Italian Ryegrass Invasion Cnps Fellows: Charli and John Danielsen

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VOL. 36, NO. 1 • WINTER 2008 FREMONTIA JOURNAL OF THE CALIFORNIA NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY

SERPENTINE GRASSLANDS EDGEWOOD—THE WHOLE STORY COYOTE RIDGE SUCCESS ITALIAN RYEGRASS INVASION CNPS FELLOWS: CHARLI AND JOHN DANIELSEN

VOLUME 36:1, WINTER 2008

75896-PG cover.pmd 1 4/1/08, 4:18 PM CALIFORNIA NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY FREMONTIA CNPS, 2707 K Street, Suite 1; Sacramento, CA 95816-5113 Phone: (916) 447-CNPS (2677) Fax: (916) 447-2727 VOL. 36, NO. 1, WINTER 2008 Web site: www.cnps.org Email: [email protected] Copyright © 2008 MEMBERSHIP California Native Plant Society Membership form located on inside back cover; dues include subscriptions to Fremontia and the Bulletin Bart O’Brien, Editor Bob Hass, Copy Editor Mariposa Lily ...... $1,500 Family or Group ...... $75 Benefactor ...... $600 International ...... $75 Beth Hansen-Winter, Designer Patron ...... $300 Individual or Library ...... $45 Kathryn Blassey, Editorial Assistant Plant Lover ...... $100 Student/Retired/Limited Income . $25 Brad Jenkins, Jake Sigg, and Carol W. Witham, Proofreaders STAFF CHAPTER COUNCIL Sacramento Office: Brad Jenkins (Chair), Larry Levine (Vice CALIFORNIA NATIVE Executive Director . Amanda Jorgenson Chair), Sarah Jayne (Secretary) PLANT SOCIETY Development Director . Melissa Cirone Alta Peak (Tulare) . . . . Joan Stewart Finance & Administration Manager . Bristlecone (Inyo-Mono) ...... Dedicated to the Preservation of Cari Porter Steve McLaughlin the California Native Flora Membership & Sales Coordinator . . . Channel Islands . . . . David Magney Stacey Flowerdew The California Native Plant Society Dorothy King Young (Mendocino/ At Large: (CNPS) is a statewide nonprofit organi- Sonoma Coast) . . . . . Lori Hubbart zation dedicated to increasing the un- Fremontia Editor . . . . . Bart O’Brien East Bay ...... Delia Taylor derstanding and appreciation of Califor- Senior Conservation Botanist ...... El Dorado ...... Amy Hoffman nia’s native plants, and to preserving position open Kern County ...... Lucy Clark them and their natural habitats for fu- Rare Plant Botanist . . . Nick Jensen Los Angeles/Santa Monica Mtns . . . ture generations. Senior Vegetation Ecologist . . . Julie Betsey Landis CNPS carries out its mission through Evens Marin County . . Carolyn Longstreth science, conservation advocacy, educa- Vegetation Ecologists . . . . Jennifer Milo Baker (Sonoma County) . . . . . tion, and horticulture at the local, state, Buck, Donna Shorrock and federal levels. It monitors rare and East Bay Conservation Analyst . . . . . Liz Parsons endangered plants and habitats; acts to Lech Naumovich Mojave Desert ...... Tim Thomas save endangered areas through public- Legislative Advocate . Vern Goehring Monterey Bay . . . . Rosemary Foster ity, persuasion, and on occasion, legal Mount Lassen ...... Catie Bishop action; provides expert testimony to Legal Advisor ...... position open Napa Valley ...... John Pitt government bodies; supports the estab- Website Coordinator . Mark Naftzger lishment of native plant preserves; spon- CNPS Bulletin Editor . . . . . Bob Hass North Coast ...... Larry Levine sors workdays to remove invasive plants; Training Coordinator . Josie Crawford North San Joaquin . . James Brugger and offers a range of educational activi- Orange County ...... Laura Camp ties including speaker programs, field BOARD OF DIRECTORS Redbud (Grass Valley/Auburn) . . . . trips, native plant sales, horticultural position open (President), Sue Britting Marie Bain workshops, and demonstration gardens. (Vice President), Steve Hartman (Trea- Riverside/San Bernardino counties . . Since its founding in 1965, the tradi- surer), Lynn Houser (Secretary). At Katie Barrows tional strength of CNPS has been its Large: Brett Hall, Arvind Kumar, Brian Sacramento Valley . . . Hazel Gordon dedicated volunteers. CNPS activities LeNeve, Vince Scheidt, Alison Shilling, San Diego ...... Marty Foltyn are organized at the local chapter level Carol W. Witham where members’ varied interests influ- San Gabriel Mtns . . . Gabi McLean ence what is done. Volunteers from the San Luis Obispo . . . Lauren Brown 33 CNPS chapters annually contribute PROGRAM DIRECTORS Sanhedrin (Ukiah) ...... Vishnu in excess of 87,000 hours (equivalent CNPS Press ...... Holly Forbes Santa Clara Valley . . . Kevin Bryant to 42 full-time employees). Conservation ...... position open Santa Cruz County . . . . Brett Hall CNPS membership is open to all. Horticulture . . Susan Libonati-Barnes Sequoia (Fresno) . . . position open Members receive the quarterly journal, Posters ...... Bertha McKinley Shasta . . . . . Susan Libonati-Barnes Fremontia, the quarterly statewide Bul- and Wilma Follette Sierra Foothills (Tuolumne, Cala- letin, and newsletters from their local Rare Plants ...... position open veras, Mariposa) . . . Patrick Stone CNPS chapter. Vegetation ...... Todd Keeler-Wolf South Coast (Palos Verdes) ...... MATERIALS FOR PUBLICATION Barbara Sattler DISCLAIMER: Tahoe ...... Michael Hogan The views expressed by authors published CNPS members and others are wel- come to contribute materials for publi- Willis L. Jepson (Solano) ...... in this journal do not necessarily reflect Mary Frances Kelly Poh established policy or procedure of CNPS, cation in Fremontia. See the inside back and their publication in this journal should cover for manuscript submission in- Yerba Buena (San Francisco) . . . . . not be interpreted as an organizational structions. Jo-Ann Ordano endorsement—in part or in whole—of their ideas, statements, or opinions. Printed by Premier Graphics: www.premiergraphics.biz

FREMONTIA VOLUME 36:1, WINTER 2008

75896-PG cover.pmd 2 4/1/08, 4:18 PM CONTENTS

CONSERVATION OF SERPENTINE ENDEMICS BY A CNPS CHAPTER: TWO STRATEGIES by Carolyn Curtis and Donald Mayall ...... 2 Serpentine grassland habitats, the bay checkerspot butterfly, the Santa Clara Valley Chapter of CNPS, rare and endangered plants, and successful conservation outcomes are the unifying features of this short introductory piece for the next two articles. Join authors Carolyn Curtis and Donald Mayall as they set the stage for two successful conservation initiatives that are detailed in the following two articles.

EDGEWOOD COUNTY PARK AND NATURAL PRESERVE: HOW IT HAPPENED by Carolyn Curtis ...... 3 At last! The full story of how Edgewood Natural Preserve came to be. Edgewood is a major success story, one of those rare instances when those concerned with both biology and beauty triumphed over commercial interests. It is also an instructive tale of how to build ongoing effective coalitions and use the political process to achieve the best possible outcome for conserving biological diversity.

PROTECTING COYOTE RIDGE by Donald Mayall ...... 12 The Santa Clara Valley Chapter’s subsequent success with Coyote Ridge was considerably smoother due to the application of lessons learned at Edgewood though adapted to fit the unique set of circumstances found in San Jose’s Coyote Valley. Coyote Ridge contains the sole remaining population of the bay checkerspot butterfly and is home to many rare and endangered plant species.

ITALIAN RYEGRASS: A NEW CENTRAL CALIFORNIA DOMINANT? by Peter Hopkinson, Matt Stevenson, Michele Hammond, Sasha Gennet, Devii Rao, and James W. Bartolome...... 20 Italian ryegrass has recently become a major component of San Francisco Bay Area grasslands—with major biological consequences. The authors have documented the rap- id assault on these grasslands by this non-native interloper. This aggressive weed also figures prominently in the Edgewood and Coyote Ridge articles.

CNPS FELLOWS: CHARLI AND JOHN DANIELSEN by Laura Baker and Barbara Malloch Leitner...... 25 Charli and John Danielsen have been major figures in the California Native Plant Society for over 30 years. These indefatigable members of the East Bay Chapter have held many positions both at the state and locally—ranging from field trip chair to chapter president to state president for Charli, while John has served as state treasurer and has provided his skills on a wide array of projects.

THE COVER: Spring view of serpentine grasslands and surrounding plant communities at Edgewood County Park and Natural Preserve, San Mateo County. Photograph by K. Himes.

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75896-PG gutsrev1.pmd 1 4/1/08, 4:51 PM CONSERVATION OF SERPENTINE ENDEMICS BY A CNPS CHAPTER: TWO STRATEGIES by Carolyn Curtis and Donald Mayall

ike all other CNPS chapters, the in southern San Mateo County, west Santa Clara Valley Chapter, of Redwood City; the other is Coy- covering Santa Clara County ote Ridge, an area east of Highway and the southern two-thirds of 101, south of the urbanized part of LSan Mateo County, has its distinc- San Jose. Both had the same butter- tive habitats of particular beauty and fly host and nectar plants, but the hot spots of diversity. A factor in special status plants differed. these hot spots in our area is serpen- The butterfly and serpentine are tine grassland and chaparral associ- a common thread in these two sto- ated with tectonic plate movement ries, as is the impact of air pollution along the San Andreas fault. Nonna- on their ecology. That fascinating tive plants do not do well on serpen- story is told elsewhere (Weiss 1999). tine, allowing many native wildflow- To vastly oversimplify it, atmo- ers to flourish as they did before spheric nitrogen from air pollution western civilization arrived, result- has been enriching the nutrient-poor Bay checkspot butterfly (Euphydryas editha ing in stunning spring displays. serpentine soil, causing nonnative ssp. bayensis) is federally listed as a threat- Combined with endemics especially grasses, especially Italian ryegrass ened species. Photograph by S. Weiss. adapted to serpentine, these areas (Lolium multiflorum), to crowd out are also repositories of rare and en- the butterfly’s host plants. This pro- winds brought high levels of nitro- dangered plants and animals. cess first became apparent on and gen. Butterfly habitat has been main- A keystone species, the bay near Coyote Ridge, where prevailing tained there through managed cattle checkerspot butterfly (Eu- grazing. Wind patterns are phydryas editha ssp. bay- Serpentine grasslands in full early spring bloom at Edgewood Natural different at Edgewood, but ensis), listed as threatened Preserve in San Mateo County. Photograph by B. O’Brien. the proximity to Interstate by the US Fish & Wildlife 280 has brought about the Service, once was fairly same result, only more common in the San Fran- slowly. The butterfly dis- cisco Bay area. By the end appeared at Edgewood of the last century, it had Natural Preserve in 2003, become restricted to a few but there is a happy end- areas on the San Francisco ing. Read on. Peninsula and in the Santa Clara Valley, where its REFERENCES host and nectar plants sur- vive in serpentine grass- Weiss, S. 1999. Cars, cows, land. Pressed by urban and checkerspot butter- expansion, the butterfly flies: Nitrogen deposition habitat is now only a single and management of nu- sizeable population. trient-poor grasslands for a threatened species. Con- Because these serpen- servation Biology 13(6): tine habitats were also the 1476–1486. only locale for a number of endangered plants, the Carolyn Curtis, 531 Alger Santa Clara Valley Chap- Ave., Palo Alto, CA 94306. ter became active in try- [email protected]; ing to conserve these ar- Donald Mayall, 531 Alger eas. One area is Edgewood Ave., Palo Alto, CA 94306. Park and Natural Preserve [email protected]

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75896-PG gutsrev1.pmd 2 4/1/08, 4:51 PM Vibrant ruby chalice clarkia (Clarkia rubicunda) provide the late spring highlight to the serpentine grasslands of Edgewood. Photograph by K. Himes. EDGEWOOD COUNTY PARK AND NATURAL PRESERVE: HOW IT HAPPENED by Carolyn Curtis

n the summer of 1993, after 13 ful and biologically valuable simply ests a county golf course, but vari- years as the centerpiece of the most had to be protected. ous proposed locations had aroused bitter and protracted controver- great opposition. When Edgewood sy in the history of San Mateo THE BEGINNINGS was suggested, some environmen- ICounty, the serpentine habitat of talists counseled the agencies to in- Edgewood Park was saved from de- In 1979 the County of San Mateo vestigate the site before planning velopment as a golf course and offi- acquired the Edgewood property anything, because it was known that cially declared a natural preserve. from the State of California. A quar- serpentinite areas tend to have un- How this happened is a colorful and ter of the money (about $500,000) usual vegetation, and are home to motley story of political opportun- came from the County Charter for many rare species. ism, charisma, vision, and behind- Parks Fund, a quarter from the In the Joint Powers Agreement the-scenes machinations. It required Midpeninsula Regional Open Space for Edgewood that was set up be- institutional courage on the part of District (MROSD), and the rest from tween MROSD and the County, CNPS, as well as thousands of hours a U.S. Land and Water Conserva- MROSD essentially abdicated any of hard work from scientists and tion Fund matching grant. decision-making rights over Edge- ordinary people who held an un- Around the same time, local poli- wood. The agreement specifically flagging faith that a place so beauti- ticians had promised golfing inter- provided for a golf course, tennis

