Chapter meetings are open to the public; there is no charge. Come early and browse our books. Stay after the program for conversation and refreshments. We meet in the heart of San Diego, in Balboa Park, in Casa del Prado, room 101 or 104. Casa del Prado can be reached by car from Village Place off of Park Boulevard (served by the #7 bus), and is across from the west entrance of the Natural History Museum. The meeting room is handicapped accessible. (Balboa Park map and driving directions)

We usually carry a small selection of native plants at our monthly meetings. New members who sign up at the meeting will receive a free plant (if available)

New Feature at Chapter Meetings: 

7 - 7:30 pm

Mystery plants identified !

Bring your unknown plant and we will help you learn to identify it!

March 16, 2010 - A Conservation Puzzle: Members invited to hunt for San Diego thornmint

By Jonathan Snapp-Cook and Jessie Vinje

 In just a few short weeks the pink and white blooms of San Diego thornmint (Acanthomintha ilicifolia) will emerge from its green thorny foliage.  When surveying for this small annual you might feel the crunch of the crumbly clay soils or smell its wintergreen-like scent before seeing the plants. San Diego thornmint is limited in distribution to San Diego County and northwestern Baja California.  The species is only found on gently sloping clay lens habitat.  Jonathan Snapp-Cook will provide a virtual tour of some of the locations where this species is found and present the findings of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s 5-year Review for San Diego thornmint.  Jessie Vinje will provide a first hand account of her work managing San Diego thornmint on three North County preserves.  Jonathan also hopes to lure in volunteers to our spring search for thornmint with tales of populations of greater than 30,000 beautiful plants and unique clay lens habitats scarcely the size of a kitchen table.  If you already know that you want to volunteer for our chapter’s spring surveys for San Diego thornmint please contact Frank Landis at franklandis03@yahoo.com.

Biographies

Jonathan Snapp-Cook is a botanist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Carlsbad.  He is interested in hard to find endemics and vernal pool flora and fauna. 

Jessie Vinje is a preserve manager and botanist with the Center for Natural Lands Management.  She manages preserves in Carlsbad and Encinitas.

February 16, 2010 - Edible, Medicinal, Material, Ceremonial: Contemporary Ethnobotany of Southern California Indians
By Rose Ramirez and Deborah Small

Native plants were an incredibly important part of Indigenous people’s daily life. Many of those plants had profound importance to the intellectual, spiritual, and cultural vitality of California Indian people. This month’s presentation is an ethnobotanical calendar that documents the contemporary uses of twelve native plants. The presentation will include interviews, photographs, videos, and a multimedia presentation of southern California Indians as they gather, prepare, and use native plants. Don’t miss this important work.

Biography

Rose Ramirez is of Chumash descent, a California Indian basket weaver, photographer, and board member of the non-profit American Indian Channel, which documents the arts and culture of native peoples.

Deborah Small is an artist, photographer and professor of Visual and Performing Arts at California State University San Marcos and is the co-founder of the Indian Rock Native Garden Collaboration. She currently is working on a photographic book about southern California Indian basket weavers. For more see www.deborahsmall.wordpress.com

January 19, 2010 - Connecting Native Plants, People and Politics
by Ann Fege 

Native plants, nearby nature, and the work of CNPS are more important than ever, and this presentation will be a dialogue about the values of learning in nature and “playing” outdoors.  When people spend time “connecting to nature,” they are more likely to make personal lifestyle changes, participate in community projects, grasp the imperative of greenhouse gas reductions, and give political support for biodiversity.  When children spend time in nature and outdoor play, they are healthier and happier, develop their curiosity and creativity, get a sense of place, and learn about stewardship of the environment.  Locally, the San Diego Children and Nature Collaborative brings educators, ecologists, parents, community leaders and activists together and is inspired by local columnist Richard Louv, his book Last Child in the Woods, and the national “Children and Nature” movement. 

Biography

Anne Fege Ph.D., M.B.A, is co-founder of the San Diego Children and Nature Collaborative. Dr. Fege's thirty years of accomplishments in natural resources management encompass biodiversity and habitat conservation, wildfire ecology and education, urban forestry, wilderness management, wood energy research, community involvement, and nature education.  Fege is an adjunct professor in the Department of Biology at San Diego State University, Botany Research Associate at the San Diego Natural History Museum, a lifetime Girl Scout and volunteer, and retired Forest Supervisor of the Cleveland National Forest. 

November 17, 2009 -Update on San Diego’s Multiple Species Conservation Program
by Jared Underwood 

 San Diego County is home to many rare, threatened, and endangered species. On a national and global scale, the region has been identified as a major "hotspot" for biodiversity. It is also one of the most rapidly growing regions in the country. This combination of high biodiversity, large numbers of rare and unique species, and rapid urbanization has led to conflicts between growth and biological conservation. In the 1990s the County initiated a Multiple Species Conservation Program (MSCP) for unincorporated areas of the County. The goal of this program was to develop comprehensive conservation plans that would allow for the conservation of biodiversity and continued growth within the County. The North County Plan (Plan) expands the MSCP into the northwestern unincorporated areas of the County. In this presentation we will outline the goals, objectives, and polices of the Plan that will allow for the streamlining future development outside of proposed preserve areas and for the conservation of rare and endangered species within the proposed preserve system.

