The California Native Plant Society (CNPS) was formed in 1965 in the East Bay region. Today it is a statewide organization with thirty-three chapters. The East Bay Chapter covers Alameda and Contra Costa Counties. The state organization and the local chapters work together to increase understanding of California's native flora and to preserve this rich resource for future generations.
Eschscholzia californica (California poppies) and Layia platyglossia (coastal tidytips)
in Bear Valley
in Colusa County. Photo taken in 1993 by John Game
April 27, 2008, Sea Foam Trail in Kennedy Grove Park in El Sobrante
Compare the native plant rich area to the eucalyptus plantation. Under the bay trees here, there is more than one would expect. Lots of common natives, and some unusual ones. This is a short 1.5 mile walk. Only 400 foot elevation gain up to the ridge. Meet at 10am, we should be back at the cars around 11:30. There will then be an optional continuation along Black Oak Loop trail.
Directions: Take San Pablo Dam road from Route 80 or from Orinda to Castro Ranch Road in El Sobrante. Turn onto Castro Ranch Road. Go two blocks on Castro Ranch Road, turn right on Hillside Drive. Go about 1/2 mile to end of Hillside Drive, turn left on Patra Drive. Go to end of Patra Drive and park. No fees.
Invasive Plants are the biggest single threat to California Natives
Sunday April 27 9:30 am, Restoration group at Huckleberry Regional Preserve
We return to join East Bay Regional Parks and continue our inroads against invasive Vinca, cape ivy, forget-me-nots and the other trailside invasives in this botanical preserve. Bring water and gloves if you have them. For those arriving from Oakland, the stretch of Skyline just north of Snake Road has been reopened to alternating one-lane traffic, with a stop sign at either end. A longer but perhaps more driveable route is available from Highway 13 to Old Tunnel Road. Follow Old Tunnel Road and bear right at its intersection with Skyline, and then follow Skyline south the the Huckleberry gate.
Horticulture Program Survey: Help our chapter decide the future direction of our plant sales program by answering our survey questions.
Help fight Sudden Oak Death: join a free, fun, and educational activity to protect our East Bay oaks
East Bay SOD-Blitz
Saturday and Sunday, June 7–8, 2008
Tilden, Wildcat Canyon, Redwood, and Briones Regional Parks
2008 Plant Fair Planning—we welcome you!
If you would like to be part of the committee that puts on the Plant Fair, contact Charli or Delia. An easy way is to send an e-mail message to nativehere@ebcnps.org.
An even easier way is to come to a fair planning meeting on Saturday, May 24 at 10 am at Native Here Nursery, 101 Golf Course Drive, Tilden Park. Suggestions for speakers, vendors to invite, and ways to publicize the event are welcomed.
Do you enjoy plants from all of California?
As at the past two Plant Fairs, both locally native plants and some plants from elsewhere in California will be offered for sale. This year, it would be great to grow some of those “All California” plants ourselves rather than purchase them from wholesale nurseries to grow on. If you are interested in propagating a favorite native, you can do that at Native Here any Friday or Saturday morning. “All California” plants in high demand include manzanitas, ceanothus and California fuchsia. Nursery volunteers can guide you on taking cuttings and growing them.
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2008 Scholarships
Each year, the East bay Chapter of the CNPS grants scholarships to worthy students. The money to support these scholarships is raised by volunteers who work on the Chapters Plant sales. Recent scholarships have supported students working in horticulture, plant evolution, park management, ecosystem management, conservation biology, plant ecology, plant physiology, and plant systematics.
Five scholarships of $1200 each are awarded to undergraduate or graduate students in botany, horticulture and related fields interested in working with California native plants. An outstanding student will be awarded the Myrtle Wolf Scholarship and an additional $750.
Preference is given for students working in, or working with plants in, Alameda and Contra Costa counties.
The East Bay Chapter specifically encourages applications from students in the community college system and students in horticulture.
Application Deadline: April 30, 2008
Click here to download a pdf document that explains how to apply.
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A San Francisco Chronicle article on the efforts of the East Bay Chapter of the California Native Plant Society to save one of the few remaining populations of the rare and endangered Presidio Clarkia. The plants in question are in Oakland.
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East Bay Chapter President WIns Award
EBCNPS Chapter President Charli Danielsen has been selected as a winner of the Jefferson Award for Public Service.
Click here for a video from KPIX, CBS 5 in San Francisco with an extensive interview with Charli about the work of Native Here.
(Note that the video is at KPIX, CBS, not KRON, as erroneously stated on page 4 of the December 2007 Bay Leaf.)
Congratulations to Charli!
The San Francisco Chronicle of Sunday, March 18, 2007 has an article about Charli and her contributions to native plant conservation.
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Red Alert
Dittrichia graveolens, aka stinkweed, is a California Invasive Council "red alert"--explosively invasive weed. It first appeared in the South Bay about 10 years ago and is spreading like wildfire along the highways. Many of us only recognized it in the East Bay this fall. Now we are trying to limit its spread by cutting and removing plants. We have been working east of the Caldecott Tunnel because of the roadwork there.
For more information, contact Barbara Leitner 925-253-8300, bleitner@pacbell.net. Here is a document with some information about stinkweed.
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Member Renewal
We need your renewals! To meet the State Membership Challenge we
need to grow by 224 members! Read more
Calflora
View locations for 16,000 East Bay rare and unusual plants plus
thousands of other East Bay plant records on the Calflora web site.