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75896-PG gutsrev1.pmd 3 4/7/08, 2:03 PM TABLE 1. SPECIAL STATUS PLANTS AT EDGEWOOD

Species Legal Status Distribution by County Habitat

San Mateo thornmint Federal: Endangered Edgewood endemic, serpentine grasslands Acanthomintha duttonii State: Endangered San Mateo County CNPS List 1B.1 Franciscan onion CNPS List 1B.2 Mendocino to valley and foothill Allium peninsulare var. Santa Clara grasslands, franciscanum often serpentine Kings Mountain manzanita CNPS List 1B.2 San Mateo to granite or sandstone Arctostaphylos regismontana Santa Cruz outcrops in chaparral, coniferous and evergreen forests fountain thistle Federal: Endangered San Mateo County serpentine seeps and Cirsium fontinale var. State: Endangered extirpated at ravines in valley fontinale CNPS List 1B.1 Edgewood? and foothill grasslands San Francisco collinsia CNPS List 1B.2 San Francisco to moist, shady woodlands Collinsia multicolor Monterey western leatherwood CNPS List 1B.2 Marin to Santa Clara moist slopes in Dirca occidentalis partial shade fragrant fritillary CNPS List 1B.2 Marin to Solano to heavy soils, Fritillaria liliacea Monterey open hills and fields Marin western flax Federal: Threatened State: Marin to San Mateo serpentine grasslands Hesperolinon congestum Threatened CNPS List 1B.1 serpentine linanthus CNPS List 4.2 Contra Costa to San mostly serpentine Leptosiphon ambiguus Joaquin to San Benito grasslands, coastal to Santa Cruz scrub and foothill woodlands woolly-headed lessingia CNPS List 3 Marin to Yolo to serpentine clay soils Lessingia hololeuca Santa Clara in coastal scrub, coniferous forests, valley and foothill grasslands chaparral mallow CNPS List 1B.2 San Mateo serpentine chaparral Malacothamnus arcuatus to Santa Cruz white-rayed pentachaeta Federal: Endangered Edgewood and serpentine grasslands Pentachaeta bellidiflora State: Endangered nearby S.F. watershed CNPS List 1B.1 land endemic, San Mateo County

courts, swimming pools, waste treat- forward with plans for an 18-hole zation, the Committee for Green ment plants, and other kinds of public golf course with clubhouse, Foothills, and the local chapters of structures. This agreement plays a and a limited recreational and picnic the Sierra Club and Audubon Soci- role much later in the story. area. The Santa Clara Valley Chap- ety vigorously protested the plans, The county supervisors moved ter of CNPS, the CNPS state organi- researching and proposing an alter-

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75896-PG gutsrev1.pmd 4 4/1/08, 4:51 PM nate site across the road on water- about the southern watershed shed lands owned by San Fran- site), and planning various ways cisco (the “southern watershed to educate the public about site”) that had no special habitats. Edgewood’s unique habitat. If all This group also put out an 18- else failed, the group thought it page background piece on could fall back on a countywide Edgewood Park, including a natu- referendum as a second-to-last re- ral history and a chronology. sort, and as a last resort, another By December 1982, despite in- lawsuit from the state organiza- creasing opposition, including tion. from its own County Planning Three events, two environ- Commission, the Board of Super- mental in nature, brought about visors approved a master plan for the end of this round of the fight: Edgewood. They also certified the •In September 1987 the bay Environmental Impact Report checkerspot butterfly was de- (EIR) produced by Torrey and clared a threatened species. Torrey and golf course designer The rare and endangered plants found at Edge- Thus, its habitat now had some Robert Trent Jones as a staged wood include: TOP: White-rayed pentachaeta federal protection. However, (Pentachaeta bellidiflora) occurs on Edgewood and (phased) EIR. One month later, immediately adjacent parcels of land. In good there was disagreement about CNPS and two individuals chal- years, there are tens of thousands of individual how the boundaries of this habi- lenged the EIR in a lawsuit. plants. LOWER LEFT: San Mateo thornmint (Acantho- tat would be interpreted. Would In late 1983, the suit was settled mintha duttonii) is only found in one small area of it include the entire park, all out of court, on condition that sen- Edgewood Natural Preserve, and nowhere else in the serpentine areas, all places the world. LOWER RIGHT: Marin western flax (Hes- sitive habitats would be given le- perolinon congestum) is restricted to Bay Area ser- where the butterfly had been gally adequate protection; an out- pentine grassland habitats. All photographs by J. sighted through the years, or side consultant would prepare an Game. some combination of these? economic analysis of the proposed Furthermore, could the county golf course, and alternatives, such as lived near the park, included several get a permit anyway for “inci- a nine-hole golf course and alternate politically prominent people. dental take”—allowing butter- sites, would be considered. The CNPS In response, members of the flies to be killed in order to build lawsuit played a critical role in sav- Santa Clara Valley Chapter of CNPS the golf course? ing Edgewood’s serpentine habitats convened a task force. This group • In January 1988 the Edgewood from certain doom in the early 1980s. pursued various strategies, includ- harvestman (Calicina minor), a It also proved crucial in later years, ing lobbying the San Mateo County rare spider discovered at Edge- when activists used it to remind the Board of Supervisors, circulating a wood in 1983, was proposed supervisors of the seriousness of the petition of its own that garnered for federal listing. (Another rare opposition—and of the precarious- 4,000 signatures, organizing a letter arachnid, Microcina edgewood- ness of the County’s position, as it writing campaign, lobbying San ensis, apparently endemic to continued to ignore the conditions Francisco’s supervisors (particularly Edgewood serpentine, had been of the out-of-court discovered in 1985.) settlement. Dr. Stuart Weiss releases a bay checkerspot butterfly onto tidy tips (Layia The most decisive platyglossa) as part of the butterfly’s reintroduction at Edgewood Natural factor, however, was Preserve in 2007. Photograph by D. Mayall. that 1988 was an elec- ADVANCE AND tion year. One super- RETREAT, 1987– visor who supported 1991 the Edgewood golf course ran for Con- Early in 1987, a gress. The chief oppo- group called the nent in the primary Edgewood Park Citi- found out about zens Committee began Edgewood and circulating a petition brought up the issue to get the golf course at every public forum; built. This group of letters to the editor golfers, most of whom flowed freely. Several

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75896-PG gutsrev1.pmd 5 4/1/08, 4:51 PM months into the primary campaign, THE LAST FIGHT, 1991–1993 grassroots campaign with an ambi- this supervisor discovered an alter- tious petition drive and a press con- nate site for the golf course: at the By early summer 1991, San Fran- ference. It also decided to convene southern end of the San Francisco cisco was also having second an organizing meeting with other watershed. Negotiations began be- thoughts about a golf course on the groups besides those that had been tween the San Mateo supervisors and southern watershed site. Ten of San involved before for the purpose of San Francisco’s mayor. The supervi- Francisco’s eleven supervisors voted strategizing ways to oppose the sor won the primary in a tight fin- the proposal down, mandating re- project. ish, but lost the general election, view and survey of San Francisco’s In the past, the Board of Super- remaining on the Board of Supervi- watershed lands before any plans visors and the golfing interests had sors. could proceed. marginalized the pro-Edgewood side In the meantime, some mem- Also that summer, a reconsti- as “environmentalists”—a noble title bers of the environmental commu- tuted Santa Clara Valley CNPS in some people’s eyes, a derogatory nity had changed their minds about Edgewood task force, which had one to others. The group brain- siting a golf course on the southern begun discussing how to get Edge- stormed who the park users were— watershed site. Opposition also wood declared a preserve, discov- homeowners, hikers, gardeners, came from entities bordering the ered that the supervisors were again horseback riders, runners, photog- site. The local chapter of CNPS considering locating a golf course raphers—and the organizations that stayed neutral. on the Edgewood site, this time a represented them. Many people at Though Edgewood now ap- nine-hole course, driving range, or this meeting knew, or were them- peared to have been spared from both. selves, contacts on the boards of development, some people thought When the Board of Supervisors these organizations. the preserve would not be safe until set the golf course on the agenda for The new Save Edgewood Park it was so tied up with overlapping mid-September, the Edgewood task Coalition quickly drafted a brief jurisdictions that no one entity, such force decided to get as many people statement of purpose, updated the as the Board of Supervisors, could as possible to the meeting. Believing background information piece, do anything on its own to the land. that park users would be interested, composed a one-page flyer, and Also, Edgewood’s biological unique- task force members leafleted there wrote a four-page brief. An artist ness had not been officially acknowl- the weekend before. Virtually all who who was a member of the Coalition edged; the idea of having Edgewood were contacted—runners, hikers, pic- designed a bumper sticker. Shortly declared a Natural Area Preserve, a nickers—were incensed at the idea thereafter the Coalition assembled new category of parklands for San of a golf course there. Many attended an information packet for new Mateo County, was still a goal in the Board of Supervisors meeting and members that included these items, search of an executable plan. spoke; more called and wrote letters. plus a copy of the petition, short At this meeting, the articles for use in newsletters and Susan Moore of the USFWS speaks at the bay checkerspot supervisors rejected at meetings, and a photo of Edge- butterfly reintroduction ceremony at Edgewood Natural a list of “alternate wood in bloom. Preserve on April 5, 2007, while children color images of sites” and voted 5-0 Meanwhile the Coalition contin- butterflies. Photograph by D. Mayall. to direct staff to pre- ued to seek new members and mem- pare a Request for ber organizations. Once groups Proposals to seek a joined, they received notice of Board firm to prepare of Supervisors meetings, along with plans for a nine-hole news updates on campaign develop- course and driving ments and reprints of related news- range. paper articles. Though the Coalition Leafletting at asked for donations informally a few Edgewood showed times, there was no financial obliga- the task force that tion for membership. Each member Edgewood had a organization distributed information highly motivated among its own members. constituency be- After only eight weeks the Coa- yond CNPS and Si- lition—which was now a 25-mem- erra Club members. ber–strong organization—held a The task force de- press conference at which press cided to launch a packets were distributed. Long-time

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75896-PG gutsrev1.pmd 6 4/1/08, 4:51 PM Edgewood activist Susan Sommers brought several of her beautiful 14 x 18 inch photographs of Edgewood’s serpentine wildflower meadows in full bloom. The press conference made front-page news, as did prac- tically every story about Edgewood from then on. One reporter never failed to mention the “spectacular displays of wildflowers” when she wrote about Edgewood. course supporters—the same voices Getting petition signatures was going back years. a major part of the campaign. Just For higher visibility at public three sentences long, the petition meetings and when gathering peti- opposed the golf course and advo- tion signatures, Edgewood Coalition cated making Edgewood a Natural members wore highly visible four- Area Preserve. No attempt was made color badges designed by a sympa- to use the petitions to qualify for a thetic graphic designer that con- ballot initiative. Anyone could sign, tained the Coalition logo, the ruby including children. Coalition vol- chalice clarkia (Clarkia rubicunda). unteers gathered signatures at the The Coalition letterhead also fea- park every weekend; the volunteer tured this logo, along with a list of base grew as park users of all kinds its member organizations. At Board offered to help. The group also gath- of Supervisors meetings, Edgewood ered signatures at 10-kilometer races Coalition spokespersons always (many runners train at Edgewood), mentioned the number of member CNPS plant sales, and other events. organizations and the current total Many circulated the petition, which membership, which quickly climbed eventually garnered over 14,000 sig- into six figures. The number of ac- natures, on their own at churches tive volunteers was also impres- and meetings. Frequently golfers sive—about 100 in all. signed. Since this campaign began dur- ELECTION TIME AGAIN ing the fall when wildflowers were not blooming at Edgewood, signa- The Board of Supervisors, up ture gatherers had with them a small until December 1991, had been photo of Edgewood in bloom to staunchly opposed to preserving TOP LEFT: Sickle-leaf onion (Allium falci- show passersby. They gave them an Edgewood, repeatedly citing various folium) is a delightful miniature perennial informational flyer, a copy of the “overriding economic concerns.” But found in serpentine rock outcrops. It has latest news story, and the addresses that month the first supervisor not been seen recently at Edgewood. Pho- of the Board of Supervisors and lo- switched sides. The Coalition saw a tograph by B. O’Brien. • TOP: White-rayed cal newspapers. In a steady stream, glimmer of hope. In January the su- pentachaeta (Pentachaeta bellidiflora) is usually found growing in dense colonies. people—including a third-grade pervisors, seemingly aware of increas- It is interesting to note how variable the class!—wrote letters. ing popular support, set up a com- number of ray flowers are from plant to When Edgewood was on the mittee of golfers, environmentalists, plant. All of the white flowered daisies in agenda at Board of Supervisors meet- and other community leaders to in- this image are this species. Photograph by ings, the Coalition spread the word vestigate alternate sites. Three Coali- K. Himes. • BOTTOM: The diminutive mouse ears (Mimulus douglasii) is found in shallow by phone and flyer. Besides a steady tion task force members were ap- serpentine scalds where there is little com- core of supporters, new people al- pointed to this committee. While the petition from other plants. Photograph by ways showed up to speak, many of alternate sites task force was meet- K. Himes. whom were working people who ing, the Coalition felt that Edgewood took time off from their work to was safe from development. coincidentally, were running for attend these daytime meetings. The By early spring, three of the five Congress. They would be running other side rarely had anyone but the supervisors were now supporting the against another candidate who had same small, regular group of golf preservation of Edgewood. All three, always spoken out in favor of pre-