Biography

Jared Underwood began working with the County of San Diego Multiple Species Conservation Program (MSCP) in August of 2008. He currently is the lead planner/biologist for the MSCP North County Plan. He recently received a Ph.D. in Biology with a focus in Conservation Planning from Arizona State University and is excited to bring his passion for conservation to San Diego.
Jared has previously worked for the Arizona Game and Fish Department, Utah Department of Natural Resources, and the US Forest Service. In his spare time he enjoys surfing, scuba diving, hiking, and in general exploring the natural world around him.

October 20, 2009 - San Diego Canyonlands
by Eric Bowlby

Eric will talk about San Diego Canyonlands’ goals and programs and opportunities to support a vision of restoration and sustainable stewardship of San Diego’s unique habitats.  He will discuss current threats to wetlands and creek channels for the sake of flood control and solutions that could result in sustainable green infrastructure in the San Diego Region.

Biography

Eric Bowlby is a Massachusetts native who moved to San Diego in 1976 and earned Associates degrees in English and Computer Science from local Community Colleges.  He began his involvement in environmental issues in 1990 working to protect wetlands and other habitats along the San Diego River in western Mission Valley.  He became Coastal Committee Chair for the San Diego Chapter of Sierra Club in 1996 and served as Chair of the Chapter’s Executive Committee in 1999 and 2000.  He helped establish and build the Sierra Club’s San Diego Canyons Campaign from its inception in 1998 and in 2000 stepped down as chair to take a part time job managing the campaign.  He and the Canyons Steering Committee grew the campaign to three full time positions and established 40 new friends groups for canyons and creeks throughout San Diego.  In February 2008, with the Sierra Club’s blessing, Bowlby and the Steering Committee launched a new non-profit,  (San Diego Canyonlands, SDCL), dedicated to San Diego’s canyons. Bowlby was hired as Executive Director in August 2008.  Bowlby has also served for years on the City of San Diego Wetlands Advisory Board and the Open Space/Canyons Advisory Board.

September 22, 2009 - Save water....build habitat
by Mike Evans 

Many agencies and municipalities are introducing strict measures for mandatory water conservation, especially for outdoor use and landscape irrigation.  We are told about numerous ornamental plants that will "work" in the landscape to save water; plants which fit into the category "California Friendly."  The only plants that will truly use less irrigation water and also attract beneficial wildlife species are California native.  We will discuss why native plantings are the "friendliest" of the California Friendly" plants, and the crucial need before us to enhance and build wildlife habitat within the human environment.  

Biography
Mike Evans was born and raised in southern California.  In 1976, he co-founded Tree of Life Nursery, the largest native plant nursery in California. He has been active in many conservation, horticultural and botanical organizations.  He was past president (2005) of the International Plant Propagators Society, and past president (2001) of the California Society for Ecological Restoration.  He has been active in the California Native Plant Society, the California Botanical Society, and The Nature Conservancy and he served on the horticultural committee for The Jepson Manual project. He is on the board of the Donna O’Neill Land Conservancy in San Juan Capistrano, Casa Romantica Cultural Center in San Clemente, the San Juan Capistrano Historical Society, and the Reserve at Rancho Mission Viejo.

July 21, 2009 - Finding Connection in Nature
by John Muir Laws

Naturalist, educator and artist John (Jack) Muir Laws delights in exploring the natural world and sharing this love with others. For six years, John Muir Laws backpacked the Sierra Nevada to research and illustrate The Laws Guide to the Sierra Nevada, a richly illustrated (2,710 original watercolor paintings), pocket‐size field guide to over 1,700 species found in the Sierra Nevada. This guide helps visitors or residents of the Sierra understand and appreciate the biodiversity of the region.
Laws will present an illustrated lecture about the natural history of the Sierra Nevada, and the process of creating a field guide. This engaging program will highlight some of the beautifully and amazing species in the Sierra and the relationships between them. Laws will also discuss some of the conservation challenges in the Sierra Nevada and what stewards of nature are doing to confront them.

