Upcoming CNPS SCV Events and Activities - June 3, 2025

[CNPS-SCV News]

Dear friends,
Check out our chapter's upcoming events:

[1] California's Vegetation Communities Through Time, a talk by Dr. Katie Glover
Thursday, June 26, 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
Location: Los Altos Library Orchard Room, 13 S. San Antonio Rd, Los Altos
https://www.meetup.com/california-native-plant-society-santa-clara-valley-chapter/events/307845059/

Note: This talk is in-person only.

California's iconic landscapes and vegetation communities have long been shaped by dynamic climate and terrestrial processes. Often, changes in these forces are what can push an ecosystem to transition to a different, yet stable, state. In this talk, I will draw upon my research in paleoecology that used California's fossil record from lake cores and the La Brea Tar Pits to show how ecosystems shifted in response to climate change and fire during the last Ice Age. The tools and botanical evidence used in these studies are powerful to help us understand landscape response before human-induced impacts, and to inform the changes we can expect in a warmer world. Yet one doesn't have to be a trained paleoecologist to imagine – and teach about – past worlds. We live in a time and place with rich educational resources and access to natural spaces, which can help teach the next generation how to spot the evidence for ecosystem transitions.

Speaker bio:
Dr. Katie Glover has a lifelong love for lakes and landscapes, which led to many years teaching environmental science curriculum, and researching Ice Age landscape change in North America. During her Ph.D. in Geography at UCLA, she developed a 120,000-year environmental history from lake sediment cores in the San Bernardino Mountains and worked with the La Brea Tar Pits fossil plant collection. Katie is the Associate Director of Environmental Education at Jasper Ridge Biological Preserve (‘Ootchamin ‘Ooyakma), and is grateful that she can highlight the beauty and complexity of California's native ecosystems every day to students, docents, colleagues, and visitors.

[2] Greeters needed for Chapter talk
Thursday, June 26, 6:30 pm - 9:00 pm
Location: Los Altos Library Orchard Room - 13 S. San Antonio Rd, Los Altos
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090f49a9a729aafd0-library#/

Dr. Katie Glover will be speaking at the Los Altos library on "California's Vegetation Communities Through Time". We need two greeters for this event.

This is a great opportunity to learn about what our chapter does. Worry not, if you are new to doing this! You will have an experienced volunteer with you to assist you. The responsibilities of the greeters are - staff the welcome table and answer basic questions about CNPS, if attendees have any. Tables, chairs and CNPS literature will be provided.
Please sign up on the link above if interested. Questions? Contact Priya at: priya4cnps @ gmail.com.

[3] Chapter Restoration Activities
RSVP is required for all Chapter restoration activities, along with signed waiver forms. Please see the individual Meetup listings for details.

[a] Community Work Day at Kirk Park
Saturday, June 7, 9:00 am - 11:00 am
Location: Kirk Park Native Garden - Briarwood Drive at Wawona Drive, San Jose
https://www.meetup.com/california-native-plant-society-santa-clara-valley-chapter/events/307898586/

Volunteers meet at the garden on Saturdays, weather permitting, for weeding, watering and other maintenance activities. Occasionally there will be other tasks such as mulching and planting.

[b] Habitat Restoration at Cataldi Park
Saturday, June 7, 9:00 am - 11:00 am
Location: Cataldi Park - 1797 Bethany Ave, San Jose
https://www.meetup.com/california-native-plant-society-santa-clara-valley-chapter/events/307898319/

Join us to restore habitat in Cataldi Park, San Jose. We are planting and maintaining native plants in a 1/4-acre area of the park off Bethany Ave. We planted more than 100 native plants last winter! Activities this spring include weeding, sheet mulching, watering, irrigation setup and general maintenance.

[c] Friday Edgewood Restoration
Friday, June 6, 9:00 am - 12:00 pm
Location: Varies - join the email group to receive weekly notices
https://www.cnps-scv.org/events/calendar/eventdetail/11414/-/edgewood-restoration

Help restore habitat at Edgewood Park and Natural Preserve, known for fabulous wildflowers and amazing diversity. To participate, join the email list and sign the electronic volunteer agreement, by sending an email to weed-warriors-coord @ friendsofedgewood.org.

