Calendar of Events jline 1,8,15, 22, and 29, FRIDAYS: ■ Native Here Nursery open, 9 a.m.-noon (see p. 3). jline 2, SATURDAY: ■ Help the native plant restoration team remove yellow star thistle (see p. 3). jline 2, 9, 16, 23, and 30, SATURDAYS: ■ Native Here Nursery open, 10 a.m.-l a.m. (see p. 3). Jline 5, 12, 19, and 26, TUESDAYS: ■ Plant sale work sessions for the Fall 2001 plant sale (see p. 2). Jline 5, 12, 19, and 26, TUESDAYS: ■ Seed forays from Native Here Nursery, 9 a.m. (see p. 3). Jline 6, WEDNESDAY: ■ Board of Directors' meeting, at the home of June Wilkinson, 440 Sobrante Camino, Orinda. 7:30 p.m. All members welcome. Jline 9, SATURDAY: ■ Deadline for July/ August Bay Leaf. Give items to Brett Boltz or Joe Willingham. jline 16, SATURDAY: ■ Field trip to Strawberry Creek (see p. 2). Jline 27, WEDNESDAY: ■ Membership meeting (see below). jUly 7, SATURDAY: ■ Star thistle bash (see p. 3). Membership Meeting Wednesday, June 27 ♦ 7:30 p.m. California’s Dragonflies Speaker: Kathy Biggs Quick — what were the first flying animals? Not the pterodactyls. Hint: think small. If you named the insects, you’re right. The fossil record indicates that the first flying insects lived 360 million years ago. And among the flying insects, members of the order Odonata, which includes dragonflies and damselflies, were flying up to 300 mill ion years ago, 100 million years before dinosaurs and 130 million years before birds. The East Bay is a fairly prolific dragonfly area, with several habitats. Dragonfly studies are in their infancy and even beginners can add to the understanding of the dragonflies’ distribution, life cycles, and habitat require- ments. Kathy Biggs, dragonfly expert and enthusiast, will introduce us to the 43 currently known East Bay species of dragonflies and damselflies. She will show us their ephemeral beauty and explain their classification and identification, their life cycles, and their amazing behav- iors. She will also discuss threats to their survival and touch on creation of backyard ponds for dragonfly habitat using native plants. Kathy Biggs has been a nature lover all her life and an educator for over 18 years. After she and her husband built a wildlife garden pond using mostly California native plants, the dragonflies arrived and became her passion. When Kathy discovered that there were no available guides to the dragonflies, she began collecting her own data, which she first published on the Internet at www.sonic.net/dragonfly. The web site eventually evolved into her new book, Common Dragonflies of California , A Beginner's Pocket Guide , which will be available at the meeting. The meeting will take place in the Conference Center of the University of California Botanical Garden on Centen- nial Drive, east of Memorial Stadium, above the main campus of the University of California in Berkeley. The Garden gate will open at 7 p.m. The meeting begins at 7:30 p.m. Refreshments will be served after the meeting. CNPS books and other publications will be on display and available for purchase. Please contact Holly Forbes, 234-2913, if you have any questions. President’s Message It was with decidedly mixed feelings that I accepted the resignation of two of the longest-serving board members of the East Bay Chapter: Jenny Fleming and Phoebe Watts. Jenny is in fact one of the founding members of the California Native Plant Society, and Phoebe joined soon thereafter. Both have served in active roles, in a variety of capacities, practically ever since. My immediate reaction when faced with the loss of such irreplaceable backbone to Chapter activities was accordingly near- panic. On the other hand, their resignation gives us the invaluable opportunity to honor their immense efforts and contributions to the East Bay Chapter. By the time you are reading these words, we will have had the pleasure of honoring Jenny and Phoebe at the May membership meeting (see what those of you who didn’t come missed out on?!). Because my own membership in the East Bay Chapter has only been for a brief 16 years, I am dependent on other board members to provide the requisite back- ground sketches of Jenny and Phoebe, and why the Chapter has been so lucky to count them among our active members. Fortunately for me, the on-going board members are all as valuable in their own right, and readily rose to the challenge with the following results: “Jenny was vice-president of the Chapter when