Wes Dempsey and Gerry Ingco, Co-chairs UPPER NORTH FORK FEATHER RIVER & CARIBOU FISHERMAN’S TRAIL June 2 Sunday Meet at Chico Park & Ride west lot (Hwys 32/99) at 8:30 am. Bring lunch, water, sun/insect protection, hiking gear, and money for ride sharing. We will drive a total distance of 65 miles, one way. Mostly we will be driving Hwy 70 along the scenic Feather River Canyon to the Caribou Arm of the river where we will make roadside stops. We expect to see Shasta lilies and lady’s slipper orchids where small streams cross the road. The road ends at P.G & E nostalgic 1920’s town site and power house. The hike is three-miles round trip. The trail is level but not maintained and may be overgrown. The river is crossed twice on foot-bridges. We are hoping for show of cascad- ing white-water. OPTION: Some folks may rather see the areas natural features from the paved road. Do not take children on this trail. Leaders: Gerry Ingco 530-893-5123, Wes Dempsey 530-342-2293 VALLEY CREEK SIA PLUMAS NATIONAL FOREST June 23 Sunday Meet at Chico Park & Ride west lot (Hwys 32/99) at 8:30 am. Bring lunch, water, sun/insect protection, hiking gear and money for ride sharing. We will drive Hwy 99 and 70, through Forbesown and northeast on the La Port Road a distance of 68 miles to the Valley Creek Trail head at 4,700 ft ele. Valley Creek Special Interest Area, in the headwaters of the South Fork of the Feather River is near the historic Gold Rush town of La Porte. This 2 mile easy hike leads into a park-like ravine among giant old growth conifers with a rich understory of herbaceous plants and shrubs The stand of virgin timber has been spared from adjacent extensive timber harvesting. We hope to see the forest floor blanketed with blooming twin flowers, Pacific starflower, western spring beauty and many more plants. The loop trail drops 200 ft into Valley Creek Ravine, so count on a 200 ft gain in elevation climbing out of the ravine. For information or an alternate meeting place call Marjorie McNairn 530-343-2397. . . . more SUMMER FIELD TRIPS on page 5. and RPTH on pages 4 JONESVILLE MEADOWS WALK LASSEN NATIONAL FOREST June 30 Sunday Meet at Chico Park & Ride west lot (Hwys 32/99) at 9 am or call the leader to meet at the historic Jonesville Hotel Site at 10 am, about 5 miles beyond Butte Meadows on the Humboldt Rd. Bring lunch, water, sun/insect protec- tion, hiking gear, and money for ride sharing. Wear foot gear suitable for slogging in marshy ground and for short hikes. We will drive Hwy 32 for 27 miles and 10 miles on Humboldt to our field trip area at 4,800 ft ele. We ex- pect to see a great variety of wetland flowers like cam- as, leopard lily, little elephant heads, veronica, tofieldia, and bog orchid. Leader: Janna Lathrop 530 636-4547 or jlathrop4mlc@comcast.net. CARTER MEADOW LASSEN NATIONAL FOREST July 14 Sunday Meet at Chico Park & Ride west lot (Hwys 32/99) in time to leave by 8:30 am with lunch, water, hiking gear, sun/ insect protection and money for ride-sharing. Call leader for alternate meeting location. We will drive up Hwy 32 about 39 miles to Elam Campground and turn right onto the graded gravel USFS road 9 miles to the Pacific Crest trail head. It is an easy hike of 1 .5 miles to the PCT and a spectacular overlook of Mt. Yana caldera with Butt Mt on north rim, Lake Almanor to the east and Humboldt Peak to the south. Highest elevation is 6,660 ft. Time permit- ting, we will return to follow Carter Creek through several small meadows to the larger Carter Meadow where wild- flowers should be at their peak splendor. Leaders: Woody Elliott 530-342-6053, Wes Dempsey, 530-342-2293. 2 . The Pipevine June 2013 Executive Board Meeting SUMMER BREAK Until August 21 , 2013 TBA President’s Message by Suellen Rowlison, President Y our Executive Board has been working diligently behind the scenes, establishing some strategic long range goals backed by funding in our Annual Budget (published in the May Pipevine), such as, exploring a site for our own horticulture nurs- ery to grow native plants for sale and use in the area. Thanks to the success of our Wildflower Show & Plant Sale and sales of books, t-shirts, etc. and your donations, we have funds to help with work on the Yahi Trail; invasive plant eradication; out- reach to schools; improvements in our Native Plant Garden at the Chico Creek Nature Center, etc. Maybe you have an idea that you would like to see happen to preserve California native