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75896-PG gutsrev1.pmd 7 4/7/08, 2:03 PM golf course could be built on the remaining third. The supervisors who were not running for Congress had backed the golf course side again. The Coalition had presumed the Parks and Recreation Commission- ers would be knowledgeable about Edgewood and neglected to educate them (the other side had obvi- ously worked behind the scenes). It also had not prepared for a possible reversal of the preserve proposal. In response, the Coalition expanded to 41 organizations, from its previous 25, and added 12 businesses. More people wrote letters. The Coa- lition wrote a strongly worded comments letter opposing the constraints analysis proposal, but mostly bided its time.

REAL VICTORY THIS TIME

Edgewood’s serpentine grasslands. TOP: A The fall election of 1992 saw a classic view in early spring featuring Cali- development project on the coast fornia poppies (Eschscholzia californica), lose by the largest margin in the goldfields (Lasthenia californica), and tidy history in San Mateo County. Two tips (Layia platyglossa). • LEFT: In late spring, ruby chalice clarkia (Clarkia rubi- new pro-environment supervisors cunda) lights up the drying grasslands. Pho- took their seats on the board. It tographs by B. O’Brien. looked as if there were now at least three votes for a natural Edgewood at Edgewood. In June, one supervi- by the spring of 1993. sor won the Republican primary, and In July 1993 Palo Alto-based one supervisor won the Democratic Thomas Reid Associates, an envi- primary; she would go on to win the ronmental review firm, presented its general election in November 1992. constraints analysis to a packed serving Edgewood. The fourth su- Board of Supervisors meeting. They pervisor was running unopposed for SURPRISE SETBACK concluded that the parts of Edge- reelection to the board and was still wood flat enough to support a golf supporting the golf course. The fifth The supervisors’ proposal to course were the very parts with pro- supervisor, the most strident golf make Edgewood a preserve went to tected species (a point we had known course supporter, was serving his the Parks and Recreation Commis- all along). After listening to the pre- last term on the board. sion for approval. Instead of the sentation, even some of the Edge- In April, something much more unanimous rubber-stamping the wood Park Citizens Committee momentous occurred. In honor of Coalition expected, it barely passed members voiced support for a pub- Earth Day, one of the supervisors 3-0. (In order to pass, this proposal lic golf course in the county but not running for Congress proposed mak- had to receive a minimum of three at Edgewood. Following the unani- ing Edgewood a Natural Preserve. positive votes.) When the proposal mous adoption of the constraints The Coalition, of course, turned out came back to the Board of Supervi- analysis, one of the new supervisors the troops for this Board of Supervi- sors in August for final approval, a presented a change in the Joint Pow- sors meeting. The proposal passed 4 “compromise” was passed (3-2). It ers Agreement with Midpeninsula to 1, the only holdout being the pro- set aside two-thirds of Edgewood Open Space Preserve, giving it equal golf course supervisor. as a preserve, but also authorized decision-making power over Edge- The Coalition thought the fight $25,000 to conduct a constraints wood. This change also eliminated was over, and threw a victory party analysis (feasibility study) to see if a all references to structures and spe-

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75896-PG gutsrev1.pmd 8 4/1/08, 4:51 PM cifically declared Edgewood a Natu- space site, however logged over and weekend, and at other places as ral Preserve. previously farmed, to save another. well. They felt that the strategy of pro- • Big (14" by18") color pictures of posing alternate sites for develop- photogenic habitats and plants HOW MUCH DANGER ment is essentially compromise, and to show at the press conference, WAS EDGEWOOD IN? is not a proper or productive role public hearings, and meetings. for conservationists. • Colorful badges to identify sup- This lengthy scenario reminds The critical change for Edge- porters at public meetings. us that while we have an Endan- wood was the decision to go grass- • Cost-spreading: Each member gered Species Act in this country, it roots, despite misgivings that it organization distributed Edge- by no means assures automatic pro- might prove too labor-intensive. wood materials to its own mem- tection of habitat that contains such Once this path was taken, the next bers, which reduced the Coa- species. Edgewood Park is a perfect critical choice—and probably the lition’s costs and increased its example of this reality. Although the most important to the eventual win- efficiency. Endangered Species Act covered the ning over of local politicians—was • Never giving up: We knew Edge- serpentine grassland habitat of the to broaden allies on “our side” far wood was special and that we bay checkerspot butterfly after this beyond the usual conservation or- were right. insect was declared threatened in ganizations. This strategy proved We had fun with this. It was 1989, this provided no automatic that Edgewood had widespread com- always heartening to read the latest protection for Edgewood. The park’s munity support, a point underscored letter to the editor, exciting to see governing body would have had to every time a new member organiza- people get involved, and the first agree to abide by the Act, or be con- tion joined the Coalition. intimations of victory were sweet. strained to. In this case, it had to be The Save Edgewood Park Coali- constrained to, which was the goal tion included conservation organi- of the drawn-out community effort zations, including locally based ones; PRESENT AND FUTURE: described above. nature-interest groups, such as the FRIENDS OF EDGEWOOD The people working to put a golf Defenders of Wildlife; garden clubs NATURAL PRESERVE course on Edgewood included some (Garden Clubs of America requires of the most powerful figures in San member clubs to undertake a con- In October 1993 a gathering at Mateo County public life, as well as servation project); homeowners’ or- Edgewood celebrated the Coalition’s an internationally known golf course ganizations; park user groups such victory and its disbanding, and the designer. Our side was not perceived as runners, equestrians, and hikers; birth of the Friends of Edgewood. as organized or capable in the way student ecology organizations; and This active organization has taken that the other side was, and clearly miscellaneous groups such as the over responsibility for the Edgewood did not possess even a small per- local humane society, a local politi- Natural Preserve docent program centage of its financial resources. cal club, and an ecological street- from the Santa Clara Valley Chapter Originally, the environmental com- theater group. The Coalition could of CNPS. It participates in weed re- munity was able to reach a stale- have signed up many more small moval and habitat restoration in con- mate, chiefly due to the CNPS law- local businesses than the 12 it did. junction with CNPS and the County suit, but not to prevail. Two retail businesses had the peti- Parks and Recreation Division, and tion on display. Beyond recruiting organizations Tidy tips (Layia platyglossa) and Califor- WHAT WORKED AND into the Coalition, other effective nia poppy (Eschscholzia californica). Photo- WHAT DIDN’T tools in the campaign included: graph by B. O’Brien. • A way to involve the public: In In the early days, considerable our case, we used a petition, ac- effort was spent researching the companied by a flyer containing southern watershed for an alterna- the latest news about Edgewood tive golf course site, and getting the and names and addresses of support of other entities, such as the people to write to. We didn’t use City of San Francisco, to preserve a form letter, but urged people Edgewood in its natural state. That to write what they felt. Many of strategy ultimately failed. The feel- these letters were truly eloquent. ing of environmental organizations • Regular community contact: We turned against sacrificing one open had a presence at the park every

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75896-PG gutsrev1.pmd 9 4/1/08, 4:51 PM holds monthly adopt-a-highway Jake Sigg, at that time presi- cleanups. dent of the neighboring Yerba The Friends puts out an ex- Buena Chapter, urged us to make cellent newsletter and website weed management a top priority (www.friendsofedgewood.org); at Edgewood. A chapter weed maintains an informal trail pa- group under the direction of Ken trol; and has embarked on an Himes was formed, which en- ambitious effort to fund and gaged in hand removal of yellow build a visitors center in a non- star thistle, slowly regaining critical habitat area of the pre- ground each year. Not nearly as serve. Early on, a Friends com- extensive but in some ways a mittee created a draft master plan CNPS volunteers weeding in Edgewood’s yampah bigger problem at the preserve to replace the old golf course- meadow. Photograph by K. Korbholz. was Italian thistle (Carduus pyc- based 1980s master plan for nocephalus), which thrives in Edgewood. the loss of habitat due to aggressive shade and seemed unfazed by an- CNPS and the Friends cross- invasives such as yellow star thistle nual hand removal. There was also a pollinate: Edgewood neighbors who (Centaurea solstitialis). Nonnative wet meadow near the west entrance get involved in the Friends learn plants had been of some concern of the park that had so much bristly about CNPS and native plants, and throughout the chapter’s involve- oxtongue (Picris echioides) that it was many CNPS members are active in ment with the site. The area had hard to tell that it had once been a the Friends. never been plowed or even grazed, field of Kellogg’s yampah (Perideri- but it was rural, with several home- dia kelloggii). Hand removal by vol- steads and their gardens and or- unteers brought about a virtually INVASIVES: A THREAT chards. The main concern in the complete restoration of the meadow FROM A DIFFERENT early days was a moist swale that (see photographs on page 11). DIRECTION was heavily infested with fuller’s tea- The Friends of Edgewood be- sel (Dipsacus fullonum). CNPS ob- came concerned with invasives and After Edgewood was designated tained a permit from the county that has proven an excellent source of a preserve, chapter members began allowed crews to dig it out over a volunteers. Together with CNPS and to realize that an entirely different number of years. Eventually the tea- the San Mateo County Department kind of threat could be upon us— sel was largely eradicated. of Parks and Recreation, the three

Edgewood Natural Preserve is home to many plant communities besides its well-known serpentine grasslands. This view shows some of its oak woodland, chaparral, and a ribbon of riparian vegetation. Photograph by K. Himes.

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75896-PG gutsrev1.pmd 10 4/2/08, 12:19 PM TABLE 2. INVASIVE PEST PLANTS AT EDGEWOOD

Species Rating Location Management

Italian thistle Cal-IPC M woodlands hand pulling by Carduus pycnocephalus CDFA C throughout volunteers yellow star thistle Cal-IPC H grasslands hand pulling by Centaurea solstitialis CDFA C throughout volunteers fuller’s teasel Cal-IPC M swale north of hand pulling by Dipsacus fullonum CDFA CNL central ridge volunteers Italian ryegrass Cal-IPC M serpentine mowing by Lolium multiflorum grasslands County workers bristly oxtongue Cal-IPC L yampah meadow hand pulling by Picris echioides CDFA CNL near kiosk volunteers

Ratings: Cal-IPC: H = High, M = Moderate, L = Limited CDFA: C = lowest of three rating levels, CNL = Considered, Not Listed

agreed to work together on invasives BUTTERFLIES ARE FREE! management in Edgewood. County park crews have cut down eucalyp- More than 100 people joined tus trees, and mowed and weed- press and TV crews in the serpen- whacked, while volunteers from tine grassland at Edgewood County CNPS and the Friends do hand re- Park and Natural Preserve in early moval. In addition, the local Weed April 2007 for the ceremonial re- Management Area (WMA) has re- lease of several female bay checker- ceived several grants for weed con- spot butterflies, brought by Stuart trol at Edgewood from the Califor- Weiss from the last remaining ma- nia Department of Food and Agri- jor population at Coyote Ridge. Cat- culture. erpillars from Coyote Ridge had been The worst invasive problem is released at Edgewood a few weeks the most recent one. We had wit- earlier and were already emerging nessed the impact of nonnative as butterflies and were seen flying grasses on butterfly habitat in the about. South Bay, and found it also hap- In a place of honor before the pening at Edgewood Natural Pre- speakers’ platform a group of chil- serve. dren colored in butterfly pictures. By 2003 the bay checkerspot Stuart placed the butterflies on tidy butterfly had disappeared at Edge- tips (Layia platyglossa) in little pots wood. The solution in the South to let them get adjusted to freedom. Bay, managed grazing, was not fea- Knowing that the bay checkerspot sible at Edgewood because of its butterfly is home again at Edgewood small size. Mowing the grasses, lifts the spirits of those of us who which began on an experimental have worked so long and so hard to basis in the grasslands in 2004 and preserve not only this remarkable TOP: The restored yampah meadow in full was expanded with a grant from butterfly, but also its unique serpen- summer bloom. • BOTTOM: Kellogg’s yampah PG&E in 2005, has proven effec- tine grassland habitat. (Perideridia kelloggii) is a showy, long-lived perennial that favors seasonally moist habi- tive. In 2006 an application to rein- tats. These habitats are frequently overrun troduce the butterfly was approved Carolyn Curtis, 531 Alger Ave., Palo Alto, with invasive exotic plants. Photographs by by the US Fish & Wildlife Service. CA 94306. [email protected] K. Korbholz.