I joined back in the seventies, and then became president. She has served continuously on our Chapter board, even while taking posts at the state level of CNPS, and long after being named a Fellow of the Society. I remember one weed pull some years back which consisted of ex presidents of the Chapter and the Escaped Exotics chair — Jenny was one of those ex presidents. She was co-chair of the first ever plant sale, and has participated in the sale and its preparation all the years that I have known her. She has done whatever job she noticed needed doing, including providing moral support for people taking on new positions. She has been a tireless recruiter of board members, and a huge support for the Botanic Garden sale and volunteers. She has not been afraid to tackle difficult conservation issues, nor to try plants from different parts of the state in her showcase garden. She has inspired many members with her horticultural, botanic and conservation enthusiasm. The board just won’t be the same without Jenny.” — Charli Danielsen “Phoebe has given our East Bay Chapter stability for all the years she has been a volunteer with us. She has always been there to help where help was needed, without fanfare, and even when it was difficult for her to do it. She stepped in to run the plant sale when no one could do it. She has edited the Bay Leaf for as long as I can remember. It was she who suggested (and others took up enthusiastically) that we form the Donations Committee so that we could receive written proposals to consider rather than oral proposals at Board Meetings that we had to immediately approve. We could call her a facilitator and synthesizer, the foundation of a well organized and run organization. It’s people like Phoebe who keep us going year in and year out. And she has loved every minute of this work herself.” — Elly Bade . . . Barbara Ertter Plant Sale Activities Field Trip Propagation and Potting Sessions: Tuesdays, June 5, 12, 19, 26 9 a.m.-2 p.m Merritt College Landscape Horticulture Area Join us at the potting table for any amount of time you can spare during this busy time of the year. Bring your lunch for the break at noon and 50 cents for the parking fee. For more information and/or directions to find us, call (925) 376-4095. . . . Shirley McPheeters Saturday, June 16, at 10 a.m. John Sutake will lead a field trip along the portion of Straw- berry Creek in the main campus for the University of California. John works as a gar- dener for the university and has years of experience to share on the history and how to improve the situation for native plants along the creek. Participants can expect as much information as they wish concerning the possi- bilities of native plants in urban gardening situations. Meet at the south end of the Valley Life Science Building on the university campus. From downtown Berkeley BART, walk east on Center Street into the campus, and then follow the map sign for directions to Valley Life Science Building. 2 Native Plant Restoration Native Here Nursery Located in Tilden Park, directly across Golf Course Drive from the main entrance to the golf course, Native Here is open Friday and Saturday mornings year-round unless storms force us to close. Plants grown from native stands in Alameda and Contra Costa Counties are for sale. During the warmer months, when it probably isn’t the best idea to put plants in the ground, we continue to grow stock in preparation for the fall. Volunteers are always welcome. The nursery is a very pleasant place to spend a morning, or even to bring along a lunch and picnic after a satisfying few hours of potting or weeding. Look for Charli on Friday, Margot on Saturday. The telephone at the nursery is 549-0211. Lately things have been so busy, it is hard to return calls. Come visit with your questions. Tuesday Seed Forays Every Tuesday during the summer months, with collec- tion permission in hand, a group of volunteers sets out from the nursery gate at 9 a.m. Destinations are not announced ahead of time because it is hard to predict in advance where seeds will be ripening. Trips are usually over between noon and 1 p.m., and destinations may be adjusted depending on the time volunteers have avail- able. Come learn and help collect seeds to provide plants for next year. If you would like to know the location, e-mail Charli a day or two before the trip charlid@pacbell.net. Restoration At Mitchell Canyon