Biography
Naturalist, educator and artist John (Jack) Muir Laws delights in exploring the natural world and sharing this love with others. For six years, John Muir Laws backpacked the Sierra Nevada to research and illustrate The Laws Guide to the Sierra Nevada, a pocket size field guide to over 1,700 species found in the Sierra Nevada. The guide includes 2,710 original watercolor paintings was reviewed by educators, naturalists, and scientists throughout the country, and was intensively field tested by adults and youth. This guide helps visitors or residents of the Sierra understand and appreciate the biodiversity of the region. This comprehensive and easy to use guide allows botanists to identify the insects that come to their flowers, birders to identify the trees in which the birds perch, or hikers to identify the stars overhead at night. Laws is deeply committed to stewardship of nature and collaborates with organizations throughout the state to this end. He is currently coordinating efforts to create a standards based sixth through eighth grade curriculum to help teachers convey a love of nature and an understanding of biodiversity to their students through field studies and nature sketching. As a part of this project, he is working secure funding to donate sets of field guides to every middle and high school in the Sierra Nevada. Laws has worked as an environmental educator for over 25 years in California, Wyoming, and Alaska. He teaches classes on natural history, conservation biology, scientific illustration, and field sketching. He is trained as a wildlife biologist and is an associate of the California Academy of Sciences. His illustrations capture the feeling of the living plant or animal, while also including details critical for identification. In the summer of 2004, Laws published Sierra Birds: a Hiker's Guide. He is also a regular contributor to Bay Nature magazine with his "Naturalists Notebook" column.

June 16, 2009 - Native Landscape Myths and Legends
by Greg Rubin

This presentation challenges much of the conventional wisdom surrounding native plants with lots of photographic examples.  Greg also looks at many of the "Do's" and "Don'ts" of successful nativescapes, including an analysis of a huge, failing native installation (sorry, no names will be divulged).  Bring your questions.

Biography
Greg Rubin, owner of California's Own Native Landscape Design, started working with native plants back in 1985, while renovating his parent's home in Chatsworth, CA. Although educated and subsequently employed in a successful engineering career, Greg maintained a fascination with natives based on this early experience. Soon, he was landscaping for friends and family on weekends and holidays. Demand continued to rise, and by 1993, Greg was able to start his successful and unusual landscaping business. Since that time, his company has designed over 500 native landscapes in San Diego County.

Greg has been featured in a number of periodicals including the North County Times, Union Tribune, and magazines such as Sunset, San Diego Home and Garden, San Diego Reader, and California Gardener. Media coverage includes appearances on KGTV, KUSI, and KFMB. He has also been a repeat guest on KPBS radio’s These Days with Tom Fudge. Greg regularly gives presentations on native plants to garden clubs and other organizations throughout San Diego County.

May 19, 2009 -Real California Natives: Experience the food, drink and medicine
by Kristie Orosco

The indigenous people of San Diego County have been using native plants for many thousands of years. These plants have significant meaning and are still commonly used for food, drink and medicine. This month’s presentation is a special opportunity for all of us to experience what many native people already know. Our meeting will begin with tasting three food items including Shaawii (acorn pudding), miners lettuce and chia seed mix.  We will also enjoy Manzanita berry tea, lemonade berry tea and chia energy drinks. And we will learn about and experience the medicinal use of elderberry, mistletoe wash and oak gall wash. Please note that some foods may be substituted, depending on harvest abundance and seasonal availability; however, every effort will be made to make the above mentioned plants and foods available.
All of us will be able to sample various items and learn a little about how they are prepared and used from the people whose ancestors have been appreciating native plants for a very long time.

Biography

Kristie Orosco is a member of the Kumeyaay Tribe and has lived on the San Pasqual Indian Reservation all of her life.  The Kumeyaay Tribe is the Indigenous Community of San Diego, who’s aboriginal territory spans from Northern Baja California to the San Dieguito/Margarita watersheds.  The San Pasqual Indian Reservation is situated in a coastal sage scrub and oak woodland community; this is where Kristie’s plant knowledge and inspiration was born.  Kristie’s interest in ethno-botany began over 20 years ago and continues today.  This interest in native plants and the environment has flowed over into her career path.  Since 1994 Ms. Orosco has manifested her life’s passion by working in the Tribal Environmental Protection field.   For ten years Kristie has been a Board Member of the Native American Environmental Protection Coalition.  Ms. Orosco has accomplished many projects and most currently is the Environmental Director for a local Tribal Government.   Her current position is gives her the opportunity to manage projects such as:  Development of a Tribal Sustainability Plan, Implementing a River Restoration Project, a Native Plant Trail and Interpretive Center project, management of a 150+ acre Endangered Species Habitat Preserve, Cultural Resources Protection Program,  Extensive Environmental Education Outreach and many others.    It is a goal of Ms. Orosco to advocate for the protection of San Diego’s rich biological diversity; because she is confident that this will compliment the protection of the cultural tradition and heritage of San Diego’s indigenous peoples.

April 21, 2009 - Native Treasures: Plant Encounters in the California Outback
by Nevin Smith

Nevin Smith has spent his entire life growing plants in California and exploring its wild landscape with a passion. Our speaker this month will present a personal account of the joys and challenges of exploring the California landscape, working with its native plant treasures, and bringing them to California gardeners.
Mr. Smith has been one of California’s most respected nurserymen for over 30 years. Currently he is Director of Horticulture at Suncrest Nurseries in Watsonville. He has selected, named and introduced numerous native plants familiar to many of us.
Please join us for this important presentation from one of the most respected horticulturalists in the industry.