plants and their habitats. Meanwhile, we still have openings for three Committee Chairs: Education, Membership, and Native Plant Garden at CCNC. Let us know how you would like to help, and, maybe, attend our next Board meeting on August 21 , 7pm. Call for location. Mount Lassen Chapter takes a break from meetings for the sum- mer. The next General meeting is September 4, 7:30 pm and is devoted to your photos of native plants and habitats. So, take your camera along on all the MLC summer field trips. Thanks to Ellen Copeland and Marjorie Mc- Nairn, co-chairs, and all of the volunteers who helped put on our Wildflower Show & Plant Sale. It was awesome. And, thanks to those who helped with the Oroville Wild- flower Festival; CCNC Native Plant Garden maintenance; Celebrate the Jewell at CCNC; Jack Law’s talks at CSUC; KCHO fundrais- ing; Endangered Species Faire; and ongo- ing programs and field trips. Whew! Spring is always busy! Enjoy your summer and native plants along the way. Legislative Notes by David Anderson A PLEA FOR AN OPEN LEGISLATURE A ny believer in democracy should be appalled at the idea of a legislature passing last minute legislation without giving all members of the legislature and the public a chance to com- ment on (or even to read) the bills. This scenario occurs annually in the California Legislature as a session draws to a close. It is accomplished by gutting the provisions of a bill and substituting new content while retaining the bill number. This year, to remedy the evil, a constitutional amendment has been proposed by a Democratic state senator (Lois Wolk) and a Republican state assemblywoman ((Kristin Olsen). The identical bill is ACA4 in the Assembly and SCA10 in the Senate. The proposed constitutional amendment would prohibit either house of the Legislature from passing a bill until it has been made available to the public, in print and published on the net, for at least 72 hours preceding the vote. Bills to address a state of public emergency would be excepted. Enacting the proposed constitutional amendment will require a two-thirds vote of both houses and then a majority vote on the public ballot. Considering the merits of the bill and its rare bipartisan authorship, one would think it would advance rapidly in the Legislature. But no, as with similar bills in past years, it languishes in Committee in both the Assembly and Senate and probably will remain there. Legislative leaders are not supporting it. They are not anxious to give up the power to act in secret behind closed doors to ram through last minute legislation. Environmentalists have as much at stake as any other group in wanting full disclosure of and public input in the legislative process. ACA4 and SCA10 merit our support. Among other concerns, we certainly do not want the basic, but controversial, updating of the California Environmental Quality Act now under con- sideration to be given the last minute, closed door treatment. E-MAIL DELIVERY OF PIPEVINE F or those members who have requested delivery of the Pipevine newsletter via email only, you will no longer be receiving a printed copy. Thank you for helping to reduce our Pipevine printing and mailing costs! Suellen Rowlison at the 2013 Wildflower Show Photo by Woody Elliott The Pipevine June 2013 3. “SWEET BROOM” SALES IN BUTTE COUNTY by Susan Mason, Invasive Plant Chair T he sale of invasive Spanish, French and Scotch broom was banned several years ago by the California Dept of Food and Agri- culture (CDFA), but we’re still dealing with prior decades of unrestricted sales and rampant spread of these plants. The Butte Co Agriculture Dept currently spends about $50,000 per year trying to control these 3 broom species and many other local agencies and organizations expend even more time and money in control and eradication efforts. Although these plants are no longer sold in California, many gardeners still want to purchase plants with the positive characteristics of broom - spring color, fragrance, quick hedging. To meet customer requests for broom, at least eight hybrid plant species, which growers assert are sterile cultivars, are sold statewide under the common name “sweet broom.” Recent UC Davis research has shown, however, that these cultivars produce active pollen and are capable of cross-pollinating with the invasive broom species. There’s also anecdotal evidence that at least some plant species labeled sweet broom are reproducing in home