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75896-PG gutsrev1.pmd 11 4/1/08, 4:51 PM PROTECTING COYOTE RIDGE by Donald Mayall

oyote Ridge, a 15-mile- points of view. Steep and comprised the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service long block of serpen- of serpentine, the land did not have (USFWS) [July 15,1985]. The but- tine, is the westernmost much agricultural value nor was it terfly was listed as a federally threat- part of the Mt. Hamilton easy to build on. It was, however, ened species in September 1987. CRange, which is oak woodland, for- the home of the bay checkerspot est, and rangeland. West of Coyote butterfly. The butterfly was not a THE CONSERVATION PLAN Ridge is Coyote Valley, currently ag- listed species at that time, but it had ricultural but under great develop- been under study by Stanford Uni- The Kirby Canyon Conservation ment pressure from the expanding versity’s Center for Conservation Plan called for a 250-acre area adja- City of San Jose. The ridge consists Biology (CCB) and seemed likely to cent to the landfill that was prime of several very large tracts, which be listed. habitat for the Bay checkerspot but- have been privately owned. United Technology Corporation, terfly to be set aside as a mitigation In the early 1980s, it became clear which owned a large tract of serpen- for the impact of the landfill on but- that new land would be needed for tine and nonserpentine land to the terfly habitat. This site, subsequently San Jose’s waste material. A landfill north where it manufactured and referred to as the Butterfly Trust site under consideration was located tested rocket fuel, opposed the im- Area, was leased by the landfill op- east of U.S. Highway 101 between pending listing and took action to erator from a private landowner. The lease was originally specified to run Spring bloom on the serpentine grasslands of Coyote Ridge in Santa Clara County. Photo- for 15 years. The Plan also called for graph by K. Himes. managed grazing over the entire landfill site, including the Trust Area. The Plan also set up a trust fund, to which the landfill operator would contribute $50,000 each year, ex- pecting that at the end of the 15- year period the fund would be large enough to purchase the trust area. This expectation was based on faulty assumptions that made this purchase entirely unfeasible; it overestimated interest rates and underestimated increases in land values. As this dis- crepancy became obvious, chapter members grew concerned over whether the Trust Area would re- main protected.

A popular CNPS field trip features the serpentine grassland flora at Coyote Ridge. Photograph by J. Mason. downtown San Jose and Morgan Hill. block it, declaring that it would be a The area was known as Kirby Can- threat to national security. A story yon, after a small stream that ran to by a local reporter exposed the silli- Coyote Creek. The name Coyote ness of this position, and public Ridge was applied later, by chapter opinion swung in favor of the but- members and others, to denote the terfly. Anticipating that the listing elevation above, which directed wa- would in fact become a reality, the ters west to Coyote Creek. landfill applicants supported it and Kirby Canyon seemed undesir- submitted a conservation plan for able for other uses from several the bay checkerspot butterfly to

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75896-PG gutsrev1.pmd 12 4/1/08, 4:51 PM CNPS CHAPTER ROLE IN PROTECTING THE RIDGE THE DOW DRIVE SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT Members of the Santa Clara Val- n 1997 the chapter and the Santa Clara Valley Audubon Society ley Chapter of CNPS had been in- I jointly filed suit against the City of San Jose for certifying a negative volved in plant surveys at the site declaration allowing a housing project to proceed. The project was since the early 1980s, including likely to result in the loss of nearly 2,000 Santa Clara Valley dudleya on some working for consultants on a serpentine hillside on the west side of the valley (not part of the the landfill application. With the Coyote Ridge formation). The project proponent settled out of court, chapter rare plant coordinator and and under the settlement agreement the chapter was entitled to choose others sending reports to the Cali- existing dudleya acreage on private land with an equal number of fornia Natural Diversity Database dudleya. The land was to be placed in a conservation easement operated (CNDDB), it was clear by this point by a nonprofit or public agency at the expense of the project proponent. that several sensitive plant species The chapter subsequently chose an eight-acre parcel on Coyote occurred there, including one listed Ridge, although this mitigation easement could have been located as endangered by the USFWS; a state elsewhere in the county. The parcel on Coyote listed species; and a number of CNPS Ridge was particularly attractive and we hoped special status plants (see Table 1). would set a precedent for obtaining easements In November 1990 Dr. Stuart there. The chapter also received mitigation funds Weiss of the Stanford CCB, a stu- that it placed in an account restricted to activities dent who had done his doctoral that would preserve serpentine endemics in Santa work on the bay checkerspot but- Clara County. These funds were to prove useful in terfly on Coyote Ridge, presented developing a database, producing a brochure, and his findings to the chapter in a slide supporting other activities related to the newly show that featured dramatic pictures protected area. of the wildflower meadows of the ridge against the backdrop of the Santa Clara Valley dudleya (Dudleya setchellii). Photograph Hamilton Range. Naturally, chapter by J. Game. members wanted a spring field trip there. Although the ridge was closed to the public and accessible only where the available information on several advantages that Edgewood through the landfill, Weiss and Dr. nine List 1B plants was discussed had. It was closed to the public, and Alan Launer of the Stanford CCB and evaluated. The other event was no communities around it consid- arranged for our access and led us the publication of the Recovery Plan ered it a destination, recreational re- on a trip in April 1991. Similar trips for Serpentine Soil Species of the San source, or even an asset of any kind. took place in April 1994 and again Francisco Bay Area by USFWS in Consequently there were no neigh- in 1996, when the wildflower fields 1998. Both made us aware that CNPS borhood groups to involve in coali- were so remarkable that it was a could be doing more to protect en- tions. Further, Coyote Ridge was not topic of discussion within the chap- dangered plants in our region. threatened by any imminent event. ter. We resolved to make this an We decided to make protection There were no plans for private de- annual field trip. of Coyote Ridge an official chapter velopment of the land, at least none By 1993 Edgewood was a Natu- goal and formed a committee to work that were known to the public. No ral Area Preserve, while a similar on the issue. We drew upon the ex- inappropriate public uses, such as treasure lay within our chapter’s periences that had proven effective roads, golf courses, or reservoirs, boundaries on private land, lacking at Edgewood, such as educating the were being discussed. So there was any protection except the conserva- public and developing coalitions. A no sense of urgency in preserving tion agreement between the landfill video about Edgewood had been a the area. The strategy for Coyote and the City of San Jose. Two events successful tool for educating chapter Ridge was going to have to be differ- added to our interest and concern members and the public, so chapter ent. It was clear that resources be- for Coyote Ridge. One was the En- members created one to tell the story yond those normally available to the dangered Species Recovery Work- of Coyote Ridge. The video, They chapter would be required. Fortu- shop for southern San Francisco Bay Called it the Valley of Heart’s Delight, nately the chapter had just acquired serpentine plants, sponsored by the was shown on local public access funds from the Dow Drive Settle- California Department of Fish and stations throughout the county. ment agreement, which soon proved Game in April 1997 in Palo Alto, Coyote Ridge, however, lacked a godsend (see sidebar).

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75896-PG gutsrev1.pmd 13 4/1/08, 4:51 PM EARLY PROJECTS ON strictions to avoid impact to butter- public opinion, that resulted in bet- SERPENTINE IN SOUTH fly habitat. At the Shea Homes de- ter environmental outcomes on sev- SANTA CLARA COUNTY velopment, which included a sig- eral proposed projects in south San- nificant amount of butterfly habitat, ta Clara Valley. These included the Serpentine is found on both sides the developer had stopped all graz- Metcalf Energy Center and the Val- of the Santa Clara Valley. Although ing. As a result, nonnative grasses ley Transportation Authority (VTA), there are problems associated with choked out the butterfly host plant both of which involved widening building on it, by the 1980s develop- and the butterfly population dropped and access road construction along ers were running out of level space sharply. On a particularly large pro- US 101. Metcalf Energy Center pro- and turning their sights to the hills. ject (Cerro Plata), two private indi- ponents conceded that additional (A few of the better-known develop- viduals sued the City of San Jose on atmospheric nitrogen from this ments that popped up there include environmental and other grounds. power plant would have an indirect the Valley Christian High School, The chapter supported the suit fi- negative impact on the bay checker- Calero Lake Estates, Shea Homes, nancially, but the city won on a tech- spot butterfly population. The VTA and Cerro Plata.) Most of these places nicality having to do with the pow- also agreed the ramp and highway had listed plant species, including ers of charter cities. Subsequently, widening would have an even greater the Santa Clara Valley dudleya (Dud- the Center for Biodiversity sued the impact on the butterfly. These enti- leya setchellii), most beautiful jewel- USFWS for failing to enforce the ties considered steps to mitigate flower (Streptanthus albidus ssp. pera- Endangered Species Act (ESA) in these impacts. Additionally, some moenus), and the Mt. Hamilton thistle regard to this development and ob- of these project sites proved to be (Cirsium fontinale var. campylon). tained an injunction, stopping grad- habitat for the federally listed Cali- The chapter made CEQA comments ing at the site. In the settlement the fornia red-legged frog (Rana aurora on the Environment Impact Reports USFWS issued a Biological Opinion ssp. draytonii). (EIRs) with regard to the suitability and the builder agreed to a number of the projects, the appropriateness of measures that reduced impacts DEVELOPING A COALITION of the mitigations, and especially the on listed species. feasibility of proposed transplanta- We recognized that in order to tion or relocation of listed species conserve Coyote Ridge, we would such as those mentioned above. In LATER PROJECTS, BETTER have to have the support of other general our comments had no im- OUTCOMES environmental organizations and pact whatever. credibility with public agencies. To The Calero Lake Estates devel- By the late 1990s there was a begin, chapter members contacted opment was not completed, how- growing body of scientific evidence, The Nature Conservancy, which had ever, partly because of USFWS re- as well as pressure from USFWS and just announced the Mt. Hamilton Project; Waste Management, Inc., the Ben Hammett assesses the Mt. Hamilton thistle (Cirsium fontinale var. campylon) wetland operator of the landfill; the Stanford during the CNPS-DFG Vegetation Survey. Photograph by J. Evens. University CCB; USFWS; and the newly formed Santa Clara County Open Space Authority, the public open space agency for the eastern two-thirds of Santa Clara County, including the Coyote Ridge area. We solicited support and participation from other environmental organizations, including the Committee for Green Foothills, the Santa Clara Valley Audubon Soci- ety, the local Sierra Club chapter, and the Greenbelt Alliance. In spring of 1999, Dr. Weiss and chapter members agreed to an expanded program of education and outreach to the environmental community of Santa Clara County and the decision makers in public agencies, including

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75896-PG gutsrev1.pmd 14 4/1/08, 4:51 PM TABLE 1. SPECIAL STATUS PLANTS AT COYOTE RIDGE

Species Legal Status Distribution by County Habitat big-scale balsamroot CNPS List 1B.2 Tehama to Santa Clara grasslands, Balsamorrhiza macrolepis ssp. macrolepis oak woodlands