March 17, 2009 - Nature as the Enemy: A discussion of proposals to masticate, burn, and graze native plant communities in the name of “fire safety.”
by Rick Halsey

The cost of viewing chaparral as fuel. This remarkable stand of manzanita chaparral in the Cleveland National Forest that was featured on the Fall 2007 cover of the California Native Plant Society’s quarterly journal Fremontia was masticated by the USFS in 2008. The mastication shown above continues around a Coulter pine tree plantation. The area is miles away from any community

Rather than dealing comprehensively with wildfire risk, many local governments are promoting vegetation “clearance” strategies that seriously compromise protected wildlands, challenge the integrity of habitat conservation plans, and increase the spread of invasive species. Some San Diego County officials have expressed the desire to exempt such vegetation “treatments” from the California Environmental Quality Act. Under the federal Healthy Forests Restoration Act, millions of dollars are spent to “treat acres” rather than dealing with fire risk where it would be most effective, immediately around and within human communities. Please join us as we discuss threats posed to California’s native plant communities by misguided fuel treatment projects and what you can do to help protect San Diego County’s native plants from unwise land use policies.

Feb 17, 2009 - San Clemente Island Habitat Recovery
by Jonathan Dunn

San Clemente Island, which is home to several rare and endemic plant and animal species, is also managed by the US Navy as an alternative landing field and training facility. Unmanaged grazing by feral goats during the last century caused extensive damage to the island's unique biota. During the last two decades the Navy has invested considerable effort on San Clemente Island to assist the recovery of endangered species and stabilize the island's damaged ecosystems. Jonathan Dunn, currently a biologist at EDAW, is a former project manager for the San Clemente Island Native Habitat Restoration Program. Jonathan will present a status review of habitat and species recover projects undertaken by the Navy in recent years on the island.

Biography - Jonathan Dunn is a native San Diegan with fifteen years of experience in the field of native plant conservation. Jonathan has planned and the directed the implementation of large scale habitat restoration projects on San Clemente Island, the Mojave desert, and coastal San Diego county and has participated on multidisciplinary endangered species recovery teams.  Jonathan has broad experience in the collection of native seed for habitat restoration and plant conservation and has studied seed conservation practices at the Millennium Seed Bank in Wakehurst, England. Jonathan is currently working as a plant ecologist for EDAW, and he is the former manager of the CRES Botanical Conservation Center and Native Seed Gene Bank.

Jan 20, 2009 - The Right Plant in the Right Place:California Natives for Particular Landscape Situations
by Dan Songster

Many of our natives have wide landscape potential, others a more narrow application and some can be used in unexpected ways! Some of the plants discussed will fit into one of the situations you have in your home garden, or you may see ways to use natives you have not considered before.

For instance, do you have a slope in that you wish covered in durable, drought tolerant plants? Is there a section of your yard that is always dry and you really need a plant that can live with rainwater alone and still be gorgeous? Are you contemplating using a native tree and wonder if you have the room or the right situation? Need a hedge or a screen plant between you and your neighbor? Simply looking for fragrance and color for use in a Mediterranean style bed? No problem! Many examples of our versatile natives will be touched on during Dan’s presentation.

Biography - Dan Songster
Co-Director of the Golden West College Native Garden, Huntington Beach.
Board Member, Orange County Chapter of the California Native Plant Society
Active on the state level of CNPS, currently serving on the CNPS Horticulture Committee.
Employed in landscape design, installation, and maintenance for over 30 years. California native plants emphasized since 1978.
Interests other than gardening with natives include Surfing, hiking, reading (writing), and family!

Photo: Christina Beresford grinding Q. kelloggii

Biography

Ken Hedges is Webmaster, Publications Editor, and a former curator of the San Diego Museum of Man. He graduated from Mount Miguel High School, Spring Valley, California, in June 1961, and received his BA (1966) and MA (1970) Degrees from San Diego State University, where his thesis title was An Analysis of Diegueño Pictographs.

 Ken is the author of Santa Ysabel Ethnobotany, based on fieldwork with his collaborator, Christina Beresford, now deceased, who was one of the last Northern Diegueño individuals to have an extensive knowledge of native plant uses. Published in 1986 and continuously in print since that time, the book has become minor classic since few studies of  Kumeyaay/Diegueño ethnobotany have been done. In 1997 Ken published Fibers and Forms, a comprehensive overview of American Indian basketry of the west, from Alaska to the Mexican border. He has authored over 100 published papers, edited volumes, books, and reports on Native American rock art, shamanism, archaeoastronomy, ethnobotany, Southwestern ceramics, American Indian basketry, and other topics.

Oct 21, 2008 - Nursery grown native plants: What are the implications for our local ecology
by Jonathan Dunn and Mike Evans

The introduction of some nursery grown native plant material into the local ecosystem has recently received significant attention from industry experts. Many believe that nursery grown plant materials can actually disrupt and damage the gene pool of local species.

