Mimulus Memo California Native Plant Society — Kern County Chapter March/April 2009 President’s Message Our beautiful spring is here, and the foothills and the lower Kern Canyon are already in high bloom! Be sure to get out, and celebrate our annual show of native plants! As you will notice, we are continuing to plan field trips into the spring, hoping someone will serve as the leader of our group. The two trips to the Tejon Ranch are very exciting, because entrance has been very limited in the past. The Tejon Conservancy has offered us the opportunity to visit and help to key plants, in order to make lists of natives growing there. We hope you will come, even if you are a beginner at plant ID. We are still waiting for some one to step forward as President of our Kern County Chapter! I sincerely thank those members who have offered to serve as treasurer and secretary, even when living far from our meeting locations. We are willing to work with your schedules. You future presidents: please contact your current officers now! ^%kank/ c Vjau/! Debby Kroeger - hosting the Board Meeting and serving delicious soup Erma Colvin - help with a mailing Laura Stockton - set up and use of her AV equipment for our program Sasha Honig - refreshments Bonnie East - native garden consultation with the Kern Wildlife Refuge Lorraine Unger - idea and delivery of plants to a public park for planting Bonnie East has offered to give the talk for the Kern River Valley Green event! Thanks Bonnie! MEMBER MEETINGS As no one has taken responsibility for meetings, we are going to use the field trips in their place. NOW is the time to plant. Native plants need to be in the ground growing roots to help support them through our long summer. A list of the plants available is on kerncnps.org Prices are reduced. Contact Debby decay@att.net to arrange for pick up. Lucy Clark Lucvg391 @gmail.com Debby Kroeger decav@att.net Lucy Clark DID YOU KNOW that you can renew your CNPS membership online using a credit card? As an option, you can set it up to renew automatically year after year. It is quick, easy, convenient, and reduces the cost of mailing renewal notices. www.cnps.org Click on the JOIN button from the Editor: I am pleased to say that I’ve had a bit of trouble putting this month’s newsletter together due to the sheer volume of material submitted. This is something I know most newsletter editors would love to complain about all the time. We have 2 reports from the recent CNPS conference, Tejon Ranch field trips, lots of other events of interest, Horned Toads, Lupines, Phacelia and an update on the Carrizo Plain. I’d like to thank everyone that sent the wildflower sighting info I requested. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to include it, but there is a special wildflower article on page 5. 1 CNPS Conservation Conference - by Bonnie East On January 17-20, 2009, 1 attended the CNPS Conservation Conference in Sacramento CA (the last one CNPS held was in 1986). This conference was a revival and showplace for conservationists via the great efforts of CNPS and many other agencies, groups, organizations and individuals too numerous to list. Our chapter’s own Ellen Cypher was a presenter there. Though I didn’t know many people at the conference, I was among a kindred spirit of plant folk as well as an Easy Rider Biker Convention one floor below us. We did however all get along. I just know Bikers enjoy native plant scenery as they ride their Harley Davidson’s through California’s many byways - how could they not? The event was well coordinated, informative, educational, and most importantly, inspiring. In the aftermath, the many names, titles, addresses, emails and websites available to one for continued contacts and support left me believing that the efforts to protect native plants is a worthy cause because there is such a wonderful plethora of information and people to talk to out there for support, help with ideas or to answer questions - whatever your needs may be. The scope of the job of conserving our native flora is daunting in numerous ways but it is because of the dedicated plant folks' efforts that policies are being initiated, laws are being passed or changed, habitats protected or restored, and plant populations are being studied. Put it all together and there is more positive outcome in the efforts of many than the negative impacts from those who would strive to plow under and pave over much of California in the name of progress. Power to the Conservationists! I stayed one extra day and took a workshop on drawing plants in the field. The instructor, John Muir Laws, not only was our inspirational speaker at the banquet dinner but he is an accomplished artist and author as well. He has recently written and illustrated The Laws Field Guide To The Sierra Nevada. I learned a lot in his class and appreciated his viewpoint on drawing in the field from the perspective of a naturalist. It was good to enjoy some personal