vol 46 / no 1 JanUary–MarCh 2016 native Plant SoCiety Bulletin advances in 2015. The Rare Golden Anniversary Round-Up Plant Treasure Hunt (RPTH) team began a rare-plant seed- hy was 2015 different for We didn’t just make collection project and special CNPS? We kicked off with strides in protecting natural trainings to ensure that Wthe best Conservation Con- habitat in 2015—we also students have key job skills, ference, ever. We made remarkable prog- beautified public and private and volunteers have what ress in conservation, science, education, landscapes. The governor's office they need to make a difference. and advocacy on behalf of our native asked CNPS to help convert the State The dozens of volunteers who joined plants and their habitats. But there was Capitol’s lawns and gardens to beautiful RPTH expeditions join hundreds of CNPS one more thing that made 2015 special... waterwise landscapes featuring California members who are the foundation of all we It was CNPS’s 50th year of celebrating natives. At chapter workshops, demos, and do to protect native plants and their places. and saving California’s plants garden tours, we helped home gardeners, The Rare Plant Program is just one ex- and places! Last month, select who are increasingly concerned about ample of the tools that CNPS provides to CNPS members received a water conservation, with resources empower us to speak for the plants. In the special letter that touched for converting thirsty home land- next 50 years, we will just keep getting bet- on 2015 highlights, and scapes—often using native plants ter and better. Your ongoing contributions spotlighted our past presidents. from CNPS plant sales. Outreach op- of time, skill, money, and dedication make Hint: in the rest of this article, see portunities like these provide the teachable it all possible. You should feel proud of all if you can spot the borrowed quotes from moments that made 2015 an exceptional that we have accomplished in this remark- that letter, available online at www.cnps. year for spreading our message. able year. This is your CNPS and you are org/goldenletter. CNPS plant science also made big making a real and important difference! T In 50 years, CNPS has grown from a handful in a living room to a vast multitude. Since then, together with talented staff and CNPS Wins Again! leadership, generous donors, and institu- SuPreme Court ProteCtS NAtive PlANtS At NeWhAll rANCh tional and governmental supporters, this By DaviD L. Magney community has made CNPS the respected and influential organization it is today. or 15 years, CNPS and allied organizations have This issue of the Bulletin is full of excit- been fighting to save a very large ranch and ing and timely news. You will read about F wonderfully special place in western Los Angeles CNPS’s November victory at the California County. On November 30, 2015, the California Supreme Court, a decision that that saves Supreme Court handed us a tremendous victory!

some very special plants. We also cel- In the early 1990s, the Newhall Land and Farming David Magney ebrate passage of Assembly Bill 559, which Company proposed to build a new city (“Newhall Santa Clara river looking downstream mandates protecting habitat for monarch Ranch”) on the north slopes of the Santa Susana from an unpermitted ranch road cross- ing, in 1996. Unarmored three-spine butterflies, and a successful case in which Mountains, west of Valencia and Magic Mountain. stickleback are being illegally netted. the Orange Superior Court agreed with The original proposal consisted of 21,615 housing CNPS that cities should not approve sprawl units on 4,835 acres, an 18-hole golf course, 13 parks, 7 schools, nearly 700 acres of mixed development that violates their own plan- and commercial uses, 256 acres of business park, with arterial roads and community ning policies. Such victories make CNPS facilities, to serve a human population of 60,000. Plans have been revised since then, probably the most effective conservation but the project remains enormous. organization focused on native plants! continued on page 8 California n ative Plant SoCiety • vol 46 / no 1 January–MarCh 2016 From the Executive Director 50 years of inspiration clearly remember fall- For 50 years, CNPS has consistently Recently, we have redoubled our Iing in love with Cali- produced remarkable books, magazines, publishing efforts. A new generation of fornia’s Wild Gardens. I and newsletters. We owe recognition and books like Rock Creek Wildflowers; Shrubs remember lying on the floor, reading the thanks to the authors, photographers, and Trees of Nevada and Placer Counties; great descriptions, flipping the gorgeous editors, and designers who share their Plants of Monterey County; Vascular Plants pages, devouring the stunning photos, and knowledge and their talents. We owe of Santa Cruz County; and Flora of Lava thinking “This is it! This is what I want to thanks to Bob Hass, who for years edited Beds National Monument give a virtual do!” I was still a graduate student, close the CNPS Bulletin, and to Barbara Wolf, tour of our wonderful state. enough to finishing my degree that there who volunteered to bring together this And the best is yet to come! This was urgency to decide the course of my special issue. We owe thanks to all the sci- month we release the gorgeous coffee life, and that book showed me the way. I entists, plant lovers, chapters, and (most table/textbook, California’s Botanical would become a conservationist and work of all) Phyllis Faber—who have blessed Landscapes. In many ways, this book is with agencies, activists, and CNPS to save us with hundreds of valuable publications, the successor to that original Wild Gar- the world’s most wonderful flora and most enriched our field, and inspired thousands dens book that showed me a career I could marvelous wild gardens. of Californians. love. How many other careers will CNPS publications shape, how many other lives will we change? T CNPS Helps Capitol Save Our Water Dan Gluesenkamp CnPS executive Director By CaroLine garLanD, CnPS HortiCuLture CoorDinator

