously in print since that time, the book has become minor classic since few studies of Kumeyaay/Diegueño ethnobotany have been done. In 1997 Ken published Fibers and Forms, a comprehensive overview of American Indian basketry of the west, from Alaska to the Mexican border. He has authored over 100 published papers, edited volumes, books, and reports on Native American rock art, shamanism, archaeoastronomy, ethnobotany, Southwestern ceramics, American Indian basketry, and other topics. Oct 21, 2008 - Nursery grown native plants: What are the implications for our local ecology This month the San Diego CNPS will host 2 experts on the subject in a forum moderated by a volunteer CNPS board member. Biographies Mike Evans was born and raised in southern California. In 1976, he co-founded Tree of Life Nursery, the largest native plant nursery in California. He has been active in many conservation, horticultural and botanical organizations. He was past president (2005) of the International Plant Propagators Society, and past president (2001) of the California Society for Ecological Restoration. He has been active in the California Native Plant Society, the California Botanical Society, and The Nature Conservancy and he served on the horticultural committee for The Jepson Manual project. He is on the board of the Donna O’Neill Land Conservancy in San Juan Capistrano, Casa Romantica Cultural Center in San Clemente, the San Juan Capistrano Historical Society, and the Reserve at Rancho Mission Viejo. Sept 16, 2008 - California Native Plants for the Garden Biography Bart has a Master of Landscape Architecture from Harvard and is the current President of the Southern California Horticultural Society. He collaborated on The Landscaping Guidelines and Plant Palettes for the Los Angeles River, recently adopted by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors. He is also co-author of California Native Plants for the Garden. July 15, 2008 - Invasive Plant Studies June 17, 2008 - Cacti and Agaves and Yuccas
of California and Nevada Biography May 20, 2008 - The Flora of San Diego County: What's New? by Dr. Jon Rebman, Curator of Botany, San Diego Natural History Museum, and Dr. Mary Ann Hawke, Project Director, San Diego County Plant Atlas Get an update on the discoveries that have been made by the San Diego County Plant Atlas project (www.sdplantatlas.org). Over 500 trained volunteer "parabotanists" have collected 31,000 plant specimens, including many new county records, since 2003. Hear how the Museum's collections are an important source of long-term scientific data documenting the history of the county's biodiversity going back over 150 years - and learn how this valuable information is being put to use locally. Find out more about a new interactive plant key (on CD) now available to help you identify our local plants. It covers all native and naturalized plants (including flowering plants, trees, grass-like plants, ferns and fern allies) known to grow in the county. Biographies
Jon
Rebman Ph.D. is Curator of Botany at the San Diego Natural History
Museum. His research interests include the systematics of the cactus
family, as well as the flora of San Diego and Imperial counties, and
Baja California.
April
15 , 2008 - Healthy Backyard Habitat:
Encouraging birds and butterflies with a native plant garden This presentation demonstrates how to make a California garden into
a slice of natural landscape that requires minimal maintenance, conserves
water and best of all attracts wildlife.
March 18, 2008 - Insects: One of Nature's Helpers in Plant Reproduction by Michael Klein
Biography
February 19, 2008 - Death Valley - 1998 "Wildflower Year of the Century by Rosemary Foster The El Nino rains of 1997-1998 brought a record 5.8 inches of rainfall to DeathValley. The rains were spaced just far enough apart to ensure an extensive growth period and continuous bloom for much of the Death Valley flora. Rosemary Foster, an accomplished horticulturalist and past President Monterey Bay Chapter of CNPS was there and will be sharing her impressions and her photographs with us.
Biography
January
15, 2008 - "Designing California Native Gardens" Book
Signing, Slide Show and Plant Sale The recently released book Designing California Native Gardens; the Plant Community Approach to Artful Ecological Gardens Books will be available for sale and can be signed by the co-author, Alrie Middlebrook. Many native plant nurseries will also be selling plants at the meeting.
Biography
She published the California native plant cook book, "Eating California" and co-authored the groundbreaking new book "Designing California Native Gardens; The Plant Community Approach to Artful, Ecological Gardens," with renowned field botanist, Dr. Glenn Keator. She produced the first full color glossy magazine focusing on sustainable construction and native gardening, "Green Heart," named after her regional newspaper column. Middlebrook's native gardens are based on ecologically appropriate plant species and cutting edge sustainable technology and techniques. Advantages to a native garden include reduced costs, greater efficiency and ecological wellness. Her marketing and garden installation program, Lose The Lawn, offers low cost, simple solutions to "lose your lawn" and upgrade to a pesticide free, water saving, low maintenance native landscape. For more information please visit www.losethelawn.com. Alrie Middlebrook is committed to educating the public and promoting
sustainability through native gardening. Her many workshops and speaking
engagements at diverse venues throughout the State of California have
provided key forums promoting critical knowledge and understanding.
Her support of community efforts to embrace sustainability has spawned
recent projects like Granada Native Gardens, Guadalupe River Park
and Gardens, River Street Historical Gardens and her co-founding
of The California Native Garden Foundation.
November
27 , 2007 - "A Tour of San Diego County's Tallest Trees"
Slide Show
October 16, 2007 - "Restoration of Coastal Sage Scrub in San Juan Capistrano" by Marty McPhee of Park West Companies
Marty McPhee will describe the process of re-establishing a coastal sage scrub community on 75 acres of ridgeline on Reed Ranch that had been overgrazed by cattle for over 50 years. Elimination of the resulting infestation of invasive non-native weeds, primarily cardoon (Cynara cardunculus) and mustard (Brassica species), and the seed banks of these weeds, was an extreme challenge that was overcome in this project. Means & methods, trials & tribulations will be discussed!
September 18, 2007 - "Native Plant Fair" by Greg Rubin, California’s Own Native Landscape Design
Recon Native Plants, Native Plant Connection, Tree of Life Nursery,
Las Pilitas, Moosa Creek and Cal-Native Plants Nurseries will have information
tables set up.These expert nurseries specialize in sustainable home
gardens and/or habitat restoration. Biography: Greg Rubin,owner of California's Own Native Landscape Design, started
working with native plants back in 1985, while renovating his parent's
home in Chatsworth, CA. Although educated and subsequently employed
in a successful engineering career, Greg maintained a fascination with
natives based on this early experience. Soon, he was landscaping for
friends and family on weekends and holidays. Demand continued to rise,
and by 1993, Greg was able to start his successful and unusual landscaping
business. Since that time, his company has designed over 400 native
landscapes in San Diego County. June 19, 2007 - "Mission Valley Preserve Pollinator Garden", by Kym Hunter, San Diego River Park
Foundation
May 15, 2007 - "Innovative Irrigation Systems for Native Plant Restoration", by David Bainbridge, Marshall
Goldsmith School of Management. Alliant International University Biography: ▪ He is also
active as a reviewer for proposals and programs (NSF, USDA, universities) and
journals (Environmental Management, Natural Hazards, Restoration Ecology,
Restoration and Management Notes, and many others). April 17, 2007 - "The San Diego River Restoration Project in Lakeside: An Integrated Approach to Restoration", by Robin Rierdan, Executive Director Lakeside’s River Park Conservancy Lakeside's River Park
Conservancy has embarked on an ambitious 100 acre restoration project along the
San Diego River. Robin will describe the plan and progress towards creating and
restoring a variety of habitats, including emergent wetlands, riparian, coastal
sage, and a mix of grasslands. Flood control and water quality are also
integral to the project. March 20, 2007 - "Computer Aided Wildflower Species Identification", by Ken Bowles While assembling a portfolio of close-up digital photographs of San Diego's immensely diverse wildflowers, Ken Bowles found himself spending more time identifying the species in his photos than in all other activities combined. Therefore, Ken has used the Lucid3 software application to build a Multiple-Entry key for wildflowers of San Diego County, focusing first on the sunflower family (Asteraceae) and more recently on San Diego’s other wildflower families. The key supplements the use of the standard dichotomous key in the Jepson Manual. The presentation will show how to identify several obscure species using photographs. The Multiple-Entry keys are available for public use on Ken's website. Ken’s photos are also featured on the Plant Atlas home page.