creative time, a nice way to end my stay. Attending the CNPS Conservation Conference has made me even more proud to be ‘in the know’ of Kern County’s rich diversity of plant life. We almost have it all here; no oceans but varied mountain and desert plant communities, foothill habitats, valley grasslands, mountain meadows, vernal pools and that is just for starters. It is all accessible within a relative short drive from wherever you live in Kern County and that is a plant lovers dream. It is important to strive to be a steward of the land and protect what is here for future generations. Attending the conference certainly renewed my commitment to such a lifestyle. You can review the abstracts of the conference presenters at the CNPS website www.cnps.ora . There is talk of doing a conference every 2-3 years and I hope it comes to fruition. The 2009 CNPS Conservation Conference - by Ellen Cypher Back in 1987, 1 attended the very first CNPS Conservation Conference. I was just a graduate student at the time and found it somewhat overwhelming, but it was certainly worthwhile. Finally, after nearly 22 years, CNPS sponsored another Conservation Conference in January 2009, with the theme “Strategies and Solutions.” A crew of CNPS staff and volunteers worked very hard to pull off the conference, and they were wildly successful! Everyone agreed that we need to have these conferences more frequently. Outgoing Executive Director Amanda Jorgenson indicated that the interval in the future will more likely be every 2 to 3 years. I encourage all of you to attend the next one! There was so much happening at the Conservation Conference that it’s hard to give a summary. I certainly didn’t get to hear all the presentations, view all the posters, and network with all the people that I would have liked. Over 800 people attended. There were well over 200 presenters spread out among four concurrent sessions over the course of 3 days. Topics included climate change, vegetation mapping, rare plant case studies, land management, and others. If you want to know what you missed, titles of the various sessions are shown on the Conference web page, www.cnps.ora/cnps/conservation/conference/2009/index.php . Even better, 2 you can download abstracts of the presentations from the same site. I expect that new CNPS initiatives will be developed to address the many strategies and solutions suggested at the conference. Some of the take-home points from the conference are: 1. Collaboration is the new focus. 2. We need to get the word out to non- botanists and non-environmentalists. So often we “preach to the choir.” 3. Concern isn’t enough-we need to take action. I attended the post-conference workshop on the new Manual of California Vegetation (MCV). The second edition of the MCV includes much more information than the first edition and I think it will be much more useful. It describes vegetation types down to the association level — a finer level of detail similar to the old “Holland” types. This edition does not have many photos, so be sure to check for updates to the on-line edition, which promises to have links to photos of vegetation types. The keys are not entirely intuitive, and I will try to hold a mini-workshop for our chapter after the MCV is published to help folks use it correctly. Better yet, take one of the workshops that authors John Sawyer, Todd I will close with a suggestion by banquet keynote speaker John Muir Laws that really hit home with me: take time to just ENJOY plants. Most of us have reached a point where we either take a quick glance to determine that we already know the identity of a plant or we key out an unknown. But how often do we look closely at the flowers just to marvel at their beauty and intricacy? Rediscovering our passion for plants is good for our own well-being, and it makes us more effective at communicating their value to others. So make a point this year to go out to your garden or your favorite wild spot, sit down, get comfortable, and spend some just time enjoying nature! Have You Seen PhACEliA? My name is Genevieve K. Walden, and I am a graduate student at San Francisco State University studying the evolution of the genus Phacelia (Boraginaceae) with Dr. Robert Patterson. This will be my second field season and forecasts have indicated a potential drought for California, impacting timing and length of the wildflower season. I have many species yet to be included in the study, and would like to ask for your help. If any of your members observe Phacelia spp. in leaf, flower or fruit on their many botanical expeditions would it be possible to contact me at my email address gkwalden@sfsu.edu . I am considering this the Great Phacelia Scavenger Hunt of2009. 