Upcoming CNPS SCV Events and Activities - Aug 26, 2025

[CNPS-SCV News]

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

[1] TONIGHT - Native Plant ID - Onagraceae
Tuesday Aug 26, 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Location: Peninsula Conservation Center (Raptor Suite on the 1st floor), 3921 E. Bayshore Road, Palo Alto
https://www.meetup.com/california-native-plant-society-santa-clara-valley-chapter/events/310604344/

This session will focus on Onagraceae (Evening Primrose) since we ran out of time last month. With hundreds of taxa, these families contain some of the most well-known plants in California. If you have any samples of plants from this family, please bring them to the meeting.

Native Plant ID is a Chapter group that works together to learn plant identification using botanical keys and other resources. Join us as we look at plant samples collected from local gardens and practice methods of identifying the native plants of our region. Bring in plant samples if you have some from a property where you have permission to collect or just come and work with the materials provided. We use the current edition of The Jepson Manual as well as other plant guides, and we have copies to share. If you have them, bring your own favorite guide and a hand lens. Microscopes will also be available. The group meets at 7:00 PM on the fourth Tuesday of each month. For more information please contact Janet Hoffmann at janet @ cnps-scv.org.

 

[2] 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] Habitat Restoration at Lake Cunningham
Saturday Aug 30, 8:00 am - 10:00 am
Location: Native Garden Parking Lot, Lake Cunningham - 2305 S. White Road, San Jose
https://www.meetup.com/california-native-plant-society-santa-clara-valley-chapter/events/310454609/

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.

 

[b] Habitat Restoration at Cataldi Park
Saturday Aug 30, 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/310455525/

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 in the summer include weeding, sheet mulching, watering, irrigation setup and general maintenance.
 

[c] Community Work Day at the Native Plant Garden in Kirk Park

Saturday, Aug 30, 9:00 am - 11:00 pm

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/310455889/

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.

 

[d] Friday Edgewood Restoration

Friday, Aug 29, 9:00 am - 12:00 pm
Location: Varies - join the email group to receive weekly notices
https://www.cnps-scv.org/events/calendar/eventdetail/11426/-/edgewood-restoration

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-warriors-coord @ friendsofedgewood.org.  

[e] Habitat Restoration at Alum Rock Park
Wednesday Aug 27, and Monday Sept 1 at 8:30 am
Location: Alum Rock Park, San Jose
https://www.cnps-scv.org/events/calendar/eventdetail/11740/-/alum-rock-park-restoration

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 ultratoddh @ gmail.com for more information and instructions on where to park.

  

Here is an event from Grassroots Ecology:

[3] Relocate natives away from demolition zone - by Grassroots Ecology

Thursday, Aug 28, 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Location: Redwood Grove Nature Preserve, 482 University Ave, Los Altos
https://www.grassrootsecology.org/event-calendar/2025/08/28/volunteer-redwood-grove-cottage-celebration

Join us to celebrate the history of the caretaker cottage before it is removed for safety reasons in September 2025! This two-part event will feature a volunteering session from 3-5pm to transplant native plants away from the demolition zone, and a celebration of the caretaker cottage from 5-6:30pm. Feel free to join us for just the volunteering portion, just the celebration, or both!