Migrating through the Merriam Mountains
By Frank Landis, Chairperson, Conservation Committee
I'm still mulling over the issue of plant migration, and since I'm writing this in the middle of August as a break from working on the Newland Sierra EIR, I figured it was worth a column combining the two. This may get messy.
PLANT OF THE MONTH: Palmer's Mallow (Abutilon palmeri)
Jamul Mountains-June 2015
By Tom Oberbauer, Vice President CNPS-San Diego
The Jamul Mountains are not as well recognized as some of their nearby neighbors. They are over-shadowed by Otay Mountain at 3,500 feet and San Miguel Mountain at 2,567 feet since they top out at 2,059 feet at the highest point. The Jamul Mountain stand between SR-94 as it passes through the southern part of Jamul, and Proctor Valley. Proctor Valley is notorious for the strange events that are purported to have occurred there: Proctor Valley monster and two headed cows; remnants of rumors from my youth growing up in the vicinity. Like San Miguel and Otay Mountains, the Jamul Mountains are composed of metavolcanic rock. This is volcanic rock that was deposited as part of a group of very tall mountains like the Andes, but in an island arc off the west coast of North America 106-108 million years ago (Kimbrough, 2014). Since I last climbed the Jamul Mountains in the late 1970’s, many things have changed including the fact that a large part of the surrounding land has been preserved, a steel barrier has been constructed to prevent OHV and trucks from driving cross-country over the slopes, and major fires have occurred.
I set out on an overcast morning, overcast where I live, but clear and sunny by the time I reached Proctor Valley. The temperature of the day was predicted to be in the mid 90’s. I drove down Proctor Valley Road and could see that some things have not changed, especially the washboard surface and the debris from target shooting along the side of the road. I parked my vehicle near a lone Eucalyptus tree and set off toward the peak.
The Revolution Should Face the Sun
By Frank Landis, Chairperson Conservation Committee
As you read this, I'll be working on a comment letter for the Newland Sierra EIR. That project inspired this essay because one of the things they're doing is trying to make the Newland Sierra development carbon neutral. This is a wonderful aspiration, but I'm not so sure that it shows up in the project design, and that's the subject of this month's essay. Unfortunately, carbon neutral developments aren't as simple as writing a few pages in an EIR and specifying that it should be possible to mount solar panels on otherwise conventional tract houses in a conventional development.
FEATURED COMMITTEE: Habitat Restoration
By Bob Byrnes, Co-Chairperson, Habitat Restoration Committee
CNPS-SD has decided to feature one of our committees each month to shine a light on our many and diverse activities. This month we feature the Habitat Restoration committee.
PLANT OF THE MONTH: Saw-toothed Goldenbush (Hazardia squarrosa)
Guatay Mountain
By Tom Oberbauer, Vice President, CNPS-SD
I drove out east on I-8 fairly early in the morning. The sky was heavily clouded to the point that mist was falling and it was necessary to use the windshield wipers. However, east of Alpine, the sun burst through and the sky was perfectly clear with no hint of a cloud. I was working on another rare plant survey to identify locations of Packera ganderi (Gander’s butterweed) and any other rare plants for the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) under their contract with AECOM. I drove east toward the town of Guatay and onto the Old Highway 80, the old concrete slab two lane highway with that characteristic bumpety-bump sound from the tires hitting the tar-filled slab joints across the road. I remember when this was the only road east, before I-8 was constructed. I needed to find a place to park and I first thought about parking at the Lutheran church parking area in the town and then I thought I would try the road through the village of Guatay to where it looked like a trail took off, a trail I had seen on Google Earth. However, a few dozen yards down the road there were signs on both sides of the road that stated unauthorized vehicles will be towed at the owner’s expense. Not only that, directly adjacent to that area was a towing service yard with an active tow truck; by active, I mean that the engine was running.
New CNPS Garden Ambassador Program
Interested? Contact Kristen Wernick, Outreach Coordinator, California Native Plant Society for more details.
Climate Change: Option C and Its Exploits
By Frank Landis, Chairperson Conservation Committee
On June 10, the state CNPS Chapter Council passed the following position statement:
"Climate is a significant factor effecting natural ecosystems, including California flora.
"CNPS recognizes that climate change is real and that the current rate of global warming is faster than nonhuman natural forces would produce. Based on overwhelming evidence and broad scientific consensus, we hold that human actions, including greenhouse gas emissions, are major contributors to local and global climate change. This recognition follows the work of world leading institutions and organizations, including the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the United States National Academy of Sciences, and the American Geophysical Union. CNPS recognizes that climate change is a current and future stress on California's native flora, especially when added to other human activities, including habitat loss, introduction of non-native species, and blocking landscape linkages.