This month the San Diego CNPS will host 2 experts on the subject in a forum moderated by a volunteer CNPS board member.
Mike Evans, co-founder of Tree of Life Nursery and Jonathan Dunn former Manager of the CRES Seed Bank will share their perspectives on the risks and the benefits of nursery grown materials.

Biographies

Jonathan Dunn is a native San Diegan with fifteen years of experience in the field of native plant conservation. Jonathan has planned and the directed the implementation of large scale habitat restoration projects on San Clemente Island, the Mojave Desert, and coastal San Diego County and has participated on multidisciplinary endangered species recovery teams.  Jonathan has broad experience in the collection of native seed for habitat restoration and plant conservation and has studied seed conservation practices at the Millennium Seed Bank in Wakehurst, England. Jonathan is currently working as a plant ecologist for EDAW, and he is the former manager of the CRES Botanical Conservation Center and Native Seed Gene Bank.

Mike Evans was born and raised in southern California.  In 1976, he co-founded Tree of Life Nursery, the largest native plant nursery in California. He has been active in many conservation, horticultural and botanical organizations.  He was past president (2005) of the International Plant Propagators Society, and past president (2001) of the California Society for Ecological Restoration.  He has been active in the California Native Plant Society, the California Botanical Society, and The Nature Conservancy and he served on the horticultural committee for The Jepson Manual project. He is on the board of the Donna O’Neill Land Conservancy in San Juan Capistrano, Casa Romantica Cultural Center in San Clemente, the San Juan Capistrano Historical Society, and the Reserve at Rancho Mission Viejo.

Sept 16, 2008 - California Native Plants for the Garden
by Bart O'Brien


San Diego County is home to more native plant species than any other county in the U.S. Climate, geography, and geology play prominent roles in this remarkable diversity. Water quality and supply issues, wildfires, drought, and a remarkably equable climate that is periodically marred by devastating freezes – these are just a few of the horticultural realities facing gardeners in and around San Diego. Not surprisingly, the native plants are up to these challenges – and most are beautiful and easily grown. The challenge may be obtaining these regionally-adapted gems as they are not as readily grown in the majority of the state of California. Our speaker will focus on some of the well-known and lesser-known species and cultivars of southern-most California and northwestern Baja California, Mexico (the mediterranean-climate area) that are ideal for local gardens.

Biography
Mr. O'Brien is Director of Horticulture at the Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden in Claremont, Los Angeles County. The 86-acre garden boasts the largest cultivated collection of native Californian plants with 70,000 plants representing 2,000 species, hybrids, and cultivars.

Bart has a Master of Landscape Architecture from Harvard and is the current President of the Southern California Horticultural Society.

He collaborated on The Landscaping Guidelines and Plant Palettes for the Los Angeles River, recently adopted by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors. He is also co-author of California Native Plants for the Garden.

July 15, 2008 - Invasive Plant Studies
by Carl Bell

Invasive plant species have invaded our local habitat. This week is Invasive Weed Awareness Week and CNPSSD is pleased to host Carl Bell as he presents the latest research on the biology and ecology of pest species and discusses educational methodologies and natural resource policy issues related to invasive plants. Special emphasis will be made on the unique issues related to habitat recovery after the recent wildfires.

Biography
Carl E. Bell is the Regional Advisor of Invasive Plants from the University of California Comparative Extension. He is responsible for extension research and outreach in six southern California Counties (San Diego, Orange, Los Angeles, Riverside, Ventura, and San Bernardino). Clientele for this position are land owners/land managers of public and private properties. The focus is on non-native plants that have invaded natural habitats.
He received his Bachelor’s Degree in Biology and his Masters Degree in Botany from California State University, Long Beach.

June 17, 2008 - Cacti and Agaves and Yuccas of California and Nevada
by Stephen Ingram - An accomplished photographer and botanist

Accomplished photographer and botanist Stephen Ingram's multimedia program will cover some of the unique attributes of the cactus and agave families, and highlight what makes these plants such intriguing components of our plant communities.
The program will also showcase some of the species and varieties that occur in California's deserts and coastal areas.
Books and photo note cards of Stephen's will be available to purchase following the presentation.

Biography
Stephen Ingram is a native Californian with a long interest in plants and plant ecology. He
received a B.S. degree in biology from Lewis and Clark College, and an M.A. degree in botany
from the University of California, Santa Barbara. Following graduate school, Stephen was
employed as part of the Research Department at Selby Botanical Gardens in Sarasota, Florida,
managing the herbarium and working on an epiphyte flora of Monteverde, Costa Rica. He has
also worked as a botanical consultant doing rare plant surveys in the Eastern Sierra and the
Mojave Desert. Stephen is past president of the Bristlecone Chapter of CNPS. His photos have
been used in numerous books, magazines, and calendars and you can see more of his images at
www.ingramphoto.com.