The title refers back to "CAI"
(Computer Aided Instruction) which used to be a big topic in universities and
their computer centers. Ken was professor of computer science at UCSD from 1965
until 1984, and directed the main campus computer center during part of that. He
started using computers for environmental monitoring (initially, radar probing
of the ionized upper atmosphere) in 1950. February 20, 2007 - "Guns & Roses –
Adventures in Desert Restoration at the Michelle Cloud-Hughes The Soil Ecology & Restoration Group at San Diego State University specializes in native plant revegetation and erosion control on government lands throughout southern California. For the past 15 years, SERG has been doing desert restoration and research in the central Mojave Desert at the U.S. Army's National Training Center, Fort Irwin. This presentation will focus on SERG's trials, tribulations, and successes with restoration in this harsh environment. Many photos of spectacular desert wildflowers will also be featured.
Michelle Cloud-Hughes is a project manager and botanist for the Soil Ecology & Restoration Group at San Diego State University. She began working for SERG as an undergraduate in 1997 and immediately fell in love with the adventures and satisfactions of restoration work in remote desert environments. Michelle has been a desert rat since her first visit to Joshua Tree National Park shortly after moving to southern California in 1991. She has been photographing plants for 4 years and has submitted over 600 photos to the CalPhotos online image library.
January 16, 2007 - "Native Medicinal Herbs", James David Adams, Jr. Ph.D. and
Cecilia Garcia Cecilia Garcia, a Chumash healer and James Adams, a professor of Pharmacology at the University of Southern California will discuss healing with native plants. They are co-authors of “Healing with Medicinal Plants of the West - Cultural and Scientific Basis for Their Use".
November 28, 2006 - "Torrey Pines State Reserve: San Diego’s Treasure", Margaret L. Fillius, Docent, Torrey
Pines State Reserve Margaret Fillius is a docent at the
Torrey Pines State Reserve, which inspired her to become an enthusiastic amateur
botanist. Her presentation will photographically introduce you to Torrey Pines
State Reserve through the eyes of a volunteer and show you many of her favorite
plants of the different habitats there. October 17, 2006 - "Chaparral: California's Botanical Treasure", Rick Halsey, California Chaparral
Field Institute It gets a bad rap, but that’s because it’s misunderstood. Of all the distinct, natural communities in California, only one is found throughout and only one can be said to represent the state’s most characteristic wilderness: the chaparral. Join us as we explore the chaparral’s unique natural history, reveal the truth concerning its many myths and surprising mysteries, and why it represents such a vital link to nature for all Californians. We will also have a short discussion relating to how to best protect your home from wildfire, currently a very hot topic in San Diego County. Richard W. Halsey is a chaparral ecologist, writer, and director of The California Chaparral Field Institute and author of “Fire, Chaparral, and Survival in Southern California”, which will be available for purchase at the presentation. September 19, 2006 - "Lashbrook Park Case Study: Landscaping with Natives" by Bob Perry, Perry & Associates Lashbrook Park is a newly created native plant park within the City of El Monte. It is built on a two-acre parcel of land adjacent to the Rio Hondo Channel and is key part of the 'Emerald Necklace' master plan for the San Gabriel Valley that contains bike trails, greenbelts and community parks. The design and planting of Lashbrook Park follows the Los Angeles River Master Plan Landscaping Guidelines. Bob Perry was the principal designer of the native plant associations and irrigation systems. Bob will present his concepts and summarize the challenges presented by urban debris, poor site drainage, contaminated soil, non-native plants, and invasive plants.
July 18, 2006 - "The War on Weeds: Protecting California’s Biodiversity" By Don Mayall, Coordinator, CNPS Invasive Exotics Working Group The invasive non-native working group of CNPS is a component of the conservation program. Our goal is preservation of biodiversity in California from threats posed to ecosystems by invasive pest plants. Invasive plants are also a major threat to the state's agriculture, watersheds, flood control, recreational areas, open space, and fire protection. This means we have potent allies in protecting our biodiversity. The presentation reviews the legal basis and institutional players in the war against weeds and provides some examples of what CNPS chapters are doing to make a difference. Don is coordinator for the state CNPS Invasive Non-native Working Group and represents the state organization with groups concerned with control of invasive pest plants. He is past president of the Santa Clara Valley Chapter of CNPS and current Rare Plant Coordinator for the southern part of the chapter's area. He has also represented the chapter on the steering committees of the Weed Management Areas of San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties. Since retirement from Ohlone College in Fremont, his major concern has been the protection of rare serpentine endemics in area south of San Jose. June 20, 2006 - "The Ecology of Fungi: The Little Things Plants Can’t Live Without" By by Lawrence Glacy
Fungi are essential to the success of land plants and ecosystem processes. We will examine the how the evolution of fungi resulted in a fungi-plant symbiosis. These interactions occurring at the cellular, microscopic, and chemical level in plant roots helped to maximize the success of plants on land. As such, it is the “little things" that have had the greatest influence on the evolution of plant life, flowering plants being a very recent expression of this process. Although “survival of the fittest” has been the dominant paradigm to explain evolutionary events, emphasizing competition and expressed in warlike metaphors, the processes involved at this microscopic level have been far more cooperative than competitive, more interrelated than individual, and more symbiotic and mutual than traditional Darwinism suggests.