1 am interested in all species within the genus, and particularly any unique or interesting variations within populations in your area. I have included a brief synopsis of my research and look forward to any information. Please do not hesitate to contact me with questions or requests for additional information. My master's thesis includes research to sample the genus Phacelia (Boraginaceae) and infer phylogenetic relationships from chloroplast and nuclear sequences. Phacelia contains 200 species in North and South America, including three federally endangered species. California is the center of diversity with ninety-three species, of which thirty-nine are endemics (Raven and Axelrod 1998). Thirty-six Phacelia species are listed in the California Native Plant Society's Inventory of Rare and Endangered Plants. Systematics historically divided the genus into sections based on morphology and chromosome number. Less than 40% of species have been used thus far for molecular study. To better understand relationships within Phacelia, which in turn will inform management decisions, additional sampling throughout the sections of Phacelia is necessary. My research uses chloroplast ndhF gene and trnC-trnD intergenic region to evaluate infrageneric sections, nrlTS region for species-level relationships, and morphological characters for additional analyses. Thank you for your consideration. Genevieve K. Walden Dept of Biology, San Francisco State University 1600 Holloway Avenue San Francisco, California 94132 gkwalden@sfsu.edu I would be happy to receive voucher specimens as well, sent to: Harry D. Thiers Herbarium Department of Biology San Francisco State University 1600 Holloway Avenue San Francisco, California 94132 3 SPRING FIELD TRIPS TO TEJON RANCH Don't Miss This! The Tejon Ranch has had very limited public access for years, but now that the Tejon Ranch Conservancy has been formed, they're inviting us to come visit parts of the property to enjoy the scenery and interesting flora and help to generate plant lists! We'll have a field trip March 28 to Comanche Point (600’- 1,200’ elevation) and another April 25 to the Antelope Valley portion of Tejon Ranch (about 3,300’ elevation). We'll work on creating plant lists during both field trips, so come prepared to key. Ellen Cypher will assist with plant identification. In the afternoon we'll do some vegetation sampling. Those who want to learn the about the Rapid Assessment method are welcome to join us, or you can continue keying plants. Be sure to bring lunch, water, hat, sunblock, layers of clothing, and wear sturdy boots. Pets and smoking are not allowed on Tejon Ranch. Bring along your loop and copies of plant lists from nearby areas such as Wind Wolves Preserve and Hungry Valley (available on the Kern CNPS Chapter web site: www.kerncnps.ora/PlantLists/index.htmh as a starting point, as well as your Kern County Flora, Jepson Manual, and any other references that may be appropriate. Meet at the TJ Max parking lot on the northwest corner of Ming and HWY99 for both trips. We will leave at 7:45 am for Comanche Point and at 7:10 am for the Antelope Valley to carpool to the sites, or meet at 8:30 am at the entrances of the respective sites. Please be prompt, as the gate must be locked once everyone arrives for the group to start. We will likely escort one group back to the parking area about mid-day, and those that are interested in vegetation sampling or additional botanizing can stay until later in the day. Directions to the sites are as follows: Comanche Point (March 281 - we will enter at the Tejon Ranch gate at the end of Comanche Point Road. To get there, take Hwy 223 (Bear Mt. Blvd.) east to Arvin and turn south on South Derby Road/Tejon Highway. Tejon Highway dead ends into Herring Road/Comanche Point Road. Turn left (east) on Comanche Point Road follow it around to the Tejon Ranch gate. Antelope Valley (April 251 - we will enter at the Tejon Ranch gate at the end of 300 th Street. To get there, take 1-5 south of Gorman to Hwy 138 and go east about 9 miles. Turn left (north) on 300 th Street W. You will leave the pavement but continue on 300 th Street W. until you reach the Tejon Ranch gate. Living Green in the Kern River Valley March 27-30, 2009 (see also the back cover) This wonderful event is being organized in the Kern River Valley, and we are being urged to run an educational booth on Saturday, March 28 from 10am to 4pm. Set up is from 9:30am, and take down is from 4 to 5:30pm. Richard is donating the $20 fee for us and the Garden Club there in the Isabella area. Bonnie East has volunteered for a few hours as she is going to give a talk on gardening with natives, and will be there. We need more hours covered, so we can get our message out! We have several brochures from CNPS to give out, and the last boxes of our gardening books to sell. If we can get the "Don't plant a Pest Brochures", we will have those also. I think you will see that this is going to be very interesting, and a good place to get info. I applaud the KRV's efforts in organizing such an event. - Lucy PlMIt IVfEtSI Sierra Club Kern-Kaweah Chapter Annual Banquet Saturday, March 28, 2009, Benji’s French Basque Restaurant. Guest