he Governor’s Office and California Department of General Services (DGS) invited TCNPS and partners to bring the beauty of our native flora to the State Capitol grounds. California native Plant SoCiety On September 14, 2015, Save Our Water’s Fix it For Good campaign broke ground for a 2707 K Street, Suite 1 Capitol landscape conversion project. Save Our Water is California’s official water con- Sacramento, Ca 95816-5113 servation education program. DGS held the demonstration to showcase its commitment Phone: 916-447-2677 T Fax: 916-447-2727 Email: [email protected] to converting the Capitol’s lawn and other high Website: www.cnps.org water-use areas to waterwise landscapes featur- CNPS Bulletin Email: [email protected] ing California native plants, and to teach the Dan Gluesenkamp, Executive Director public about sheet mulching. Sheet mulching 2016 Board of direCtorS removes your lawn, creates a weed barrier, and Steve Hartman, President Carolyn Longstreth, Secretary fortifies your existing soil, all without having Nancy Morin, Treasurer to haul material to the landfill. It was also a At Large: great first step to prepare this site for planting Gordon Leppig, Gabbi McLean, Jean Robertson, Cris Sarabia, Michael Vasey, native landscaping this spring! Steve Windhager, Carol Witham Chapter Council Reps: CNPS CultivAteS CoNvertS Marty Foltyn, Bill Waycott The demonstration was accompanied by a the Capitol conversion begins. ChaPter CoUnCil small water conservation expo. The CNPS Orchid Black, Chair table attracted passersby with a beautiful array of native plants grown by the Sacramento Larry Levine, Vice-Chair Marty Foltyn, Secretary Valley Chapter’s Elderberry Farms Native Plant Nursery. They stopped to tell stories of their own landscape projects, get tips on gardening with California natives, and learn CnPS BUlletin Barbara Wolf, Editor about upcoming chapter plant sales. CNPS staff encouraged their blooming interest in Lisa Roth, Designer native plant horticulture with a plethora of resources. The launch of the Fix it for Good David Chapman, Dave Flietner, Diana Hickson, campaign also celebrated CNPS’s partnership with Save Our Water. For more on this Proofreaders exciting partnership go to http://saveourwater.com/blog-posts/native-plants-in-spotlight- MailinG laBel ChanGeS of-new-save-our-water-effort/. Stay tuned for more progress, coming this spring. T Send to: [email protected] P a G e 2 California n ative Plant SoCiety • vol 46 / no 1 January–MarCh 2016 For Love of Plants—Bob Muns at 90 By CatHy roSe pen to gain speed. Bob has been gener- t age 90, Bob Muns, teacher and ous with his lists, allowing any interested guide, creator of dozens of plant person to copy and use them. Alists, and native plant enthu- Bob has returned to each area of study siast extraordinaire, has never stopped many times in different seasons. He is botanizing. “I have a mountain range a thorough in his approach, observing the mile away,” he says as he heads out from tiniest of plants with tender interest. “Botanizing is slow,” Bob remarked. “When I go out I don’t care if I get anywhere.” Nevertheless, Bob has led hundreds of walks and hikes . As one of his followers said, “Bob a page from one of Bob’s handmade floras knows the plants by heart, and he was a real naturalist of the old school. He loves to teach others. He doesn’t knew and tasted everything. He was one miss one sprout along a trail, not in a million. His energy, enthusiasm, and even the weeds.” vast knowledge of birds, insects, and plants When Bob first led hikes, he inspired us all. I’d advise young people to used only the common names of pursue all aspects of natural history, as Os- the plants, but “there were always car did, before choosing a specialty.” Photograph courtesy of Cathy Rose Bob Muns and Cathy rose, Pebble Plains, 1993 smart alecks who wanted the sci- Looking back on his long life, Bob said, entific names, and I learned them “Botany is a wonderful lifelong pursuit. Arcadia to the base of the San Gabriel as I developed the booklets.” Bob used The plants, so familiar and dear, are a sol- Mountains to examine the plants in his illustrations to identify plants, relying ace. You have tragedies in life. The plants own territory. on Abrams’ Illustrated Flora of the Pacific are old friends. There is always pleasure in For more than 50 years, Bob has qui- States and McMinn’s Illustrated Manual of seeing and studying them.” T etly been creating booklets of annotated California Shrubs, until he learned to use checklists of California native plants for and write keys. Cathy Rose, a long-time member of the over 30 trails and regions in the deserts, Bob remembers lectures by grand old Bristlecone and Channel Islands chapters mountains, and coasts of Southern Cali- botanists such as Philip Munz and Edmund of CNPS, met Bob Muns on a Sierra Club fornia. Each 5 1/2 x 8 1/2 booklet is bound Jaeger, but he particularly admired Oscar walk in the 1960s. Cathy is the author of with a paper cover illustrated with one of Clarke of the University of California, Rock Creek Wildflowers, published last Bob’s drawings. The plant lists, arranged Riverside. “Oscar was a good friend. He summer by CNPS. by family, include a code with informa- tion such as the kind of plant, its habitat, and its frequency. Many of the checklists also contain keys, lists of endemic and endangered species, community indicator plants, and references. Bob created sepa- rate booklets about families, genera, and basic botany. Although some names have changed with the updated Jepson Manu- als, the lists remain valuable summaries of the plants in many corners of California. Bob invented an original font, an at- tractive combination of printing and writ- ing. He produced his unique script with a calligraphy pen, but when the booklets proved popular, he shifted to an ordinary a selection of Bob’s handmade floras P a G e 3 California n ative Plant SoCiety • vol 46 / no 1 January–MarCh 2016 ChaP teR n ewS

