August, 1995 * SAGE NOTES * A publication of the Idaho Native Plant Society * Vol 1 8(2) The State of INPS Susan Bematas, Pahove Chapter So you were wondering about the state of INPS and the newsletter? Well, we are alive and well, but were in a little state of dormancy. But alas, I think we will resprout with vigor this fall. First, the state of INPS. In January, it became obvious that we had most of the INPS Board stepping down with no one stepping up. Pam Conley (Treasurer) and myself after many years of service, felt that it was time to share the responsibility and get new ideas flowing. Wayne Owen (VP) moved on to take a position as the Pahove President. Jim Smith agreed to stay on as Secretary, however there were no other folks stepping forward to pick up the remaining offices. At the Rare Plant Conference, the Board had an emergency meeting to see if their was enough interest in keeping the organization going. At this time Kristin Fletcher (Wood River Chapter) was encouraged and agreed to run for president (no, her arm did not end up in a sling). In addition, we made a renewed effort to find other folks to run for office, now that the frightening position of President was filled. Although most of the activities that INPS performs is focused at the chapter level, the State Board acts as a forum to share ideas, provides us with a statewide foundation for a voice for native plant concerns, and keeps us as a not-for-profit organization. To be sure, with out a state board we loose that important tax status. In the past, with few exceptions, most of the officers for the Board have come out of the Pahove Chapter. As the oldest chapter, people were more comfortable with the organization, and were most willing to become involved at a state level. The other chapters were just getting enough folks to handle their own affairs. This year's ballot marks the first year with three different chapters as state officers. Beside the elected officers, there are several other positions that make up the Board: • Member-at-Sarge - nominated by the president and confirmed by the Board • Past president - who is also the Board chair (this year marks the first time we will have a past president) • Chairs of standing committees - Nancy Cole is chair of the Rare Plant Conference, Juanita Lichthardt is chair of the Conservation Committee • Newsletter editor - this is not a voting position • Chapter presidents or their representative It appears that we were going through a little growing pains. What is the old expression... what doesn't kill you, makes you stronger. I think INPS will be stronger. And what about the newsletter? Laura Bond after two years as editor stepped down as she promised. At the emergency meeting, I agreed to take on the newsletter. Well, I was rather poor timing for the goings on in my life: I had some family crises in the spring and then as a biologist, I maintain a rather busy schedule with field projects. SO, this really is the first newsletter since January. Pulling together information for two different newsletters is a big job itself and on top of that the formatting is a separate big job. Frankly, its too much for me. So, in my usual way of finding other folks to enjoy the fun, I found a couple willing volunteers to help with the newsletter. Both of these folks are biologists as well and have been busy as I have been. Thus, our ability to coordinate activities has been difficult. The newsletter staff will be as follows: I will be the editor of Sagenotes while Robin Jones will coordinate Sagebriefs. Donna Kreinsieck will provide desktop publishing for both. Please Note: I take full responsibility for the lack of imagination for this newsletter. I put this together mostly to let folks known that INPS is ready to spring forth this fall and in order to do that the ballot must be sent out. Please send newsletter items to the INPS PO Box. Native Gardener's Notebook The number one question the INPS mailbox receives is in regards to planting with Idaho native plants. In this issue we will look at some native shrubs. Being a native to Idaho does not mean that the plant will grow without assistance throughout Idaho's communities. For example, red-osier dogwood