Tiburon Indian paintbrush Federal: Endangered Coyote Ridge, Santa serpentine Castilleja affinis ssp. neglecta State: Endangered Clara County and grasslands CNPS List 1B.2 Marin to Napa coyote ceanothus Federal: Endangered Santa Clara serpentine grass- Ceanothus ferrisae CNPS List 1B.1 lands, chaparral Mt. Hamilton thistle CNPS List 1B.2 Alameda to Santa serpentine seeps Cirsium fontinale var. campylon Clara and Stanislaus and ravines in valley and foothill grasslands Santa Clara Valley dudleya Federal: Endangered Santa Clara serpentine Dudleya setchellii CNPS List 1B.1 grasslands Franciscan wallflower CNPS List 4.2 Marin to valley and foothill Erysimum franciscanum Santa Clara grasslands, serpentine or granitic fragrant fritillary CNPS List 1B.2 Marin to Solano heavy soils, open Fritillaria liliacea and Monterey hills and fields Loma Prieta hoita CNPS List 1B.1 Contra Costa to chaparral, Hoita strobilina Santa Clara and woodlands and Santa Cruz riparian areas

smooth lessingia CNPS List 1B.2 Santa Clara serpentine Lessingia micradenia var. glabrata grasslands

serpentine linanthus CNPS List 4.2 Contra Costa to mostly serpentine Leptosiphon ambiguus San Joaquin to grasslands, coastal San Benito to scrub and foothill Santa Cruz woodlands

large-flowered linanthus CNPS List 4.2 Sonoma to San Luis open grassy flats Leptosiphon grandiflorus Obispo and Kern

Hall’s bush mallow CNPS List 1B.2 Alameda to Santa serpentine Malacothamnus hallii Clara and Merced chaparral

Metcalf Canyon jewelflower Federal: Endangered Coyote Ridge endemic, serpentine Streptanthus albidus ssp. albidus CNPS List 1B.1 Santa Clara County grasslands

most beautiful jewelflower CNPS List 1B.2 Alameda to valley and foothill Streptanthus albidus ssp. peramoenus San Luis Obispo grasslands often serpentine

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75896-PG gutsrev1.pmd 15 4/1/08, 4:51 PM elected officials. The outcome of this had urban growth boundaries that CNPS PUBLIC OUTREACH discussion was the formation of a had been approved by their govern- FOR COYOTE RIDGE multigroup coalition, the Coyote ing bodies, but this initiative could Ridge Committee. be reversed only by another popu- The Santa Clara Valley Chapter, Using funds from the Dow Drive lar vote. Coyote Ridge lies within working with other members of the Settlement Account, in March 2001 the limits of the City of San Jose, Coyote Ridge Committee pursued the chapter contracted with Dr. and beyond the UGB; thus the ridge several strategies to engage the Weiss to produce a GIS database of was taken off the table as a site for public. the serpentine areas of the county, tract development. Walks: Beginning in 1997, the integrating land-use and biological In 2001, as part of the settle- chapter began conducting at least data on a parcel-by-parcel basis. ment of a lawsuit initiated by the two walks to the ridge every spring. From that data, we assembled a com- Center for Biodiversity, the USFWS In 2003 the Coyote Ridge Commit- pendium of information on the natu- proposed designating 15 areas in San tee invited elected officials and deci- ral resources of Coyote Ridge. Tak- Mateo and Santa Clara Counties, in- sion makers from a number of pub- ing the initiative in collecting this cluding Edgewood and Coyote lic agencies and nonprofit organiza- information increased the chapter’s Ridge, as Critical Habitat for the bay tions in the county to spring walks visibility as a serious advocate for checkerspot butterfly. Listings of the on the ridge. That year was particu- the protection of Coyote Ridge. areas to be designated were pub- larly good for wildflowers, and the lished in 2001. Such a designation walks extended into mid-May with does not give the federal govern- at least a dozen trips and more than ENVIRONMENTAL ment any authority over the use of 100 participants. The walks became DEVELOPMENTS IN OUR nonfederal lands unless the owner a regular feature in successive years. FAVOR is planning a project that requires a Talks: The task force also began federal permit or uses federal funds. giving slide presentations (later be- In November of 2000, the vot- Thus, the USFWS ruling did not coming PowerPoint presentations), ers of San Jose approved an initia- actually protect any habitat in our first to environmental groups whose tive by over 80% that established an area, but it put developers and pub- participation we were soliciting, and urban growth boundary (UGB) lic agencies on notice that areas that then to public forums, including en- around the city, an astounding mar- are or were habitat for the bay vironmental studies classes at local gin of support for open space pro- checkerspot would receive careful universities and community colleges, tection. Other cities in the county environmental scrutiny. to high school teachers, and to other CNPS chapters. Christal Niederer directs other CNPS members surveying the Tiburon Indian paintbrush The Coyote Ridge Brochure: In (Castilleja affinis ssp. neglecta) at Coyote Ridge. Photograph by D. Mayall. January 2001, the chapter published a full-color brochure about Coyote Ridge, highlighting the natural, sce- nic, and ecological values of its ecosystem. Designed by a professional graphic artist, the brochure included pictures of the wildflower meadows in spring, and close-ups of the butterfly and some of the listed plants, all taken by professional photogra- phers. Some 4,000 copies of the brochure were printed and distributed on field trips and at public presentations.

CNPS RESEARCH ON COYOTE RIDGE

The chapter continues to explore and document the area. Monitoring: Chapter volunteers

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75896-PG gutsrev1.pmd 16 4/1/08, 4:51 PM have developed and expanded a list of plants identified on Coyote Ridge that currently includes more than 400 taxa. Chapter volunteers have also documented the existence of 14 special-status plants on the ridge, resurveying them and sending in reports to the CNDDB. Of particular significance was a thorough docu- mentation of the state and federally listed Tiburon Indian paintbrush by Dr. Weiss and staff and chapter volunteers in May 2006 (see Table 1). The State-Chapter CNPS–De- partment of Fish and Game (DFG) Vegetation Survey: In 2001 the state office of CNPS solicited proposals for a vegetation survey to be conducted by the state vegetation botanist, with help from the chapter. Be- lieving that some of the vegetation associations of Coyote Ridge were undocumented, possibly rare, and deserving of protection, the chapter responded with a proposal that was accepted by the state office. Training Some of the rare plants at Coyote Ridge include, TOP LEFT: Metcalf Canyon jewelflower began in the fall of 2001 and surveys (Streptanthus albidus ssp. albidus) has bright white calyces and flowers. This plant is now only found on Coyote Ridge, as all of its other localities have been buried by housing were conducted in 2002 and 2003. developments. Photograph by J. Mason. • TOP: Coyote ceanothus (Ceanothus ferrisae) is In 2004, CNPS published the report, found at the margins of serpentine grasslands and in serpentine chaparral plant commu- Vegetation Associations of a Serpen- nities. It is only found in Santa Clara County. Photograph by J. Game. • BOTTOM LEFT: Most tine Area: Coyote Ridge, Santa Clara beautiful jewelflower (Streptanthus albidus ssp. peramoenus) is found on Coyote Ridge, County, California. but this population is not as brightly colored as they typically are at other locations in the region. Photograph by J. Game. • BOTTOM RIGHT: Tiburon Indian paintbrush (Castilleja affinis ssp. neglecta) is a more recently discovered rare plant from Coyote Ridge. This population is quite a distance from the next nearest population on the Tiburon peninsula in FURTHER STEPS TOWARD Marin County. Photograph by J. Game. PRESERVATION Natural Communities Conservation Gilroy, Morgan Hill, and San Jose, The proliferation of projects af- Program (HCP/NCCP). In Septem- and the Santa Clara Valley Water fecting the bay checkerspot butter- ber 2001, the Board of Supervisors District signed a Memorandum of fly and serpentine habitat in south- of Santa Clara County authorized a Understanding. CNPS was the only ern Santa Clara County resulted in Request for Qualifications for the environmental nongovernmental increasing pressure on local agen- development of an HCP/NCCP scop- orgaization to attend the signing and cies to consider a multispecies area- ing and strategy report. In Septem- we made it clear we intended to be wide Habitat Conservation Plan/ ber 2004, the County, the Cities of involved in the stakeholder process.

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75896-PG gutsrev1.pmd 17 4/1/08, 4:51 PM It has been our belief that this pro- caused by the construction and op- the serpentine habitat of three power cess will provide the best protec- eration of the landfill. This land is plants in Santa Clara County, in- tion, in the long run, for the endan- leased by the Kirby Canyon Landfill cluding the adjacent Metcalf Energy gered serpentine species. and Recycling Facility. Center. Painted Rock Preserve is a pri- The VTA purchase, mitigation LAND ASSEMBLY vately owned eight-acre parcel at the for the Highway 101 widening and base of the ridge, with a conserva- interchange projects alongside Coy- The chapter believed that the tion easement negotiated by CNPS ote Ridge, is a parcel of 550 acres of assembly of land on Coyote Ridge in settlement of a lawsuit to protect prime habitat on the ridge adjacent protected by ownership or conser- the federally listed Santa Clara Val- to the Butterfly Trust Area and the vation easement would discourage ley dudleya. Silicon Valley Land Conservancy inappropriate proposals for land use The Red-Legged Frog Easement, properties. and provide the basis for a managed an 82-acre parcel at the base of the habitat for the endangered species. ridge next to the Painted Rock Pre- LAND MANAGEMENT What has emerged is admittedly serve, is an easement on land owned piecemeal, but as we learned at by the adjacent golf course and is a Conservation easements or even Edgewood, there are some benefits mitigation site for the destruction of land ownership do not adequately in having multiple jurisdictions in- frog habitat due to the golf course protect habitat in an urban setting, volved in habitat protection. To date, development. This area protects wa- such as in southern Santa Clara five pieces of land south of Metcalf tershed lands above the frog’s habi- County. An essential and missing Road totaling about 1,000 acres have tat, rather than the actual frog habi- element is the management of the received some form of protection: tat itself. land to preserve rare species and The Butterfly Trust Area, a 250- The Silicon Valley Land Conser- their habitats. This role is being as- acre area at the top of the ridge east vancy properties include 100 acres sumed by the Santa Clara County of the recycling center, is a mitiga- on Coyote Ridge, as mitigation for Open Space Authority (SCCOSA), tion site for the loss of butterflies the indirect air pollution impacts on a public entity under California law with an elected board of directors. Coyote ceanothus (Ceanothus ferrisae) blooms in early spring in dense chaparral at the It is funded by a parcel tax and south end of Coyote Ridge near Anderson Dam. Photograph by B. O’Brien. covers the eastern two-thirds of Santa Clara County. CNPS originally chose SCCOSA to assume responsibility for Painted Rock Pre- serve at the time of the Settlement of the Dow Drive lawsuit. Subse- quently, SCCOSA agreed to assume management of the red-legged frog easement. These two easements sat unmanaged for several years as negotiations over other areas took place. As additional pieces of land became available, such as the Sili- con Valley Land Conservancy properties and the VTA purchase, a work- able management strategy for the ridge began to emerge.

THE SILICON VALLEY LAND CONSERVANCY

The Silicon Valley Land Conser- vancy is a nonprofit organization formed in 1998 to purchase and hold agricultural easements and critical habitat in Santa Clara County. It has

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75896-PG gutsrev1.pmd 18 4/15/08, 2:37 PM TABLE 2. INVASIVE PEST PLANTS AT COYOTE RIDGE

Species Rating Location Control

barb goatgrass Cal-IPC H along roads hand pulling by Aegilops triuncialis CDFA B in serpentine volunteers, burning grasslands by County workers Italian thistle Cal-IPC M woodlands hand pulling Carduus pycnocephalus CDFA C by volunteers

yellow star thistle Cal-IPC H along pipeline weed whacking by Centaurea solstitialis CDFA C fill in serpentine contract workers grasslands pampas grass Cal-IPC M wetland near mechanical removal Cortaderia selloana CDFA CNL landfill by contract workers

Italian ryegrass Cal-IPC M serpentine managed grazing Lolium multiflorum grasslands

