Upcoming CNPS SCV Events and Activities - April 4, 2023

[CNPS-SCV News]

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

[1] Volunteers needed for the Wildflower Show
Friday and Saturday, April 21 and 22
https://www.cnps-scv.org/volunteer-wfs

Our chapter's 47th Wildflower Show is on Saturday, April 22 from 10 AM - 4 PM at West Valley College. The Show is a major annual event and we need lots of volunteers to help make it successful. Volunteers are needed on Friday and Saturday, April 21 and 22. The link to the volunteer sign-up page is included above. No special skills or experience is needed, unless noted, to volunteer. You just need to be enthusiastic about native plants.

Show set-up begins Friday afternoon at 1:30, and dinner will be provided to volunteers. On Saturday, we offer breakfast and lunch. You can sign up as a volunteer via the link above or send an e-mail to Toni Gregorio-Bunch at tidytip.lp @ gmail.com or Barbara Hunt barbarahunt @ yahoo.com. Please include the position, day and time slot for which you are interested. If you have not worked at the show before and have questions, contact Toni or Barbara. If you have worked the show in past years, sign up again and bring a friend!

[2] Habitat Restoration at Lake Cunningham
Saturday, April 8, 8:00 AM - 10:00 AM
https://www.meetup.com/california-native-plant-society-santa-clara-valley-chapter/events/hmbqwsyfcgblb/

VENUE: Native Garden Parking Lot

Join us to restore habitat (weeding and mulching) in the Native Garden at Lake Cunningham Park, San Jose. During the summer months, we remove invasives throughout the park. Meeting place may change from one week to the next.

First timers: please follow directions in this meetup to get to the native garden. It is a very large park (200 acres) with two entrances. You want to head to the Google map pin for "Lake Cunningham Native Garden".

We follow City of San Jose guidelines for volunteering during the pandemic: face covering and social distancing. Bring your own bucket and a weeding hoe (and knee pad, if you prefer that). Wear a face covering, hat, gloves, sturdy garden shoes. Bring plenty of fluids and hydrate often. We start with a 5-minute orientation, then walk to the site, so please be on time.

First-timers: Bring a signed waiver form available at https://lakecunninghamnativegarden.files.wordpress.com/2022/01/2021-volunteer-service-agreement-adoptapark-version.pdf

Workdays are sometimes rescheduled or canceled. Always RSVP to confirm, and check the latest updates Friday night. If you can't make it, please change your RSVP so we know and wait-listers get a chance.

[3] Radhika Thekkath on KQED Radio - Wildflowers and Superblooms
Monday, April 10, 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM (tentative)
https://www.kqed.org/forum/

Our chapter president, Radhika Thekkath is going to be on KQED Radio Forum on the morning of April 10 from 9 AM - 10 AM. She is going to talk with host Alex Madrigal about wildflowers, super-blooms, and responsible viewing of our natural spaces. You can listen to it live via the link above, or later when the podcast link is available.

[4] Wildflower Mimicry by Barnali Ghosh
Wednesday, April 26, 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Location: Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District offices, Board Room
5050 El Camino Real, Los Altos

Co-sponsored by Midpen and the CNPS Santa Clara Valley chapter
In 2021, Berkeley-based designer Barnali Ghosh started a new pandemic project: taking photographs of herself dressed as California native flowers, centering the brown body and using South Asian fabrics and dance forms. The images took the native plant world by storm. Ghosh will share the backstory of these viral images, and how the project helped her find belonging in the native plant community and beyond.

Barnali Ghosh is an immigrant artist, landscape architect, and co-founder of the award-winning Berkeley South Asian Radical History Walking Tour. Her work attempts to bridge homes and homelands, and create spaces for belonging. Find her on instagram at @berkeleywali and www.barnalighosh.art
RSVP if possible to ykishimoto @ openspace.org for planning purposes.

