VOL 45 / NO 3 JU LY–SEPTEMBER 2015 CALIFORNIA NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY BULLETIN CNPS Establishes Statewide Landscaper Certification Program BY HEI-OCK KIM care, and are perpetuating pest and disease problems by applying NPS is leading a partnership to conventional gardening methods create the first comprehensive to natives. By standardizing pro- Cstatewide training and certifica- fessional education, we aim tion program for professionals who to 1) train a large number of landscape with California native plants. California landscape profes- Under the supervision of Hei-ock Kim, sionals to produce thriving CNPS Special Projects Coordinator, a native landscapes, and 2) re- team of seven volunteers with a wide range duce urban water and pesticide of expertise related to native landscaping use, misuse, and runoff. is designing a curriculum that addresses all the basic principles of native plant ecology, SOME PROGRAM DETAILS site preparation, soils, maintenance, The Landscaper Certifica- These passionate experts have volunteered hundreds of watering, and pest management. tion Program will initially be hours creating California’s first standardized curriculum Partnering organizations have com- offered three times a year in for native plant care and maintenance. In order from mitted to providing curriculum review, various locations throughout top left: Frank Simpson, Mike Evans, Ellen Mackey, Vic marketing, classroom facilities, and more. Northern, Central, and South- Claassen, Nick Basinski, Chris Soltis, Orchid Black. Photos: Frank Simpson, Hilda Evans, Jason Casanova, Matt Claassen, Katie Basinski, Vicki Abney, The ever-growing list of partners includes (continued on page 6) David King key stakeholders, such as the California Landscape Contractors Association, Cal- trans, UC Integrated Pest Management, Dealing With Emergent Invasive Weeds and numerous other public and water BY DAVID PRYOR agencies, botanic gardens, landscape edu- cational programs, nonprofits, businesses, eeds in the garden, we all have them—in the front yard and in our open-space and school districts. Wpreserves. Entrenched species like black mustard (Brassica nigra) seem like a lost cause, The program targets all landscape pro- and we’ve given up trying to control them unless there are funds available for removal and fessionals, public and water agency staff, restoration. But what about new occurrences of invasive weeds in our open space areas? students and faculty in college horticul- Years ago, the California Invasive Plant Council (Cal-IPC) set early detection and ture programs, and maintenance staff for control of emergent invasives as its highest priority. Encouraged by the thought of being school districts and nurseries. able to win a weedy battle, and with help from a Cal-IPC board member in 2013, the Invasives Committee of the Orange County Chapter of CNPS formed a plant list of 18 HELPING NATIVE PLANT LANDSCAPES likely new trespassers from the surrounding area that have invasive tendencies. Since then, ACHIEVE WIDESPREAD SUCCESS a 19th invasive has been added to the list. California native landscapers have expe- The Orange County Invasive Plant Management Program offers the following definition rienced increasing success over the last 20 for such weeds: “Emergent invasive plants are non-native species that have appeared recently years. However, many professionals are still in Orange County, are not yet widely distributed here, and are known to spread readily.” For untrained in best practices of native plant (continued on page 6) California native Plant SoCiety • vol 45 / no 3 Ju ly–SePtember 2015 From the Executive Director Gratitude s I write this we for help, though I confess it’s keeping us trip, grew plants, helped a garden tour, Aare preparing busy! As always, chapters are the first mapped rare plants, commented on a bad for yet another spring rain. It’s one of responders to a public seeking answers: development plan, supported a chapter, those years, a year in which the natives garden tour attendance is doubling, plant or just taught friends and neighbors. If get a great start and then are watered sales are selling out, and the exploding so, then please accept my thanks. If not, at just the right interval to crank out demand for native plant gardening I expect you probably will sometime so an abundance of seeds over the season. lecturers, designers, and installers has let me just thank you right now! Obviously it is also a dry year, and not made our people more popular than In 50 years, CNPS has had good times every part of California was blessed with Galvezia at a hummingbird convention. aplenty, but few could have been as good fantastic wildflower displays—but many It’s a good time to be CNPS! We are all as these. Yes, we face a lot of challenges parts were. That’s California for you, and thankful for the opportunities that CNPS and the need has never been greater, I feel thankful to live in a place where is being given to make a difference, and but our Society is strong and getting every year is a great year, somewhere. especially thankful to the