Ratings: Cal-IPC: H = High, M = Moderate, L = Limited CDFA: B = middle rating level, C = lowest of three rating levels, CNL = Considered, Not Listed

the backing of major agricultural and servation Plan for the Kirby Canyon fective. The most effective control economic interests in the county. It Recycling Center. method identified so far is controlled holds title to some butterfly habitat Other invasives have been ob- burns in two successive years. The on south Coyote Ridge, on nearby served by chapter members in the Santa Clara County WMA has pro- Tulare Hill, and on north Coyote course of field trips, such as pampas vided support to the SCCOSA to Ridge. In 2006 the conservancy be- grass, yellow star thistle, purple star conduct controlled burns in 2007 gan leading walks on Coyote Ridge thistle, Italian thistle, and summer and 2008. during wildflower season. In 2007 mustard (see Table 2). When the they hired a docent coordinator to chapter became involved in the Santa train docents and expand the pro- Clara County Weed Management CLOSING THE CIRCLE: gram of spring walks. The adoption Area (WMA), we saw the opportu- RETURNING THE BUTTERFLY of Coyote Ridge by this prestigious nity to apply for funds to remove TO EDGEWOOD organization marks a major victory pampas grass and do mechanical in the long engagement by CNPS to control on yellow star thistle. The Looking to the future, Coyote see this area protected. pampas grass has not reappeared and Ridge is playing a role in restoring a the yellow star thistle appears to be bay checkerspot butterfly popula- under control. While the other tion to Edgewood. In 2006, Dr. INVASIVES: THE NEW weeds are not a serious infestation, Weiss received approval from the THREAT AT COYOTE RIDGE they are not yet controlled by an USFWS to transfer caterpillars and ongoing program of hand pulling by butterflies to Edgewood in the spring Invasive nonnative grasses, prin- chapter volunteers. of 2007 to re-establish a population. cipally Italian ryegrass (Lolium A more serious threat identified On February 15, 2007, Dr. Weiss multiflorum), have long been recog- in the course of the CNPS vegeta- gathered 352 caterpillars from Coy- nized as a threat to the butterfly tion survey is barb goatgrass, ob- ote Ridge and released them in habitat, as has the necessity for the served along a farm road north of Edgewood Natural Preserve. A fit- maintenance of managed grazing as the Butterfly Trust Area and spread- ting coda to our story! a means of controlling these grasses. ing to the south. This weed grows Managed grazing was specified for well on serpentine. Attempts at hand Donald Mayall, 531 Alger Ave., Palo Alto, the Butterfly Trust Area in the Con- removal by volunteers were not ef- CA 94306. [email protected]

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75896-PG gutsrev1.pmd 19 4/1/08, 4:52 PM Italian ryegrass-dominated site, late in the growing season, Sycamore Valley Regional Open Space Preserve, near Danville, California, June 2006. Ryegrass makes up 55% of the plant cover at this site. Photograph courtesy of the Range Ecology Lab, U.C. Berkeley. ITALIAN RYEGRASS: A NEW CENTRAL CALIFORNIA DOMINANT? by Peter Hopkinson, Matt Stevenson, Michele Hammond, Sasha Gennet, Devii Rao, and James W. Bartolome

he non-native grass, Italian bad thing because Italian ryegrass EVIDENCE FOR WIDE- ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum), makes excellent forage. For a plant SPREAD ITALIAN RYEGRASS has long been characterized conservationist or those with hay DOMINANCE IN THE BAY as a minor player in the Val- fever, however, the news is not so AREA Tley Grassland. While this may still sunny. Italian ryegrass often forms be true in drier locations, in wetter dense stands that may crowd out Native to Europe, Italian ryegrass areas of the state’s annual grass- native plants, the loss of which may was probably introduced to Califor- lands, there is increasing evidence affect other native species; ryegrass nia in the late 1700s (Hendry 1931). that Italian ryegrass is now a re- has already been implicated in the In most descriptions of the Califor- gional dominant, dethroning former demise of populations of the Bay nia annual grassland, Italian ryegrass champs such as wild oats (Avena checkerspot butterfly (Euphydryas is barely mentioned (e.g., Ornduff spp.), soft chess (Bromus hordea- editha ssp. bayensis) (Weiss 1999). 1974, Heady 1977). A more recent ceus), and ripgut brome (Bromus And as spring allergy sufferers know, review of California grassland states diandrus). when Italian ryegrass begins to re- that Italian ryegrass sometimes domi- From a cow’s point-of-view, this lease its pollen, several weeks of mis- nates locally but is generally not as newly emerging dominant is not a ery lie ahead! widespread in the grassland as the

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75896-PG gutsrev1.pmd 20 4/1/08, 4:52 PM filarees (Erodium spp.) and contrast with the low levels bromes (Heady et al. 1991). found in a five-year study Even The Jepson Manual lim- from the early 1970s at an- its ryegrass habitat to “dis- other East Bay site. From turbed sites, abandoned 1969 to 1973 at the Univer- fields.” However, over the sity of California Russell Res- past decade, we have observed ervation in Lafayette, ryegrass anecdotally how often Italian only rose above 8% plant ryegrass is the dominant plant cover once, when it reached in many, largely undisturbed 16%. grassland areas of the East Bay Elsewhere in the San of the San Francisco Bay Area. Francisco Bay Area, similar Other researchers have made trends are being observed. In similar observations in the the South Bay, at Stanford South Bay. University’s Jasper Ridge Bio- An ongoing study by logical Preserve and at Edge- U.C. Berkeley Range Ecology Italian ryegrass-dominated site, early in the growing season, wood Natural Preserve in San Vasco Caves Regional Preserve, near Livermore, California, Lab of 40 plots in six East April 2006. Ryegrass makes up over 80% of the plant cover Mateo County, Italian rye- Bay Regional Park District here. Photograph courtesy of the Range Ecology Lab, U.C. grass also appears to have (EBRPD) properties spread Berkeley. increased substantially dur- over Alameda and Contra ing the 1990s (Weiss 1999, Costa counties provided the data to 2006, falling back to 45% during the 2002). These sites have nutrient- show that our observations were in drought of 2007. poor, toxic serpentine soil, which fact accurate. Between 2003 and Moreover, Italian ryegrass ap- until recently has prevented inva- 2007, from a pool of approximately pears to have been on the increase sion by most annual grasses, but 90 to 115 species, Italian ryegrass for at least a decade. In a single East ryegrass is now able to dominate was the overall dominant species in Bay Municipal Utilities District wa- even there. Four floras produced our study every year. In the warm, tershed in El Sobrante, a nine-year since the 1930s for Jasper Ridge in- rainy years 2005 and 2006, ryegrass study by our lab from 1993 to 2001 dicate that ryegrass was not observed made up 23% and 32%, respectively, showed that ryegrass rose steadily in the serpentine areas there through of the plant cover: one species con- from under 10% plant cover in 1993 1983 (see unpublished report at tributing almost a third of the plant to dominance at 45-55% cover dur- http://trees.stanford.edu/CNPS/ cover at our East Bay grassland sites. ing 1997 to 2001. Escobar_Grasses.pdf). In the last few Even in the drought year of 2007, a These high levels of Italian rye- years however, at both Jasper Ridge tough year for grasses, Italian ryegrass in the late 1990s and the 2000s and Edgewood, ryegrass was the grass remained dominant at dominant species, at 20-30% 19% cover. Comparing five Italian ryegrass-dominated site, late in the growing season, plant cover in 2001 and 2002 year average cover values for Sycamore Valley Regional Open Space Preserve, near Dan- (Weiss 2002). In several other the most common species, ville, California, June 2006. Ryegrass makes up 55% of the areas, both serpentine and plant cover at this site. Photograph courtesy of the Range ryegrass had almost double Ecology Lab, U.C. Berkeley. non-serpentine, in south San the cover of the next nearest Jose, Weiss (1999) reports in- species, soft chess (Table 1). creasing ryegrass plant cover Italian ryegrass was not and dominance since the mid- the dominant species at ev- 1980s or mid-1990s. ery EBRPD site: some parks had low levels of ryegrass for reasons that are not yet ap- IMPACTS OF WIDE- parent. However, many of the SPREAD ITALIAN areas with low levels of RYEGRASS ryegrass or none at all in 2003 DOMINANCE had substantial amounts by 2006, and the percentage of If this apparent widespread sites in which Italian ryegrass dominance by Italian ryegrass was the dominant increased is a long-lasting change, the from 28% in 2003 to 63% in ecological impacts may be sig-

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75896-PG gutsrev1.pmd 21 4/1/08, 4:52 PM TABLE 1. AVERAGE PERCENT COVER FOR THE TOP TEN “SPECIES,” INCLUDING LITTER (PREVIOUS YEAR’S DEAD PLANT MATERIAL) AND SOIL, 2003-2007

Species Average percent cover Species Average percent cover 2003-2007 2003-2007

Lolium multiflorum 21.3 Erodium botrys 4.1 Italian ryegrass filaree

Bromus hordeaceus 11.9 Avena barbata 2.5 soft chess slender wild oats

litter 10.4 Nassella pulchra 2.3 purple needlegrass

Avena fatua* 9.5 Trifolium hirtum 2.1 wild oats rose clover

Bromus diandrus 5.6 Phalaris aquatica 2.0 ripgut brome Harding grass

soil 4.6 Vulpia bromoides 1.9 brome fescue

* For 2007 only, Avena sp. included in Avena fatua.

nificant. Economic and health im- ian ryegrass, which is non-native ryegrass has similar effects in Cali- pacts may also be appreciable. there too, rapidly out-competed fornia grasslands is not clear. For The California Invasive Plant other species, and within three years the EBRPD study, we could not find Council’s 2006 Invasive Plant In- became the dominant grass in former a strong relationship between Ital- ventory (www.cal-ipc.org) catego- agricultural fields (Facelli et al. ian ryegrass cover and native plant rizes Italian ryegrass as having a 1987). The increase in ryegrass cover cover or diversity. moderate negative ecological impact was correlated with an increase in Italian ryegrass is known to sup- in California. Cal-IPC further de- local extinction of other plant spe- press native plants in other Califor- scribes ryegrass as having a signifi- cies and with a reduction in plant nia vegetation communities. Since cant effect on native grassland plant species diversity. Whether Italian the 1940s, ryegrass has been seeded communities. in chaparral and forests after wild- While the actual ecological im- The mug shot: Italian ryegrass (Lolium fires to reduce soil erosion caused pacts of ryegrass dominance in multiflorum). Photograph courtesy of the by post-fire rainfall. Numerous fol- California’s grasslands are largely Oregon State University Forage Informa- low-up studies of post-fire ryegrass tion System’s Image Gallery (http://forages. unstudied, ryegrass is known to oregonstate.edu/). seeding have shown that plant cover compete strongly against other non- and diversity of native herbaceous native grasses in California (McKell species are reduced on sites with et al. 1969, Fehmi et al. 2001). In high ryegrass cover (reviewed in addition, experiments indicate that Beyers 2004). ryegrass may increase mortality of One well-studied ecological re- the native bunchgrass, purple nee- sult of Italian ryegrass dominance is dlegrass (Nassella pulchra) (Fehmi unequivocally negative: the disap- et al. 2004). Purple needlegrass is pearance of threatened Bay checker- the most abundant native species in spot butterfly populations. Stuart our East Bay Regional Park District Weiss has spent years studying the study. It is also frequently used in checkerspot in its South Bay serpen- grassland restoration projects. tine habitat and has documented In another highly invaded grass- how the fairly recent invasion of land, the pampas of Argentina, Ital- ryegrass into serpentine sites has

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75896-PG gutsrev1.pmd 22 4/1/08, 4:52 PM caused populations of California plantain (Plantago erecta) and other checkerspot larvae host plants to plummet (Weiss 1999). As go the host plants, so go the butterflies. Both the Jasper Ridge and the Edgewood butterfly populations have gone extinct, as have populations in south San Jose, with ryegrass the prime suspect (Weiss 2002). Other native plants are also declin- ing as Italian ryegrass invades the serpentine grassland (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 1998). And before you dismiss the allergy problems that Italian ryegrass causes, a recent analysis by Stanford University’s Sean Anderson esti- From left to right, the Range Ecology Lab field crew: Matt Stevenson, Peter Hopkinson, mates that allergy-related conse- Sasha Gennet, Michele Hammond, Martin Johnson, and Devii Rao at Vasco Caves Regional quences of non-native grasses cost Preserve, near Livermore, California, in 2005. Photograph courtesy of the Range Ecology Californians between $400 million Lab, U.C. Berkeley. to $1 billion per year in missed work, medication, and Kleenex. Ryegrass in the South Bay and Peninsula. In ryegrass was able to out-compete wild pollen is an abundant and potent his work at Jasper Ridge, Edgewood, oats and soft chess. allergen and is likely to be respon- and sites in south San Jose, Weiss Gulmon’s work suggests that if sible for a significant portion of the has shown that various forms of ni- global climate change brings higher grass pollen allergies in California. trogen are deposited on plants and temperatures, especially during the At least three of this article’s authors soil at much higher levels in areas growing season, California’s climate are highly allergic to ryegrass, one with bad air pollution problems may be even more suitable for Ital- of whom had to go to the hospital (Weiss 1999, 2002). Experiments ian ryegrass domination. With con- due to a severe ryegrass reaction by other Stanford University re- tinued nitrogen deposition from air during the last field season. searchers (reviewed in Weiss 1999) pollution, increased temperatures have demonstrated that nitrogen fer- due to global climate change, and tilization can rapidly turn a study periodic high rainfall events, such WHY IS ITALIAN RYEGRASS plot from forb-dominated to grass- as El Niño years, Italian ryegrass INCREASING? dominated, and that ryegrass, in par- may come to dominate large parts of ticular, grows quickly and vigorously California’s central coast grasslands. If the effects of Italian ryegrass with nitrogen fertilization. It appears dominance are undesirable, is there that over many years, air pollution RYEGRASS CONTROL anything we can do to cut short its has added enough nitrogen to the reign? To answer this question, it soil that a threshold has been There is not much we can do would be helpful to know why the crossed, allowing Italian ryegrass to about warmer and wetter weather, widespread increase in ryegrass flourish even in harsh soils. and even reducing air pollution from cover has occurred. In combination with nitrogen cars requires large-scale societal Several factors may underlie the enrichment, warmer and wetter changes. Drought years reduce Ital- change. Stuart Weiss has presented weather is likely to promote increases ian ryegrass cover somewhat (Weiss a strong case for air pollution being in Italian ryegrass cover. Weiss notes 1999), but it appears likely that a a primary cause. In addition, warmer that ryegrass was rare at Jasper Ridge wet and warm year would allow and wetter weather may have given until 1998, a year of record El Niño ryegrass to re-establish dominance. Italian ryegrass the boost it needed rains. Experiments by Sherry Gulmon Livestock grazing may be one to become a common dominant. showed that ryegrass is favored in management action that can miti- Nitrogen “fertilization” of the conditions with temperatures above gate some of the deleterious effects soil by automobile air pollution is 68°F and consistently available ni- of ryegrass dominance, at least on strongly implicated as the cause of trogen and moisture (Gulmon 1979). serpentine soil. At Weiss’ serpen- ryegrass’ invasion of serpentine soils When all three conditions were met, tine sites in south San Jose, nearby