Court Overturns Madrona Project Harbors, Beaches, and Parks, the DeCiSioN uPholDS lAND-uSe lAWS AND CeQA Sierra Club, and other local and regional environmental groups he legal battle to stop development The Court agreed led consistent public opposi- Ton 367 acres of steep, landslide-prone that Brea violated tion to the project throughout hills in northeastern Orange County bore its own planning a long, complex campaign that fruit when the Orange County Superior documents and ultimately protected a valu- Court overturned the City of Brea’s ap- that the environ- able habitat and a critical link proval of the proposed development. mental impact re- in what remains of the natural port (EIR) for the landscape. 162-unit Madrona The decision outlined numer- housing project ous instances where the City was inadequate. California walnut (Juglans admitted that the project violates CNPS Orange californica; CrPr 4.2) Celia Kutcher its own policies. The project also

Everyone County Chapter was a co-petitioner on violates State planning laws mandating the lawsuit, with principal petitioner consistency between general and specific Hills for Everyone, a strong local-interest plans, and CEQA, by failing to disclose nongovernmental organization. CNPS the project’s true impacts on traffic and provided comments on the EIR, public the environment in the EIR. Mitiga- courtesy of Hills For courtesy Image Madrona project site in relation to the Puente- testimony, and background information. tion proposed for the loss of 1,400 live Wildlife Corridor. Co-petitioners Orange County Friends of continued on page 5

LAX Coastal Dunes Restoration Project

By SnowDy DoDSon anD Peggy nguyen

s you fly south from Los Angeles Coastal Dunes Improvement Project to AInternational Airport (LAX) over restore the remaining area. Since then, and Santa Monica CNPS members from the Los Angeles/ Bay, you can see the largest remaining frag- Santa Monica Mountains and the South ment of a once-vast coastal dune ecosystem Coast Chapters have helped collect and that stretched along the southern Cali- propagate native plant seeds and removed fornia shore. The 307-acre LAX Coastal thousands of nonnative plants such as ice