Here are some events from other chapters and organizations:

[4] Wonders of Cherry Springs - by Midpen
Wednesday, June 4, 9:30 am - 1:00 pm
Location: Sierra Azul Preserve, San Jose
https://www.openspace.org/events/guided-activities/wonders-cherry-springs-15

Join Docent Naturalists Greg Azevedo, Nancy Weintraub, Mallik K, and Jessica Kolla for a leisurely-paced hike at a limited-access area. You’ll travel in a loop, traversing grassland meadows, mixed evergreen forest, and chaparral. It includes one uphill section with a 500-foot elevation gain. You’ll discuss local history, learn about the pond environment and flora of the area, and enjoy views of Santa Clara Valley while exploring habitat that few humans have recently visited. Reservations are required.

[5] Nutmegs of Red Mountain - by Midpen
Wednesday, June 4, 10:30 am - 2:30 pm
Location: Long Ridge Open Space Preserve, La Honda
https://www.openspace.org/events/guided-activities/explorer-hike-nutmegs-red-mountain-0

Set off on a leisurely-paced hike to look for California nutmeg trees with Docent Naturalists Kate Bauer, Mary Brunkhorst, and Nick Yatsko. You'll enjoy a mostly shaded route along the Nutmeg and Red Mountain trails while having time to observe and learn about these special and often overlooked conifers, as well as other native plants.

[6] Garden and Meditate Outdoors - by Grassroots Ecology
Friday, June 6, 9:00 am - 12:00 pm
Location: Redwood Grove Nature Preserve, 482 University Ave, Los Altos
https://www.grassrootsecology.org/event-calendar/2025/06/06/volunteer-meditate-redwood-grove

Join Dharma Treasury Temple and Grassroots Ecology for a special event blending native plant restoration and meditation. Connect with the land, your community, and yourself through a morning of watering a native plant restoration area, followed by a seated meditation session guided by local Buddhist monks. Volunteers should expect to work outside under the sun, carry 2-gallon pails of water, kneel down, and walk up to 1 mile over pavement, gravel, and mulch surfaces throughout the day.

[7] Salt Marsh Shangri-La - by Midpen
Sunday, June 8, 10:00 am - 12:00 pm
Location: Ravenswood Open Space Preserve, East Palo Alto
https://www.openspace.org/events/guided-activities/salt-marsh-shangri-la

What does it take to restore salt marshes to their natural beauty? Meander along the boardwalk with Docent Naturalists Bobbie Riedel and Melissa Hero to learn about the largest tidal wetland restoration project on the West Coast and the history of this special preserve. You'll discover the rich mosaic of salt marsh habitat, observe the impact of tidal systems, and look for shorebirds along the way.

[8] Watershed Beauty - by Midpen
Monday, June 9, 9:00 am - 12:30 pm
Location: Monte Bello Preserve, Los Altos
https://www.openspace.org/events/guided-activities/watershed-beauty

Learn about the importance of watersheds and the rich variety of plants and animals that depend on them with Docent Naturalists Mari Aldridge, Mike Lohr, and Catherine Xun. You’ll start this moderately-paced hike near the protected headwaters of Stevens Creek and will observe the various changes as you explore the different habitats of the watershed, including grassland, oak woodland, and riparian. You’ll travel along the White Oak Trail and return up the Canyon Trail.

[9] Effects of the CZU Fire on Santa Cruz and Butano Cypress - by CNPS
Monday, June 9, 5:30 pm - 9:00 pm
Location: UC Santa Cruz Arboretum, Arboretum Rd, Santa Cruz
https://www.cnps.org/event/effects-of-the-czu-lightning-complex-fire-on-the-recovery-of-santa-cruz-butano-cypress-with-speaker-dr-jodi-mcgraw

Did you know that the Santa Cruz County Chapter logo and the name of its newsletter honor the extraordinarily rare Santa Cruz Cypress? Sadly, both this species and its close relative, the Butano cypress, took major hits during the CZU fire. Join us to hear Dr. Jodi McGraw’s update on how these closed-cone conifers are doing now, based on her three-year study of their regeneration, distribution, and habitat conditions.