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75896-PG gutsrev1.pmd 23 4/1/08, 4:52 PM areas that were grazed by cattle main- grass abundance has changed Hendry, G.W. 1931. The adobe brick tained large populations of plantain over the past several decades. as a historical source. Agricultural and checkerspot butterflies, and • Analyzing the relationship be- History 5:110–127. cover of Italian ryegrass was much tween nitrogen deposition and McKell, C.M., C. Duncan, and C.H. lower. When grazing was re-intro- Italian ryegrass dominance in the Muller. 1969. Competitive relation- ships of annual ryegrass (Lolium duced to one of the ungrazed sites, Bay Area with deposition mod- multiflorum Lam.). Ecology 50:653– although the butterflies did not re- els and field data. 657. turn, grass cover, dominated by • Conducting greenhouse and Ornduff, R. 1974. Introduction to Cali- ryegrass, fell from 75% to 45%, while field experiments in serpentine fornia Plant Life. University of Cali- forb cover increased from 10% to and non-serpentine soils de- fornia Press, Berkeley. 30% (Weiss 1999). signed to investigate the effects U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 1998. The impacts of livestock grazing of ryegrass on native grassland Recovery plan for serpentine soil spe- on Italian ryegrass and native plant plant species richness and abun- cies of the San Francisco Bay Area. cover were not so clear-cut at our dance. Experiments should be Portland, OR: USFWS. Available at: East Bay Regional Park District study conducted under several levels http://ecos.fws.gov/docs/recovery_ sites, which are not on serpentine of nitrogen, moisture, and tem- plans/1998/980930c.pdf, accessed Fall 2006. soil. In three parks (only two in perature, including at levels pre- Weiss, S.B. 1999. Cars, cows, and 2007), there are both grazed and dicted by regional climate checkerspot butterflies: nitrogen ungrazed sites. Ryegrass cover was change models. deposition and management of nu- higher on the grazed sites in all years, trient-poor grasslands for a threat- but this difference was only statisti- REFERENCES ened species. Conservation Biology cally significant in 2004 and 2006. 13:1476-1486. Native plant cover and diversity, Beyers, J.L. 2004. Postfire seeding for Weiss, S.B. 2002. Final report on however, did not differ between the erosion control: effectiveness and NFWF grant for habitat restoration grazed and ungrazed sites in any impacts on native plant communi- at Edgewood Natural Preserve, San year. ties. Conservation Biology 18:947– Mateo County, CA. Report to the San 956. Mateo County Parks and Recreation Facelli, J.M., E. D’Angela, and R.J.C. Foundation. Available at: http:// CONCLUSION León. 1987. Diversity changes dur- www.eparks.net/vgn/images/portal/ ing pioneer stages in a subhumid cit_609/14232740Edgewood-NFWF Data from several studies sug- Pampean grassland succession. FinalReport.pdf, accessed Fall 2006. gest that, over the past decade, Ital- American Midland Naturalist 117:17– ian ryegrass has emerged as a domi- 25. Peter Hopkinson, ESPM-Ecosystem Sci- nant species in the annual grassland Fehmi, J.S., E.A. Laca, and K.J. Rice. ences, U.C. Berkeley, 137 Mulford Hall, of the San Francisco Bay Area. Al- 2001. The effect of small gaps in Cali- Berkeley, CA 94720-3114. phopkin@ though the ecological repercussions fornia annual grassland on above- nature.berkeley.edu; Matt Stevenson, ground biomass production. Grass of ryegrass dominance are little stud- Rangeland Research Support, University and Forage Science 56:323–329. ied, several lines of evidence sug- of Hawaii Cooperative Extension Service, gest that native plants and animals Fehmi, J.S., K.J. Rice, and E.A. Laca. 2004. Radial dispersion of neighbors Kamuela Extension Office, 67-5189 could be negatively impacted. In- and the small-scale competitive im- Kamamalu Road, Kamuela, HI 96743- creased ryegrass pollen may also pact of two annual grasses on a na- 8439. [email protected]; Michele cause higher levels of allergies and tive perennial grass. Restoration Ecol- Hammond, ESPM-Ecosystem Sciences, asthma in people. Consequently, re- ogy 12:63–69. U.C. Berkeley, 137 Mulford Hall, Berke- search into the causes, ecological Gulmon, S.L. 1979. Competition and ley, CA 94720-3114. mhammond@ impacts, public health impacts, and coexistence: three annual grass spe- nature.berkeley.edu; Sasha Gennet, control of Italian ryegrass dominance cies. American Midland Naturalist ESPM-Ecosystem Sciences, U.C. Berke- should be made a priority. 101:403–416. ley, 137 Mulford Hall, Berkeley, CA Heady, H. 1977. Valley grassland. In 94720-3114. [email protected]. Research priorities include: Terrestrial Vegetation of California. edu; Devii Rao, Gold Ridge Resource Con- M.G. Barbour and J. Major, eds. Wiley, • Collecting further evidence servation District, 14775 “B” Third Street, New York, NY. documenting the extent of Ital- Heady, H.F., J.W. Bartolome, M.D. Pitt, PO Box 1064, Occidental, CA 95465. ian ryegrass dominance in the G.D. Savelle, and M.C. Stroud. 1991. [email protected]; James W. Bay Area and elsewhere in Cali- California prairie. In Natural Grass- Bartolome, ESPM-Ecosystem Sciences, fornia. lands: Introduction and Western Hemi- U.C. Berkeley, 137 Mulford Hall, Berke- • If long-term datasets are avail- sphere. R.T. Coupland, ed. Elsevier, ley, CA 94720-3114. jwbart@nature. able, evaluating how much rye- Amsterdam, The Netherlands. berkeley.edu

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75896-PG gutsrev1.pmd 24 4/1/08, 4:52 PM John and Charli Danielsen at Native Here Nursery in the Berkeley Hills on February 8, 2008. Photograph by J. Bray. NEW CNPS FELLOWS: CHARLI AND JOHN DANIELSEN by Laura Baker and Barbara Malloch Leitner

harli and John Danielsen, encouraging the publication of The San Francisco Bay Chapter. She also honored this past year as Jepson Manual, and founding the spent time volunteering for the week- CNPS Fellows, have de- Native Here Nursery in the 1990s. end potting sessions in preparation voted over thirty years to Visionary, dedicated, and enterpris- for the chapter plant sale. These early Ccarrying out many important devel- ing, Charli and John have taken on experiences observing native plants opments in the Society from its in- strategic positions in many state and both in the wild and at the potting fancy in the 1970s to the sophisti- chapter offices to help CNPS adapt bench laid the foundation in her na- cated organization that it is today. to the changing times and needs of tive plant education that would prove Among their contributions are such the Society and to address the grow- critical to a developing vision of the significant projects as overseeing the ing threats to the California native potential for habitat restoration. original incorporation of CNPS’ rare flora. While Charli was busy with various plant data into the California Natu- roles in the chapter, John was re- ral Diversity Data Base, moving the THE EARLY YEARS cruited by Scott Fleming to help with CNPS state office to Sacramento, the state treasury and was then supporting the Conservation and John and Charli joined CNPS in elected state Treasurer in 1980. His Management of Rare and Endan- 1975, and Charli went to work im- financial career as Vice-President at gered Plants Conference in 1986, mediately as Field Trip Chair for the PG&E enabled him to bring a

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75896-PG gutsrev1.pmd 25 4/1/08, 4:52 PM professional’s hand to getting the Manual put Charli and John in close marina, was founded, which advo- CNPS finances in order, learning ac- association with a network of plant cated and practiced the propagation counting along the way in order to scientists, lay botanists, and volun- of native plant species for the pur- help reconcile the books. His tenure teers, all of whom helped shape their pose of restoring ecosystems. One as Treasurer extended over a crucial vision of the kind of organizational of Charli’s larger projects at DAWN three years as the Society made the support that California’s native flora was propagating plants for a resto- transition to hiring a full-time pro- would require in order to thrive. ration project at Marina State Beach. fessional botanist, Rick York, in the During the 1980s The Jepson By the mid-1980s she had become Rare Plant Program. John was in- Manual project was well underway chief propagator for DAWN. strumental in helping negotiate the with a multi-talented task force of Charli had gained experience terms for how CNPS rare plant data volunteers laboring to update this both in the field and in the nursery would be incorporated into the Cali- all-important reference work. Charli and was ready to undertake a major fornia Natural Diversity Database and John took their place on the restoration project. Together with a (CNDDB) for the first time. Editorial Board where John lent ex- large group of volunteers John and Charli took on the office of Presi- pert assistance with computer work Charli undertook the re-establish- dent of the San Francisco Bay Chap- and Charli helped to edit the glos- ment of a perennial bunchgrassland ter in 1981-82 when the chapter sary so that it would be useful for at Mitchell Canyon in Mt. Diablo encompassed an enormous geo- the laity. John also sought corporate State Park. The project involved seed graphic area that has since been sub- support for the project. collecting and propagation, a con- divided into the East Bay, Yerba As development pressures in trolled burn of the area, large experi- Buena, and Santa Clara Valley chap- California mounted and the threats mental plots planted out in various ters. The organizational experience to native flora increased, conserva- ways, and regular mowing and tend- that she gained at the chapter level tion became a high priority for the ing. More than a dozen years have was put to good use as she moved society. During Charli’s tenure as passed since its inception, and the into the role of Vice President of State President of CNPS in 1986, native grasses still thrive in Mitchell Administration for state CNPS, a the Society held a pioneering con- Canyon, though with less hands-on period during which she became ference in Sacramento on Conserva- management than in the past. point person on moving CNPS’s tion and Management of Rare and When DAWN dissolved in the state office from Berkeley to Sacra- Endangered Plants from November early 1990s, it named the East Bay mento. The move was finalized in 5-8, a seminal event that helped Chapter of CNPS as its successor. 1985. Charli recalled a vivid mem- strengthen the network of scientists The remaining plants from the en- ory of the volunteers who had been and conservation advocates across terprise lived on the Danielsens’ back involved in the move shredding the the state. deck until a new home for them old index cards and having a con- could be found. With the help and fetti party once the data had been guidance of the East Bay Chapter transferred to computer. Indeed THE DAWNING OF NATIVE Board, Charli began the task of find- there was much to celebrate: the HERE NURSERY ing a suitable location for a nursery, Society was entering the digital age and after two years of complex ne- and the state office was re-locating While Charli spent many an hour gotiations with the East Bay Regional to the capitol to increase its influ- in meeting rooms in those early Park District for the lease, the county ence in state politics! years, it was her love of native plants planning department for the build- and thirst for information about ing permit, and the utilities for a them that drove her to become water hook-up, Native Here opened WIDENING THE SPHERE knowledgeable and capable out in in 1994 with Charli as Nursery Man- OF INFLUENCE the field. She understood that to be ager. Native Here was one of the first effective in conservation, she would nurseries founded to support con- As John and Charli helped CNPS have to learn to identify the native servation and restoration through the internally to mature and consoli- plants, especially the California na- exclusive use of local ecotypes. date, they were also busy widening tive grasses, a claim she made good Today the Native Here Nursery the sphere of influence of scientific by connecting with a vanguard is a team effort that continues to tap information about native flora by group. The seeds of restoration biol- the individual strengths of the joining and initiating other impor- ogy had been sown in the late 1970s Danielsens and the volunteers that tant projects. The years spent both when an enterprise called DAWN come to help at the nursery. John on official CNPS business and in (Design Associates Working with relishes the hard handiwork that special projects such as The Jepson Nature), located near the Berkeley keeps the nursery running—clear-