gardens. Last fall, the Butte Co Board of Supervisors voted to support Butte Co Agricultural Commissioner Richard Price’s request to implement a quarantine of “sweet broom.” Quarantine basically means that any of these plants delivered to retail nurseries must not be offered for sale. It’s complicated to implement as documentation must be provided to CDFA of the plant’s invasive- ness or potential for invasiveness. Once confirmed by CDFA, these hybrids will be added to the state’s California Code of Regulation (CCR) Section 4500 weed list under the California Quarantine Weed Policy. Until this potentially lengthy process is completed, Commis- sioner Price has the prerogative to use a different section of the CCR to block the sale of sweet broom for 30 days, pending an evaluation by CD FA’s Weed Triage Team. CNPS members can participate in the investigation to help the Ag Commissioner identify Butte Co nurseries that are currently selling broom plants. If you’re shopping at a retail business in Butte Co that sells plants, especially a big-box store, please take a few minutes to look through their nursery stock for any plants being sold under the common name “sweet broom” or something similar. Write down the common & scientific names and send the observation date, store name and location, common and scientific name to Susan Mason (smason908@gmail.com, 892-1666). There’s no need to confront the nursery manager - an official notice from the Ag Commissioner will be more effective and educational. Also, if you’ve ever planted “sweet broom,” noticed that it was spread- ing, and still have the nursery plant label, also contact Susan. Field observations are another component of the CDFA documentation. RARE PLANT TREASURE HUNT by Ron Coley, Rare Plant Chair TO JONESVILLE, WILLOW CREEK AREA August 3, 2013 W e will be searching for the rare plant Silene occiden- talis ssp. longistipitata (long-stiped campion). It has not been surveyed since 1988. If we have time we can look for Botrychium sp. out in the bog. In August it will be a little cooler in Jonesville than in the valley. Meet at Chico Park & Ride west parking lot (Hwy 32/99) and be ready to leave by 8 am. We will be going up Hwy 32 and take a right turn onto Humboldt Rd. Alternate meeting spot is Jonesville Snowmobile Parking lot past Butte Meadows and Cherry Hill Camp Ground on Humboldt Rd at 9:10 am. Jonesville is around 5,000 ft ele. it will be an easy survey. Bring lunch, water, money for ride sharing, insect repellent, and hiking shoes that can get wet. Happy Hunting ROCKS FOUND! UPDATE by Steve Overlook, Yahi Trail Chair A short but HUGE THANK YOU to all who helped with the improvements at Salmon Hole in Upper Bidwell Park. To Eagle Scout Alex Kyle who brought the pond at the CCNC back to life, which made it possible for some extra stones to be donated to our cause by Executive Director, Laura Beck and Naturalist, Jon Aull. And a big thank you to the McNarins. Marjorie, even with a broken wrist helped Bob and myself load over 20 boulders for transport to Salm- on Hole. And a thanks to the CCC crew of Chris, Travis, Dylan, and leadman Nate and my friend Jaime for placing the stones on the trail. Yes, it was a small step in improving the overall health of our Park, but a giant step in making the trail at Salmon Hole safer and healthier for generations to come. And it demonstrates how much we can get done with everyone pitching in. 4. The Pipevine June 2013 HUMBUG SUMMIT CHECK-LISTING July 13, Saturday O ur Humbug Summit survey site is just into Plumas County in the mountains east of Jonesville, at 6700 feet elevation. Last year’s study of this area began a little late in the season, and in a dry year, so this year’s goal will be to spot the early-season plants. Each participant will receive a current copy of the local species list, with the goal of adding to it. In our check-listing hikes, skill level isn’t important, but a bo- tanical interest is. It is expected that knowledge and skills will be shared among the group. Some field keying will be done, and Oswald’s “Selected Plants” or “Butte County” floras are our main field guides. Having a copy is unimportant but a hand lens is extremely useful. This is red fir forest, with Wyethia/Balsamorhiza openings and a seasonal stream. And, at this elevation, even with cattle grazing, non-native species are rare. Win- ter caused some road damage to the area, so those who advise us of their interest in