Dunes Preserve lies where there once was plant, tumbleweed, castor bean, euphorbia, Snowdy Dodson a community west of the airport. Airport mustard, filaree, and wild radish. Their ef- left to right: Steve hartman, Snowdy dodson, noise and other concerns caused the City forts have improved this vital habitat for Mary Montes, Christine Walker of Los Angeles and the Federal Aviation the El Segundo blue butterfly and other Snowdy Dodson is the current president Administration to purchase the properties animals, and allowed native dune plants, of the Los Angeles/Santa Monica Moun- and relocate the residents. Pavement, re- such as sand verbena, lupines, deerweed, tains Chapter of CNPS and Secretary of taining walls, and exotic landscaping were California croton, and beach evening the Theodore Payne Foundation Board. left in place. primrose, to reappear. Peggy nguyen is a restoration ecologist In the early 1990s, 200 acres were The Bay Foundation/Friends of the LAX and CNPS member. Previously the LAX restored as a restricted preserve for the Dunes conduct restoration projects on the Dunes restoration project manager and endangered El Segundo blue butterfly. In first Saturday of each month. To partici- preserve manager, she now volunteers and July 2013, the Coastal Commission is- pate, contact http://www.santamonicabay. serves on the board of the Friends of the sued a permit for the Los Angeles Airport org/friends-of-the-lax-dunes/. T LAX Dunes. P a G e 4 California n ative Plant SoCiety • vol 46 / no 1 January–MarCh 2016 CDFW Directed to help monarchs LEGiSLAtiON RECOGNizES CONNECtiON BEtWEEN PLANtS AND WiLDLiFE NPS was pleased to be the lead instead of relying strictly on chemical organization supporting Assem- sprays, and using a variety of tree species Cbly Bill (AB) 559, which gives that best meet a range of monarch but- clear authority to the California Depart- terfly needs. ment of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) to Following the signing, López said,

“take feasible actions to conserve mon- “In recent years California has seen a John Whittlesey arch butterflies and the unique habitats drastic decrease in the monarch butterfly a monarch caterpillar feeding on a milkweed leaf they depend upon for successful migra- population partly due to climate change. tion.” Freshman Assemblywoman Patty Conserving this butterfly will have positive recruited 10 other organizations to join it López introduced the bill and Governor impacts on the environment.… For centu- in supporting the bill. With help from the ries these majestic creatures have called our Xerces Society, CNPS provided major text state home and are an inspiring symbol to for the bill, including justification for the many of our communities because of their need to conserve monarch butterflies and yearly migration.” The eastern population suggestions for best practices. of monarchs is being considered for listing “Restoring monarch butterflies and the under the federal Endangered Species Act native plants they depend on is a very and the western population may soon fol- good investment of public and private low, having declined by an estimated 50% resources and will benefit other wildlife in the past two decades. and important human needs as well,” said AB 559 is an important reminder of the Dan Gluesenkamp, Executive Director of John Whittlesey an adult monarch feeding on milkweed flower connection between native flora and wild- CNPS. “Assemblywoman López’s bill is a life. Monarch butterflies are unique in that wakeup call that action is needed now.” Jerry Brown signed it on October 4, 2015. they cannot survive without milkweed. Assemblywoman Patty López represents The bill directs the CDFW to undertake Most of California’s 15 native milkweed the 39th Assembly District, which includes monarch butterfly conservation measures, species (of which six are relatively com- the communities of Arleta, Granada Hills, and allows it to partner with other public mon) have been documented as being used North Hollywood, Mission Hills, Pacoima, agencies, community groups, private by monarch butterfly larvae, according to San Fernando, Sunland, Sun Valley, Syl- landowners, and nonprofit organizations. the Xerces Society, an organization focused mar, and Tujunga. We encourage CNPS It also identifies best practices, such as on invertebrate conservation. members to thank Ms. López for her inter- restoring habitat using “appropriate native CNPS worked with the author, led the est in our native wildlife. T milkweed species,” controlling weeds and testimony in legislative hearings, drafted Vern Goehring, pests with integrated pest management position papers and support letters, and CnPS legislative analyst