hundreds of better every day. I believe that the next I’m thankful that thousands of tremendously dedicated volunteers who few years are going to be absolutely Californians are suddenly inspired to keep CNPS relevant and make CNPS remarkable. kill their lawns and plant natives, and fun. I give good odds that you have Thank you! T I’m thankful they are turning to CNPS probably helped, that you led a field Dan Gluesenkamp CNPS Executive Director Opportunities to Serve at State Level CALIFORNIA NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY hen Mac Laetsch, CNPS’s first president, looked out over the 2015 Conservation 2707 K Street, Suite 1 Conference banquet crowd, he remarked how surprising it was to see how his Sacramento, CA 95816-5113 one year of service 50 years ago helped lead to this enthusiastic crowd of people W Phone: 916-447-2677 T Fax: 916-447-2727 dedicated to preserving California’s native plants. Take a cue from Mac! Email: [email protected] This September 2015, elections will be Website: www.cnps.org CNPS Bulletin Email: [email protected] held for the CNPS Chapter Council and Dan Gluesenkamp, Executive Director Board of Directors. These bodies create 2015 BOARD OF DIRECTORS policy and provide direction that helps Laura Camp, President CNPS realize its mission. David Bigham, Vice President CNPS has a very democratic election Carolyn Longstreth, Secretary Nancy Morin, Treasurer procedure. Any CNPS member in good At Large: standing can self-nominate with a letter of Kristie Haydu, Gordon Leppig, Jean Robertson, Michael Vasey, Steve Windhager, Carol Witham support from their local chapter board or the Chapter Council Reps: support of five CNPS members. Glen Holstein, David Varner Serving in statewide CNPS positions offers CHAPTER COUNCIL members a unique opportunity to guide our Orchid Black, Chair Larry Levine, Vice-Chair David Berman organization in protecting California’s Marty Foltyn, Secretary CNPS’s first president, Mac Laetsch, in a wonderful native plants. More information pensive moment at the CNPS 2015 Con- about the self-nomination process and open CNPS BULLETIN servation Conference banquet. Bob Hass, Editor Council and Board positions is available at Lisa Roth, Designer cnps.org/cnps/admin/ (under Governance and Structure/Self Nominations and Elections). David Chapman, Dave Flietner, Diana Hickson, If you have questions you’d like to discuss about any of these openings, please contact Proofreaders me at [email protected]. T MAILING LABEL CHANGES David Bigham, Vice President Send to: [email protected] CNPS Board of Directors P A G E 2 California native Plant SoCiety • vol 45 / no 3 Ju ly–SePtember 2015 State Policy on Native Plants Approved CNPS praised for its work been largely ineffectual over time because BY BOB HASS it has not ensured their survival. It also acknowledges the need to reexamine wild nother significant accomplish- fire management practices such as fuels ment for native plants has just management and post-fire salvage and Aoccurred, and it could not have their impact on native plant conservation. come at a more opportune moment given The Commissioners and CDFW Direc- th that this is the Society’s 50 anniversary tor Charlton Bonham had very positive Jeb Bjerke year. At its June 2015 meeting, the Califor- things to say about the new policy, and A listing petition by CNPS for Livermore nia Fish and Game Commission (CFGC) applauded the professionalism of CNPS. tarplant (Deinandra bacigalupii) as State voted to approve a comprehensive State They also complimented CNPS on its pe- Endangered was recently accepted by the state Fish and Game Commission. Its one- Policy on Native Plants. This landmark de- tition to have the rare Livermore tarplant year status review has already begun. The cision establishes practices that give native (Deinandra bacigalupii) listed as “State plant was named after CNPS Fellow Remo plants and habitats considerably stronger Endangered,” and voted unanimously to Charles Bacigalupi, former curator of The Je- pson Herbarium (1950–1968). Heath Bartosh protection in California, and for the first start its one-year status review. deserves tremendous thanks for putting in time place them more on a par with wildlife. According to Heath Bartosh, who years of work to develop the listing petition. How did this come about? For over a year presented the petition on behalf of the now Greg Suba, Vern Goehring, and Dan CNPS Rare Plant Program Committee, tions.” At the meeting, Bartosh told the Gluesenkamp have been working on this the Commissioners “applauded our efforts Commissioners that CNPS will be submit- initiative. It first involved the painstaking as being focused on quality and validity.” ting other petitions in the future, and one process of developing the policy, including Both he and Greg Suba had explained in Commissioner replied, “Bring ‘em on!” T practices that the CFGC and the California detail about CNPS’s robust vetting process Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) and the organization’s intention to present Bob Hass is editor of the CNPS Bulletin would support and implement.