Upcoming CNPS SCV Events and Activities - Jan 20, 2026

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CNPS-SCV News

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Jan 20, 2026, 2:44:35 PMJan 20
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Dear Friends,

Check out our chapter's upcoming events:

[1] Near-Future Events
 
(a) Online Plant Sale with Pickup on Friday and Saturday (ongoing as of this posting)
Monday, Jan 19 at 12:00 am to Tuesday, Jan 20 at 11:59 pm PST
Go to the CNPS SCV Nursery Online Store on Jan 19 and 20 to make your purchases. The sale will continue until all of the pickup slots have been filled or Tuesday evening - whichever comes first. Scheduled pickup for purchases will be available at the CNPS SCV Nursery at Hidden Villa on Friday, January 23 or at the PCC during our Seed and Cutting Exchange on Saturday, January 24.
 
(b) Seed and Cutting Exchange & Plant Sale Pickup
Saturday, Jan 24, 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm
Location: Peninsula Conservation Center, 3921 E Bayshore Rd, Palo Alto
The Seed and Cutting Exchange will be on Saturday, January 24 from 1:00 to 3:00pm at the Peninsula Conservation Center (PCC), 3921 E. Bayshore Road in Palo Alto. This free event provides an opportunity to share and receive both seeds and cuttings of native plants. Browse the diverse offerings, ranging from easy-to-grow to hard-to-find, and go home with seeds and cuttings of new native plants! We will provide coin envelopes for seeds but bring containers to carry cuttings home.
 
(c) Native Plant Walk at Sierra Azul - Mount Umunhum Trail (San Jose)
Thursday, Jan 29 · 10:00 am to 2:00 pm
Location: Sierra Azul Open Space Preserve Bald Mountain Parking · Los Gatos
Enjoy the San Jose hills while hiking through Sierra Azul Open Space Preserve with Tom Lee. The walk passes through serpentine grasslands, chapparal and oak woodlands, each offering varying native plants. The total distance of the walk is 2.8 miles with an elevation gain of about 400 feet. The trail has moderate terrain and ends at the Guadalupe Creek Overlook of the South Bay.RSVP is required to join us for the walk. Space is limited. No drop-ins please.
 
(d) Apply for CNPS-SCV Community College Scholarship
Deadline: February 15, 2026
CNPS-SCV is offering a $1,500 community college scholarship for a motivated student studying native plant horticulture, ecology, or habitat/park management. Applicants should aspire to work with native plants or their habitats and have completed (or plan to complete) at least one course with significant native plant content.
Eligible applicants are community college students who live in San Mateo or Santa Clara County and/or attend a community college in either county. Full eligibility and requirements: https://www.cnps-scv.org/cc-scholarship
We would appreciate it if you share this announcement widely. 
 
[2] Chapter Meetings
 
 
(a) Native Plant ID - Redwood Forest
Tuesday, Jan 27 · 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM PST
Location: Peninsula Conservation Center, 3921 E Bayshore Rd · Palo Alto
Bruce Homer-Smith will present an introduction to plants of the redwood forest. Bring samples of redwood forest plants that you are interested in identifying from property where you have permission to collect. The Chapter has 10x hand lenses that we can use to look at small plant parts or bring your own lens. Also bring any reference books that you like to use. We are planning a follow-up field trip at a date to be determined after the class.
[3] Volunteers Needed
CNPS SCV is a volunteer-run organization. Please consider if you have time to keep events running smoothly by filling this vital role.
 
(a) Seeking a Treasurer
Our Chapter is looking for a volunteer to assume the role of Treasurer. Do you want to join the Chapter's leadership team? Are you skilled with numbers and detail-oriented? A full description of the position is available at the link above.Although some financial experience is beneficial, it is not a requirement. The Chapter's finance committee is available to help the treasurer. The Treasurer is a member of the Chapter's Board of Directors and Executive Committee and is expected to attend Board meetings. With the exception of March, when an in-person meeting is held to finalize the annual budget, the monthly meetings are conducted via Zoom.For further details or to express your interest, please contact Radhika Thekkath at cnpsr...@gmail.com.
 
 
(b) Hospitality Chair
If you have organized food for large gatherings before, then you already have what it takes to be hospitality chair! The Hospitality Chair oversees food and beverage arrangements at chapter events including the Wildflower Show in April, the Fall Plant Sale in October and the potluck in November. There may be other smaller events throughout the year, like the mailing party that's usually held in April.Your main tasks include shopping for food and drinks, and directing other chapter volunteers with set up before events and clean up afterwards.
 
If you are interested, please email Janet Hoffman (ja...@cnps-scv.org) or Toni Gregorio-Bunch (tidyt...@gmail.com).
 