Jon Rebman Ph.D. is Curator of Botany at the San Diego Natural History Museum. His research interests include the systematics of the cactus family, as well as the flora of San Diego and Imperial counties, and Baja California.

Mary Ann Hawke Ph.D. is the Project Director of the San Diego County Plant Atlas
She is a plant ecologist interested in assessing ecological health in arid lands, and studying the effects of climate change on our local flora.

April 15 , 2008 - Healthy Backyard Habitat: Encouraging birds and butterflies with a native plant garden
By Mel Hinton and David Kimball

This presentation demonstrates how to make a California garden into a slice of natural landscape that requires minimal maintenance, conserves water and best of all attracts wildlife.
This bird friendly habitat has the right mix of native plants and the three things all birds need: food, water and shelter. By using California native plants there will be fewer insect and disease problems and best of all, birds and butterflies are naturally drawn to these plants. This program is designed to get you started on planning your own native plant garden - one that benefits both people and wildlife.

Biographies

Mel Hinton had a career as an airline pilot flying for TWA. Seeing the impact of development and pollution across the country from 33,000 feet made him a conservationist and after retiring he decided to do something about the problem. He joined the San Diego Audubon Society (SDAS) and became a member of their Board of Directors in 2002 and president in 2005. As an active Audubon volunteer he has been involved in a number of conservation issues including coastal sage scrub restoration and environmental advocacy.

David Kimball is on the Board of SDAS and has been an active gardener for many years. He manages the restoration program at Sunset Cliffs Natural Park and has worked on several other habitat restoration projects. He is Co-chair of the Friends of Famosa Slough in Point Loma and has been instrumental in the restoration effort of this wetland. David is a Stanford graduate and was an Engineering Manager at Lockheed Martin Corporation.

March 18, 2008 - Insects: One of Nature's Helpers in Plant Reproduction

by Michael Klein
When we think about insects and their relationship with plants we usually think about butterflies or bees gathering pollen or nectar and enjoy watching them go about their daily routine. But Nature has developed a long standing relationship with plants and the insects which pollinate them. Things like flower color or smell or blooming time all go into who and when pollination takes place. Even the shape of pollen grains is an integral part of the strategies plants use for their ability to reproduce. Mr. Klein will introduce you to some of the basics that go into a very complex world between plants and their pollinators.

Biography
Michael Klein is a biologist within the San Diego Region with a love for butterflies and other insects. Over forty years he has spent time on and off learning and experiencing butterflies. Within the past decade he has developed an interest in our natural habitats and has started to look at some of the pollination strategies that make up our unique ecosystems. He is currently studying the pollination of two sensitive plants in San Diego, Lakeside Ceanothus and San Diego Thornmint.

February 19, 2008 - Death Valley - 1998 "Wildflower Year of the Century

by Rosemary Foster

The El Nino rains of 1997-1998 brought a record 5.8 inches of rainfall to DeathValley. The rains were spaced just far enough apart to ensure an extensive growth period and continuous bloom for much of the Death Valley flora. Rosemary Foster, an accomplished horticulturalist and past President Monterey Bay Chapter of CNPS was there and will be sharing her impressions and her photographs with us.

Biography
Rosemary Foster studied horticulture and botany at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo and is a horticultural consultant in Carmel. Her current projects include compiling and editing a collection of Lester Rowntree’s articles on the horticultural use of California native plants for publication by CNPS. Her bibliography of Lester Rowntree’s periodical publications (720 entries) was recently published by UC Press in the reprint of Rowntree’s Hardy Californians.

January 15, 2008 -  "Designing California Native Gardens" Book Signing, Slide Show and Plant Sale
Presentation from Alrie Middlebrook, author and owner of Middlebrook Gardens, San Jose

The recently released book Designing California Native Gardens; the Plant Community Approach to Artful Ecological Gardens

Books will be available for sale and can be signed by the co-author, Alrie Middlebrook.

Many native plant nurseries will also be selling plants at the meeting.

Biography

Alrie Middlebrook is a committed advocate and practitioner of the sustainable lifestyle, respected landscape professional and California native plant specialist. Her San Jose, California-based build/design firm, Middlebrook Gardens, has installed over 150 California native gardens and remains on the leading edge of the rising sustainability movement.

She published the California native plant cook book, "Eating California" and co-authored the groundbreaking new book "Designing California Native Gardens; The Plant Community Approach to Artful, Ecological Gardens," with renowned field botanist, Dr. Glenn Keator. She produced the first full color glossy magazine focusing on sustainable construction and native gardening, "Green Heart," named after her regional newspaper column.

Middlebrook's native gardens are based on ecologically appropriate plant species and cutting edge sustainable technology and techniques. Advantages to a native garden include reduced costs, greater efficiency and ecological wellness. Her marketing and garden installation program, Lose The Lawn, offers low cost, simple solutions to "lose your lawn" and upgrade to a pesticide free, water saving, low maintenance native landscape. For more information please visit www.losethelawn.com.

