Upcoming CNPS SCV Events and Activities - June 10, 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] First Day of Summer Bird and Plant ID Walk at Lake Cunningham Park
Sunday, June 22, 9:00 am - 12:00 pm
Location: Lake Cunningham Park, 2305 S. White Rd, San Jose
https://www.meetup.com/california-native-plant-society-santa-clara-valley-chapter/events/307127633/

Note: RSVPs will open one week before the event.

With the onset of Summer, join us for a beginner's bird and plant identification walk through Lake Cunningham Park. This lake is a major destination for waterfowl and migratory birds and its native garden draws many birds due to its habitat value. On this walk, Vicki Silvas-Young will show you how to identify the common birds of our area, while Arvind Kumar will identify the native plants that they depend on for food and shelter.

The distance is 2 miles round-trip on a level path. Bring a hat, water, your bird and plant lists, and binoculars. Wear comfortable walking shoes. The parking fee is $6, to be purchased with either exact cash or credit card at a machine.

Directions: Meet at Parking Lot A on the east side of the park. The park's main entrance is located at 2305 S. White Road, San Jose. If you enter the park from S. White Road, enter the traffic circle ahead of you and exit the circle to your left, proceeding along the road until you get to Parking Lot A on your right. If you enter the park from Tully Road, turn right at the first stop sign and proceed along the road until you get to Parking Lot A, just past the Skate Park, on your left. In Google Maps, search for 37.337451, -121.804069 to be directed to Parking Lot A.

RSVP is required. RSVPs will open up one week before the event. Space is limited. No drop-ins, please.

Co-sponsored by CNPS, Santa Clara Valley Bird Alliance and Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority.

[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] Habitat Restoration at Lake Cunningham Park
Saturday June 14, 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/308373330/

Join us to restore habitat (weeding and mulching) in the Native Garden at Lake Cunningham Park.

[b] Community Work Day at Kirk Park
Saturday, June 14, 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/308045493/

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.

[c] Habitat Restoration at Cataldi Park
Saturday, June 14, 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/308044982/

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.

[d] Friday Edgewood Restoration
Friday, June 13, 9:00 am - 12:00 pm
Location: Varies - join the email group to receive weekly notices
https://www.cnps-scv.org/events/calendar/eventdetail/11415/-/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 is an event from Midpen:

[4] Butterflies of Sierra Azul - by Midpen
Friday, June 13, 10:00 am - 3:30 pm
Location: Sierra Azul Preserve, San Jose
https://www.openspace.org/events/guided-activities/butterflies-sierra-azul-4

Docent Naturalists Jan Hintermeister, Vivian Neou, Ray Curiel, and Sarah Schoen will be your traveling companions on this leisurely-paced excursion through varied habitats of Sierra Azul. You'll start by hiking the Bald Mountain and lower Mt. Umunhum trails. You'll then carpool/caravan to the Mt. Umunhum Summit for further exploration. Although the focus is on butterflies, you'll see many other plant and animal species on the shoulders and summit of this iconic peak.