Court overturNS mADroNA ProjeCt continued from page 4 oaks (Quercus agrifolia) and walnuts (Jug- decades, most recently the 30,300-acre now-threatened coastal sage-scrub and lans californica, CRPR 4.2) was also found in 2008. It is a related vegetation types. to be inadequate. small but key piece in the Puente-Chino The success of this suit will help set The triangle-shaped Madrona property Hills Wildlife Corridor that stretches the precedent that general plan ele- is almost entirely surrounded by reserve from the to the ments, specific plans, and similar land- land, with Chino Hills State Park to the Whittier Narrows and San Gabriel use governance documents should not west and the Firestone Scout Reserva- River. Although tenuous in places, it be amended at the whim of developers tion to the north. Carbon Canyon, to is wildlife’s connection across the Los or jurisdictions. Doing so is detrimental the south, contains the narrow, wind- Angeles basin between the Peninsular to the areas that such documents are ing, often-congested road that provides Ranges to the south and the San Gabriel intended to govern and protect. T the only access. The property has been Mountains to the north. The corridor is Celia Kutcher, Orange County repeatedly swept by fires over many also a refuge for ’s CnPS Conservation Chair P a G e 5 California n ative PlantCalifornia SoCiety n at •ive volPlant 46 /SoCiety no 1 January–MarCh 2016 vol 46 / no 1 JanUary–MarCh 2016 CnPS Begins rare Plant Seed Collection in 2015

By Mona roBiSon

NPS was able to embark upon We were fortunate to attract a a new rare plant seed collection wide range of CNPS chapter C project in 2015, thanks to fund- volunteers this year to assist ing from the Millennium Seed Bank of in our efforts; 54 partici- Kew Royal Botanic Garden, Dean Wit- pated at last count. We ter Foundation, the Mary A. Crocker collected seed from populations of nine rare plants that had never before been seed-banked, and are currently preparing the seeds to be

Trust, and generous CNPS donors. This effort is part of The California Plant Rescue Project (CAPR), which began in 2014 and had its first year of coordinat- ed seed collection in 2015. The purpose of this project is the long-term conser- vation of California Floristic Province plants through field work and long-term seed bank collections.

P a G e 6 California n ative Plant SoCiety vol 46 / no 1 JanUary–MarCh 2016

Scientific name Common name landowners Arctostaphylos virgata Marin manzanita Mt. Tamalpais Campanula shetleri harebell Shasta-Trinity National Forest Ceanothus masonii Mason’s ceanothus Mt. Tamalpais Ivesia longibracteata Castle Crags ivesia Shasta-Trinity National Forest Leptosiphon nuttallii ssp. Mt. Tedoc Shasta-Trinity National Forest howellii leptosiphon Lessingia micradenia var. Tamalpais lessingia Mt. Tamalpais micradenia Lilium pardalinum ssp. Pitkin Marsh lily Private pitkinense Phacelia cookei Cooke’s phacelia Shasta-Trinity National Forest Symphyotrichum lentum Suisun marsh aster East Bay Regional Parks

nine of the rare plant species seed banked by CnPS and partners in 2015 deposited in long-term storage. Volunteers donated over 300 hours as- Important cooperating landowners sisting CNPS staff collecting seed in the were Marin Municipal Water District, field and cleaning seed at the Presidio Shasta-Trinity National Forest, and Nursery and CNPS headquarters. East Bay Regional Parks. Thanks CAPR was established in partner- to everyone who assisted in ship with several long-time CNPS 2015, and we look forward to partners, including the Center for more seeds saved and banked Plant Conservation, Rancho Santa in 2016! For more informa- Ana Botanic Garden, Regional tion or to participate, contact Parks Botanic Garden, San Diego Mona Robison, mrobison@ Botanic Garden, San Diego Zoo, cnps.org. T Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, University of California (UC) Bo- intrepid CnPS volunteers and staff tanical Garden, UC Davis Arboretum ventured into varied habitats in pur- suit of rare native plants during the and Public Garden, and the UC Santa 2015 collecting season. Cruz Arboretum. Photos: Mona Robison; Aaron Sims; Danny Slakey