"CNPS supports science-based, rational policies and actions, on the local, state, national, and international levels, that lead to the reduction of greenhouse gases without endangering California's native flora. We urge all Californians and CNPS members to do their part to protect California's native plants.
PLANT OF THE MONTH: Chaparral Honeysuckle (Lonicera subspicata)
Spring 2017 on Coastal San Diego County
by Tom Oberbauer, Vice President CNPS-San Diego
Lest one gain the impression that the wildflowers this year were confined to the desert, I want to describe two coastal areas as well. In mid-March, I figured that Point Loma was getting close to flowering. Previous years following good rainfall seasons, the tidepool side of Point Loma will have displays of Eschscholzia californica (California Poppy), Encelia californica (California Encelia) and what used to be called Coreopsis maritima, now Leptosyne maritima (Sea Dahlia). So, on the last day that I visited the desert, late in the afternoon, I drove to Point Loma and down on the tidepool side 5 minutes before it was going to be blocked off at 4:30 pm. The afternoon light was magical on the landscape and the flowers. The Encelia californica was blooming wildly.
Impossible Only Until We Start
By Arne Johansen, Co-Chairperson Habitat Restoration
There is an old saying: 'The difficult we do immediately; the impossible takes a little longer.' I was reminded of this as I described our current work area to a new volunteer. From where we were standing (surrounded by eucalyptus, Arundo and palms) I explained how our project area extends two miles downstream and another mile upstream. Then I pointed east and added that our project extends three miles along that side creek. Out loud it just seems impossibly large.
Additionally, it also seems that the more we get done the more there is left to do. This happens in multiple ways. First, our success with one project acts as a snowball rolling downhill. So we added two new pieces to our project area this season. While more work, this allows us to manage the watershed cohesively. It also adds to our ability to stay flexible and respond to circumstances. But it just seems like so much more and there is also work which begets more work.
This winter we concentrated our activities on one mile of the San Dieguito River. This is a joint project with USFW, the San Dieguito River Conservancy, many private property owners, and us, in conjunction with the local fire department. Through our joint efforts we have been able to bring in additional resources in the form of ACE (American Conservation Experience) to help with biomass removal, which lessens fire risk – a huge plus.
Who Knew Climate Change and Policy Was So Complicated?
By Frank Landis, Chairperson Conservation Committee
We seem to be hearing that in all sorts of unexpected contexts right now (I'm writing this on May 1st), but I'm going to focus on climate change and policy again. The issue I'm struggling with is the North County Multiple Species Conservation Program (NCMSCP, because you need more acronyms). I'm on the steering committee, and the documents (hopefully) will be out this fall. We'll be dealing with it for a while, and I wanted to air the issues so that we can all start thinking about it, because it really is complicated.
Problem one is climate change. According to a recent National Geographic article, half of 4,000 species surveyed are moving towards the poles, about one mile per year on land on average (http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2017/04/climate -change-species-migration-disease/ ). We'll argue endlessly about whether this is true for all land species, but the point is that the climate is changing, it will continue to change, species are responding to it, and what we're fighting right now is massive societal inertia to determine how fast and how far the climate swings from 20th Century normal. The nasty part of even extreme climate change isn't the quasi-stable end state (basically like the Miocene), it's how extreme the peak heat is between now and then (a few centuries of something possibly like the end Permian Great Dying, or more likely, the end Paleocene). That peak heat is the extinction-maker we want to avoid if at all possible. That aside, the point is that the world is already changing, it will continue to change, and we're talking about what will suffer, not how to stop the change.
Plant of the Month: Bird's Eyes (Gilia tricolor)
It's time to vote for your environmental hero!
Vote for Robert Byrnes, the hardworking member of our Habitat Restoration crew, who is one of 3 finalists in California in the Cox Conserves Heroes contest. The winner will be named California's Cox Conserves Hero and receive a $10,000 grant for his or her environmental non-profit of choice. Bob has designated California Native Plant Society - San Diego Chapter as the recipient of any winnings. What a guy!
READ MORE...
Cox Communications and The Trust for Public Land are proud to present California's Cox Conserves Heroes program. Voting is currently open for the 2017 awards through June 24.
About Cox Conserves Heroes
Created in partnership with The Trust for Public Land, Cox Conserves Heroes is a national awards program that honors and celebrates environmental volunteers across the country.
