Upcoming CNPS SCV Events and Activities - Mar 4, 2026
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CNPS-SCV News
Mar 4, 2026, 1:32:46 AMMar 4
to CNPS-SCV News
Dear Friends,
Check out our chapter's upcoming events:
[1] Plant Sale
Mar 9-10: Shop online
The CNPS SCV Nursery will conduct an online plant sale at the CNPS SCV Nursery Online Store starting Monday, March 9. We have a great stock of iris available – including the difficult-to-find Iris douglasiana ‘Canyon Snow.’ You can shop from the comfort of your home, and your plants will be ready for you at the Exchange. The store will close when either the pickup capacity is reached or at the end of the day on March 10, whichever occurs first.
Scheduled pickup from the plant sale will be available at the nursery on Friday, March 13 and during the Seed and Cutting Exchange at the Peninsula Conservation Center on Saturday, March 14.
[2] Field Trips
(a) South Slope Walk on San Bruno Mountain (South San Francisco)
Saturday, March 7, 2026 · 10:00 am - 3:00 pm
Location: San Bruno Mountain · South San Francisco
Join Chuck Heimstadt and Loretta Brooks to explore the less-visited south slopes of San Bruno Mountain, an area of grasslands important for endangered butterflies and several notable native plants including coast iris, coast rock cress, and San Francisco wallflower.The walk follows fire roads and informal trails and may involve steep or rocky terrain. Wear sturdy footwear and bring water and a snack or lunch.RSVP by email is required. No drop-ins; space is limited.
[3] Chapter Meetings
Scholarship Talks: Yuerong Xiao, Kekoa Nelson and B’Elanna Pho-Marrujo
Wednesday, Mar 4, 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Since 1999, our Chapter has awarded scholarships to support California native plant research by graduate and undergraduate students. Recipients of our 2025 - 2026 Research Scholarships will present an overview of their projects during this talk. The talk will be streamed on YouTube and Zoom. See the above Meetup link for details.
[4] Volunteers Needed
CNPS SCV is a volunteer-run organization. Please consider if you have time to keep events running smoothly by filling this vital role.
(c) Docents and Greeters needed for the 2026 Growing Natives Garden Tour
Saturday and Sunday, April 18 and 19, 10:00 am - 1:00 pm or 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm
GNGT 2026 needs volunteers to help bring this inspiring event to life. Join us to share your passion, learn from fellow gardeners, and celebrate the beauty of native landscapes. This year, the tour is showcasing nearly 60 gardens, most of them on Saturday, in the southern portion of the tour. Each day has two shifts to choose from. We still need at least 6 greeters on Saturday afternoon in the San Jose area (central and south).You can sign up for a Greeter or Docent role at the link above. The details of what is involved in each role can be found at https://gngt.org/GNGT/Greeters.php and https://gngt.org/GNGT/Docents.php.
[5] 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, Mar 4 and Monday, Mar 9, 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) Friday Edgewood Restoration
Friday Mar 6, 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
Saturday, Mar 7, 9:00 am – 11:00 am
Location: Cataldi Park — 1797 Bethany Ave, San Jose
Join us to restore habitat in Cataldi Park, San Jose, attendance to prepare it for the 2026 Growing Natives Garden Tour. 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.
(d) Habitat Restoration at Cunningham Park
Saturday, Mar 7, 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 winter months, we plant, water, weed, 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, Mar 7, 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!
[6] Other Chapters & Organizations
(a) Georeferencing Museum Specimens: Beginner's Course
Thursday March 5, 11:00 am - 2:00 pm PST
Location: online
This free, beginner-friendly online workshop introduces georeferencing, the process of turning written place descriptions into map coordinates like latitude and longitude. Participants will learn how this skill helps scientists use museum specimens - many collected before GPS existed—to make maps and study biodiversity. The three-hour session includes an hour of easy-to-follow instruction and hands-on activities to practice what you learn. Activities will focus on plant specimens from California, and no prior experience with maps or California geography is required - just curiosity and an interest in helping science.
(b) Hellyer County Park BioBlitz (Keep Coyote Creek Beautiful)
Sunday Mar 8, 9:00 am - 11:30 am
Location: Hellyer Park - Cottonwood Lake Entrance, 996 Hellyer Ave, Southwest trail entrance San Jose, CA 95111
A BioBlitz is an event that focuses on finding and identifying as many species as possible in a specific area over a short period of time. At a BioBlitz, scientists, families, students, teachers, and other community members work together to get an overall count of the plants, animals, fungi, and other organisms that live in a place.Located in the heart of San Jose, the park we will be at is a safe haven for many species of plants and animals right along Coyote Creek. Join Keep Coyote Creek Beautiful and partners in cataloging and documenting all of the wildlife that reside there. We will have experts in various fields to help guide participants through all the cool plants and wildlife.
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