Lawrence Glacy accompanied the San Diego Natural History Museum on its 2004 Bi-national expedition as the expert lichenologist/mycologist. He is the author of China's Conservation Scheme, Protecting Species or Generating Profits, published by the Woodrow Wilson Center China Environment Series. He delivered the Colloquium Presentation for the Biology Department, Sonoma State University entitled Fungi Ecology and the Biology/ Management Interface. He has a Juris Doctor Degree from Southwestern University, a B.A. in Environmental Science from Sonoma State University and an M.A. in Mycology and Management from Sonoma State University. He has contributed articles on fungi and algae and was the Assistant Curator of the Lichen, Algae, Fungi Herbarium, Sonoma State University. May 16, 2006 - "Mapping Species Distributions: Spatial Inference and Prediction" By Janet Franklin, Department of Biology, San Diego State University, San Diego
Maps of actual or potential species distributions are required for many aspects of resource management and conservation planning including biodiversity assessment, habitat management and restoration, single- and multiple- species and habitat conservation plans, population viability analysis, modeling community and ecosystem dynamics, and predicting the effects of climate change on species and ecosystems. A growing number of quantitative methods are being used inferentially (to identify the parameters that determine habitat suitability) and predictively (to assign habitat value to locations where biological survey data are lacking - which includes most of the earth's surface). Dr. Franklin will discuss an ecological framework to guide the use of these methods for biodiversity assessment and landscape management. Dr. Franklin is a Professor of Biology and Adjunct Professor of Geography at San Diego State University. She received a Bachelors degree in Biology, and a Masters and Ph.D. degree in Geography, all from the University of California, Santa Barbara. Her research interests include landscape ecology, plant ecology, remote sensing, and geographic information science. She has conducted research on plant community dynamics at large spatial scales in the Mediterranean-climate chaparral and conifer forest ecosystems of California, and in arid regions of North America and West Africa, as well as the tropical forests of Oceania. She teaches general, plant, landscape, and fire ecology. She has published more than 50 peer-reviewed articles and has received research support from NASA, NSF, USGS, Forest Service, California State Parks, and National Geographic Society. April 18, 2006 - "Building Roads While Saving Species: CalTrans Mitigation Program" By Bruce April, Chief of the Environmental Stewardship Branch, CALDOT, District 11
Bruce April will present an overview of CaltransÕ biological mitigation efforts in San Diego and Imperial counties. Over the past twenty-five years, Caltrans has established over fifty sites totaling more than five thousand acres, which include a multitude of habitats and species. He will discuss the unique challenges at some of the sites and successes and failures of others. Bruce will conclude his presentation with what is in the future for CaltransÕ biological mitigation program, including a description of the Environmental Mitigation Program that is funded through the new TransNet sales tax extension.
March 21, 2006 - "Native Grasses for Landscaping, Restoration, and Water Quality" By John DiGregoria, Range Manager, Point Reyes National Seashore, National Park Service
John will begin by presenting the ecophysiology of grasses, followed by how to effectively use native grasses in landscaping, restoration, and water quality management. The presentation will discuss how grasses and other graminoids function in plant communities and how to use them to reduce water use at home and in the natural environment.
February 21, 2006 - "Introduction to Bioengineering" By Dick Rol, Planning and Design Division Manager, of Foothill Associates, San Diego Dick Rol will present an introduction to the use of living plant material for structural purposes such as stream bank stabilization, a technique known as bioengineering. The presentation will explain the basic concepts of bioengineering, how it works, and the steps necessary to plan, design, and implement a project. It will include examples of past projects completed by Mr. Rol, and by others. Mr. Rol is a Landscape Architect with Foothill Associates, a San Diego environmental planning and design firm. Prior to joining Foothill Associates, he co-authored a planning handbook for the Natural Resources Conservation Service titled Conservation Corridor Planning at the Landscape Level; Managing for Wildlife Habitat; designed and implemented large-scale mine reclamation projects throughout Utah; and helped lead environmentally-responsible projects for the City of San Diego's Engineering and Capital Projects Department as a Senior Planner. Mr. Rol has a Master of Landscape Architecture degree from Utah State University, and Bachelors Degrees in Landscape Design and Biology from South Dakota State University. January 17, 2006 - "Gardening with California Native Plants" By Carol Bornstein, Director of Living Collections and Nursery, Santa Barbara Botanic Garden
Lecture, new book release, and book signing by the author The popularity of native plants in gardens and landscapes continues to grow and yet they seem to be used primarily in conventional, familiar ways. In this presentation, Carol Bornstein will explore alternative ideas for designing with native plants and how to successfully cultivate them. She will highlight a few of the many possibilities and tips that are included in her new book, California Native Plants for the Garden, which she co-authored with Bart O'Brien and Dave Fross for Cachuma Press. Copies will be available for purchase (check or cash) and signing by the author at the meeting. Carol Bornstein is the Director of Living Collections and Nursery at the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, which is devoted to the study, display, and conservation of California's native flora. In her work with native plants, she has experimented with innovative design applications, introduced new cultivars, and advocated for regionally appropriate landscaping through her writing and teaching. November 15, 2005 - "Plant Diversity in San Diego County" By Tom Oberbauer, San Diego County Planner.
San Diego County is one of the most biologically diverse counties in the United States. The vegetation that exists here now is the result of mass migrations of vegetation affected by climatic change through and since the Pleistocene and a mix of species that are adapted to specific environmental conditions that occur here. This County supports areas with unique climates and soils such as Torrey Pines State Park as well as areas with soils such as those derived from gabbro and metavolcanic rock that have powerful influence on plants. Other locations exist as climatic islands in the mountains. All of these factors make San Diego County one of the most exciting locations in the United States for studying plants and vegetation. Thomas Oberbauer, a planner with the County of San Diego and long time CNPS member and past president will present a discussion of this fascinating area.
October 18, 2005 - "‘Belly’ plants of the California Deserts" By Ileene Anderson, Southern California Regional Botanist for the California Native Plant Society.
‘Belly’ plants of the California Deserts, Ileene will show slides of many ‘belly’ plants of our desert areas. ‘Belly’ plants are those beautiful plants you can’t see from the car - you have to get down on your belly to see them! These diminutive beauties are marvels of the typically harsh dry desert regions. Ileene has a Master's degree in biology from California State University, Northridge and has worked for the state organization of CNPS for 8 years doing conservation work to preserve our incredibly diverse flora in southern California. This meeting will be held in Room 104 of the Casa Del Prado. September 20, 2005 - "California Native Plants for the Garden" By Bart O’Brien, Director of Horticulture, Rancho Santa Anna Botanical Garden, Claremont, CA Bart O'Brien will talk on California Native Plants for the Garden, a topic he is very passionate about. He's intimately familiar with growing California natives in a garden setting, and an entertaining speaker. In this presentation, he will be sharing some of the most suitable native plants species and cultivars for Southern California home gardens and landscapes. This talk and his beautiful slides will inspire you to plant more natives this fall. He is also co-authoring the book California Native Plants for the Garden (with Carol Bornstein of Santa Barbara Botanic Garden and Dave Fross of Native Sons Nursery) for Cachuma Press. Mr. O'Brien is Director of Horticulture at the Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden, where he has worked since 1990. This 86-acre all-native garden in Claremont, California, is home to 70,000 native Californian plants, representing 2,000 native species, hybrids and cultivars. This is the largest cultivated collection of native Californian plants. One of the Garden’s newest displays is a 2 acre collection of the cultivars of Californian plants. He's also the president of the Southern California Horticultural Society and has long been active in the California Native Plant Society. Bart has a Master of Landscape Architecture degree from Harvard, and has introduced many native plant cultivars to the trade. One of his most recently completed projects is the Landscaping Guidelines and Plant Palettes for the Los Angeles River, a collaborative work that has recently been adopted by the Board of Supervisors of Los Angeles County. A number of readers will be familiar with his numerous writings. This meeting will be held in Room 104 of the Casa Del Prado. July 19, 2005 - "Weed Management In San Diego" Bill Winans, Coordinator of the San Diego County Weed Management Area
In honor of Invasive Weed Awareness Week (July 18th-22nd), Bill will present an overview of the County’s weed management programs and projects. The San Diego Weed Management Area (SDWMA) was formed to specifically to address a 350 acre infestation of Perennial Pepperweed (Lepidium latifolium) in the San Dieguito River Park (SDRP). The SDWMA partnered with SDRP to apply for a grant through the State of California Department of Parks and Recreation, Riparian and Riverine Habitat Grant Program. The grant proposal was accepted and the project was funded with $372,000 over six years.
