Upcoming CNPS SCV Events and Activities - Oct 14, 2025

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CNPS-SCV News

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Oct 14, 2025, 9:48:13 PMOct 14
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Dear friends,
Check out our chapter's upcoming events:
 
[1] Important Near-Future Events
 
(a) 2025 Fall Plant Sale
Shop Online until Midnight TONIGHT
Saturday, Oct 18, 10:00 am - 3:00 pm OR Tuesday, Oct 21, 11:30 am - 3:00 pm
Pick up online purchased plants at the Dana Center at Hidden Villa, 26870 Moody Road, Los Altos Hills
Native plants bring beauty and habitat value to your garden. Discover the possibilities at our 2025 Fall Plant Sale.
Shop until midnight TONIGHT at CNPS SCV Nursery Online Store and schedule a time to pick your plants up on October 18 or October 21. Both the CNPS SCV Nursery and the Grassroots Ecology Nursery will offer a variety of plants for in-person shopping at the event. Come early for the best selection. While the CNPS SCV Nursery’s premises will be closed, you’ll find an extensive selection of its plants offered at the sales tables during the event.
Browse T-shirts, books, posters, and note cards featuring native plants. Coyote Brush Studios will have a wide variety of products featuring California wildflower and wildlife, and Emily Chin will be there with pressed flowers art and more. Enjoy a planting demonstration, talks on native plants and visit the booths of our partner organizations. More details are available at the link above.
 
(b) Save the CNPS Santa Clara Valley Nursery
The CNPS native plant nursery at Hidden Villa needs your help. Our long-time management and supervisory team have decided to wind down their involvement with the nursery over the next year. We are looking for dedicated volunteers who would be willing to commit to at least 2 years to keep the nursery running smoothly.
We have a team of volunteers who help regularly with many of the day-to-day nursery tasks. We need people, preferably with botanical or horticultural experience to oversee and direct the nursery operations. This includes scheduling and oversight of plant production tasks, overseeing the maintenance of plants in the nursery and in the demonstration garden, managing upkeep of the nursery facilities, and organizing plant sales on a regular basis. With enough interest, there is the possibility of creating a management team to share these responsibilities.
Over the next year, current staff would like to be able to work with replacements to assure a smooth transition around this time next year. Please get the word out to any of your contacts who might be interested in stepping forward to keep the nursery going. If you are interested in volunteering or want more information, please contact Janet Hoffmann, Nursery Leadership Development Committee Lead at ja...@cnps-scv.org.

(c) Gardening for Monarchs and Other Pollinators, a talk by Shelkie Tao
Monday, Oct 27, 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
Location: Sunnyvale library - 665 W Olive Ave, Sunnyvale
Note: This talk will be held in person at the Sunnyvale library.

Since the 1980s, western monarch butterfly populations have plummeted by more than 95%, putting this iconic species at risk of disappearing within our lifetime. In this talk, we'll explore the fascinating life cycle and epic migration of the western monarch, uncover the key reasons behind its dramatic decline, and highlight the urgent need for action. You'll learn how habitat loss, pesticides, and climate change have shaped their struggle — and, more importantly, what each of us can do to help. From planting native milkweed to creating pollinator-friendly gardens, we'll look at simple yet powerful steps that can make a difference. Whether you're an experienced gardener or just getting started, you’ll leave inspired to turn your outdoor space into a haven for monarchs.

Shelkie Tao is a landscape designer and founder of Water Efficient Gardens, an online design service specializing in low-water, California native, and pollinator-friendly gardens. She has designed numerous pollinator habitats where monarch butterflies have been successfully observed, contributing to their conservation. Before founding Water Efficient Gardens, Shelkie spent over a decade in the Silicon Valley high-tech industry. She holds a Certificate of Achievement in Environmental Horticulture and Design from Foothill College and an MBA from the UCLA Anderson School of Management.
[2] 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 Cataldi Park
Saturday Oct 18, 9:00 am – 11:00 am
Location: Cataldi Park — 1797 Bethany Ave, San Jose
Join us to restore habitat in Cataldi Park, San Jose. 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.

(b) Habitat Restoration at Cunningham Park
Saturday Oct 18, 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, San Jose.
 
(c) Habitat Restoration at Alum Rock Park
Wednesday Oct 15 and Monday Oct 20, 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.
 
(d) Friday Edgewood Restoration
Friday Oct 17, 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.
[3] Other Chapters & Organizations
 
(a) Oaks Will Surprise and Sustain You
Saturday Oct 18, 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Location: Monte Bello Preserve Parking Area on Page Mill Road
Since oaks are a keystone species in several California ecosystems, they provide critical support for human and non-human animals. Birds, mammals, and many insects depend on native oaks for food and shelter. Join Docent Naturalists Susan Bernhard, Maureen Draper, and Noa Doitel for an 4.5 mile afternoon trek on the White Oak Trail and learn to identify several local oaks by their leaves, acorns, and galls. Added bonus: You may also see tarantula holes or turret spider burrows! 
 
(b) Bair Island Walking Tour
Sunday Oct 19, 10:00 am – 11:30 am
Location: Bair Island Parking Lot
Join Peninsula Open Space Trust for a easy 1 mile walking tour at the Bair Island Unit of the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge! You’ll be guided by POST ambassadors who will share the history of this beautiful protected space, information about the species that live there, and what you can do to contribute. This walk will highlight the wetlands and the marine life that live within, such as: Endangered Ridgeway’s rails and salt marsh harvest mice. Also cottontail rabbits, peregrine falcons, pelicans, egrets, terns, and stilts. We recommend bringing binoculars to catch sight of some of the beautiful birds at Bair Island


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