As well as the Thistle Bash scheduled at the project site on July 7 (see details at right), mowing is needed. If you have some time and would like to do some mowing, contact Charli at charlid@pacbell.net or 525-907 6 to arrange access and orientation to the mower. It was in the shop during May for servicing, so should be up and running fine throughout June. Because of the nature of the task, mowing is best done with only one other person nearby rather than when large groups are present. The restoration site is on the left side of Mitchell Canyon Road as one approaches the State Park entrance. During the week, it is permitted to enter the gate, turn left immediately and park in the lot adjacent to the restora- tion site. On weekends, park in the main lot and walk back across the creek. . . . Charli Danielsen Native Plant Restoration Team Our joint work party on San Pablo Creek with Friends of Orinda Creeks went smashingly well. An immense pile of garbage, French broom, Himalayan blackberry, poison hemlock and assorted other weeds were pulled out of the creek in downtown Orinda. Some choice natives were spotted, including redtwig dogwood, iris-leaf juncus, beautiful white alders, etc. On June 2 the Team will return to an EBRPD crown jewel, one of the most diverse associations of native perennial grasses in the Central Coast Ranges, Oakland’s Skyline Serpentinite Prairie. This small “pocket prairie” boasts 16 species of native perennial grasses, the endan- gered Clarkia franciscana , and a whole host of other botanical treasures. And it’s threatened by one of the West’s worst weeds, yellow star thistle. We’ll be pulling this nasty plant and soaking up the good atmosphere. If you’ve been trying to learn more about native grasses, this is the place. Meet Saturday, June 2 at 9:30 a.m. in the usual place: Native Here Nursery, 101 Golf Course Drive in Tilden Park, across from the Golf Course main entrance. Or meet us at 10 a.m. or a little after at the Prairie, south of the junction of Skyline Blvd. with Joaquin Miller Blvd., behind the old EBRPD’s main office (easy to get to — take Hwy. 13 to Joaquin Miller, go east/up the hill, hang a left into the parking lot). Wear protective clothing — sturdy shoes, long sleeves and pants, a sun hat; bring water, lunch, gloves if you have them. We also have gloves and tools to lend. NPRTStar Thistle Bash Mitchell Canyon Bunchgrass Ftestoration Site Saturday, July 7. Strike a blow for freedom this Independence Day Weekend with an assault on yellow star thistle, making the field at the park entrance free for native wildflowers and bunchgrasses. Come to the Mitchell Canyon entrance to Mt. Diablo State Park at 10 a.m., or provide fresh troops at 1 p.m. Wear sturdy gloves and bring a pick if you have one. We have some gloves and picks if you don’t and will supply the plastic bags to cart the “enemy” from the field. The site is sunny, so be sure to wear sunscreen and a hat. Bring water or a container to fill from the faucet at the main staging area. Ankle protec- tion is also a good idea — those thistles are spiny, and there are resident rattlers. The restoration is in its tenth year. It was started as a joint project of the CNPS Chapter and Save Mount Diablo, with participation of State Park personnel, the (Continued on page 4) 3 Native Plant Restoration TTiank You Volunteers! (Continued from page 3) Lindsay Museum, and Mt. Diablo Interpretive Associa- tion, with Charli Danielsen at the helm. Nassella pulchra has been spreading well from initial plantings and subsequent sowing of seed. Star thistle had been virtually eliminated some years ago, but took advantage of the lowered competition following a controlled burn two years ago. The infestation is not heavy, but needs attention. With enough hands, it can be eliminated from this ten acre site. To get there, take Ygnacio Valley Road through Walnut Creek/Concord. Turn right on Pine Hollow Road and follow it into Clayton. Turn right (south) on Mitchell Canyon Road and follow it into the Park. Park in the main parking lot and walk back to the field you passed just before the park gate. The adjacent parking lot is reserved for horse trailers on the weekends. No reserva- tions are needed... just show up and pitch in. Would you like to get on our email list? No junk emails are allowed. Send me a note at casartunda@aol.com. . . . Noah Booker Botanical Garden Events On June 13, in collaboration with