June 21, 2005 - "San Diego County Plant Atlas Project" By Dr. Jon Rebman The San Diego County Plant Atlas project has been created by the San Diego Natural History Museum to scientifically document the remarkable floristic diversity of San Diego by initiating the collection of voucher plant specimens throughout the county. Almost 300 parabotanists have participated in a novel program that trains them how to collect specimens and submit field data online. The county is a
rich source of ongoing novelties and floristic surprises, and with this
concentrated effort over 70 new county records have already been documented, and
over 10,000 specimen records have been entered into the new database. The Plant
Atlas is designed to compliment the County-wide Bird Atlas and Mammal Atlas
projects and will provide more accurate and detailed geographic information on
the flora of San Diego County for science, education, the interested public, and
land managers.l This meeting will be held in Room 104 of the Casa Del Prado. May 17, 2005 - "Think and Plant Habitat" by Mike Evans, Tree of Life Nursery Native plants form the basis for wildlife habitat. Urban sprawl is impacting natural habitat at an alarming rate in southern California, affecting native species and quality of life for humans. As a society, we will do well to find wilderness, even in urban or suburban settings. In very small spaces, we can make a connection between our busy modern lives and the serene beauty of nature by keeping mini-ecosystems in our gardens and patios, even in pots. We will be rewarded by frequent encounters with native pollinators, birds, and other species. As we enjoy tending our potted plants or garden beds, we recall special times spent in our favorite wild areas, and look forward to future visits. The native patio garden brings nature up close on an everyday basis. This meeting will be held in Room 104 of the Casa Del Prado. April 19, 2005 - "The use of population models for conservation management of an endangered Australian plant, Grevillea caleyi" by Helen Regan, Assistant Professor of Biology, SDSU
Due
to the focus on a fire dominated ecosystem at the urban-wildland interface, the
conservation implications for many Australian plants mirror those for plants in March 15, 2005 - "Water Conservation and Native Plants" by Vickie Driver, Principal Water Resources Specialist, San Diego County Water Authority Vickie Driver will be speaking about the water supply situation for the coming year, and the role of native plants in water conservation and urban run-off reduction. She will also introduce some new landscape water conservation programs that are launching now. Ms. Driver, a long-time CNPS member, promotes the use of natives in all types of landscapes, not just specialized native plant gardens. February 15, 2005 - "Manzanitas of San Diego" by James Lightner Manzanitas are among the most common native shrubs of San Diego County, popular for their twisting branches, beautiful red bark, urn-shaped flowers and apple-like berries. James Lightner will show slides of local manzanitas in their natural settings and point out some of the features of the different species (including a few that are not in his book). He will also say a few words about the book, San Diego County Native Plants and will be available to sign copies before and after his talk. James is a native of San Diego. His educational background includes a degree in Human Biology from Stanford, and he has worked in various advanced-technology industries. He manages ranchland near Descanso. January 18, 2005 - "Who Speaks for the Shrubland? Fire, Politics, Money, and Emotions are Threatening San Diego's Forests with Extinction" by Kurt Schasker, retired brush management contractor Kurt Schasker is a retired brush management contractor scheduled to discuss his experiences working in the wildland-urban interface. He has contracted both for public and private property owners creating firebreaks around structures and has worked directly with inspectors, firefighters, property owners, property managers, and property owner associations. After 10+ years managing brush, Kurt will argue that our current pre-fire defense procedures are dysfunctional and in critical need of overhaul. He will offer the opinion that homeowner insurance carriers ought to police the brush management process. Government would then be responsible for regulating insurance company power, protecting individual property owner's rights, and defending the environment. His experience in the Los Angeles area is that as good as firefighting agencies are at fighting fire, they are equally weak in the area of brush management enforcement. As a result, laws are enforced sporadically, if at all. In addition, brush management laws are largely created through the fire fighting agencies, and these laws are frequently not grounded in good science. As a result of firefighting agency oversight of the brush management system, our native chaparral habitats are falling to the chainsaw in the name of fire safety. This need not be. Our local habitats ought to be protected by the government, not destroyed as a result of their regulations. Kurt feels that we, as a society, put too much blame on wildlalnds the source of the fire problem, and not enough blame on the character and nature of the urban environment. More focus and attention should be given to preparing the urban environment to withstand firestorms, and less attention on ways to alter the native landscape. Kurt will describe flaws in the brush management system, both in practice and in law, offer examples of his experience with these flaws, and finally, offer solutions. December 2004 - No Chapter Meeting
November 16, 2004 - "Rare Plants of Western San Diego County" by Fred Roberts San Diego County supports one of the largest diversities of rare plants in the United States. Climate, topography, diversity of habitat over small areas, and proximity to Mexico all are contributing factors. Among the most important habitats are vernal pools and maritime chaparral. Many of our rare plants are familar, such as San Diego thornmint (Acanthomintha illicifolia) and Otay tarplant (Deinandra conjugens), species listed by the Federal or State government as endangered, while others are best described as obscure. Fred Roberts, the San Diego Chapter Rare Plant coordinator, will introduce us to some of the over 110 rare species and their habitats. October 19, 2004 - "Medicinal Uses of San Diego Native Plants" by Carole A. Brown Carole A. Brown will discuss how to process and use some native plants as medicine, and will bring dried herbs and tinctures of native medicinal plants for the audience to taste, touch, and smell. Carole is a clinical herbalist, herb grower, teacher, and owner of a home-based nursery, Browns Herbs, Etc., specializing in medicinal herbs and native plants. Carole has been studying herbs for over 30 years, including taking classes with Amanda McQuade Crawford, MNIMH, John Finch, and a number of other herbalists, and working in a student clinic for two years. She has been teaching Herbology through Community Learning at Cuyamaca College since 1991. September 21, 2004 - "Landscaping with Native Plants" by Bruce Hanson, RECON Environmental, Inc.
This last meeting before October’s exciting plant sale will focus on landscaping with native plants. Bruce will provide the audience with valuable information on use of natives in the created landscape and at the interface of yard and natural habitat. Arrive on time for a good seat!
August 2004 - No Chapter Meeting
July 20, 2004 - "Santa Margarita and San Luis Rey Watersheds Weed Management Area" (SMSLRWMA) by Jason Giessow, Dendra Inc. The Santa Margarita and San Luis Rey Watersheds Weed Management Area is a program of the Mission Resource Conservation District that was formed in March 2000 to aid in the large-scale control of invasive non-native plants within the two watersheds. A Weed Management Area (WMA) is a local organization that brings together land managers and land owners of private, city, county, State and Federal property, and other organizations in an effort to coordinate invasive non-native plant control. Given the pressures on the natural habitat in most of southern California and the high population levels in many areas, WMAs are a valuable tool in effectively combating non-native plants. Jason will discuss the goals, methods, funding, and progress of the Santa Margarita and San Luis Rey Watersheds WMA. Homework for this meeting is to visit the SMSLRWMA website. June
15, 2004 - "The Cacti of San Diego County" by Jon P. Rebman, Ph.D., Curator of Botany, San Diego Natural History Museum San Diego County has 30 different taxa in the family Cactaceae. Of these, 23 are native species, 3 species have escaped from cultivation and naturalized, and 3 opuntioid species are of putative hybrid origin. There are 7 cactus genera listed for the county but most of the diversity is in the genera Cylindropuntia and Opuntia. Cacti occur natively throughout San Diego County with the greatest diversity (18 taxa) found in the desert areas, but both coastal (10 taxa) and mountain (5 taxa) habitats have native taxa as well. The Cactaceae of our area are a fascinating group of plants in respect to natural history exhibiting such characteristics as extrafloral nectaries (Ferocactus and Cylindropuntia), gynodioecy (Mammillaria and Cylindropuntia), asexual propagation (Opuntia and Cylindropuntia), and natural hybridization (Opuntia and Cylindropuntia).