Alrie Middlebrook is committed to educating the public and promoting sustainability through native gardening. Her many workshops and speaking engagements at diverse venues throughout the State of California have provided key forums promoting critical knowledge and understanding. Her support of community efforts to embrace sustainability has spawned recent projects like Granada Native Gardens, Guadalupe River Park and Gardens, River Street Historical Gardens and her co-founding of The California Native Garden Foundation.
For more information please visit www.cngf.org.
For more information on Alrie Middlebrook and Middlebrook Gardens, please visit www.middlebrook-gardens.com , www.losethelawn.com .

November 27 , 2007 -  "A Tour of San Diego County's Tallest Trees" Slide Show
by James Lightner author of San Diego County Native Plants
A book so popular, it's now in its second edition!

Books will be available for sale and book signing before and after the meeting.
A full-color photo guide to the county's plants, this book makes a great holiday present!

Fred Roberts will also be at the November meeting selling his original artwork of native plants which includes both pictures for the wall and holiday cards- another great gift idea and some of the proceeds benefit the native plants!!

October 16, 2007 - "Restoration of Coastal Sage Scrub in San Juan Capistrano"

by Marty McPhee of Park West Companies

Marty McPhee will describe the process of re-establishing a coastal sage scrub community on 75 acres of ridgeline on Reed Ranch that had been overgrazed by cattle for over 50 years. Elimination of the resulting infestation of invasive non-native weeds, primarily cardoon (Cynara cardunculus) and mustard (Brassica species), and the seed banks of these weeds, was an extreme challenge that was overcome in this project. Means & methods, trials & tribulations will be discussed!

September 18, 2007 - "Native Plant Fair"

by Greg Rubin, California’s Own Native Landscape Design

Native Plant Fair featuring a brand new presentation on Landscaping with California’s Native Plants by Greg Rubin.

Recon Native Plants, Native Plant Connection, Tree of Life Nursery, Las Pilitas, Moosa Creek and Cal-Native Plants Nurseries will have information tables set up.These expert nurseries specialize in sustainable home gardens and/or habitat restoration.

Biography:

Greg Rubin,owner of California's Own Native Landscape Design, started working with native plants back in 1985, while renovating his parent's home in Chatsworth, CA. Although educated and subsequently employed in a successful engineering career, Greg maintained a fascination with natives based on this early experience. Soon, he was landscaping for friends and family on weekends and holidays. Demand continued to rise, and by 1993, Greg was able to start his successful and unusual landscaping business. Since that time, his company has designed over 400 native landscapes in San Diego County.
Greg has been featured in a number of periodicals including the North County Times, Union Tribune, and magazines such as Sunset, San Diego Home and Garden, San Diego Reader, and California Gardener. Media coverage includes appearances on KGTV, KUSI, and KFMB. He has also been a repeat guest on KPBS radio's These Days with Tom Fudge. Greg regularly gives presentations on native plants to garden clubs and other organizations throughout San Diego County.
Noteworthy projects:
. Design and installation of the Los Angeles City Fire Department Training Center native fire-resistant landscape.
. Department of Homeland Security FEMA grant for design and installation of the Elfin Forest Fire Department firewise landscape.
. Design and installation of UCC Church native garden in La Mesa, CA.
. Wildflower meadow & shade garden at Live Oak Park in Fallbrook, CA, later featured in Sunset Magazine.
. Design and installation of the native landscape at the Rincon del Diablo Municipal Water District in Escondido, CA.
. The Lerner project, featured on KUSI's Garden Club series.
. Collaboration with Drew and James Hubbell on Shelter Island project.
. Design and specifications for Indian Health Services Santa Ysabel Medical Center landscape.
. Design collaboration and consultation for the Navy Medical Center's Healing Garden.
. Design of 2 acre native landscape at Indian Rock Park in Vista, CA.
. Rennovation of the large wolf enclosure for the California Wolf Center in Julian.
. Re-design of upper Point Loma Native Plant Preserve at Collier park.
. Design collaboration and maintenance for the Buena Vista Audubon Center in Oceanside.
. Shaw-Lopez residential green space in Sorrento Valley.
Workshop/Seminar List:
. University of California Cooperative Extension Master Gardener Program
Publication List:
. Spring 1998, Wild Garden Magazine "Creating a Successful Native Landscape".
April 2002, California Gardener Magazine "Why Should Natives Seem so Exotic?"

June 19, 2007 - "Mission Valley Preserve Pollinator Garden",

by Kym Hunter, San Diego River Park Foundation

Learn how the San Diego River Park Foundation, working with community groups, students, agencies, and private partners, is improving a wetland in the Mission Valley Preserve. Formerly dominated by weedy annual non-native plants, the group has brought back the native plants, with a focus on attracting pollinators, to create a pleasant community place in an area of the City that is currently lacking in park lands. Kym will also discuss progress made in organizing volunteer groups to care for the Point Loma Native Plant Garden.