P a G e 7 California n ative Plant SoCiety • vol 46 / no 1 January–MarCh 2016

CNPS Wins! (from page 1) Clara River, we have provided comments Newhall Ranch appealed the decision, and on draft EIRs, including over 70 pages of 2nd District Court of Appeal overturned comments on the 2011 biological resourc- the Superior Court’s favorable rulings, up- es section of the Draft EIR for Newhall’s ping the ante with a decision that would Mission Village phase of the projct. gut CEQA and the public’s ability to pro- vide comments. Consequently, we asked reSort to the CourtS the California Supreme Court to overturn After a decade of unsuccessful efforts the appeal court's ruling on our challenge to include sound science in the planning to the Spineflower Conservation Plan process, in January 2011, CNPS and sev- EIR. The Supreme Court agreed to hear eral other environmental groups filed suit our case, the first CNPS has ever brought in Superior Court to force the California before this body! Department of Fish and Game (now Fish

Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Region flickr U.S. Forest and Wildlife) (CDFW) to set aside take CNPS & SPeCiAl SPeCieS WiN! San fernando valley spineflower and friend permits issued to Newhall Ranch and de- On November 30, 2015, the California certify its Spineflower Conservation Plan Supreme Court published its ruling on our We know, however, that the site is EIR. Then, in June 2012, CNPS joined challenge of the 2nd District Court of home to the unarmored three-spine with Friends of the Santa Clara River, Appeal’s decision. We won! The Supreme stickleback, a fully protected, endangered Santa Clarita Organization for Planning Court let stand our victory challenging minnow-sized fish that occurs only in a and the Environment, Center for Biologi- the Spineflower Conservation Plan EIR, few reaches of the Santa Clara River, and cal Diversity, and Wishtoyo Foundation’s preventing a grievous injury to CEQA. to rare populations of the arroyo toad. We Ventura Coastkeeper Program and sued Now, Newhall Ranch will have to go also know that the proposed construction the County of Los Angeles, Los Angeles back to the drawing board on the entire sites support populations of the San Fer- County Board of Supervisors, and Newhall project. The special plants and unique nando Valley spineflower (SFVS) (Cho- Land and Farming Company, Inc. over animals are protected and we hope that rizanthe parryi var. fernandina), thought the County’s certification of the EIR and the ranch’s investors will finally realize to be extinct until it was rediscovered permit of the project’s tract map for the that a huge development at this loca- in 1999. Newhall Ranch may be key to Mission Village phase. tion is not a good investment. While we survival of this unique organism. In October 2012, Los Angeles Superior must remain vigilant and engaged, it is a Even more remarkable, the property Court Judge Ann I. Jones ruled in our favor wonderful victory and a step toward our includes a population of a titanic sun- in our 2011 suit against CDFW and Ne- dream of protecting this special place in flower of great beauty and significance, whall Ranch. The judge decisively agreed perpetuity. discovered by botanists working on the with CNPS and plaintiffs on our four key Newhall Ranch development project. points and four sub-issues. But CDFW and BreAkiNg NeWS! thiS juSt iN! Recent taxonomic studies suggest that As this issue was going to press, CNPS the plant is likely a new species, Heli- and partners learned that the California anthus inexpectatus, the Newhall Ranch Supreme Court has agreed to hear our ap- sunflower, known only from a freshwater peal of the 2nd District Court of Appeal’s spring next to the Santa Clara River on ruling on our 2012 suit over the Mission Newhall Ranch. Yet Newhall Ranch had Village phase. This will be CNPS’s second failed to conduct thorough botanical case before the California Supreme Court. surveys for its environmental impact re- Because it raises substantially the same is- port (EIR). How easily this unique plant sues as the first, we can hope for another could have been lost! win that further reinforces November’s Driven by these concerns, CNPS conclusive decision. T has worked the last 15 years to better [Editor’s note: Look for a more detailed understand the impacts of the proposed Mary Meyer account of the Newhall Ranch battles in an development. With Friends of the Santa newhall sunflower (Helianthus inexpectatus) upcoming issue of Fremontia.]