May 18, 2004 -- Big Plans, Tiny Plants: Do Multi-Species Plans Provide Promised Native Plant Protection? David Hogan will present a conservation perspective on the San Diego Multiple Species Conservation Plan and other similar multi-species plans in the County. David's presentation will include a short history of the plans, discussion of the plans' treatment of plants, and recommendations for improvement.
April 20, 2004 -- An Approach to Help Prioritize Weed Management Invasive plants may vary in invasion potential across different environments which can make management prioritization difficult. Meghan will describe the purpose of her Master thesis research, which was to quantify the invasiveness or potential for invasiveness of a new weed across environments where it has become established. She will describe how she used a method, traditionally used in conservation biology, to quantify invasiveness of a new weed across environments where it has become established. Meghan studied the population dynamics and recruitment of tansy ragwort in Montana as part of her Master thesis research. She will also define and distinguish between the various terms used to describe nonnative plant species. March 16, 2004 -- Vernal Pools by Rick Halsey
The coastal mesas of San Diego County were once dotted with thousands of vernal pools. Fewer than 8 percent remain today. Surviving within these remnants is a unique variety of plants and animals found nowhere else on earth. We will discuss these specialized organisms, the pool's community structure, and what makes these tiny habitats one of our most priceless natural treasures.
February 17, 2004 --Natural Resource Management in Colorado Desert District State Parks Jim Dice will present an overview of recent and on-going natural resource management efforts in all of the current Colorado Desert District state parks: Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, Cuyamaca Rancho State Park, Palomar Mountain State Park, Salton Sea State Recreation Area, Picacho State Recreation Area and the Indio Hills Palms unit. His overview will also include discussion of plans for a new state park in the Campo area, the proposed Camp Lockett State Historic Park. Topics will include rare and endangered plant management, exotic plant control, and prescribed fire management.
January 20, 2004 -- Santa Ysabel Open Space Preserve You have probably never heard of the Edwards Family of Julian, but the legacy they have left will live on forever (hopefully) - the new County of San Diego Santa Ysabel Open Space Preserve. As of December 2001, the county acquired the nearly 6000 acre property and since then has been conducting studies of different types on the preserve including herpetological, wildlife, birds, and vegetation/rare plants in order to complete a comprehensive management plan prior to opening the area to the public (and this is the kind of planning that deserves hardy recognition). The County is trying to head problems off at the pass (no pun intended) BEFORE they happen. Virginia Moran was contracted by The Nature Conservancy to complete the vegetation and rare plant surveys. This talk summarizes her results and introduces you to the magic of the Santa Ysabel Preserve.
December 16, 2003 -- The San Diego Fires - A CNPS Panel CNPS will host a panel of local experts to discuss the recent San Diego fires and address specific questions and concerns. The meeting will open with a presentation by Lisa Wood of the City of San Diego Environmental Services. Ms. Wood will discuss environmentally sensitive brush control around residences. Following her presentation, each of the following panel members will speak on their topic of specialty. Kirsten Winter, a biologist with the Cleveland National Forest, will address native plant and wildlife responses to fire. Tom Huffman, Senior Vice President at Helix Environmental Planning and former City of San Diego biologist, will discuss lessons learned from the devastating 1986 Normal Heights fire. Bob Eisele of County Watershed Fire Management and Pest Management will talk about the role of controlled burns in fire management. Mike Evans, co-founder of the Tree of Life native plant nursery, will discuss fire-safe principles in the design of homes and landscapes. Greg Rubin, owner/operator of California's Own Landscape Design, will address landscaping for fire safety with native plants and post-fire erosion control.
November 18, 2003--Comparative Floristic Study of Palomar Mountain State Park This presentation will include plant communities and vascular plant diversity of Palomar Mountain State Park and contiguous lands within the surrounding Cleveland National Forest. The study area is approximately 5,000 acres, and has had little floristic work conducted. The majority of the previously collected plant records were obtained before 1969. This lack of current data highlights the need for current and ongoing floristic research within San Diego County at this time because of detrimental impacts due to increased human population size, urbanization, and invasions of exotic and weedy species. Robert will focus on final data from his ongoing Master's thesis from San Diego State University. Topics of interest will include new plant species records for San Diego County and the study area, rare and endemic plant species diversity and distribution, and weedy and non-native plant diversity.
October 21, 2003--Habitat Restoration Biologist Bruce Hanson supervises the field operations for RECON's habitat restoration group. Did you miss the Chapter plant sale or arrived too late to purchase that particular native? Bruce will show some slides of the propagation operation and give a hands on demonstration of various propagation methods using seeds, cuttings and bulbs of California natives. Bring lots of questions! Bruce will also be leading a field trip to the RECON nursery grounds in Imperial Beach on November 18. Directions in the November newsletter. Call Bruce at (619)247-4520 days for more information
September 16, 2003--Gardening with Natives With updated photos and a new presentation, Greg Rubin will be discussing how to successfully plan, install, irrigate, and maintain a native landscape. He will explore the underlying ecology that supports native plant communities, and describe how to translate it to your home garden. Greg will explain why these practices differ so substantially from the ornamental horticulture we've been taught. Different, but not more difficult; in fact, setting up a native garden should be easier. Greg will explore the benefits of "going native," creating a beautiful landscape that also attracts birds and butterflies, while saving water and maintenance. All the misconceptions about being difficult, unstable, short-lived, and a novelty will fly out the window as Greg shows you just how mainstream a native landscape can be. NOTE: This is a different room then our usual meeting. It is a larger room just across the hall. Coast Live Oaks (Quercus agrifolia) will be available for $5 each for a one gallon plant. Please bring cash, exact change preferred. Books, posters and seed will also be available for sale at the general meeting.
July 15, 2003 -- Herbicidal Control of Invasive Plants What are the risks and benefits of using a herbicide to kill invasive plants? How toxic are these chemicals, what laws and agencies govern their use, and how do they effect things around them? For a discussion of these and other questions regarding herbicides, come to the CNPS meeting on July 15. Carl E. Bell, Regional Advisor - Invasive Plants for the University of California Cooperative Extension will present information on the process of pesticide registration and use.