How it works
The public nominates volunteers using a brief online form. Next, a panel of local civic and environmental leaders selects three finalists to be profiled online. The finalist videos are shared online with the public, who then vote for the nominee they feel most deserving of the award. Winning nominees are awareded a $10,000 donation to the nonprofit of their choosing. Finalists each receive $5,000 for their nonprofit beneficiaries.
The awards programs is our way of honoring the unsung heroes in our communities and supporting the local organizations doing the important work of bettering our environment. Through the program, we hope to inspire more people to take an active role in community conservation.
Volunteer Recognition at the San Dieguito River Valley Conservancy
Arne Johanson
Bob Byrnes
At volunteer appreciation day for the San Dieguito River Valley Conservancy on May 13 Arne Johanson and Bob Byrnes received, as members of the California Native Plant Society, San Diego Chapter:
- Certificates of appreciation and special thanks from the US Fish and Wildlife Service
- Certificates of recognition for exceptional volunteer service from The San Dieguito River Valley Conservancy
- Plaques with a personal photograph, inscribed "With Sincere Appreciation for Your Outstanding Volunteer Service, San Dieguito River Valley Conservancy"
Congratulations Bob & Arne and thank you for all your hard work!
Visit the San Diego County Fair Pollinator Trail!
Where can you find some peace and quiet after a long day at the San Diego County Fair?
Why, at The Pollinator Trail, of course!
Across the nation, pollinators are disappearing. The Pollinator Trail exhibit at the county fair provides San Diegans with a look at how they can help pollinators like butterflies, bumble bees and hummingbirds thrive. This year, the exhibit overlaps with National Pollinator Week, June 19 – 25, 2017, which aims to create awareness about the importance and plight of our pollinators.
Exhibit Details: For the third year, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will be one of several partners with the San Diego Pollinator Alliance to host the Pollinator Trail exhibit at the San Diego County Fair. The exhibit has several components to help the public learn and experience what can be done for pollinators at an apartment, house or garden. This includes three large native gardens, an example of a pollinator patio garden, a live honeybee exhibit and the Butterfly Flight House where visitors can come face to face with live flying butterflies.
The Pollinator Trail is located at the Farm (the infield of the track at the fairgrounds) and is ongoing from June 2 to July 4 at the San Diego County Fair.
Background: Pollinators are critical for our food supply, and they’re in trouble. Take the monarch butterfly for example: over the last 20 years, populations of monarch butterflies in North America have declined nearly 80 percent. Conserving pollinators and their habitat has positive cascading effects leading to conservation of other animals like songbirds and mammals. Pollinator habitat adds beauty to any setting with its vibrant displays of flowers and by attracting insects, birds, and other wildlife.
Our well-being depends on healthy animals. Pollinators are responsible for 75 percent of our food supply, and one of every three bites of food we eat. Pollinators also support healthy ecosystems that clean the air, improve water quality, reduce soil erosion, flood protection and support other wildlife.
Join us at the Pollinator Trail to celebrate pollinators, walk the butterfly house, or learn about helping pollinators thrive.
The Pollinator Trail is a joint exhibit presented by:
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Natural Resource Conservation Service
Resource Conservation District of Greater San Diego County
The Butterfly Farms
California Native Plant Society - San Diego Chapter
Sky Mountain Permaculture Institute
For more information about the exhibit, visit: http://www.rcdsandiego.org/san_diego_county_fair_pollinator_garden.aspx
Desert Wildflowers
by Tom Oberbauer, Vice President CNPS-San Diego
For those of you who were not able to make it out to Borrego Valley this March, I am sorry.
I must admit, growing up, I was not especially fond of desert. I had only been through deserts on family road trips to elsewhere in the southwest. We always had to leave at 1 am to get through the desert before it was too hot. I grew up favoring mountains with forests over deserts. However, during an ecology class at SDSU, we had a project in the desert in the spring and I became more interested. I began to really appreciate the deserts, the starkness of the terrain, the pockets of unique habitats and the wildflowers. During the late 1970s and early 1980s, I was a naturalist on SDNHM ecology trips to the desert each spring.
There were some exceptional rainfall seasons at that time with exceptional wildflowers. They were 1978, 1979, 1980, 1983 and 1993. In 1995 and even 2005, the third wettest season in San Diego history, wildflower displays in Borrego were exceptional. I remember one spring driving out each weekend for a month to enjoy all of the phases.