joining this adventure will be given updates on repairs as we learn of them. Bring water, lunch, insect/sun protection and money for ride sharing. We meet at the west lot of Chico Park & Ride (Hwys 32 / 99) to leave at 8:30am and return around 5pm. For further details contact trip leaders Rob- ert Fischer rdfischer@comcast. net and Cindy Weiner wildflowermaven@comcast.net Congratulations to O ur own Invasive Plants Chair, on being named Volunteer of the Year by the Chico Parks. The City of Chico had its an- nual “Bidwell Park & Greenways Volunteer Recognition” program. Paula Shapiro (Horticulture Chair) and Wes Dempsey (Field Trips Chair) were recognized for their work with Chico High School Native Plant Project. Woody Elliott (Conservation Chair), Steve Overlook (Yahi Trail Chair), and John Meehan (Treasurer) were mentioned for help- ing on the Yahi Trail and at Teichert Ponds. PARKVOLUNTEERS THANKED FOR FREE TIME, HARD WORK Chico Enterprise-Record Posted: 05/13/2013 12:06:44 AM PDT Thanks for your hard work!! Each year the city’s Parks Division hand out awards and a free barbecue for the vol- unteers whose work varies from pulling weeds to answer- ing visitors’ questions in Bidwell and other city parks. This year, Susan Mason of Chico was named the “outstanding volunteer. ” Mason is a key leader and volunteer, remov- ing invasive plants, organizing other volunteer weeders and participating in park vegetation programs. This year’s event, held Friday at One-Mile Recreation Area, recognized Mason for 10 years of volunteering and said thank you to about 40 people. MORE FROM ... Susan Mason Invasive Plant Chair YELLOWJACKET CONTROL - in Butte County and having problems with ground-nesting yellowjacket wasps, the Butte County Mosquito and Vector Control District offers free treatment and removal of the nest. Call 533-6038 or 342-7350 for information. They work both on private and public properties. YELLOW STARTHISTLE - got a late start this year so now is the optimum time to hand-pull small infesta- tions. Consistent hand-pulling is very effective in eradicating smaller YST patches. In Bidwell Park, a 1/3 acre infestation had 22,459 plants in 2011; 1,508 in 2012 and only 17 found so far this year. BIOCONTROL WEB SITE - information about biocontrol methods or want to purchase some local biocontrol bugs such as ladybugs or praying mantis, here’s a useful Redding-based business web site: http://greenmethods.com/ 4 - a. The Pipevine June 2013 . . . more summer Field Trips HAT LAKE TO PARADISE MEADOW LASSEN VOLCANIC NATIONAL PARK July 27 Saturday Meet at Chico Park & Ride west lot (Hwys 32/99) in time to leave at 8:30 am. Wear sturdy shoes. Bring lunch, water, sun/insect protection, hiking gear, and money for ride sharing. Take your park pass if you have one. We will drive Hwys 32 and 89 a distance of 86 miles to the trail head in Lassen Park. For wildflowers during midsum- mer, Paradise Meadows is one of the best areas in the park and one of botanist Vern Oswald’s favorite places for flowers in the park. The meadow, at 7200’ has a gla- ciated head-wall for a scenic backdrop. Elephant head and Gentian near Hat Lake; scarlet gilia along the first mile, satin lupine in timbered openings; columbine, lu- pine, monkshood, penstemon, Copeland’s owl’s clover, bog orchid in the meadow. From the trail head at Hat Lake the trail climbs 700 vertical feet over a distance of 1.4 miles to Paradise Meadow. Call leader for alternate meeting place. Leaders: Gerry Ingco 530-893-5123; Wes Dempsey 530-342-2239 COLD BOILING AND CRUMBAUGH LAKES LASSEN VOLCANIC NATIONAL PARK August 11 Sunday Meet at Chico Park & Ride west lot (Hwys 32/99) in time to leave at 8:30 am. Wear sturdy shoes. Bring lunch, wa- ter, sun/insect protection, hiking gear, and money for ride sharing. Take your park pass if you have one We will drive approximately 81 miles from Chico to the trail head in Lassen Park at 7380 ft ele. The hike is an easy 3 mile roundtrip in a little traveled area- excellent for birds, wildflowers and deer. On the way we pass Cold Boiling Lake where gas bub- bles rise to the water’s surface. At Crum- baugh Lake, 7200 ft ele, see lava cliffs that ring the lake’s basin and vistas of surround- ing peaks. Call leader for alternate meeting place. Leaders: Gerry Ingco 530-893-5123, Wes Dempsey 530-342-2239 Crumbaugh Lake, Lassen VNP Sep 27, 2009 Photo by Gerry Ingco LONG LAKE / GRASSY LAKE LOOP TRAIL LAKES BASIN RECREATION AREA PLUMAS