May 15, 2007 - "Innovative Irrigation Systems for Native Plant Restoration",

by David Bainbridge, Marshall Goldsmith School of Management. Alliant International University

Author of the recently released “A Guide for Desert and Dryland Restoration”, David Bainbridge will discuss the ecology of desert plants, and proven techniques for restoring degraded arid regions.
 

Biography:
  ▪ David A. Bainbridge is active as a researcher, author and consultant in sustainable management.
  ▪ His work has taken him to China, Mexico, Belize, Portugal, Jordan and England. His articles have appeared in a wide range of journals – from Restoration Ecology to Agricultural Water Management to Resource Engineering and Technology for a Sustainable World, and Solar Today. He has written 11 books and 12 book chapters and more than 250 articles and reports.

  ▪ He is also active as a reviewer for proposals and programs (NSF, USDA, universities) and journals (Environmental Management, Natural Hazards, Restoration Ecology, Restoration and Management Notes, and many others).
  ▪ Past advisor: California Energy Commission, California Department of Transportation, National Affordable Housing Coalition.
 

April 17, 2007 - "The San Diego River Restoration Project in Lakeside: An Integrated Approach to Restoration",

by Robin Rierdan, Executive Director Lakeside’s River Park Conservancy
 

Lakeside's River Park Conservancy has embarked on an ambitious 100 acre restoration project along the San Diego River. Robin will describe the plan and progress towards creating and restoring a variety of habitats, including emergent wetlands, riparian, coastal sage, and a mix of grasslands.  Flood control and water quality are also integral to the project. 
 

March 20, 2007 - "Computer Aided Wildflower Species Identification",

by Ken Bowles
 

While assembling a portfolio of close-up digital photographs of San Diego's immensely diverse wildflowers, Ken Bowles found himself spending more time identifying the species in his photos than in all other activities combined. Therefore, Ken has used the Lucid3 software application to build a Multiple-Entry key for wildflowers of San Diego County, focusing first on the sunflower family (Asteraceae) and more recently on San Diego’s other wildflower families. The key supplements the use of the standard dichotomous key in the Jepson Manual. The presentation will show how to identify several obscure species using photographs. The Multiple-Entry keys are available for public use on Ken's website. Ken’s photos are also featured on the Plant Atlas home page.

The title refers back to "CAI" (Computer Aided Instruction) which used to be a big topic in universities and their computer centers. Ken was professor of computer science at UCSD from 1965 until 1984, and directed the main campus computer center during part of that. He started using computers for environmental monitoring (initially, radar probing of the ionized upper atmosphere) in 1950.

Ken Bowles grew up in a wildflower oriented family, then spent his career working with computers - first for atmospheric studies using radar, then teaching software engineering at UCSD. On retirement, he turned to close-up digital photographs of San Diego's immensely diverse wildflowers, and quickly found himself spending more time identifying species than in all other activities combined. Hoping to help others with similar ID problems, he built a website photo-based identification key modeled on a CD-Rom published by CNPS East-Bay chapter people. But the photos-only approach proved un-helpful for working with the larger botanic families, and the top-level dichotomous keys of the Jepson Manual not useful at all.

Eventually, to make progress with his Asteraceae (Sunflower) family photos, Ken turned to the "Lucid3" tool of Univ. Queensland, and built a Multiple-Entry (spreadsheet-like) key for the Asteraceae known to grow in San Diego County (per the SDNHM "Checklist"). The success of this approach was so dramatic that he has now turned to building a similar M-E key for most of our other wildflower families. This presentation will illustrate progress to date by showing identification of several obscure species from photographs. Both of these M-E keys are available for public use on Ken's website.

 

February 20, 2007 - "Guns & Roses – Adventures in Desert Restoration at the
U.S. Army National Training Center, Fort Irwin",

Michelle Cloud-Hughes
 

The Soil Ecology & Restoration Group at San Diego State University specializes in native plant revegetation and erosion control on government lands throughout southern California. For the past 15 years, SERG has been doing desert restoration and research in the central Mojave Desert at the U.S. Army's National Training Center, Fort Irwin. This presentation will focus on SERG's trials, tribulations, and successes with restoration in this harsh environment. Many photos of spectacular desert wildflowers will also be featured.

Michelle Cloud-Hughes is a project manager and botanist for the Soil Ecology & Restoration Group at San Diego State University. She began working for SERG as an undergraduate in 1997 and immediately fell in love with the adventures and satisfactions of restoration work in remote desert environments. Michelle has been a desert rat since her first visit to Joshua Tree National Park shortly after moving to southern California in 1991. She has been photographing plants for 4 years and has submitted over 600 photos to the CalPhotos online image library.

January 16, 2007 - "Native Medicinal Herbs",

James David Adams, Jr. Ph.D. and Cecilia Garcia
 

Cecilia Garcia, a Chumash healer and James Adams, a professor of Pharmacology at the University of Southern California will discuss healing with native plants. They are co-authors of “Healing with Medicinal Plants of the West - Cultural and Scientific Basis for Their Use".