is native to riparian areas with perennial water throughout Idaho, however it will not survive Boise's hot, dry summers without irrigation. Four-winged salt bush will do well in Boise, however the clay soils often found in the Boise foothills may require the addition of sand to provide well drained soils. The aromatic big sagebrush and bitterbrush with its fragrant, yellow flowers can be planted in most other southern Idaho towns without additional water. In fact, these two shrubs will grow fast and may look raggedy after a few years if you apply too much water. Keep in mind that for many species it may be wise to protect your investment by watering sparingly the first year or two. The best time to plant shrubs is from March to May and September to November. This time period depends on your elevation and the weather. Boise is generally in full bloom before the leaves have begun to consider sprouting in Ketchem. Also, some year's are just hotter and drier and others cold and wet (such as this year) which may change when you can start planting and when you should consider it too late. In 1992 is was already extremely hot and dry by mid-April so a late May planting probably was too late unless extra water was applied. This spring reminded me of spring time in my native New England, cool and wet, however here in Boise, at least, we missed out on the blackflies. The following highlights some of the shrubs more commonly available from commercial sources. All of these shrubs are native to Idaho. Most will need some water for the first year or two to get started. • Western serviceberry (Ame/anchier alnifolia) -- medium to large shrub (6-10 ft.) with early white flowers and end-of summer fruit. • Big sagebrush ( Artemisia tridentata ) -- Medium shrub with silvery aromatic leaves. Evergreen. Flowers late summer. • Four-winged salt bush (Atrip/ex canescens) ~ 2-5 ft. Shrub is native to the dry, sparsely- vegetated high desert in southwestern Idaho. Tiny, silvery leaves. • Squawcarpet ( Ceanothus prostratus ) - Dense evergreen mat of small, holly-like leaves. • Snowbrush (Ceanothus velutinus) - Glossy evergreen aromatic leaves with large snow- white flower clusters. Three foot tall spreading shrub. • Fern bush (Chamaebatiaria millefolium) - Many fragrant fern-like leaves. Medium-tall shrub and somewhat spreading needs good drainage. • Gray rabbitbrush ( Chrysothamnus nauseosus) -- Bright yellow flowers in late summer. Silver linear leaves. Rabbitbrush is one of the first shrubs to reoccupy dry washes after a burn. • Red-osier dogwood (Cornus stolonifera) - Dark red twigs provides interest in the winter. Large clusters of tiny-white flowers in the spring and blue fruits in the fall. • Oceanspray (Ho/odiscus discolor) -- Graceful arching shrub to 6 to 10 feet. Beautiful spray of tiny, cream colored flowers with a slight orange tinge to the leaves in the fall. • Rock oceanspray (Ho/odiscus dumosus) -- The undersides of this species looks silvery because of the white hairs covering the underside of the leaves. Smaller in stature than H. discolor. • Pink kalmia (Kalmia latifolia) - Pink flowers from deep red buds in the early summer. Prefers wet, acidic soils. One to 2 foot shrub. • Alpine bog laurel (Kalmia po/ifo/ia) -- One to 2 foot shrub with deep-pink flowers. Prefers wet, acidic environments. • Twinberry honeysuckle (Lonicera involucrata) - As the name implies, twin yellow flowers adorn this plant in early spring forming shiny black berries. Native to damp areas in the mountains. • Syringa or mock orange (Philadelphus lewisii) -- idaho state flower. Fragrant, white flowers in the spring adorn this large shrub. Yellow fall color and interesting bark add interest. Please share your questions, thoughts, and observations on gardening with Idaho 's natives with your fellow members. Send suggestions care of the INPS PO Box. Multi-Media Forests Did you know that the Lewis and Clark expedition used western redcedar for their open canoes to travel down the Clearwater River? Nez Perce chief Twisted Hair assisted the expedition in finding the suitable trees near the present town of Orofino. In Splendid Trees: Idaho's Diverse Native and Community Forests you board a train traveling