P a G e 8 California n ative Plant SoCiety • vol 46 / no 1 January–MarCh 2016 reducing Solar Project impacts CNPS joiNS CooPerAtive PlANNiNg For SAN joAQuiN vAlley

By greg SuBa, CnPS ConServation PrograM DireCtor

n June 2015, UC Berkeley and the groundwater recharge capabilities, or Governor’s Office of Planning and priority rangeland conservation areas. IResearch (OPR) began a multi-stake- CNPS was part of the environmental holder process to discuss ways to combine conservation working group that identi- stakeholder input and geospatial tools to fied areas of least conservation value find areas of mutual agreement for de- based on a model of wildlife and land- velopment of utility-scale solar energy scape variables, including avoidance of rare plant habitat, vernal pools, and rare vegetation alliances where we know they occur in the San Joaquin Valley. You can Neal Kramer San Joaquin woollythreads, Monolopia cong- view and explore online maps of least- donii, Kern Solar conflict solar lands in the San Joaquin Valley at the San Joaquin Valley Gate- Initiative 2.0, or RETI 2.0). The products way website (www.sjvp.databasin.org). of the San Joaquin Valley least-conflict San Joaquin Valley solar project ap- solar workgroup will feed into RETI 2.0 plicants will still need to go through planning. project-level CEQA and/or NEPA re- For more information about this pro- view. The hope is that such review would cess please contact CNPS Conservation encounter fewer environmental obstacles Program Director Greg Suba at gsuba@ Neal Kramer by having been vetted, albeit at a very cnps.org or (916) 447-2677 x-206. Succulent owl’s clover, Castilleja campestris ssp. T succulentus, Kennedy table coarse scale, through this process. The OPR plans to publish a white projects and associated transmission in paper summarizing this effort in January golden the San Joaquin Valley. Beyond the sit- 2016. Earlier this fall, the California ing of solar projects, this work will lay Energy Commission, along with the Anniversary the foundation for planning transmission California Public Utilities Commission, Instead of lines necessary to connect future valley announced plans to initiate a new round writing a projects. Directing utility-scale projects of statewide transmission line planning Fall Appeal and transmission to marginal and unus- (a.k.a. Renewable Energy Transmission Letter, this able valley agricultural lands can reduce year we the stress from solar projects currently honored placed on intact desert lands. the CNPS Using online mapping tools avail- presidents able at DataBasin.org, separate working who made groups have developed maps based on our first 50 each subgroup’s goals and priorities. For years so example, the solar industry identified successful. lands within the San Joaquin Valley If you where slope and geology are suitable for didn’t receive the special Golden siting large projects. The agricultural Anniversary letter, you can view subgroup mapped least-conflict lands it at www.cnps.org/goldenletter. T Neal Kramer where solar development would not Kern mallow, Eremalche parryi ssp. kernensis, impinge upon lands with arable soils, tejon hills

P a G e 9 California n ative Plant SoCiety • vol 46 / no 1 January–MarCh 2016 in Appreciation: Freda King NPS recently received a very Society 2001). Colleagues generous bequest of £149,966 suggested that David ask C ($226,607) from the estate of CNPS to assist in locating Freda King of Scotland. What led Freda populations of these plants. to bequeath one third of her estate to a The CNPS members he native plant society dedicated to a flora contacted responded to his more than 5,000 miles away? passionate enthusiasm by Freda was the widow of British eagerly leading him on ad- plantsman and photographer David ventures throughout the state King. David was active in European and introducing him to other plant organizations and a regular con- members.

tributor to the publications of the North On a trip to Jepson Prairie David King American Rock Garden Society and the in 2000 to photograph the an image by david King, British fan of California flora Pacific Bulb Society. He was an expert rare Fritillaria liliacea, David California native flora and its habitats. in the genus Fritillaria—initially from a met his first vernal pools, and quickly While Freda did not accompany David horticultural perspective and later ex- became fascinated. He spent the rest of on most of his field excursions, it is ap- ploring the taxonomy of this complex that spring seeking out and photograph- parent that both of them were moved and plant group. ing vernal pools and their flora, again inspired by the dedicated and friendly During the late 1990s, David visited with the help of CNPS members. members of CNPS. Thank you, Freda California several times to photograph The CNPS members David met during and David King. T Fritillaria for a chapter in Bulbs of North his visits welcomed him warmly. They Carol witham, America (North American Rock Garden shared their personal appreciation of the Sacramento Valley Chapter