the Regional Parks Botanic Garden at Tilden Park, the UC Botanical Garden will host a lecture and book signing. The speakers are John Stewart and John Sawyer, professors at Humboldt State, who will introduce their new book Trees and Shrubs of California . Also on hand, with samples of her work, will be the book’s illustrator, Andrea Pickart. Admission is free and refreshments will be served. We hope you will join us on June 13 at 7:30 p.m. at UC Botanical Garden. The UC Botanical Garden Second Annual Garden Party will be the occasion for the ribbon cutting at the new Arid House, a chance to taste the wines of ten California vintners and the food of an equal number of local caterers and restaurateurs, accompanied by the mellow sounds of artists from UCB’s Young Musicians Program. This benefit event promises to be a merry one, and the venue is unsurpassed. Enjoy the Botanical Garden in the company of like-minded partygoers! Saturday, June 16, 3-6 p.m,. $23 per person. Thanks to Earth Day and Wildflower Show Volunteers Thanks to all the members who helped us with the spring Earth Fairs and Wildflower Show. Thanks to Hope Nathan, Cynthia Waters, Elaine Jackson, Michele Lee, Janet Gawthrop, Clarence Weinmann, Isabella Salavery, Shirley Jo well, and Phoebe Watts. The West County Earth Day was particularly well run, located in a pleasant spot in Richmond near creeks, flower growers and the city dump. Everything consumed was offered with biodegradable cups, plates and utensils or in a washable re-usable mug. All the entertainment followed environmental themes, even a blessing from Native American dancers and a scientifically minded band, the excellent Bungee Jumping Cows. Kids were planting gardens, compost lessons were given, and a tank with typical fish from the Bay and local reservoirs attracted my attention. In contrast, the Berkeley Earth Day had many environ- mentally themed booths but also many regular sales from vendors of imported goods, crafts, clothes etc. The entertainment was generic; there were no environmental themes that I was aware of. It was often way too loud. Late Bay Leaf? I sometimes get complaints about the Bay Leaf arriving terribly late. I had offered to mail some issues first-class, but the Board thinks it is better to work with the Post Office and get them to straighten up. This is what you can do: complain to your local post office. They have an obligation to deliver mail in a timely fashion. We follow all the rules to get your mail to you on time, and they need to do their part. But please let us know if there is a persistent problem, as we may have the wrong address. Look up our web-site at http://www.ebcnps.org. The Bay Leaf is always available for perusal. . . . DeliaTaylor527-3912 ordeliataylor@mac.com Board Announcement Motion passed at May board meeting: To post a summary of the Chapter board meeting minutes on the Chapter website on a trail basis for the next six months. 4 2001 Board of Directors Elected Officers President: Barbara Ertter 1859 Catalina Ave., Berkeley 94707 h/ 5264592 w/ 643-0600 Vice-president: Administration: Tony Morosco 2329 7th St., Berkeley 94710 h/ 549-2238 w/ 642-8468 Treasurer: Holly Forbes 71 28 Blake St., El Cerrito 94530 234-2913 w/ 643-8040 Secretaries: Recording: Michele Lee 2923 Sheldon Dr., Richmond 94803 243-1265 Corresponding: Jbanne Kerbavaz Calif, State Parks, 2 50 Executive Park Blvd., Suite 49 00, San Francisco 94134 w/ (415) 330-6323 Advisors Members-at-large: Jbhn Game 1 1 55 Spruce St., Berkeley 94707 527-7855 Jm Sharp 2663 LeConte Ave., Berkeley 94709 644-9344 Jbe W illingham 2512 Etna St., Berkeley 94704 8414681 Bay Leaf Editors Brett Boltz 221 0 Spaulding Ave., Berkeley 94703 h / 549-3327 w/ 643-0448 Jbe W illingham 2512 Etna St., Berkeley 94704 8414681 Recorded Chapter Information: 464-4977 CN PS Home Page: http:/ / www.cnps.org East Bay Chapter CN PS Home Page: http:/ / www.ebcnps.org Chapter CN PS- EB- Alerts E-mail List Find out more; email to listserv@usobi.org with: I N FO CN PS- EB- ALERTS All area codes are 510 unless noted Printed on Recycled Paper Committee Coordinators Bay Leaf Mailing: Holly Forbes 71 28 Blake St., B Cerrito 94530 234-2913 Bryophytes: Dan Norris 802 Lexington Ave., B Cerrito 94530 435-2004 email: norris_daniel@hotmail.com Conservation: Vacant Plant Communities: Susan Bainbridge 2408 Parker St., Berkeley 9 4 7 0 4 548-2918 Rare Plants: Brad Olson 4442 Arcadia