speaker, Fletcher Linton, National Forest Botanist. They must receive your reservation by March 24. Growing Natives: Celebrating California's Beauty in Dry Times March 28 Lafayette Community Center, Lafayette March 29 Regional Parks Botanic Garden, Berkeley The Saturday program includes presentations on the flora of California (Glenn Keator), garden design 4 (Carol Bornstein), the structure of the garden (Phil Van Soelen), herbaceous perennials and bulbs (Roger Raiche), creating a native meadow (David Amme), and connecting with the garden (Mike Evans). The program includes a continental breakfast, lunch, and wine reception. Books will be available for purchase. The Sunday Regional Parks Botanic Garden program begins with a talk by Director Steve Edwards, followed by guided garden walks and workshops on plants for dry gardens, aesthetic pruning, principles of irrigation, and gardening practices. After lunch, the program continues at Native Here Nursery with a talk by Charlie Danielsen and an opportunity to purchase plants. The day concludes with an invitation to visit two private native gardens: the Fleming garden in Berkeley and the Greenberg garden in Lafayette. Registration opened January 1st. Members and subscribers of the sponsoring organizations receive a discount on registration fees. Please visit www.nativeplants.ora for more information. Sequoia Riverlands Trust Upcoming Events (submitted by Yvonne Turkal) Guided Nature Walk with Fletcher Linton at Lewis Hill Preserve Saturday March 7, 2009 1 to 4 pm What: A moderate, cross-country guided walk at Lewis Hill Preserve to see unique wildflowers including the rare striped adobe lily ( Fritillaria striata), a wonderfully fragrant flower with one-inch, white to pink petals with narrow red lines. Please note that the walk is on uneven terrain with some hill climbing and requires crawling under a fence to access the preserve. There are no restroom facilities. This preserve is not regularly open to the public except for this guided walk held once a year. Who: Fletcher Linton, botanist for the Sequoia National Forest, will present this program on behalf of Sequoia Riverlands Trust. Where: The preserve is located just north of Porterville. From Highway 190 in Porterville , exit at Plano , one- and-a-half miles east of Highway 65. Drive north four miles to the crest of the first hill. The preserve is on the west side of the road. Park along the roadway at the top of the hill; carpooling is encouraged. Bring: Water, snacks, layered clothing, sturdy walking shoes, sun screen, hat, binoculars, wildflower book (optional) and a friend. Dogs are not permitted at the preserve. mm HffiHi? vver ifornia asoii by Dov l & y vome Twka\ Carol Leigh's CALIFORNIA WILDFLOWER HOTSHEET According to the hot sheet Feb 15, 2009 Marilyn and Bill McCune wrote: Carol, It is early but yesterday (10 Feb 09) while driving from Tehachapi west to Bakersfield on Hwy58 patches of CA poppies were on the lush green hills on the north side of the road. Given the right position it would have been possible to photo poppies, green hills and snow almost to the base of the Tehachapi Mts. in a single shot. More snow and more poppies seem imminent. Antelope Valley Poppy Reserve (March - May) Most consistent poppy-bearing land in Calif. Rolling Hills of Poppies. The Reserve is located 15 miles west of Lancaster at 15101 Lancaster Road. From Highway 14: Take the Avenue I exit and head west 15 miles. Avenue I becomes Lancaster Road. From 1-5: Take Hwy 138 east and turn right on 170th Street West. Make a left at the end, onto Lancaster Road. Follow the road two miles (an extension of Avenue I) 661/724-1180 Kaweah Oaks On the Kaweah Oaks website, www.kaweahoaks.com you will find pictures of what to expect at any time of the year, but we found that in late February through May brings many wildflowers to bloom and in late May in the east meadow - Yerba Mansa, or Lizard Tail, is in full bloom. Travel north on Hwy 99 (about 1 Yz hours) Take Hwy 198 - east - towards Sequoia National Park (about 7 miles) Turn north on road 182 Parking is Yz miles away (you will see the gravel turnout and information sign) You will find a trail map, and visitor hints. Kern County Wildflower Hot line 322-9453 Lancaster - Poppy Hotline ( 661 ) 724-1180 All along both sides of high desert Hwy 138 you can find fields of California Poppies, from the town of Neenach, CA east to Hwy 14. Mojave National Preserve - March - May Mojave National Preserve is located east of Barstow, Calif., between 1-15 and 1-40. From 1-15: Exit Kelbaker Road at Baker, Calif., or Zzyzx Road, Cima Road, or Nipton Road. From 1-40: Exit Kelbaker Road, Essex Road, or Goffs Road.Keeler-Wolf, and Julie Evens will be hosting this summer. 