[4] Chapter Restoration Activities
RSVP is required for all Chapter restoration activities, along with signed waiver forms. Please see the individual listings for details.
 
(a) Habitat Restoration at Alum Rock Park
Wednesday, Jan 21 and Monday, Jan 26, both at 8:30 am
Location: Alum Rock Park, San Jose (meeting spot varies; email contact provided on page)
Come help us weed non-native, invasive plants at this natural gem of San Jose. Our habitat restoration efforts allow the native plants to “come to light.” Forms and reservations are required to volunteer. For the Monday/Wednesday workdays, the meeting spot varies, so please contact Todd Hayes at ultra...@gmail.com for more information and instructions on where to park.
 
(b) Friday Edgewood Restoration
Friday Jan 23, 9:00 am – 12:00 pm
Location: Edgewood Park and Natural Preserve (Redwood City)
Help restore habitat at Edgewood Park and Natural Preserve, known for fabulous wildflowers and amazing diversity. Weeders see far more than weeds: we get to be up close to the native plants, some of which are seen only by weeders. To participate, join the email list and sign the electronic volunteer agreement, by sending an email to weed-warr...@friendsofedgewood.org.
 
(c) Habitat Restoration at Cataldi Park
Saturday, Jan 24, 9:00 am – 11:00 am
Location: Cataldi Park — 1797 Bethany Ave, San Jose
Join us to restore habitat in Cataldi Park, San Jose, attendance to prepare it for the 2026 Growing Natives Garden Tour. We are planting and maintaining native plants in a 1/2-acre area of the park off Bethany Ave. Activities include planting, pruning, sheet mulching, irrigation setup and general maintenance.
 
(d) Habitat Restoration at Cunningham Park
Saturday, Jan 24, 8:00 am – 10:00 am
Location: Native Garden Parking Lot, Lake Cunningham — 2305 S. White Road, San Jose
Join us to restore habitat (weeding and mulching) in the Native Garden at Lake Cunningham Park. During the summer months, we water, weed, and mulch. See the Meetup link for detailed information about the location.
 
(e) Community Work Day at the Native Plant Garden in Kirk Park
Saturday, Jan 24, 9:00 am – 11:00 am
Location: Briarwood Drive & Wawona Drive, San Jose
Volunteers meet at the garden on Saturdays from 9 am to 11 am, weather permitting, for weeding, watering and other maintenance activities. Occasionally there will be other tasks such as mulching and planting. Community volunteers, including families with children over 6, are always welcome!
 
[5] Other Chapters & Organizations
 
(a) Alum Rock Park BioBlitz (Keep Coyote Creek Beautiful)
Sunday Jan 25, 9:00 am - 11:30 am
Location: Youth Science Institute, 16260 Penitencia Creek Road, San Jose
A BioBlitz is an event that focuses on finding and identifying as many species as possible in a specific area over a short period of time. At a BioBlitz, scientists, families, students, teachers, and other community members work together to get an overall count of the plants, animals, fungi, and other organisms that live in a place.Located in the heart of San Jose, the park we will be at is a safe haven for many species of plants and animals right along Coyote Creek. Join Keep Coyote Creek Beautiful and partners in cataloging and documenting all of the wildlife that reside there. We will have experts in various fields to help guide participants through all the cool plants and wildlife.
 
(b) Summiting in Search of Manzanitas (Midpen)
Friday, Jan 23, 9:00 am - 2:30 pm
Location: Meet at the Bald Mountain Parking Area located on Mt. Umunhum Rd. Exit Highway 85 at Camden Avenue
Join Docent Naturalists Nancy Weintraub, Helena Cohen, Catherine Xun, and Nick Yatsko on the Bay Area Ridge Trail, which includes a moderately-paced, gradual ascent to the Mt. Umunhum Summit on the partially-shaded Mt. Umunhum Trail. Along the way, search for majestic manzanitas and appreciate unparalleled views from the peak. You’ll learn the highlights of the natural and human histories of this iconic mountain and the importance of manzanitas both past and present.
 
(c) Chaparral Adventure (Midpen)
Monday Jan 26, 9:30 am - 12:30 pm
Location: St. Joseph's Hill Preserve
Get better acquainted with your local flora by joining Docent Naturalists Nick Yatsko, Jumana Latif, and Annie Guo and Interpretive Specialist Katie Renz on a moderately-paced hike through this popular preserve. On a route along the Jones, Manzanita, and Novitiate trails you’ll have the opportunity to explore what makes chaparral such a unique California habitat and what adaptations these tough plants already have to help them survive in the face of climate change.
 
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