through the 19th century with a young girl as she first sees her new home, the timber country of Coeur d'Alene. You also tour the diversity of Idaho's forests from the dense conifer country of the Panhandle to the colorful aspen of eastern Idaho and the migrating juniper of Owyhee county. You also visit Boise-City of Trees, Lewiston's Annual Dogwood Festival, and see 50 years of change in the town of Challis. Other featured cities include... your town. Information on how to select a tree for your yard is provided.. The show is for general audiences and runs 1 8 minutes in length and comes in two formats: the video is perfect for small audiences while the 3-projector multi-image slide show can wow a larger audience. This show is an Idaho Native Plant Society production with script by Susan Bernatas and produced by Mountain Visions. Thank yous go to Steve Churcillo, Mike Bowman, Mike Brady, Susan Small, Steve Brunsfeld, Fred Johnson, Bob Moseley, Gary Grimm, Katy Flanagan. This project was supported through a grant from the Idaho Department of Lands' Community Forestry Program and the USDA Forest Service. For more information and a copy contact: Dorothy Whitmire, Idaho Community Forestry Program, Idaho Department of Lands, Coeur d' Alene, 769-1525; Steve Churcillo, Boise City Parks, 384-4240, Susan Bernatas, 344-5001, or your chapter president. THANK You THANK You THANK YOU THANK YOU A big THANK YOU goes to Laura Bond who for over two years volunteered her time to keep the INPS members informed of the latest chapter happenings and provided an interesting array of articles. She has also been considerable help in getting the new newsletter staff up to speed. We wish her well on her new endeavors. Congratulations and best wishes to her and her husband Pat Sewall on the birth of their daughter, Leigh Marilyn, on August 3, weighing in at 6 lbs. 9 oz. Developer Reserves Land For Rare Plants by Tina M. Perez, The Idaho Statesman Who says developers and environmentalists can't get along? Geoff Smith, developer of the proposed Highlands and Hackberry No. 2 subdivisions, has set aside land on his property to be used for a rare plant reserve. "I think this is a demonstration of how development and rare plants can be integrated successfully," Smith said. Mulford's milkvetch and Aase's onion, whick have been growing on his land, are found only in the Boise Foothills and in a few parts of Oregon. The plants are candidates for listing under the federal Endangered Species Act. Smith first became aware of the plants when he was reviewing maps of the Foothills area. He asked Carol Prentice, local botanist, and Idaho Native Plant Society member, to survey the land. The plants are disappearing because of Foothills developments, Prentice said. Smith gave Prentice permission to replant the Mulford's milkvetch and Aase's onion from one part of his land to the reserve. Not all developers are so interested in in Idaho's flora, said Wayne Owen, botanist for the Boise Forest and local president of the Idaho Native Plant Society. The INPS and BLM have no control over private land so it is up to developers to decide whether to preserve the plants. "I think what he has done and is doing is uncommon," Owen said. "There is room for other developers to follow in line." Editor’ Note: Unlike animals, plants and their habitat are not protected on private land. ******** The Biology Dept, at Boise State University will be hosting a seminar series in Conservation Biology for the Fall of 1995 and Spring of 1996. The series will address six issues within conservation biology. These issues will each be addressed by two speakers, one to be provided by an expert on the topic to cover the topic in general, and a second local biologist to provide insights on how these issues impact on regional outlooks. The topics, dates, speakers and rooms are listed below. All seminars will be held on the Boise State University campus at 1 1 :4Q am. Endangered Salmon September 15: Dr. Gary Thorgaard, Washington State University Lookout Rm of Student Union Building September 22: Dr. Rick Williams, Clear Creek Genetics Rm 218, Science and Nursing Building Wolf Recovery October 13: Dr. Steve Fritts, US Fish & Wildlife, Helena Montana Lookout Rm of the Student Union Building October 20: Dr. Ted Koch, US Fish & Wildlife, Boise, Idaho Rm 218, Science and Nursing Building Landscape Ecology and Management November 10: Dr. Steve Knick, BLM, Boise, Idaho Iordan Ballroom A of the Student Union Building November 17: Dr. Gordon Frankie, University of Califomia-Berkeley Jordan Ballroom C of the Student Union Building Old Growth Forest February 9: Dr. Gary Hayward, University of Wyoming Lookout Rm of the Student Union Building February 16: Dr. Wayne Owen, Boise National Forest Lookout Rm of the Student Union Building Rare Plants March 8: Dr. Kent Holsinger, University of Connecticut Special Events Center March 15: Ms. Ann DeBolt, Boise District BLM Bishop Barnwell Rm of the Student Union Building Captive Breeding April 12: Dr. Kurt Benirschke, Emeritus, University of California, San Diego Lookout Rm of the Student Union Budding April 19: Dr. John Marzluff, Sustainable Ecosystems Institute Hatch Ballroom A of the Student Union Budding * SAGE NOTES * A Publication of the Idaho Native Plant Society * SAGE NOTES is published in February, May, September and November and SAGE BRIEFS is published in January, April, June and August by the Idaho Native Plant Society, incorporated since 1977 under the laws of the State of Idaho. Newsletter ads: personal ads $2.00, commercial ads $5.00 for 1/8 page, $8.00 for 1/4 page, $15.00 for 1/2 page and $25.00 for full page. Ads should be sent with payment. Members and others are invited to submit material for publication. Articles in any form, even hand-written, are welcome. Please provide a phone number in case there are questions. Materials will not be returned unless specifically requested. Send submissions directly to the editor. Please contact the editor about specifics regarding computer compatibility. OFFICERS State Officers, P.O. Box 9451, Boise, ID, 83707: President-Susan Bematas, Vice President- Wayne Owen, Secretary-Jim Smith, Treasurer- Pam Conley. Wood River Chapter, P.O. Box 4154, Ketchum, ID, 83340: President-Kristin Fletcher, Vice President-Lisa Horton, Treasurer- Dan Casali. Calypso Chapter, 4301 N. Ramsey Rd., #A2-14, Coeur d’Alene, ID, 83814: President-Cathy Snider, Vice President-Bob Mathiasen, Secretary-LeAnn Eno, Treasurer-Janet Benoit. Pahove Chapter, P.O. Box 9451, Boise, ID, 83707: President- Wayne Owen, Vice President-Mark Shumar, Secretary-Susan Irwin, Treasurer- Ann Brueck. Sah-Wah-Be Chapter, 603 Willard Ave, Pocatello, ID, 83201: Treasurer-Harry Giesbrecht. White Pine Chapter, P.O. Box 8481, Mos- cow, ID, 83843: President-Rav Boyd, Vice President-Roger Blanchard, Secretary -Janet Campbell, Treasurer-Juanita Lichthardt, Publicity Committee Chair-Sonja Lewis. Newsletter Staff: Newsletter Editor-Laura Bond, Technical Editor-Bob Moseley, Circulation Manager-Pam Conley. The Idaho Native Plant Society (INPS) is dedicated to promoting interest in native plants and collecting and sharing information on all phases of the botany of native plants in Idaho, including educating the public to the value of the native flora and its habitats. Membership is open to anyone interested in our native flora. Send dues and all correspondence to INPS, Box 9451, Boise, ID, 83707. Please include me as an Idaho Native Plant Society member: Full Year Half Year Jan 1-Dec 31** July 1-Dec 31 Sustaimng $35 $18 Individual $10 $ 5 Household * $15 $ 8 Student $ 7 $ 4 Senior Citizen $ 7 $ 4 Name: Address: City/State: Zip Code: Telephone: Renewing? Chapter Affiliation? Pahove (Boise) White Pine (Moscow) Calypso (Coeur d’Alene) Please include $6 chapter dues Sah-Wah Be (SE Idaho) Wood River (Ketchum-Sun Valley) Please include $7 chapter dues None. Those who do not live near a chapter are especially encouraged to join. We can put you in touch with other members in your area, and can coordinate with you on any state level activities you may wish to be involved in. ’■’J' Rates effect! /e January 1, 1995 * Household memberships are allocated two votes. Idaho Native Plant Society P.O. Box 9451 Boise, Idaho 83707 Address correction requested t (8RARY stp 5 1995 ’V£vV fOrfk aU!*NlCAL GARDEN Non-Profit Organization U.S. Postage Paid Boise, Idaho 83708 Permit No. 171