Olympic Peninsula Chapter Washington Native Plant Society

Washington Native Plant Society

June-September 2017 Newsletter

To promote the appreciation and conservation of Washington’s native plants and their habitats through study, education and advocacy

Viola fletti Viola Summer Edition: Time to get out and Explore the Peninsula!

It has been a rather cool rainy winter; plenty of snow pack this year at Hurricane Ridge! The plant progression of bloom from low to high got a later seasonal start this year with the Kah Tai prairie camas, chocolate lily and biscuitroot peaking about May 7 in Port Townsend. I am sure we are all ready for seeing bit more of our botanical treasures as we emerge from this cooler winter. The bloom at Hurricane Hill and ridgetops could easily be later than the last two years, but will peak sometime in June and July. Join us for some of our events or venture out on your own and tell us when you find the peak Obstruction Point Road at Hurricane of wildflowers. Ridge on May 7. Sharon Schlentner. Photo by Luzi Pfenninger

Event Schedule Ned Hill Trail—Short and Sweet Friday June 2, 2017. Meet at Fat Smitty’s NLT 9:AM at intersection of Routes 20 and 101. Last year this short, 1.2 mile long trail was resplendent with native blooming rhododendrons, Rhododen- dron macrophyllum. We will compile a list of other plants we note along the trail as we make our way to the remains of a makeshift fire lookout used in the 1930s. Bring field guides, a hand lens, lunch, and be prepared for any weather. Contact Wendy McClure at [email protected] or 360-779-3820. Please let me know your contact info if you are interested in other carpooling options or in case the trip needs to be rescheduled. This is a short hike so think about visiting one of the local U-Pick strawberry farms in the afternoon which were open for business this time last year.

Fort Townsend State Park. Saturday, June 10. Meet at the Fort Townsend State Park parking lot at 9:00 a.m. We will travel several of the trails in the park to see some unusual plants and hear stories about their underground lives. Truth is stranger than fiction. Bring lunch or just snacks if you prefer. The walk should take about 2-3 hours depending on interest. Contact Ann or Fred Wein- mann at [email protected] or 360 379-0986. Bring your discovery pass.

Marmot Pass, Buckhorn Wilderness. Thursday July 6, 2017. Meet at the Quilcene Forest Service Ranger Station NLT 7:45 am. This long summer hike is worth doing! 5.3 miles each way with a steady climb puts us in many ranges of prime flora, and we will try to make the 6100 foot pass. Starts out on the Lower Big Quilcene River (2600 feet) We will keep an eye out for several endemics. Aster paucicapitatus, Campanula piperi, Senecio websteri and Viola flettii, as well as alpine favorites. (3600 foot elevation gain ). Be prepared for any kind of weather and a long day; bring food water layers, rain gear. Field guides to share. To sign up Contact: Luzi Pfenninger [email protected] 717 383-7843. Luzi and Sharon Schlentner, trip leaders.

Mt. Townsend from the north via Little Quilcene Trail #835: Thursday, July 13. Meet at Quilcene For- est Service Ranger Station at 8:30 am; we will take the Little Quilcene Trail to junction with Mt. Townsend Trail, then Mt. Townsend Trail to north summit. Three rare and/or endemic flowers and a rare sedge on this less traveled route up Mt. Townsend. 2000 feet elevation gain and 6+ miles round trip. Contact Fred or Ann Weinmann at [email protected] or 360 379-0986 for signup and/or further information.

Kul Kah Han’s Native Plant Demonstration Garden Work Party, HJ Carroll Park, Chimacum. Meet on site at 10:00 or at the Park and Ride at 9:30 if you want to carpool. Saturday July 15 10:00-12:30 Linda Landkammer and crew have worked hundreds of hours on this splendid native garden over the last 17 years. This is an opportunity to lend a hand on upgrading areas of the garden and view the habitats she created from an area that was once a gravel pit. Several of the species on site will be in full bloom providing a great opportunity to become familiar with native plants you may encounter on your next hike. Grab a friend, some gloves, and small weeding tools for this event…. and have a picnic lunch in the gazebo after- wards….good snacks and drinks will be provided. For a preview to the gardens go to the following web page: https://nativeplantgarden.org/ Contact Dixie Llewellin if you have any questions or want to carpool to the site [email protected] or 360 385-6432.

