Colorado Native PI ant Society N E W SLETTER VoLLME 4 Number 5 September - October 1980 "Dedicated to the Appreciation and Conservation of the Colorado Flora" OFFICERS 1979-1980 ADDRESS President: Vice-President: Secretary: Treasurer: Lloyd Hayes J . Scott Peterson Sue Martin Myrna Steinkamp Colorado Native Plant Society P. 0. Box 200 Ft. Collins, Colorado 80522 BOARD OF DIRECTORS Ann Armstrong (81) Boulder Bob Bowman (80) Ft. Collins Miriam Denham (80) Boulder Virginia Dionigi (80) Hygiene Tom Eamon (81) Golden Hugo Fercbau (80) Gunnison Lloyd Hayes (80) Ft. Collins Bob Heapes (81) Parker Sue Martin (81) Ft. Collins J. Scott Peterson (80) Ft. Collins Mark Phillips (80) Lafayette 494-0545 491-6524 442-1020 776-2609 279-1076 226-5365 841-3978 226-3371 491-6524 828-3021 COMMITTEES EDUCATION Virginia Dionigi HORTICULTURE & REHABILITATION Mark Phillips LEGISLATIVE vacant MEMBERSHIP Myrna Steinkamp PUBLICATIONS J , Scott Peterson THREATENED & ENDANGERED Bill Harmon MEMBERSHIP RENEWALS & INFORMATION Please direct all membership applications, renewals and address changes to Myrna Steinkamp, Membership Chairperson, CONPS, SCHEDULE OF MEMBERSHIP FEES LIFE $ 250.00 SUPPORTING 50,00 SOCIETY 25.00 FAMILY 12.00 INDIVIDUAL 8.00 STUDENT & RETIRED 4.00 Nonmembership subscriptions to the Newsletter are $ 4.00. NEWSLETTER ARTICLES Please direct all articles of interest to the CONPS to Dieter Wilken, Editor, CONPS. Deadlines for the 6 bimonthly Newsletters are the end of January, March, May, July, September and November. CONPS ANNUAL MEETING Program: Wetlands versus Agricultural Lands: Perspectives on Values and Trade-Offs, by E.S. Mustard Denver Botanical Gardens Saturday, 25 October 1980 1 :00 p,m. NATIONAL ALLIANCE FOR RIMS As an outgrowth of amateur lobbying for the California Native Plant Society, Alice Howard (6415 Regent Street, Oakland, CA 94618) has become the focus of "a growing, grassroots ef- fort" on behalf of native and especially rare plants. Anyone who is interested in joining this effort need only drop a note to Ms. Howard, although contributions toward mailing costs are appreciated. The organization will increase opportunities to communicate your concerns and recommendations regarding native plants to appropriate lawmakers and admi nistrators of public programs. Ms. Howard will keep you in- formed of nationwide developments and needs for public support. She also helps recruit support for local problems which individuals might encounter. POLITICAL ACTION FOR CONSERVATION Most conservation organizations, including the CONPS, must avoid political activities to pro- tect their tax-exempt status. A group of con- cerned conservationists in Colorado have there- fore formed the non-partisan POLITICAL ACTION FOR CONSERVATION (PAG) to help elect legisla- tors who have conscientious concerns for the future. PAC plans to raise and distribute money and provide volunteers for selected legislative races. Anyone interested in con- tributing time and money to this effort or just learn more about the organization should write to: Political Action for Conservation, 2239 East Colfax, Denver, CO 80206 or call (303) 722-2162. COLORADO NATURAL AREAS PR0GRAP Under the direction of Carse Pustmueller the Colorado Natural Areas Program is making considerable progress on a number of fronts. Financially supported by the Nature Conservancy, the Natural Heritage Inventory for Colorado is proceeding with active work being conducted on a data management system and the collection of vital statistics on native plant communities, geologic features - ;' aquat ic systems and both animals and plants of special concern. If you have any information to share on unusual or rare habitats or if you desire to obtain information on the program, contact Lou Vincent, Coordinator, Natural Heritage Inventory, 1726 Champa, Suite 307, Denver CO 80202. OWL CANYON FIELD TRIP The Fort Collins Chapter of the CONPS spon- sored a field trip on Saturday, October 11 to the Owl Canyon Pinyon Grove, a Natural Area in the Colorado Natural Area Program, and the northeasternmost location of Pinyon ( Pinus edulis ) in North America. The trip was led by Dr. Ralph Dix, plant ecologist in the Department of Botany & Plant Pathology CSU and was attended by 21 members and their guests. Dr. Dix discussed the geology, plant ecology and archeology of the area. In addition to the pinyon grove, the field trip included a visit to a local archaic "Buffalo Jump" and a site of several tipi rings. Although several hypotheses regarding the origin of this isolated stand of pinyon have been advanced, including planting by native Americans and a relictual population left from earlier, wider distributions of the species, it was indeed interesting to find out that archeologists have now dated charcoal from pinyon at this site at least 1000 years old and some that may date back to 4000 years. This at least suggests that pinyon has been at this locality in northern Larimer County much longer than earlier thought by both botanists and archeologists. / David G* Wilson David Wilson, the Society's representative to the Colorado Open Space Council and longstand member, died while vacationing at his summer home in Idaho in late June. Dave was a graduate of the University of Idaho and later Professor of Range Management at the University of Arizona before becoming to Colorado and working in the Bureau of Land Management. When Dave retired from the BLM in 1979 he was the Endangered Plant Species Specialist in the Denver Service Center, Dave took an active interest in the Society and will be missed by all of us. NEEDED: A LEGISLATIVE COfTIITTEE CHAIRPERSON The loss of Dave Wilson cost us more than a friend; he had just accepted the chairmanship of our Legislative Committee. Now he must be replaced. Anyone interested in participating in the work of the committee, please contact Lloyd Hayes, President, CONPS, Box 200, Ft. Collins, CO 80522, The primary objectives of the committee are to promote legislation in Colorado that will be fa- vorable to the objectives of the Society and to discourage legislation, rules and regulations that are detrimental to our objectives. To meet these objectives the Committee must work with state agencies that have responsibilities for safeguarding environmental values, work with other conservation organizations whose interests over- lap ours, and review and comment on legislativ ^ or regulatory proposals which influence nativt vegetation. If you live in the Denver area it would be helpful if you could represent the CONPS on the Board of the Colorado Open Space Council.