NATIONAL FOREST August 24 Saturday Meet at Chico Park & Ride west lot (Hwys 32/99) at 7:30 am with a windbreaker or light jacket, lunch, water, in- sect/sun protection, money for ride sharing. We drive up the Feather River Scenic Byway (Hwy 70) following the North and Middle Forks of the Feather River. The last seven miles of the drive is a breathtaking climb into a serene alpine setting. Total driving distance from Chico is 111 miles. Lakes Basin is the gem of the Pumas National Forest, with fifty, or more, crystal alpine lakes confined within five small glacial basins. The area is rich in geol- ogy, mining and prehistoric history. The trail head is at 6500 ft. We will visit Long Lake (1 1/4 mile long), smaller Glacier Lake, and pass several ponds. We follow cas- cading Gray Eagle Creek and view beautiful Fern Falls before turning back on the return leg of our loop. We will attempt to do a short car-shuttle to avoid a short walk on the paved road. We should see variety of wildflowers in bloom as we walk. Total trail distance is about 3.5 miles. The maintained trail is mostly level or with gradual short distances up or down. Leaders: Gerry Ingco 530-893- 5123 and Wes Dempsey 50-342-2293. Individual Op- tions: Overnight camp out. Lodging at one of the Basin’s Lodges. Have dinner before driving home at the Gold Lake Lodge or in Grayeagle. For details call Gerry and for an alternate meeting place and time. The Pipevine June 2013 5. APRIL 21, 2013 TfuwihYow Everyone/! A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO Co-chairs Ellen Copeland and Marjorie McNairn PLANT COLLECTORS G. Ingo, H. Kaplan, D. O’Keefe, R. Souders, A. Ti- laro, J. Dittes, J. Guardino, W. Elliott, A. Elliott, D. Dykstra, J. Baumel, T. Devine, R. Fischer, B. Castro, J. Meehan PLANT ID / SETUP S. Hillaire, L. Han- son, R. Schlising, B. Castro, R. Fischer, D. Devine, T. Devine, J. Guardino, J. Dittes, P. Tonsgard, W. Elliott, M. McNairn, E. Copeland, G. Ingco, C. Weiner, W. Dempsey, J. Lathrop REFRESHMENTS A. Tilaro, A. Elliott, L. Albright, M. McNairn, E. Copeland, C. Bishop, M. Bond, A. Darwin, W. Dempsey, J. Lathrop, S. Mason, K. Yells, “cookie angels” PLANT SALES P Shapiro, G. Bouvin -Floral Native Nursery, N. Schleiger -Na- tive Springs Nursery, T. Foster, M. Bond, R. Fischer, C. Weiner, J. Dempsey, W. Dempsey, M. McNarin, M. Hardin, W. Elliott, A. Elliott TABLE SALES J. Meehan, E. Cope- land, C. Bishop NATURE WALKS J. Aull, J. Bishop, W. Dempsey PLANT EXPERTS B. Castro, L. Han- son, J. Marr, J. Dittes CHILDREN’S ACTIVITIES A. Edwards, J. Lathrop, C. Bishop MICROSCOPE TABLE J. Bishop, C. Bishop, T. Devine NATIVE TEA TABLE D. Dykstra, A. Funk, S. Dykstra DISPLAYS S. Mason, S. Blyth, R. Schlising, L. Hanson, J. Guardino ENTRANCE TABLE J. Lathrop, C. Weiner, E. Copeland, S. Rowlison, H. Kaplan POSTERS J Lathrop, L. Cunkle, S. Dykstra, R. Coley, J. Whittlesey, R. Fischer, R. Schlising, S. Mason, G. Lathrop, L. Janeway, C. Weiner, CSUC Herbarium, G. Hartwell. 6 . The Pipevine June 2013 Nature Journaling Workshop by Catie Bishop and teacher-approved, and engages partici- pants of all skill levels in really looking at na- ture via sketching and writing. In the evening Jack gave a public program titled “Subtle but Essential Relationships be- tween Species in the Sierra Nevada”. With animated style, acting out the various parts, he told a surprising and detailed story... just one of countless examples of how living things in the ecosystem are interconnected. The workshop was co-hosted by our Mount Lassen Chapter of the Cali- fornia Native Plant Society (CNPS), who sponsored two students, and the Friends of the Chico State Herbarium. The inspiration for this workshop was the curriculum that was developed be- tween Jack Laws and the CNPS State Education Program. The workshop was an enriching experience, with a real master bringing that curriculum to life. Jhe workshop “Opening the World through Nature Journaling”, on Sat- J urday April 27th, was highly rated by its participants. John Muir (Jack) Laws was the instructor, and what energetic and inspir- ing teacher he is. He is the author of The Laws Field Guide to the Sierra Nevada along with other books on drawing from nature. His passion is connecting people of all ages with nature via drawing and writing, and his enthusiasm is contagious. He makes clear that the drawing is not about art, but about really seeing what is in front of you. The day was beautiful, and most of