Mink Lake August 27-28, and perhaps 29. Car camp at Sol Duc campground. We will meet at the trailhead 10:00 AM Monday, Aug. 28 and botanize our way up to Mink Lake and a wet meadow area just be- yond. Staying an extra day will provide the option of exploring other trails in the area. Come for the whole time or just for the day. Contact Wendy McClure [email protected] 360-779-3820.

Fall Colors at Mt. Rainier: Wed.-Thur. September 27-28. Meet at main entrance to Paradise (Jackson) Visitor Center at 11:00 am on Vaccinium deliciosum in fall splendor Sept. 27. In 2016 the colors were spectacular at the end of Septem- ber. We will take about a 4 hr hike starting from the visitor center. There are multiple options for another day of hiking the following day on your own either in the Paradise area or elsewhere. Options for the trip are: long one day trip; two or more days with overnight camp at Cougar Rock; two or more days with an overnight stay at Paradise Inn. Rates at the lodge are about $120.00 for a double room. From Port Townsend to Paradise Inn is about a 3.5 hour drive from Port Townsend, mostly not on freeways. Contact Fred Weinmann at [email protected] or 360 379-0986 to sign up or for further information.

Proposed Rainshadow Project! Trail proposal. The summit area of Blue Mountain at Deer Park is a special area for subalpine and alpine zone taxa including rare, sensitive, and endemic species. Some years ago a self- guiding trail was created to try and prevent trampling impacts to this fragile area. The 'Rainshadow Trail' has mostly succeeded in reducing impacts--except that walkers returning to camp descend cross country creating numerous social trails. Chapter members would assist the volunteer ranger, Donovan Rafferty, in botanizing the ridge and placing temporary markers indicating the best route for a single trail--the trail alignment with least impacts. This route would then be proposed to the park as a permanent way trail.. A mid-July date would probably be best for phenology. I can act as a liaison with Donovan as I volunteer from time-to-time in main- taining the trail. This would be a worthwhile service project. Richard Olson [email protected] 2

Moving the fence meant Project updates additional area for bloom. Photo taken May 7 by Dan Post Kah Tai Prairie Preserve. Fencework done! Sign Reinstalled. Vast improvement!! ….. Spring once again brought great blooms to the prairie, Camas and lomatium peaking this year around May 7. The fence moving project proved valuable, Camas bloom was noticeably higher this year in the newly included area close to the parking lot, thanks to the fence move Dixie Llewellin headed.

Point Wilson Conservation Project Fort Worden Beach March 25, 2017 marked a completion phase for improving our restoration barriers at Point Wilson, in Fort Worden State Park. A WNPS conservation grant provided materials for this work. Many thanks are due to all who have worked in so many ways on this project!

Photos by Dixie Llewellin and Sharon Schlentner

Garry Oaks in Sequim. Wendy McClure led us to Bill Wood’s Gar- ry Oak Restoration Project in Sequim. Hundreds of Garry oaks planted and protected around 2006 are still doing well and still need cared for by volunteers.

Garry oak on the DOT right Proposed waytrail route from of way , Sequim Rainshadow trail, Deer park. See Richard Olson’s request , page 2 Bill Wood shows his Garry oak restoration project 3 in Sequim to Cedar Drake and others

Spring Ventures

Deception Pass Hike. Jim Duemmel led our chapter to explore some of the finer points of the area. Thanks to Eve Dixon and Luzi Pfenninger for coordinating this event.

Deception Pass Group photo by Wendy Feltham

Deception Pass bald deltoidea Balsamamorhiza

Scatter Creek, May 9th, 2017. Varn Brooks

The Scatter Creek Wildlife Area is a 915 acre site that contains the unique South Puget Sound prairie ecosystem. Twenty years ago most of the prairie was an “old growth” Scot’s broom forest. Years

of work by the Department of Fish and Wildlife on prairie restoration is slowly but dramatically transforming the area. The site also supports an Oregon white oak community, and riparian, wetland, and forest habitats. As a result of the diverse ecosystems, the WNPS Vascular Plant List contains over 240 species. More information on the area is available at: http://wdfw.wa.gov/lands/wildlife_areas/scatter_creek/Scatter%20Creek/

We had a pleasant walk with family and friends. In the morning we did a short tour of the prairie on the North Tract. Camas, shooting-star, and sea-thrift were in full bloom. Harsh paintbrush were in every shade from bright red to pure yellow. In the afternoon we walked the inner loop at the South Tract. Fritillaria were awesome, but the undisputed star of the show was balsamroot (pictured).We identified: Achillea millefolium. Armeria maritima, Balsamorhiza deltoidea, Camassia quamash, Castilleja hispida, Collinsia parviflora, Dodecatheon hendersonii, Fragaria virginiana, Fritillaria lanceolata, Ranunculus occidentalis, Viola adunca, and several trees and shrubs. .