5 Have You Seen TIiese LupiNES? Hello Kern County CNPS, my name is Jessica Shade and I am a graduate student at UC Berkeley working on two lupine species: Lupinus nanus and Lupinus bicolor . I am creating a phylogenetic tree looking at relationships between these two species across California, and am therefore trying to take samples (a few leaves is all I need for DNA extraction) from populations throughout California. I recently came across your fabulous Plant Species List web page ( http://www.kerncnps.org/PlantLists/ ) which I delved through with great zest (what wonderful species lists!) and noticed several instances of both of these species growing in sympatry (WindWolves Preserve, Panorama Vista Preserve, Mt. Pinos, and Carrizo Plain to be exact), and was wondering if you know where these plants have populations. Last year I spent many fruitless months exploring parks on my own and decided to try and get a little direction this year from the local naturalists. If you have seen (and remember where are) either of these plants in your parks or know of anyone I should contact regarding this matter, will you please let me know? Thank you so much! Jessica t shade@berkelev.edu t Have You Seen A HornecI UzarcI? A SURVEY OF REMAINING COAST HORNED LIZARD POPULATIONS WITHIN THE SIERRA NEVADA AND CENTRAL VALLEY OF CALIFORNIA BACKGROUND INFORMATION: The Coast Homed Lizard ( Phrynosoma blainvillii [=coronatum]) is a State listed Species of Special Concern and is on the decline throughout California. Reasons for decline are attributed to conversion of habitat to housing, golf courses, agriculture, extensive oil drilling, as well as the introduction of the invasive Argentine Ant, which the homed lizard won’t eat and el imin ates native ant species. Introduced European grasses and other annuals such as star-thistle also appear to have choked this species out from many undeveloped grassland areas where native grasses were much shorter and sparse. WHERE IN THE SIERRA NEVADA AND CENTRAL VALLEY: The Coast Homed Lizard occurs on the west slope of the Sierra Nevada from the Central Valley up to around 2,500 ft in the northern Sierra and to around 6,200 ft in the southern Sierra. Historically this species occurred throughout much of the Sacramento Valley south throughout the San Joaquin Valley. Both Sierra Nevada and Central Valley populations are now few and isolated. Like most homed lizards, this species has specific habitat and dietary requirements. Found in grassland, chaparral, and open pine, oak, and pinyon-juniper woodlands, the Coast Homed Lizard is dependent on open ground situations where areas of loose soil allow for burial during periods of inactivity (i.e. daytime heat or hibernation). Such soil types include alkali, basalt, gabbro, and decomposed granite. Harvester ants, a main prey item, are also typically present. This is the only homed lizard within the region of focus and should be readily identifiable by its flattened, spiny body; stocky appearance; and horns adorning the head. Coloration varies with soil type. SIGHTINGS: The relatively few historical vouchers and records for the Sierra Nevada and Central Valley are typically old, lack useful locality data, and very often represent extirpated populations. More information is needed to better understand Coast Homed Lizard abundance in the Sierra Nevada and Central Valley. Both recent sightings and older sightings from remaining natural areas are encouraged. Please include as much data as possible. The information gathered during this survey is not for public use. Coast Homed Lizards are protected by State law and should be left at the site of discovery. * Please report your sightings and locality information to Jackson Shedd: jackson_shedd@sbcglobal.net . Useful information includes the following: Name of observer(s) Land use at time of observation Date and time Photo voucher Locality (include county, elevation, GPS coordinates if available) 6 Carrizo Plain National Monument - by Ellen Cypher At long last, the draft Resource Management Plan (RMP) for the Carrizo Plain National Monument (CPNM) is available for public review. It is huge — three volumes, in fact! Copies are available for public inspection at the BLM Bakersfield Office, 3801 Pegasus Drive, Bakersfield, or www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/bakersfield/Programs/carrizo.html . For further information, call the Carrizo RMP Line (661) 391-6034. Written comments will be accepted until April 23 (see below for submission details). You can also provide comment during the public meeting to be held at the Carrisa Plains School (Hwy. 58 in California Valley) on March 7 from 10 am to noon. The fastest way to review the CPNM RMP is to use the summary tables, including the Alternatives Summary Table (page 2-129 in Volume 1), the Impacts Summary Table (page 2-191 in Volume 1), and the Conservation Target Table (Appendix C in Volume 3). The more eyes we have looking at this plan, the better our comments will be. Each of you is free to comment individually. Be sure to let the BLM know what changes you would like to see to this draft plant and more importantly, WHY. You can also identify specific elements of