Here are some events from other chapters and organizations:

[5] Explorer Hike: Early Spring Blooms - by Midpen
Wednesday, April 5, 10:30 AM - 2:30 PM
https://www.openspace.org/events/guided-activities/explorer-hike-early-spring-blooms
Location: Windy Hill Preserve

Join Docent Naturalists Mary Brunkhorst, Kate Bauer, and Dennis Smith as you search for wildflowers in the lower portion of this preserve. You'll hike at a leisurely pace through mixed evergreen forest along the Betsy Crowder, Meadow, and Eagle trails. You’ll enjoy lunch along Corte Madera Creek before returning via the Hamms Gulch and Spring Ridge trails.

[6] Connecting with Nature - by Midpen
Wednesday, April 5, 12:30 PM - 4:00 PM
https://www.openspace.org/events/guided-activities/connecting-nature
Location: Monte Bello Preserve

Enjoy the many benefits of being outdoors with Docent Naturalists Catherine Crawford-Swent and Ann McCarty. You'll explore interconnections within the natural world while deepening your own relationship with the environment using simple mindfulness and qi gong practices. The first mindfulness activity will be overlooking a valley where the North American and Pacific tectonic plates meet. Join us and witness how nature may transform you.

[7] What is Earth Day?: A Virtual Investigation - by Open Space Authority
Friday, April 7, 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/what-is-earth-day-a-virtual-investigation-tickets-590566750047

Earth Day is coming up soon on April 22nd! Join us for this Zoom webinar as we take a close look at what Earth Day is and why it is important to take time to celebrate the Earth. We will also talk about some Earth-friendly practices you can try out this April as well as fun events coming up this month where you can give back to the Earth.

[8] Wildflower Hike at Little Uvas Open Space Preserve - by Open Space Authority
Saturday, April 8, 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/wildflower-hike-at-little-uvas-open-space-preserve-tickets-590571283607

Spring is here and the flowers are blooming! Join us for a springtime exploration at Little Uvas Open Space Preserve. This preserve offers about 2-miles of serpentine soil, mixed oaks, grey pines, and open meadows with a variety of unique native wildflowers. For this hike please bring snacks, water, sun protection, and comfortable hiking shoes.

[9] Overlook Trail Habitat Restoration: Thistle Removal - by Midpen
Saturday, April 8, 9:30 AM - 1:30 PM
https://volunteer.openspace.org/need/detail/?need_id=779209
Location: El Sereno Open Space Preserve

Join Midpen staff for a fun workday of removing invasive Italian and yellow star thistles on the Overlook trail. Staff will provide training on plant identification, removal techniques, and education about why we want to remove this species from our local landscape. This project is an excellent opportunity for first-time volunteers!

[10] Vernal Pools of the Central Valley
Monday, April 10, 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM
https://www.cnps.org/event/vernal-pools-of-the-central-valley

Vernal pools are special seasonal wetlands that can be found in many places around the world, but those found in California present amazing floral displays that aren't found anywhere else in the world. This talk will examine why California vernal pools are so special, with an emphasis on pools found in the Central Valley. We'll take a look at their geological and hydrological characteristics, examine some of the rare and endangered animals that are found in them, discuss the importance of native pollinators, and look at examples of the unique wildflowers that inhabit the pools and their surrounding grasslands.

[11] Trashy Tuesdays Cleanup! - by Keep Coyote Creek Beautiful
Tuesday, April 11, 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/trashy-tuesdays-cleanup-registration-565942197347
Location: Tully Ballfields 800 Tully Rd San Jose, CA 95111

Spend a couple of hours to work together for a healthy creek while we beautify the Coyote Creek trail and the creek through a community cleanup at the Tully Ballfields. Celebrate the Earth by improving the environment and enjoying nature!

Questions about any of the events? Do not reply to this email - instead, please direct your questions to: info @ cnps-scv.org.

For more information about chapter activities, be sure to check the latest Blazing Star and our chapter website - cnps-scv.org. We also recommend joining our Meetup group to receive a notification when we schedule new activities, including field trips.  Not a member of CNPS yet? Join here.

California Native Plant Society, Santa Clara Valley Chapter
Find us on the web at cnps-scv.org, and follow us on Facebook, Meetup, Instagram, and Twitter.