California Native Plant Society Conservation Conference Jan 17 - 19th, Sacramento
( If you are reading this anywhere but my blog, you can find the original post here. )
The California Native Plant Society is hosting a Conservation Conference; Strategies and Solutions, January 17 – 19th at the Sacramento Convention Center and the Sheraton Grand Hotel. On January 20 and 21, immediately following the official meeting, 13 native-plant related workshops are also being held. Regular registration ends Monday January 12th. Photo above: Coffeeberry (Rhamnus californica, Sunset zones 4-9) is a native, evergreen shrub that grows from 3 - 15 feet tall, has attractive berries and takes pruning well for smaller garden situations. Its evergreen foliage with frost adds nice winter interest to a mixed border.
I recently talked with Catie and Jim Bishop of Oroville about the upcoming conference. Catie and Jim are on the Chapter Board of the Mount Lassen Chapter of the CNPS and are on the CNPS state Chapter Council. They are both longtime gardeners and plant enthusiasts themselves. Their interest in native plants and conservation grew exponentially after moving, in 1990, to their one-acre foothills property outside of Oroville, where they are working to garden with and regenerate the native Blue Oak Woodland habitat. Based on a good deal of work in National Forests over the past decade, they will be making a presentation on the fens (montane peatlands) of Northern California at the upcoming conference. Photo Above: Catalogue of Offerings at the Conservation Conference, focusing on Strategies and Solutions for conserving our California native plants and their habitats.
In their view: “This conference is an occasion for all kinds of CNPS members to embrace the work that has been done and the work that we hope to do. The speakers, presentations and workshops being offered over the 5-day conference, range from the highly scientific and academic to the much more general, in the hopes of attracting as broad an audience as possible – from professional botanists and public policy makers to plant enthusiasts and home gardeners.” Photo Above: California Fuschia (Epilobium canum spp canum aka Zauschneria californica) with a happy pollinating bee. Topics such as the botanical naming and re-categorization of various plants in the 2nd edition of the Jepson Manual of California vascular plants and the 2nd edition of the Manual of California Vegetation are some of the topics to be covered at the Conservation Conference.
“Originally formed in 1965 in the east bay region, the CNPS is a statewide non-profit organization of amateurs and professionals with a common interest in California’s native plants…. CNPS seeks to increase understanding of California’s native flora and to preserve this rich resource for future generations.”
As gardeners, we are integral members of the diverse audience that CNPS hopes to reach through such massive undertakings as this high level conference, as well as – and “perhaps more importantly,” the Bishops said – “through the daily, weekly and monthly offerings of field trips, talks and classes offered by the many local chapters who form the base of CNPS throughout the state and are on the front lines of working towards its mission.” The mission of CNPS is “to increase understanding and appreciation of California’s native plants and to conserve them and their natural habitats through education, science, advocacy, horticulture and land stewardship.”
Photo Above: Publications rank highly among the many useful resources offered by CNPS. Fremontia is the quarterly statewide Journal of CNPS; The Pipevine is the monthly newsletter of the Mount Lassen Chapter of CNPS; CNPS also produces many brochures such as this Gardening with California’s Native Plants hand-out.
In the North State alone we have several very active local CNPS Chapters – the Shasta Chapter, which holds its regular meetings in Redding, the Mount Lassen Chapter, which holds its regular meetings in Chico, the Redbud Chapter, which meets in Nevada City, and the Sacramento Valley Chapter. For more information on and links to these individual chapters, go to: www.cnps.org/cnps/chapters/
A quote on the CNPS website always catches my eye: “Beautiful natural landscapes in California, including the scenic National Parks here, display authentic California flora. Your garden can too.”
Catie and Jim sum the importance of natives in the home garden and the interface between the scientifically-based conference and we home-gardeners up nicely: “The sharing of information, and gathering of scientific data, provide tools and engender enthusiasm among participants to take the message home. This is where local chapters make the science available to their members. Information in the form of workshops, handouts, and field trips teach home gardeners about what the natural habitat is in their area, and what plants are native to their natural habitat. They can also learn what pollinators depend on natives, and how best to grow them. This is where conservation begins. Conservation lives in the hearts of all plant lovers, and each person can play a part in their own garden, in their own way.” Photo Above: Native California spring-blooming bulbs include such delicate beauties as this Fritiallaria. Collecting the bulbs from the wild is illegal, but more and more seed grown plants are available from responsible specialty growers.
“By using the appropriate plants in our own habitats, whether that is blue oak woodland, riparian area, valley floor, etc. we are practicing restoration and enhancement of local habitats. We are also supporting the local insect, mammal and bird species appropriate to that area. Many natives rely on native pollinators, and those pollinators rely on a habitat with plants they recognize. By avoiding using, even eliminating, invasive plants we are helping to conserve biodiversity. Conservation doesn’t mean every plant in your yard has to be a native. It just means that natives matter enough to make a place for them to thrive along with the native pollinators that depend on them.” Photo Above: Gardening with native plants in some people’s minds still suffers from a bad image, when in reality California native plants offer lush and colorful plant choices. Here a Penstemon blooms up against a California Sage (Artemesia) in my home garden.
The fact that so many natives are now available to a wider gardening audience through nurseries and growers, and the fact that many native plants are so easy to grow and so lovely to look at, certainly helps the cause.
Keep an eye out on the CNPS website for publications resulting from the Conservation Conference, and take a look at information on other upcoming events - such as the particularly garden oriented Growing Natives: Celebrating California’s Beauty in Dry Times March 28th and 29th. www.nativeplants.org/symposium2009/.
In a North State Garden is an educational outreach program of the Northern California Natural History Museum and a co-production of North State Public Radio. All rights to content and photographs reserved to jewellgarden.com 2009.