various alternatives that you would like to see combined for the final RMP. All of the alternatives must comply with applicable laws (including the Federal Endangered Species Act) and the Monument Proclamation. I’m pleased that BLM is approaching management differently in each of the seven subregions or ecological zones (see Map 3-1 in Vol. 3) and that threshold levels have been established for rare species populations, native bunchgrasses, and natural communities (see the Conservation Target Table). In a nutshell, these are the four alternatives: • No Action Alternative - Retains current management following the Carrizo Plain Natural Area Management Plan and the Caliente Resource Area management plan. • Alternative 1 represents a more “hands off” approach to resource management, and provides for more limited public uses of the CPNM. For example, natural processes would be allowed to take their course with minimal interventions to stabilize fluctuations of wildlife and vegetation, except in instances where the populations are in jeopardy. No grazing would be authorized. The largest acreage would be allocated to the “primitive” recreation zone and managed for wilderness character. A smaller road network would be open for public vehicle use. Access to rock art sites would not be permitted, and minimal interventions would be taken to stabilize or restore historic and prehistoric sites from decay. • Alternative 2 (Preferred Alternative) represents an approach that incorporates elements of the other alternatives as well as some unique elements to provide for protection of the Monument’s resources while allowing for compatible public uses. For example, this alternative identifies moderate acreage for wilderness character management and a mix of active biological restoration and hands-off approaches in different areas of the Monument. Recreation use and rustic improvements would be focused along the Soda Lake Road corridor, with the remainder of the area providing for dispersed opportunities. This alternative provides for a transition to grazing for vegetation management only. Access to Painted Rock would be allowed by permit and guided tour, and priority historic sites would be stabilized or restored. • Alternative 3 represents the most active approach to management and provides for a broader array and higher levels of public use and access while still retaining the overall rustic, undeveloped character of the Monument. For example, the managers would implement more intensive resource management and restoration actions for lands that have been impacted by past use. Only the existing Caliente Mountain Wilderness Study Area (WSA) would be managed for wilderness characteristics. Cultural sites would be actively restored, and a higher emphasis would be placed on environmental education programs and facilities linked to significant cultural and natural resources. Grazing would continue to be managed while meeting the Monument’s biological and cultural resource objectives. Send your comments to BLM via e-mail: cacarrizormp@ca.blm.aov or fax: 661-301-6143 or snail-mail: Carrizo Plain National Monument RMP Comments, Attention: Planning Coordinator, Bureau of Land Management, 3801 Pegasus Drive, Bakersfield CA 93308. The Carrizo Plain National Monument Advisory Committee (MAC) is currently inactive. I have been a “Public at Large” member of the MAC since it its inception in 2002, representing plants and endangered species. All MAC member terms expired December 3 1 2008 and we are awaiting reappointment by the new Secretary of the Interior. Nonetheless, I will attend the March 7 public meeting to keep tabs on the process. 7 Living Green in the Kern River Valley (March 27-30, 2009) March 27 - 30, 2009 free mmmm to parking SUSTAINABILITY SIMPLE LIVING S <>U? { jFP/ think local ^ TEACH OU W KIDS FILM FESTIVAL GREEN EXPO DEMONSTRATIONS NATIVE PLANT SALE SPEAKERS TOURS eworinkrv@mchsi.com WWW.KRVR.ORG 760-333-4561 ENERGY 4*0Affy A series of free community events about living well 8k responsibly, within your means. Organized by Kern River Valley Revitalization (KRVR). It will include a 4 day Green Film Festival at the Reel Cinema 8k a Saturday Green Expo both in Wofford Heights. Events will take place all over the KRV - Sunday afternoon Green Tours of gardens, homes from Kernville to Havilah 8k north toward Walkers Pass; workshops Saturday 8k Sunday at the Senior Center in Lake Isabella; a Farmers Market 8k Native Plant sale at Nuui Cunni; among other events. For more info, go to www.KRVR.ora . Contact: Richard Rowe LivinaGreen@mchsi.com . Reduce, Reuse, Recycle 8k Rethink — Respect our Planet! CNPS - Kern County Chapter % Stephen Cooley, Editor mimulusmemo@bak.rr.com INTERNET EDITION The mission of the California Native Plant Society is to increase understanding and appreciation of California’s native plants and to conserve them and their natural habitats through science, education, advocacy, horticulture and land stewardship.