CNPS educational grant Committee Awards 2015 grants

By Lauren Brown, San LuiS oBiSPo CHaPter

he CNPS Educational Grants Pro- Lauren Brown (chair), and David Keil, receive awards based on the value of the gram will award $7,500 for research Betsey Landis, and Steve Schoenig. Each research to CNPS, the quality of the re- Tgrants to students and researchers reviewer read all proposals, commenting search described in the proposal, how the for 2015. The program received 49 applica- and scoring each on a scale of 0 to 10. The money is to be used, and how much money tions from California universities and east- results were averaged for each proposal was available for the 2015 grants. Awards ern schools, and even two from Canada. and the committee discussed the amounts ranged from $200 to $1000. We thank the The 2015 review committee consisted of to be awarded. Fourteen proposals will educational grant committee members for their hard work and dedication. toP Five ProjeCtS FuNDeD In reviewing the applications this year, n Long-term effects of plant invasion on native diversity and community the reviewers noted several ways that we structure in California coastal grasslands. E. Batzer can improve the application format and

n Southern California Streptanthus as a model system for understanding historical the reviewers’ instructions. The Commit- biogeography and regional patterns of edaphic specialization. N. Jensen tee will make these updates this coming year to ensure the process remains fair n Cryptic host-specific diversity in Orobanche sect. Gymnocaulis. A. Schneider and that funds go to research projects that n Reaching a tipping point in big berry manzanita? Synergies between support the CNPS mission. Details about fungal pathogens and exceptional drought. L. Schultheis CNPS Educational Grant opportunities n Disturbance-mediated range shifts in bristlecone pine forests. B. Smithers and application instructions are at http:// cnps.org/cnps/education/grants.php. T P a G e 1 0 California n ative Plant SoCiety • vol 46 / no 1 January–MarCh 2016

P a G e 11

Dear Friend,

We hope you enjoy this publication. It is full of great articles and beautiful photos, all contributed by dedicated volunteers, and is just one of countless benefits offered by the California Native Plant Society. CNPS is dedicated to understanding, saving, and celebrating California’s wild plants and places.

You likely already know and appreciate CNPS. You love our beautiful flowers, and probably glad CNPS is saving them. You may make a field trip once in a while to reconnect with a favorite landscape that replenishes your sense of wonder, and you are happy we have laws to protect these special places. You love seeing native plant gardens springing up in front of homes and businesses, and you point out the butterflies and hummingbirds to friends. You get it; you understand: you are a CNPS-er. Anza-Borrego. Photo: Dan Gluesenkamp With your help, we can do much more. Will you please join us?

Here are some of the reasons you should use the enclosed remittance form to join CNPS.

35 chapters across California and in Baja offer hikes, public programs, plant sales, restoration events, garden tours, workshops, and camaraderie.

The Conservation Program continues to fight for California’s places. CNPS has been the voice for plant conservation during development of a 30 year plan that will cover 23 million acres of desert. We successfully pushed to map vegetation on 5.5 million acres, and are using these data identify areas that should be avoided by industrial scale energy projects in the region. The rare Calochortus plummerae, Plummer’s Mariposa Lily, Photo: Amber Swanson The Rare Plant Treasure Hunt (RPTH) teams volunteer Citizen Scientists with trained botanists to discover and map rare plants. RPTH volunteers have mapped more than 2,500 Cephalanthus occidentalis, Buttonwillow rare plant populations –1/3 of them new discoveries! and skipper. Photo: Paul G. Johnson

Once you join, you will receive a CNPS membership card that entitles you to discounts at dozens of nurseries, stores, and businesses. We’ll also send you the latest flower-filled issues of Fremontia and the CNPS Bulletin. You’ll learn about talks and hikes in your local chapter. Most of all you will help to save rare plants and places, train young scientists, and replace thirsty lawns with wildlife-friendly native plant gardens.

Please join CNPS and help us make a real and lasting difference!

Thank you for your help,

Dan Gluesenkamp National Monument. Photo: Julie Evens Executive Director

CNPS members on field trip at Yolo Bypass. Photo: Gary Hundt Glue Strip Clearance (when folded)