Opuntia fragilis Beckett Point. After the Labor day fire in 2011, the recovery of the cactus Opuntia fragilis was monitored in two plots; one severely burned midslope; one less severe on the lower slope. Six years later: the prickly pear cactus in the severely burned plot did not survive; however, the cactus recovered well adjacent to that plot and in lower reaches of the hillside.

Dosiwallips River road vernal equi- nox hike March 20. A pleasant lunch at the Elk Creek Campground, now a three mile walk in on the closed road. Hav- ing lunch are Eve Dixon, Jody Olson, Dave and Joanne Schuett- Hames, Bob Schlentner, Jim Duemmel

Ongoing Matt Albright Native Plant Center: Volunteer drop-in days are on Mondays and Wednesdays be- tween 9am and 4pm. We are just getting into the impossibly busy transplanting, weeding and pot washing season. We'll be starting with seed collection and processing sometime in July. Please feel free to contact me by phone or email if you have questions: 360-565-3047 (Macy House), 360-683-0757 (nursery) or e- mail [email protected] Thank you again, Laurel

General chapter info Our Botany programs will resume the third Tuesday in October at the Port Townsend Community Center and continue through the winter. Tuesday October 24, 2017, 6:30 social time; 7:00 program Port Townsend Community Center, 620 Tyler St., Port Townsend.

The Organization process continues..Watch for next board meeting announcements around Tuesday September 19 The Olympic chapter is nestled in amazing country, and offers a wide variety of plant life and habitat. In the May 16 meeting many of our favorite hikes came up, as well as future program possibilities. Also some changes, as my taking over the newsletter from the steady hands of Fred and Ann Weinmann. Dixie Llew- ellin has been the prime force for keeping the winter programs going. Hikes have been led steadily by Wendy McClure, Dixie, Ann, Fred, myself and a several others over the years. Sincere thanks and appreciation to all who have led to those wonderful events, and to the steady services of treasurer and computer whiz Dan Post. You do not need to be an expert botanist to lead a Native Plant Society Walk! Suggest your favorite place for a botany field trip, a program or other event to any of our chapter apparatus and we can help you get involved. Happy trails. Go forth and botanize. Sharon Schlentner

Chapter Apparatus

Co-Chairs: Ann and Fred Weinmann 360-379-0986; [email protected] Vice Chair (Programs and Web site) : Dixie Llewellin 360-385-6432; [email protected] (for the Web site go to wnps.org and click on the link to Chapters) Treasurer: Dan Post 360-390-8635; [email protected] Secretary: Eve Dixon 360-775-0470; [email protected] Conservation Chair: Wendy McClure 360-779-3820; [email protected] Board members at large: Sharon Schlentner, Linda Landkammer, and Luzi Pfenninger Newsletter: Sharon Schlentner [email protected] 360 379-9810

The next newsletter will be for : October 2017-Jan, 2018 Submit information in PROPER FORMAT (see examples under event schedule) no later than September 15, 2017. Include details including time, place, and the name and contact information for the coordinator/leader of the event. Send input to Sharon Schlentner [email protected]. 360 379-9819. Items submitted after September 20 will not be included.

Name:______Address:______City:______State______Zip______Phone:______Email:______Membership Category Individual $35.00 WNPS Special friend $100-499 Budget (Sr./Student)$20.00 WNPS Best friend $500 Family $45.00 Sustaining Member $1000 Club/Institution $65.00 WNPS Patron $5000 WNPS Friend $50-99 Outside USA please add $5 to dues

Please remit by check payable to WNPS and mail to: Washington Native Plant Society 6310 NE 74th St., Suite 215E, Seattle, WA 98115 Phone: 206-527-3210 or 1-888-288-8022; email: [email protected]

Olympic Peninsula Chapter, WNPS c/o Fred Weinmann 111 Vista Blvd. Port Townsend, WA 98368