Ave., Oakland 94602 482-0794 Unusual Hants: Dianne Lake 1 050 Bayview Farm Fd., #121 , Rnole 94564 741-8066 Donations: David Bigham 1 542 La Loma Ave., Berkeley 94708 848-6308 Myrtle Wolf 181 Stonewall Ffcl., Berkeley 9 4 7 0 5 843-8759 Education: Bly Bade 2699 Shasta Fd., Berkeley 94708 644-1656 Field trips: ubnet Gawthrop 360 Monte Vista Ave. #214., Oakland 9461 1 654-3066 Hospitality: Irene W ilkinson 440 Camino Sobrante, Orinda 94563 (925)254-3675 Legislation: Fby Buck 8484169 email: roybuck@msn.com Membership: Delia Taylor 1 851 Catalina Ave., Berkeley 94707 527-3912 Native Here Nursery: Charli DanielsenlOl Golf Course Dr., Berkeley 94708 549-0211 email: cwd@wli.net Native Plant Restoration Team: Noah Booker 6366 Valley View Fd., Oakland 9461 1 h/ 339-1588 w/ 840-9367 email: casartunda@aol.com Posters: Heather Koshinsky 2033 Carquinez Ave., B Cerrito 94530 w/ 522-8180 Plant Sale: Shirley McPheeters 1 04 Ivy Dr., Orinda 94563 (925) 3764095 Phoebe Watts 141 9 Grant St., Berkeley 94703 525-6614 Riblicity: Baine vkckson 331 1 Estudillo St, Martinez 94553 (925) 372-0687 Programs: Sue Fbsenthal P.O. Box 20489, Oakland 94620 496-6016 email: rosacalifornica@earthlink.net EBRP Botanic Garden Liaison: Sue Fbsenthal P.O. Box 20489, Oakland 94620 496-6016 New Membership Application file California N ative Rant Society is open to all. The mission of the California N ative Rant Society is to increase understanding and appreciation of California’s native plants and to preserve them in their natural habitat through scientific activities, education, and conservation. Membership includes a subscription to the quarterly journal Fremontia. N ame Address Zip Telephone I w ish to affiliate w ith: East Bay Chapter (Alameda and Contra Costa Counties) O ther Membership category: Student, Ftetired, Limited income, $20 Individual, Library, $35 Household, Family, or Group, $45 Supporting, $75 Rant lover, $100 Patron, $250 Benefactor, $500 Life, $1000 Mail application and check to: Membership Chairman, California Native Rant Society, 1722 JSt., Suite 17, Sacramento, CA 95814. 5 Activities of Others Habitat stewards — gardening for wildlife Habitat Stewards, a new program for Alameda County residents, will be offered this summer. In this four-day, hands-on workshop participants will learn how to create gardens that provide habitat for birds, butterflies and other wildlife using California native plants. Training will include field trips to local gardens and presentations by local experts. Participants who complete the training will be expected to volunteer a minimum of 50 hours to a local school or community garden to help implement a wildlife habitat garden and to certify the garden with the National Wildlife Federation. Two sessions of this workshop will be offered this summer. Participants should be able to attend all four days of the session in which they enroll. Session 1: June 7 (Th) 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. June 9 (Sat) 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. June 16 (Sat) 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. June 19 (Tu) 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Session 2: August 9 (Th) 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. August 11 (Sat) 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. August 18 (Sat) 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. August 21 (Tu) 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Space in the workshop is limited, so register soon. The cost for attending is $25. For more information contact Sharyl McGrew at the Aquatic Outreach Institute at 231-5783. California Native Plant Society East Bay Chapter P.O. Box 5597, Elmwood Station Berkeley, CA 94705 Time Value June 2001 Issue Discover new rare plant populations and enjoy the wildflower season in one of California’s botanical show- cases! Join a group of fellow rare plant lovers for our second “Rare Plant-A-Thon” at Point Reyes National Seashore. All levels of botanical experience welcome. The National Park Service will be the host for the week- end of June 30th and July 1st. Free overnight camping is available. Please call Michelle Coppoletta for details (415) 464-5221. Please RSVP as soon as possible so we can help plan for overnight accommodations. Oct. 6 & 7 East Bay Chapter of CNPS 3 -if" S 'Lnrnial Native Plant Sale Mark your calendars! Nonprofit O ig. U.S. Postage PA ID Oakland, CA Permit No. 2018