the time was spent outdoors along Big Chico Creek on CSU, Chico campus. For those who missed the workshop, the curriculum is available free of charge on the CNPS State website. It is kid-tested After much entertaining on his part, and laughter on the audience’s part, his final mes- sage was serious: we must do all we can to preserve the plants and animals that share our world with us, for we are all con- nected in more ways than we know. In spite of the challenges, Jack is op- timistic that we can make a difference - as he says, the wild things are in the game, and we should be too. So, like ripples in a pond, we’ll be ac- tively trying to keep his message alive and spreading. With the help of the two sponsored students, we will be putting on some drawing and writing events of our own. Look for them in upcoming Pipevine offerings Carolyn Short reports - After our first exercise, ‘Secret Plant Scavenger Hunt’, everyone gathered around to view the various insights on plant observation recorded in our journals. The Pipevine June 2013 7 NATIVE PLANTS for the Garden SALVIA ‘BEE’S (and butterflies) BLISS’ by John Whittlesey A nimal interactions have been been highlights for me this past year: a leisurely view of a mountain lion strolling below the house early one summer morning; a rather frantic commotion on the deck late one night that, when the light was turned on, revealed a ring tailed cat scaling the downspout after the titmouse nest; and a momentary sighting of what must have been a falcon that left a whooshing sound in its wake not 15’ above me as it dove down to the creek - the sound and flash of movement startling. These were all energizing experiences, to have glimpses of these animals I share the canyon with, but have never seen before. However the grand highlight, the most intense experience of them all was viewing a blooming bank of Salvia Bee’s Bliss alive with bees and butterflies. Salvia ‘Bee’s Bliss’ is a supposed hybrid of two California native sages - Salvia sonomensis and S. leucophylla. ‘Bee’s Bliss’ is intermediate between the two parents. It has the spreading nature of S. sonomensis, and the rugged, garden durability of S. leucophylla. It grows to 18” high and spreads readily to 6’ across producing a multitude of flowering stems, each stacked with whorls of lavender-blue flowers. The flow- ers are the draw that transform this salvia from being just a pretty static landscape plant into a whole living system. Below Forest Ranch near the bottom of Big Chico canyon is Dulcy Schroder’s beautiful, peaceful, appropriate-to-the-place garden. Approaching her bank of salvia hazy with the lavender flowers, and the movement of scores of butterflies the senses are overwhelmed. The first is visual. To see so many pipevine swallowtail butterflies flitting, floating, drifting among the verti- cal stems of flowers was a sight I’d never seen. A hundred butterflies is probably not an exaggeration, gently moving over the 300 sq ft of plantings. They were everywhere. 8 . The Pipevine June 2013 through the Seasons Once my eyes adjusted to the sight and as I moved closer, it was the sound - the buzzing, droning harmonics that commanded attention. The constant hum of bees - mostly bumble bees - but other bees and flies going about their work of collecting pollen and sipping nectar were contributing to this natural symphony. The hundreds of bumble bees, while not deafening, generated a persistent deep hum, punctuated occasionally by the high whine of the fuzzy bee fly and the deep slow buzz of the hefty male carpenter bees, sounding like big rigs downshifting approaching a steep slope. To sit quietly was to be immersed in the diversity of life this salvia drew into its midst. Besides the pipevine swallowtails, a lone monarch and pale swallowtail came and went, along with a variety of other native bees, besides the bumblebees and a variety of hover flies. There was so much to see and hear and even smell as the volatile oils of the salvia leaves scented the air. Beyond the religious ecstatic experience Salvia ‘Bee’s Bliss’ in the right location engenders, it is a very practical, useful plant for the garden. It is perfect for covering ground on a hot dry slope. It grows quickly and is very drought tolerant. Light pruning of old flower stems and the occasional stems that die back during the winter. The gray mat of foliage is livened up when planted amongst large rocks (at least 30” high and wide - much