June 17, 2003 -- Vulcan Mountain Reserve Susan Cary, Executive Director Volcan Mountain Preserve Foundation, will talk to us about Volcan Mountain, an extraordinary treasure in San Diego County. Rising 5,000 feet and covering more than 25,000 acres, this majestic 15 mile ridge lies in the heart of San Diego CountyÕs backcountry, stretching from Lake Henshaw to the Anza-Desert with the historic town of Julian at its feet. Volcan Mountain is a vital link in a chain of protected land. It supports a unique ecosystem reflecting a great diversity of vegetation and wildlife, which has remained virtually undisturbed. Since 1988, the Volcan Mountain Preserve Foundation in cooperation with private organizations, public government agencies and principal landowners on the mountain has been able to preserve over 4,000 acres in public ownership.
May 20, 2003 -- Woodpeckers Wouldn't Have Homes Without Mushrooms, and Other Stories The San Diego Mycological Society is a fairly new group started in 1997 and Les Braund, its President, will be giving our chapter a talk on mushrooms. Les will start his talk with an introduction to the mushrooms of San Diego County. He will show us slides of the various species in the county and will cover information relating to poisonous and edible species. The bulk of Les' talk will cover mushrooms and some of their connections to wildlife system functioning. The San Diego Mycological Society website is at www.sdmyco.org.
April 15, 2003--What the Mountain Defense League Is and What It Does
The Mountain Defense League (MDL) is a citizen-based lobby dedicated to the protection of San Diego County's and the surrounding region's mountains,
wildlands, and rural communities through wise land-use planning and resource preservation. Dick Gadler will review the history of the organization and its most notable accomplishments, as well as the means
used to attain some important victories. There will also be a discussion of useful strategies that both CNPS and the MDL can use to preserve the
remaining natural resources in San Diego County.
March 18, 2003--Seasons throughout the coastal garden year
Did the long-delayed "El Nino" rains resurrect the "planting bug" in you?
Are you looking for ideas on planning, starting or just adding to a
California native garden? Considering new combinations of flowering or
colorful native plants from your local nursery or native plant sale?
Landscape contractor Dave Buchanan (Ocean Sage Landscaping), who has been
designing, installing and maintaining residential native plant projects
since 1985, has some inspiration for you.
January 21, 2003- Ambrosia pumila: Strength, Development & Reproduction Josh Corona Bennett will discuss the federally endangered herbaceous perennial, Ambrosia pumila. Topics will include: growth characteristics, sensitivities to transplantation, viability of pollen and seeds, and ideas for future studies on the plant.
November 19, 2002- Brush Management in Environmentally Correct Areas
The Viejas (Alpine) and Potrero wildfires of January and December 2001 and the Gavilan (Fallbrook) wildfire in February 2002 occurred outside
of what in the past has been San Diego county's fire season (May to November). The potential for continuing drought conditions and the presence of lots of tinder-dry brush suggest that brush management needs to be a year-round activity.
October 15, 2002 - Propagation of California Natives
Biologist Bruce Hanson runs the propagation operation for RECON's habitat restoration group. Did you miss the Chapter plant sale or arrived too late
to purchase that particular native? Bruce will give a hands on demonstration of various propagation methods using seeds, cuttings and bulbs of California natives. Bring lots of questions!
September 17, 2002 - Horticultural Program:
Natives in the Home Garden Design From natural to formal landscape design, native plants are wonderful to work with. John Noble will explain how the natives easily fit into natural landscapes and can be incorporated into Japanese style gardens, Italian formal gardens, French sculpture gardens, English cottage gardens or any other created gardens. John (and his partner Jodi Shagg) owns the herb shop In Harmony Herbs & Spices, and the landscaping business, Coastal Sage Gardening.
July 16, 2002 - Conserving the Pines on Guadalupe and Cedros Islands: A Multinational Expedition The native range of Monterey pine (Pinus radiata) is narrowly restricted, disjunct, and binational. In addition to the three coastal California locations (Ano Nuevo, Monterey peninsula, and Cambria area), there are Monterey pine populations on two Mexican islands off Baja California - Guadalupe and Cedros Islands. Challenges to the California populations - including habitat loss to residential and recreational developments, habitat fragmentation from transportation corridors, and significant tree mortality from an introduced fungal disease - prompted a chapter of CNPS to petition to have the species listed as threatened under the California Endangered Species Act. However, the Monterey pine population of most concern is that on Guadalupe Island, where only approximately 200 mature trees (and no regeneration) remain. Goats introduced to the island over a century ago have provided constant grazing pressure and there has been no natural regeneration of the pines there for decades. The pines on Cedros Island are more plentiful and reproducing well, but there is little known about the apparently frequent fire cycles and genetic diversity of this population. In May, 2001, a multinational expedition, organized by Dr. Deborah Rogers, was made to Guadalupe and Cedros Islands to determine the status of the pines, collect seeds for conservation and research purposes, and gather other information that could be used to inform restoration plans. Dr. Rogers' presentation will provide dramatic views and recent insights on the pines of these two Mexican islands; their conservation prospects and opportunities; and the international interests and concerns that led to a successful, constituency-building, and infinitely memorable expedition. Deborah Rogers is a Conservation Geneticist with the University of California's Genetic Resources Conservation Program. She conducts research on genetic diversity and structure in temperate forest tree species and seeks appropriate and effective means by which to incorporate this information into conservation plans and forest management. Deborah is also a member of the CNPS East Bay Chapter.
June 18, 2002 - Scientific Realities and Questions About the Flora of San Diego County San Diego County boasts the highest biodiversity of any county in the continental Unites States, but what do we actually know about the organisms? What areas of San Diego County have the greatest floristic diversity? How does the lack of voucher specimen documentation for our county affect the scientific knowledge of the plants that occur here? What new plant species are yet to be discovered in our region? What can we do to increase our botanical knowledge of our area of the world?
February 19, 2002 - Butterflies and Native Plants David Faulkner was head of the San Diego Natural History Museum's Entomology Department for 25 years and remains a research associate. He runs Forensic Entomology Services while still maintaining an interest in Lepidoptera. His topic will emphasize local butterfly species and how to attract and establish in the yard both butterflies and moths using native plant species.
January 15, 2002 - Propagation of California Natives CNPS San Diego has once again held a very successful plant sale. Several people donated plants, a way to obtain material not often available in the retail nursery. Now is the time to plan for the October 12, 2002 plant sale (as well as growing plants for your own gardens). Our speaker is a longtime CNPS member, botanist, former California Natives contract grower. She will discuss the propagation of Romneya coulteri (Matilija poppy), Salvia clevelandii (Cleveland sage), and other favorites. The discussion will include propagation methods and soil mixes. Come prepared to ask lots of questions!
December 18, 2001 - Potluck/Slideluck Fiesta December is our Potluck/Slideluck Fiesta. Bring good cheer, a delicious dish of food, and up to 20 slides to share with other members. Beverages will be provided by the chapter. Please bring your own plate and utensils. A carousel slide projector will be provided. If possible, bring your slides already arranged in a carousel. See you all there!