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75896-PG gutsrev1.pmd 26 4/1/08, 4:52 PM ing the site, building the infrastruc- nance calendar that helped workers served for just under a year. Lech ture, and mending fences. He has a decide when and how best to man- Naumovich is the second, and has canniness for turning straw into age vegetation to minimize impacts just begun his third year in this po- gold: in one notable instance old on flora and fauna, and case histo- sition.) Today as Chapter President, discarded picnic benches from the ries and lessons learned from spe- Charli remains an active member of Park District turned up magically as cific local management projects. the Conservation Committee and is tables for propagation and storing. That same critical thinking and still on the front lines, appearing at Yet another of John’s hidden talents drive for collaboration have enabled public hearings and meetings to rep- is the care and nurturing of volun- the Danielsens to spot critical needs resent CNPS. teers who come to lend a hand at the within the Society at the state and For nearly 30 years, Charli and nursery. Charli leads seed collecting chapter level. As CNPS has grown John Danielsen have been stalwart expeditions and teaches propagation in size and complexity, maintaining supporters of the California Native techniques. Over the years many effective internal communication Plant Society, holding various state plant enthusiasts have come to Na- and retaining institutional memory offices, creating new visionary pro- tive Here to learn seed collecting have become increasingly important. jects, and anchoring the East Bay and propagating under a canopy of Charli has chaired most of the com- Chapter in numerous capacities. trees in Tilden Park. Native Here mittees in the East Bay Chapter at Their contributions are so many and supports projects of individual gar- one time or another, and she has so varied that it’s difficult to sum- deners, landscapers, and larger cus- shuttled back and forth between the marize them all. In giving so gener- tomers such as Walnut Creek Open chapter and the state level in her ously of their time and talents, they Space, Mt. Diablo State Park, the work as Board member, Chapter have proved their worthiness to be Watershed Project, Caltrans, and the Council Vice-President, and Chap- Fellows of CNPS. The Society is East Bay Regional Park District. The ter Council Representative. These deeply grateful for their shining ex- income from the nursery provides experiences have given her a 360- ample of service. an important source of support to a degree view of the organization and host of activities of the East Bay its needs as well as a strong sense of Laura Baker,79 Roble Road,Berkeley, CA Chapter. the Society’s history and develop- 94705. [email protected]; Barbara ment. This depth and breadth of Malloch Leitner, 2 Parkway Court, FIND A HOLE AND FILL IT perspective plays an on-going role Orinda, CA 94563. [email protected] as CNPS continues to generate poli- One of the secrets to the success cies, learn from its past, and adapt of the Danielsens in their service to to a changing world. CNPS and to the cause of protecting At the local chapter level, one of native plants has been their ability the most important committee po- to collaborate with others in identi- sitions Charli has occupied is Chair fying critical needs and devising so- of the Conservation Committee. lutions. Sometimes those collabora- Recognizing that the East Bay Chap- tive efforts have been in reaching ter could not be fully effective in out to the larger community. One meeting the challenges of conserva- such example arose in the wake of tion with an overstrapped corps of the devastating East Bay Hills Fire. volunteers, she spearheaded a suc- Public agencies took on vegetation cessful funding drive to raise money management for fuel reduction with to hire a part-time Conservation Telos Rare a vengeance, launching a wholesale Analyst. This experiment in inte- assault on the native flora along the grating a paid expert into an all- Bulbs urban-wildland interface through volunteer organization required The most complete offering of bulbs the use of uninformed contractors. management skills, the capacity to native to the western USA available Together with a team of others, delegate and direct, and a strategic anywhere, our stock is propagated at the nursery, with seed and plants from Charli worked to articulate the ideas sense of where best to direct ener- legitimate sources only. behind a field manual (Vegetation gies to make meaningful gains in Management Almanac for the East Bay conservation. Thanks to Charli’s Telos Rare Bulbs Hills, first published in 1999) that original vision, the chapter is enter- P.O. Box 1067 contained photos of common weeds ing its fourth year with a profes- Ferndale, CA 95536 and the native plants with which sional Conservation Analyst on staff. www.telosrarebulbs.com they might be confused, a mainte- (Jessica Olsen was the first, and

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75896-PG gutsrev1.pmd 27 4/1/08, 4:52 PM California Native Plant Society 2009 CONSERVATION CONFERENCE

January 17–19, 2009 Sacramento Convention Center & Sheraton Grand Hotel Sacramento, California

PRELIMINARY CONFERENCE ANNOUNCEMENT

Submission Period: March 1 to June 30, 2008

The CNPS 2009 Conservation Conference: Strategies and Solutions will bring together over 1,000 scientists, conservationists, university students, public policy makers, local and regional planners, and land managers from all regions of the state and beyond to share and learn about the latest developments in conservation science and public policy.

e invite solutions-based papers and posters on the following topics: climate change and WCalifornia’s flora; rare plant conservation and restoration; mitigation and monitoring of impacts on native plants; invasive species; vegetation classification and mapping for plant conservation; conservation genetics; equal protection policies for plants; regional planning tools; land management; and plant-science conservation. We also seek papers on plant conservation from regional and ecosystem-level perspectives, including Baja California.

See www.cnps.org for details.

The California Native Plant

Society Needs You!

Bequests are an important part of CNPS fundraising efforts. Generous donors from all regions of the state and from all walks of life have helped CNPS achieve its goals and have helped fund important CNPS programs.

In addition to naming CNPS in your will or living trust, you can also name CNPS as a beneficiary of a life insurance policy or retirement plan. There are also planned giving options that can pay you an income during your life while benefiting the future of CNPS.

To find out more on these giving opportunities, contact: Amanda Jorgenson phone: (916) 447-2677 x 12 Executive Director of CNPS fax: (916) 447-2727 email: [email protected]

28 FREMONTIA VOLUME 36:1, WINTER 2008

75896-PG gutsrev1.pmd 28 4/1/08, 4:52 PM Join Today! CNPS member gifts allow us to promote and protect California’s native plants and their habitats. Gifts are tax-deductible minus the $12 of the total gift which goes toward publication of Fremontia.

$1,500 Mariposa Lily $600 Benefactor $300 Patron $100 Plant Lover $75 Family or Group $75 International $45 Individual or Library $25 Limited Income

NAME

ADDRESS

CITY STATE ZIP

Enclosed is a check made payable to CNPS Membership gift: Charge my gift to Mastercard Visa Added donation of:

Card Number TOTAL ENCLOSED: Exp. date Signature Enclosed is a matching gift form provided by my employer Phone I would like information on planned giving Email Please make your check payable to “CNPS” and send to: California Native Plant Society, 2707 K Street, Suite 1, Sacra- mento, CA 95816-5113. Phone: (916) 447-2677; Fax: (916) 447-2727; Web site: www.cnps.org.; Email: [email protected]

(CONTRIBUTORS: continued from back cover) Donald Mayall is a retired social researcher. He is a past President of the Santa MATERIALS FOR Clara Valley Chapter of CNPS, a current chapter Rare Plant Coordinator, and has PUBLICATION been active in documenting the natural resources of Coyote Ridge. Members and others are invited Bart O’Brien is Director of Special Projects at Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden and is Editor of Fremontia. to submit material for publication in Fremontia. Instructions Devii Rao was a Range Management Master’s student at U.C. Berkeley. She now for contributors can be found works for the Gold Ridge Resource Conservation District on the CNPS website, www.cnps. Matt Stevenson was a Range Management Master’s student at the U.C. Berkeley. org, or can be requested from He now works for the University of Hawaii Cooperative Extension Service. Fremontia Editor, Bart O’Brien Stuart Weiss is a Conservation Biologist and CEO of the Creekside Center for at [email protected] or c/o Earth Observations in Menlo Park. His research on the bay checkerspot butterfly Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Gar- and the effects of nitrogen deposition has appeared in scholarly journals. den, 1500 N. College Ave., Claremont, CA 91711. Advertise in Fremontia! FREMONTIA EDITORIAL Journal of the California Native Plant Society ADVISORY BOARD AND January 1, 2008 Advertising Rates REVIEWERS Full Page $900 1/3 Page $350 Susan D’Alcamo, Ellen Dean, Half Page $500 Quarter Page $300 Kathleen Dickey, Phyllis M. 1/8 Page $150 Faber, Holly Forbes, Pam Muick, For Sales and Information Contact: Fremontia Editor: [email protected] OR: California Native Plant Society, Attn: Fremontia Advertising, 2707 K John Sawyer, Jim Shevock, Jake Street, Suite 1, Sacramento, CA 95816; (916) 447-2677, (916) 447-2727 fax Sigg, M. Nevin Smith, Linda Ann For actual ad sizes, see: Vorobik, Carol W. Witham http://www.cnps.org/cnps/publications/pdf/FREMONTIA_0901_AD_SIZES.PDF

VOLUME 36:1, WINTER 2008 FREMONTIA

75896-PG cover.pmd 3 4/1/08, 4:18 PM FROM THE EDITOR

his issue’s first three articles by roots political acumen were instrumen- and continuing contributions of Charli Carolyn Curtis and Don Mayall tal in the ultimate victory there. A and John Danielsen. Both were named Tare about a few of my favorite things: similar major fight to preserve another Fellows of CNPS in 2005. This enthu- serpentine grasslands, rare and endan- equally significant serpentine grassland siastic and capable East Bay Chapter gered plants and invertebrates, sung at Coyote Ridge was averted and the couple has dedicated significant parts and unsung CNPS and community biological richness of the ridge was of their lives to making CNPS the vital volunteers, control of exotic invasive conserved by methods and strategies organization that it is today. species—all tied up in the neat pack- informed by the Edgewood struggle. As always, I urge you to enjoy this ages of Edgewood County Park and Don Mayall writes this story. Fremontia and strongly encourage you Natural Preserve in San Mateo County Ironically both of these islands of to make that special pilgrimage to Edge- and Coyote Ridge in Santa Clara magnificent floral displays and bio- wood to pay homage to those innu- County. These great conservation suc- diversity are threatened by a much merable dedicated spirits who invested cess stories share another fundamen- more insidious threat from Italian rye- so much time and effort to conserve tal common thread—the Santa Clara grass as detailed by Peter Hopkinson and manage this prize. Regardless of Valley Chapter of CNPS. Our Edge- et al. in the fourth article in this issue. when you read this, NOW is the time wood story is written by Carolyn Laura Baker and Barbara Malloch for a visit there. Curtis, whose dedication and grass- Leitner celebrate the numerous past Bart O’Brien

CONTRIBUTORS

Laura Baker serves as Conservation Committee Chair and Corresponding Secretary for the East Bay Chapter of CNPS.

James W. Bartolome is Professor of Rangeland Ecology at

Address Service Requested Service Address

Sacramento, CA 95816-5113 CA Sacramento, 2707 K Street, Suite 1 Suite Street, K 2707 the University of California, Berkeley. Society Plant Native California Janice Bray is a long-time member of CNPS and volunteers many hours at Native Here Nursery with others who enjoy growing native plants. Carolyn Curtis is a retired technical writer, environmental and political activist, and native plant gardener. She is a former Director at Large of state CNPS, a past President of the Santa Clara Valley Chapter of CNPS, and founding Presi- dent of Friends of Edgewood Park. Julie Evens is the Senior Vegetation Ecologist for CNPS. She managed the vegetation survey of Coyote Ridge. John Game works part-time as a molecular geneticist at Stanford University and is a Research Associate at the UC Herbarium at Berkeley. He is active with CNPS and Calflora. Sasha Gennet, a recent PhD in restoration ecology at U.C. Berkeley, studied land use and environmental effects on vegetation and songbird communities in California grasslands. Michele Hammond is a Staff Research Associate in rangeland ecology at the University of California, Berkeley. Ken Himes is a Fellow of CNPS and is a long-time member of the Santa Clara Valley Chapter. He is especially active in the control of weeds at Edgewood. Peter Hopkinson is an Associate Specialist in rangeland ecol-

ogy at the University of California, Berkeley. U.S. Postage U.S.

Kathy Korbholz is a hospital administrator and past Presi- Org. Nonprofit

dent of the Board of Directors of Friends of Edgewood. A.M.S. PAID Barbara Malloch Leitner is an independent environmental consultant in Orinda. She is a long-time member of CNPS and has served at the chapter and state level. Judy Mason is a photographer, graphic artist, and long-time member of the Santa Clara Valley Chapter of CNPS.

(continued on inside back cover) VOLUME 36:1, WINTER 2008

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