small and they get swallowed up) or between large clumps of deer grass that provide strong contrast throughout the year. It also looks striking when planted at the feet of Fremontodendron whose golden yellow flowers compliment the pale blue of the salvia. Resist the temptation to plant this salvia too close to a path where it will need constant pruning. Give ‘Bee’s Bliss’ some room to spread. It is not a shy plant, rather, it is a plant full of life. The Pipevine June 2013 9. PLANTS along a ©DTSKl O roville ditches become more like creeks with the com- ing of the first good rains in early December. What was largely dry drainage ditches by summer pick up steam and flow robustly by winter.. .the rainy season. But they have receded early this 2013 dry spring. Table Mountain streams and waterfalls were a dismal trickle in March and April. An exception is little “Guppy Creek,” a drainage by-way running next to Boynton Avenue in our neighborhood. In the summer a trickle of water from lawn-watering feeds the channel and its jumbled community of native and alien plants. By Butte Creek scale, it would not be classified as a creek by map-makers. The beauty of Guppy Creek’s wild presence is the random placement of plant species that grow intermingled-native and wild together. Some would call them ‘weeds,’ and indeed the road crew tends to swipe out the waterway periodically for free flow, slashing down a couple dozen species of things like prickly lettuce, docks, grasses, and plantains-causing the persistent plants to start all over again. Among the native species are cattail and water cress as they do their best to shelter the mosquito-eating fish, and some gallant live oaks hang from the embankment like a mother hen hovering over her brood. Exposed oak roots, stones, and some determined shrubs are trying to hold the clay bank together to keep the scanty soil anchored from erosion a little longer. Wildflowers, including Tritelia laxa, blanket the space behind the bank in April. Naturalist Joe Willis of Quincy, CA spoke of a favorite ditch near his home where he finds many weedy photogenic subjects. He calls the ditch a “last-ditch effort” by the denizens residing there. That term was coined from a phrase used by English Bishop Gil- bert Burnet in his 1 71 5 writing of “History of My Own Time, ’’which includes a story about a military fight to the very end in the last trench-ditch. by Rex Burress There was a time when I prowled the ditches of Missouri hills in farmlands where erosion had sculptured networks of washouts right down to the clay-and-cobble foundation. Top soil had been washed away due to lack of erosion control, revealing a jumble of glacial gravel, tough flowers, and sometimes Indian artifacts that was interesting to a boy. The drainage went downhill into a legitimate creek-No Creek-and tinted the water into a perpetual murkiness that obscured the monsters that lived there. When fishing, you never knew what you would draw from the hidden depths, including giant snapping turtles, huge water moccasins, buffalo fish, carp, and catfish. All of that erosion was bad news for crop growers although soil conservation measures gradually were adopted. In the meantime, weedy, flowery growth grew sparsely along those ditches, somewhat like Guppy Creek, much more exciting than corn and soybeans to a boy with his butterfly net. The precious persistent plants were making a last-ditch effort to hold their colonized ground! The most wondrous “drainage ditch,” as it is locally called, flows out of the Las Trampas Park hills west of Alamo, CA. The deep can- yon carried a lot of run-off in storm times, but supported a jungle of flora and fauna. Like my son Ben naming Guppy Creek, I gave the stream-way the name of “Wildrun Creek,” and made a map. The name may not have officially advanced, but in my mind I know that it is still there. Of such are dreams and stories made. In early May I crossed a meadow on the slopes of Table Mountain with intentions of photographing sacred Maidu rocks, and I was surprised to find a profusion of wildflowers in the tall grasses. Mariposa Lilies ( Calochortus luteus) were abundant, and I’m go- ing to share a secret-in the crevice of sacred Split Rock, located along Cherokee Road across from the Morris Ravine Sand mine, a virtual garden of Canyon Dudleya ( Dudleya cymosa) adorns the mossy walls in the split! They were in full bloom, and Wonomi’s spirit must have smiled on me! 10 . The Pipevine June 2013 Officers & Chairs WORKSHOPS FRIENDS of the HERBARIUM California State University, Chico June 22 INTRODUCTION TO THE WILLOWS OF CALIFORNIA (SALICACEAE) How often do you meet a willow in field and have to assign “Salix sp.” in your surveys? This workshop will focus on the leaf, stem and other growth characteristics that are useful in making identification while also emphasizing the regional distribution of the different species. John Bair is a recognized expert on willow and cottonwood taxonomy. His special interests include the effect of stream flow regulations on the Salicaceae. The workshop will meet from 9 - 5 in 1 29 Holt Hall at CSU, Chico. Cost is $100.00. Please register in advance. July 18, INTRODUCTION TO NATIVE BEES AS POLLINATORS There are many kinds of bees in nature, and even within urban areas in northern California. Rob Schlising and Robert Irwin will showcase native bees for people who like nature in this workshop, and for those who are involved in land management and conservation. The workshop will also promote inviting these pollinating insects to “work” and live in your own gardens. No specific knowledge of bees is needed ahead of time, although a basic understanding of general insect morphology and some familiarity with dichotomous keys would be helpful. The work- shop will meet from 9 - 5 in 129 Holt Hall at CSU, Chico. Cost is $100.00. Please register in advance. For information about registration please contact the CSU, Chico Biology office at (530) 898-5356 orjbraden@csuchico.edu Detailed workshop descriptions and sign up forms are available on the Chico State Herbarium website: www.csuchico.edu/biol/ Herb/Events. html Keep up with MLC Activities on our website and Facebook California Native Plant Society, Mount Lassen Chapter and LIKE US mountlassen.cnps.org facebook ELECTED OFFICERS (530 ) President SUELLEN ROWLISON 897-0226 suellen@garlic.com Past President PAUL MOORE 343-4287 pmoore@csuchico.edu Vice-President ANGIE TILARO 896-1882 angiechico@gmail.com Secretary JIM BISHOP cjbishopl 991 @sbcg lobal.net Treasurer JOHN MEEHAN 894-5339 johnmeehan64@gmail.com Members-at-Large CATIE BISHOP cjbishopl 991 @sbcglobal. net HESH KAPLAN 961-9407 heshelak@gmail.com MARGO LUND margolund@gmail.com MARION WEER 872-8575 weerhere@sbcglobal.net WOODY ELLIOTT 342-6053 woodyelliott@gmail.com ADRIENNE EDWARDS aledwards@csuchico.edu SUSAN MASON 892-1666 smason908@gmail.com WES DEMPSEY 342-2293 wdempsey@csuchico.edu GERRY INGCO 893-5123 genaroingco@aol.com SUSAN MASON 892-1666 smason908@gmail.com PAULA SHAPIRO 343-7440 paulashapiro@wildblue.net Newsletter Editor DENISE DEVINE 345-8444 dsrdevine@hotmail.com Programs JIM BISHOP Co-chairs cjbishopl 991 @sbcglobal. net WOODY ELLIOTT 342-6053 woodyelliott@gmail.com Rare Plants RON COLEY 533-1238 rcoley64@comcast.net Publicity CINDY WEINER 342-7645 wildflowermaven@comcast.net Sales JOHN MEEHAN 894-5339 Co-chairs johnmeehan64@gmail.com ELLEN COPELAND copelande12@yahoo.com Vol. Recognition / Chapter Council Delegate CATIE BISHOP cjbishopl 991 @sbcglobal. net Events JANNALATHROP 636-4547 jlathrop4mlc@comcast.net Yahi Trail STEPHEN OVERLOCK 892-0635 stephenoverlock@sbcglobal.net Hospitality KARROLYNN YELLS KarroLynnY@att.net CHAIRS Conservation Education Invasive Plants Field Trips Co-chairs Membership Horticulture The Pipevine June 2013 11 . MOUNT LASSEN CHAPTER CALIFORNIA NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY P O. BOX 3212 CHICO, CA 95927-3212 Nonprofit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Chico, CA Permit No. 553 RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED Time Value JUNE 2013 issue Pipevine Phyllis would say Join Today ! MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION CALIFORNIA NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY I wish to affiliate with the Mount Lassen Chapter renew Name Address City State Zip Phone Email Send Membership Application to: CNPS 2707 K STREET, SUITE 1 SACRAMENTO, CA 95816-5113 mountlassen.cnps.org Student / Limited Income $25 Individual $45 Family / Library $75 Plant Lover $100 Patron $300 Benefactor $600 Calendar 2013 June 2 - Caribou Trail 9 -ANNUAL PICNIC 23- Valley Creek AS I 30 - Jonesville Meadow July 13 - Humbug Summit Check-list 14 - Carter Meadow 27 - Paradise Meadow LVNP August 3 - Jonesville Willow Creek RPTH 11 - Cold Boiling Lake LVNP 21 - Executive Board Meeting 24 - Lakes Basin RecArea September 4 - General Meeting