September 18, 2001 - Creating the California Home Garden So many residential gardens lack the character to make them Californian. We are drawn to live in this diverse state, in part, because we are attracted to its natural beauty. Yet, the vast majority of home gardens and landscapes are void of native California elements. Plants admired in the wild can be brought into the home garden to give our landscapes a true southern California identity. We will discuss natural and organic approaches to experience wild California every day starting at your own front door. Take the steps to create wildlife habitat, and review the importance of children in them. Since we all live in California, isn't it time to make our home gardens look like they belong here, too? Don Hohimer is a former CNPS board member and the current education chair. As a teacher in the Alpine Union School District, he has trained teachers county-wide in school gardening. His students have won numerous awards for their school gardens and community service projects, including the 1998 Sea World/Busch Gardens Environmental Excellence Award and the 2001 National Garden Grant. Don is also a board member of the Back Country Land Trust who designed and installed the Alpine Native Plant Garden at 2120 Alpine Blvd. He consults with Alpine locals to help them achieve a "wild look" in their own gardens.
July 17, 2001 - The Great Sand Waste: Natural History of San Francisco's Sand Dunes Two centuries ago, massive sand dunes covered vast stretches of San Francisco, extending all the way to the bay shore seven miles inland. As the city grew, the fourth largest coastal dune system in California was transformed beyond recognition into Golden Gate Park, the Sunset, Richmond and Fillmore districts. Dune lakes, mobile dunes, dune sc rub, and coast live oak woodlands provided habitat for a diverse and interesting flora and fauna, including endemic species. Though much has been lost, pockets remain at the Presidio, Fort Funston, and in neighborhood parks. In recent years, with the advent of natural areas stewardship programs run by the National Park Service and the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department, hundreds of volunteers have begun restoring the remnant dunes by removing invasive plants and planting natives. Pete Holloran reviews the natural history of San Francisco's dunes and current stewardship efforts. His talk will include dramatic historic photographs.
June 19, 2001 - FIRE: Part II - Fire Management in the National Forests Fire is a natural process in southern California. But, with increasing urbanization, the effects of wildfire on watersheds and downstream homes and infrastructure is of increasing concern. Kirsten Winter will discuss how federal agencies manage areas during and after a wildfire, and the types of post-fire treatments that are implemented. Examples from several recent fires on the Cleveland National Forest will be featured.
May 15, 2001 - FIRE: Part I - The Natural History of Fire in Southern California
Enjoy an informal phototour from the Ramona/Julian area down to the Anza Borrego desert. The show will feature chaparral habitat at the higher elevations and creosote bush scrub plants of Anza Borrego. California lilac (Ceanothus spp.), probably white-bark ceanothus (Ceanothus leucodermis), ocotilla (Fouquiera splendens) and sand verbena (Abronia villosa) are expected to be blooming.
April 17, 2001 - Spring Flowers Slide Show
Enjoy an informal phototour from the Ramona/Julian area down to the Anza Borrego desert. The show will feature chaparral habitat at the higher elevations and creosote bush scrub plants of Anza Borrego. California lilac (Ceanothus spp.), probably white-bark ceanothus (Ceanothus leucodermis), ocotilla (Fouquiera splendens) and sand verbena (Abronia villosa) are expected to be blooming.
February 20, 2001 - Fungi of San Diego County
Tom's program will consist of three parts: a short discussion of the ecology and life cycles of soil fungi and how fungi fit into the overall soil ecosystem regarding functions and processes involved; a slide show to introduce the basic types of macrofungi (mushrooms) to be found in the San Diego area, including specific species of interest and importance for either food value or their toxicity; and lastly, a hands on demonstration on keying and identifying local species that can easily be found throughout the San Diego area. Emphasis will be placed on the pitfalls of correctly identifying mushrooms since southern California is home to numerous mushroom species that range from mildly toxic to deadly poisonous.
January 16, 2001 - California Wild Heritage Campaign
Good news! You can help protect and create new Wilderness and Wild and Scenic Rivers here in San Diego County. The San Diego Chapter of the Sierra Club has been working for two years on a campaign called the California Wild Heritage Campaign. This campaign is a state-wide campaign to get national legislation passed that will protect several million acres of our National Forests and lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management as wilderness and wild and scenic rivers. San Diego County has 20 areas totaling over 100,000 acres in Cleveland National Forest and Bureau of Land Management that the Sierra Club has surveyed and are recommending be included in the legislation this spring for Wilderness designation. The Sierra Club has gone on many trips to discover that these areas are incredibly remote, pristine, and beautiful. Camille Armstrong, chair of the Forest and Wilderness subcommittee of the San Diego Sierra Club, will present a slide show that gives an overview of these wonderful areas that are yet unprotected from illegal off-road vehicles and road building.
December 19, 2000 - Potluck/Slideluck Fiesta
December is our potluck/slideluck fiesta. Bring good cheer, a delicious dish of food, and up to 20 slides to share with other members. Beverages will be provided by the chapter. Please bring your own plate and utensils. A carousel slide projector will be provided. If possible, bring your slides already arranged in a carousel. See you all there!
November 21, 2000 - Propagating Your Own Plants
For those people who missed the fabulous CNPS Plant Sale or got there too late to purchase their favorite native, Jeanine De Hart will present a program on propagating your own plants. She is author of Propagation Secrets for California Natives, botanist, and former California natives contract grower. Jeanine will teach us her secrets on growing Encelia californica, Sisyrinchium bellum, Ceanothus and other plants from seed. Other methods of propagation will also be covered including root cuttings (e.g., Romneya coulteri) and stem cuttings (e.g., Galvezia speciosa).
October 17, 2000 - Dudleyas: The Live-Forevers
Mark Dodero will present a program on the native live-forevers and their habitats. Mark has been cultivating and observing dudleyas since his early childhood days in San Diego. He has studied and observed dudleyas in southern California and Baja California and has wonderful slides to share. Mark¼s thesis, which he completed in 1995, is entitled "Phylogenetic Analysis of Dudleya subgenus Hasseanthus (Crassulaceae) using Morphological and Allozyme data", but don¼t let that scare you. Mark¼s talk will provide an overview of the distribution, evolutionary biology, population dynamics, pollination biology and natural history of the genus Dudleya, particularly the Hasseanthus group (which includes D. brevifolia, D. blochmaniae, D. variegata, D. multicaulis and others). He will also discuss techniques that can be used for propagation, enhancement and restoration of existing population so that they persist in our MSCP preserve lands.
September, 19 2000 - Private Restoration: An Unconventional Approach to Native Landscaping Greg Rubin will discuss strategies for developing successful native landscapes, using methods that often have little to do with conventional gardening wisdom. These simple techniques were developed over years of painful trial and error, and incorporate very basic ecological principles. This is a response to the bad rap that natives have been getting from most of the horticultural community. What is the disparity between the Ceanothus that lives 200+ years in the wild, but only 5-10 years in landscapes? Why can't that natural ecology be captured at home? The goal is to create stable, long-lived, truly drought tolerant landscapes with minimal inputs. We use very little irrigation, no fertilizer, no tilling, no soil amendment (except in extreme cases), and take advantage of natural weed suppression to minimize maintenance labor. Greg will talk about the importance of plant community based design, stronger reliance on evergreens to create a cleaner foundation planting and less maintenance (getting away from the "tumbleweed" look of summer/fall), and using appropriate mulches. He will touch on the concept of weeds vs. natives as an ecological switch, and how this relates to fire-scapes and fire ecology. Greg's hope is that by revealing landscaping secrets, we can begin to establish standard operating procedure for working with natives. The old methods often don't work. If native-scapes are to be viewed as serious mainstream alternatives to exotic landscapes, and our goal is to re-establish a sense of regional identity while creating beautiful gardens that increase available wildlife habitat, then we need to start creating landscapes that are attractive, clean, relatively problem free, low-maintenance, and stable.
