Upcoming CNPS SCV Events and Activities - Aug 4, 2026
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CNPS-SCV News
Aug 4, 2026, 3:13:25 PM (4 days ago) Aug 4
to CNPS-SCV News
Dear Friends,
Check out our chapter's upcoming events:
[1] Chapter Events
(a) Kirk Park: An Inspiring Native Plant Pollinator Garden, a talk by Kathy Kleinsteiber, Michelle Deandrea and Stephanie Morris
Sunday, Aug 16 · 3:00 PM to 4:30 PM
Location: Los Gatos Library, 100 Villa Ave, Los Gatos
Are you hoping to attract more pollinators to your garden? Would you like to see California native plants in your local park? Start planning now so you are ready to plant this fall. Come be inspired by the thriving plants at Kirk Park in San Jose and the volunteers behind this local habitat gem. We will share photos and stories of the garden as we take you behind the scenes to explain the garden’s origins and how it has evolved into the monarch butterfly and pollinator hub it is today, with plants supporting pollinators through all seasons of the year. Learn also how this neighborhood park continues to expand and how local volunteers plant, prune and maintain the garden.Kathy Kleinsteiber founded the Kirk Park Native Plant Pollinator Garden with the goal of improving biodiversity in her neighborhood and beyond. Her passion for nature and deep respect for the environmental sciences led her to her role creating, and assisting others to create, pollinator gardens in public parks.Michelle Deandrea is a regular volunteer at the Kirk Park Native Plant Pollinator Garden. She is passionate about the incorporation and artistic pruning of native plants in landscaped gardens to both beautify and boost community ecosystems.Stephanie Morris is a landscape architect who designs creative, functional and ecological pollinator gardens with California Native Plants. She enjoys giving presentations about special native plant gardens in our area, such as this one at Kirk Park.
(b) Informal Social Hour
Sunday, Aug 16 · 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM
Location: Civic Center Lawn, 100 Villa Ave, Los Gatos
After the library talk, continue the fun with fellow CNPS members at an informal social gathering at Los Gatos Music in the Park. Miko Marks will perform on the Civic Center Lawn, directly in front of the library, from 5:00–7:00 pm. Bring an appetizer or beverage to share (alcoholic beverages are permitted in the park), and we will walk over together after the talk. It’s a great opportunity to enjoy live music and connect with fellow native plant enthusiasts!
[2] Advance Announcements
(a) Online Plant Sale - Coming Soon!
Monday, Aug 17 and Tuesday, Aug 18
A CNPS SCV Nursery online plant sale will be held Aug 17 and 18 with scheduled pickup on Saturday, Aug 22 at the CNPS Nursery. Please do not purchase plants from this sale if you are not able to schedule a pickup time on Saturday, Aug 22. On Aug 17 and 18, you can go to the online store and make your purchases: CNPS SCV Nursery Online Store.
[3] 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, Aug 5 and Monday, Aug 10, 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) Edgewood Restoration
Wednesday Aug 5 · 5:30 pm
Friday Aug 7 · 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
Sunday, Aug 9 · 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 section of the park off Bethany Ave. We have planted more than 200 native plants over the last couple of years.Activities depend on the season. We start planting in late fall after the first rain and continue into the winter months as needed. Spring is the time for controlling weeds and taking care of the young saplings. During the summer and early fall, we irrigate/ water the plants, prune established plants and sheet mulch adjacent areas in preparation for planting.
(d) Habitat Restoration at Cunningham Park
Saturday, Aug 8 · 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 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, Aug 8 · 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!
[4] Other Chapters & Organizations
(a) Nature & The Gift Economy (Midpen)
Friday, Aug 7 · 9:30 am to 1:30 pm
Location: Long Ridge Preserve, La Honda
Trees offer fruit freely to animals, rivers provide water to the land, and ecosystems flourish through interdependence rather than individual ownership. This is reciprocity, a gift economy. Join Docent Naturalists Bobbie Riedel and Interpretive Specialist Katie Renz as you explore some of the ways nature distributes wealth and, in doing so, ensures survival. On this moderately-paced hike, you’ll hike the Long Ridge and Peters Creek trails with a stop at the Wallace Stegner bench. Bring a lunch for a conversation about how nature can show us a more sustainable, just, and community-oriented way of living.
(b) The Canvas of Nature (Grassroots Ecology)
Friday Aug 7 · 5:30 pm - 8:30 pm
Location: Pearson-Arastradero Preserve, Palo Alto
Join us for an evening of art and activity. Participants walk between 2.5 -3 miles on a guided walk while exploring Pearson-Arastradero Preserve through photography, watercoloring, and drawing. We will be observing and learning about the native plant species and wildlife that inhabit the preserve's landscapes as we capture their beauty through art.
(c) Flowers: Up Close & Personal (Midpen)
Saturday Aug 8 · 9:00 am - 12:00 pm
Location: Long Ridge Preserve, La Honda
Dust off your magnifying loupe—and your high school biology!—to get a hands-on look at the reproductive strategies of some familiar summer wildflowers on this leisurely-paced hike along the Skyline-to-the Sea Trail. Led by Docent Naturalists Frances Reneau and Paula Maurano, you’ll likely see an abundance of species, likely including ceanothus, manzanitas, lupines, and California poppies displaying their “come hither” reproductive organs to the pollinators. What is the purpose of the diverse array of colors, sizes and shapes, if not just to delight our eyes? (Note: A couple of magnifying loupes may be available but please bring your own if you have one.)
(d) Beautiful Local and Non-local California Native Plants for Your Garden: With Thoughts About the Role of Gardens and Assisted Migration (CNPS - Santa Cruz)
Monday Aug 10 · Plant ID 5:30 pm - 7:00 pm; Talk - 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Location: Cabrillo College, Aptos
A talk by Bart O’Brien, Director of the Tilden Regional Parks Botanic Garden. Beautiful Local and Non-local California Native Plants for Your Garden with Thoughts about the Role of Gardens and Assisted Migration. Don’t miss this sure-to-be fun presentation by this leader in the field, recognized for his extensive knowledge, commitment, and enthusiasm for native plants!He is the co-author of California Native Plants for the Garden and has written widely on the subject. “Bart’s contributions have been recognized with numerous awards, including the President’s Award from CNPS, in 2006 and 2010. He was named Man of the Year by California Garden Clubs, Inc. in 2007. He earned the Horticulturist of the Year Award from the Southern California Horticultural Society in 2005.
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