August 2000
July 18, 2000 - San Clemente Island Plant Community Recovery Program
Liz Kellogg will present a program on the Navy's long-term monitoring program for plant community recovery following feral animal removal on San Clemente Island. The island is changing dramatically, both in terms of the recovery of shrubs and the many endemics that reside there.
June 20, 2000 - Where the Multiple Species Conservation Program is Now and What's Ahead Leah Katz, County of San Diego Department of Planning and Land Use, will present a program on the County's Multiple Species Conservation Program (MSCP). She will cover the MSCP's historical background, current efforts and future plans. Leah has been working at the County for one year after graduating from UCSD with a degree in Urban Studies and Planning.
May 16, 2000 - Mediterranean-Type Shrublands of Alta and Baja California: General Characteristics and Response To Fire Dr. John O'Leary, Professor of Geography at San Diego State University, will present a program on the characteristics and response to fire by Mediterranean-type shrublands, such as our chaparral and sage scrub vegetation types. Mediterranean-type climates occur in five widely disjunct regions of the world and support various forms of shrubland vegetation that are remarkably similar in their outward appearance or physiognomy. In most cases, the shrubs in these areas are members of different genera and families, and have independently evolved from other plants of different growth forms, i.e. they are products of evolutionary convergence. Dr. O'Leary will briefly discuss the major shrubland types that occur in Mediterranean-type climate areas of the world. He will focus on chaparral and coastal sage scrub, two shrubland types that dominate undeveloped Mediterranean-type climate regions of Alta and Baja California. He will generally discuss major environmental controls on the geographic distribution of these shrublands as well as controls on the various types or associations of chaparral and coastal sage scrub recognized by some ecologists. Special attention will be paid to the role that fire plays in the reproductive dynamics of both shrubland types and to the herbaceous and suffrutescent vegetation that typically dominates the landscape during the first few postburn years.
April 18 - Natural Beauty in Every Direction Professional wildlife / nature photographer Richard Herrmann will give a 40- minute slide presentation that captures the natural beauty of San Diego County. See images from our eastern-most deserts, to the top of our tallest peaks, down the foothills to the coastal plain, and finally through the waves and on out to, the open sea! Images will include animals, our unique vegetation types and more. Richard Herrmann's images have appeared in National Geographic books, Outside, Time, Ranger Rick, Sierra Club calendars and many more. He will be bringing his latest poster to sell and autograph at the end of his program.
March 21 - Changing Perspectives in Tertiary Paleobotany of Western North America
Diane M. Erwin and Howard E. Schorn The present flora and vegetation of California results from a complex interplay of physical and biological histories woven over the last 65 million years of Earth history (i.e., the Tertiary Period). Unraveling the often times baffling mosaic of western floral, climate, and landscape histories is difficult and laborious, but key to understanding the extant California flora. In fact, the field of Tertiary paleobotany in western North America is itself an exercise in history and one that helps explain why we are where we are today in the study of California paleobotany. Paleobotanical and geological studies, largely within the last decade, have invoked major modifications to today's now "classic" interpretations of Tertiary vegetation in western North America championed over the last 70 years by two prominent California paleobotanists: Ralph W. Chaney (UC Berkeley) and Daniel I. Axelrod (UC Davis). Although these authors collectively influenced many of our ideas regarding floral change during the Tertiary Period in western North America, their studies of western paleofloras used a "picture matching" approach for identifying the fossil plants. Once identifications were made, the "nearest living relative" technique was then used to determine a particular fossil taxon's closest extant relative and this relationship used to infer fossil plant ecology and biogeography, as well as, various aspects of the paleoclimate and paleotopography. Needless to say, any errors in identification would modify interpretations of the paleophysical conditions under which the plants lived and dramatically alter their temporal and biogeographic histories. We will present an overview of the history and current status of Tertiary paleobotany in western North America discussing the more rigorous and systematic approaches to taxonomy, that have revealed many of the previous errors of fossil plant identification. These studies using revised taxa and repeatable methods of climate analysis based on the preset-day and ancient plant-climate relationships reveals complex Tertiary climate changes that help explain the changing temporal and spatial histories of the western North American flora and vegetation. Climatic analysis of Tertiary lowland and upland fossil plant assemblages, in conjunction with a number of independent geological studies, have literally turned our previous perceptions of paleo-elevations and paleo-topography for the western U.S. upside down. These new lines of evidence suggest the Sierra Nevada and Nevada have been uplands for the last 65-plus million years, rather than a region uplifted just within the last five million years.
February 15, 2000 - Famosa Slough and Ocean Beach Sand Dunes
Active and future restoration efforts at the Famosa Slough with Jim Peugh
January 18, 2000 - Ferns of San Diego County San Diego Fern Society Secretary and Newsletter Editor, Robin Halley, is an avid collector of ferns. In the past few years, he has been interested in ferns that grow in full sunlight and under xeric conditions including San Diego native ferns Pellaea mucronata and Cheilanthes newberryi. Robin will review San Diego's native ferns, their habitats and cultivation with slides and a discussion. Robin will also lead a field trip on January 29 to Mission Trails Regional Park to explore the ferns and other wet-season flora.
November 16, 1999 - Saving Sierra Forests
Saving Sierra Forests -- We'll view "Saving Sierra Forests," a new slide show by the Sierra Nevada Forest Protection Campaign, which examines the problems facing the Sierra Nevada forest ecosystem and recommends new management practices that protect the ancient forests, forested watersheds, and biologically sensitive areas of the Sierra Nevada. This slide show is especially timely in light of the Forest Service regional Sierra Nevada management plan revision process currently underway. This process will affect logging and forest protection in the Sierra Nevada for years to come. The Sierra Nevada Forest Protection Campaign is a coalition of about 50 local, regional and national groups working to permanently protect the remaining ancient forests, wildlands, wild rivers, and other biologically important areas of the Sierra Nevada. They organize conservationists to get involved in the Forest Service's regional planning process for the national forests of the Sierra Nevada.
October 19, 1999 - Restoration of Joshua Tree National Park
Jane Rodgers will give us an introduction to arid lands stewardship from the perspective of a large national park. Joshua Tree National Park has been a pioneer in the field of desert plant propagation, and is home to the Center for Arid Lands Restoration. With slides she will review how our desert landscapes have changed over the last century, and what is being done to recover these altered landscapes.
Ms. Rodgers will discuss the Joshua Tree National Park Native Plants Nursery, active habitat restoration sites, natural landscapes, and sites that require some serious thought! Topics will also include such issues as salt cedar invasion, changing fire regimes, mine reclamation, and road rehabilitation.
Ms. Rodgers started working at Joshua Tree National Park in 1994 as the nursery manager for our native plants nursery. Prior to that she was in the Peace Corps in West Africa working on the edge of the Sahara in a much similar environment. Since 1996 she has been the vegetation specialist for the park, responsible for restoration, rare plant monitoring, fire as it pertains to vegetation, exotic plant management, landscaping, and other duties "as assigned"!
Join us for an informative evening!
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