Bristlecone Chapter of the California Native Plant Society

Spring Flower - Mojave Woodyaster

Mojave Woodyaster, Black Canyon,
Photo by Larry Blakely

The California Native Plant Society (CNPS) is a state-wide non-profit organization of lay persons and professionals who share an interest in California’s native plants. The Society, working through its local chapters, seeks to increase the understanding of California’s native flora and to preserve this rich resource for future generations. Membership is open to all.

The Bristlecone Chapter covers all of Mono and Inyo Counties and northeastern Kern County, an area that includes the east slope of the Sierra Nevada, the Northern Mojave Desert, the Inyo and White Mountains, and the Owens Valley. The southern end of the Bristlecone Chapter’s geographically large territory, in and around the Indian Wells Valley, has its own sub-chapter, Creosote Ring.

News:

The May-June Bristlecone Chapter Newsletter is online - read online or download and print.

The deadline for submitting articles for the next issue is June 15th.

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Upcoming CNPS Events

Field Trips, Meetings, and other events of interest scheduled for the next month – for more events, including non-CNPS events which may be of interest to our members, see our Events Page.

May 11-20th, Eureka Dunes Evening Primrose Surveys - Call for volunteers!
Eureka Valley Evening Primrose

Oenothera californica ssp. eurekensis; Eureka Dunes Evening Primrose
Photo by Drew Kaiser

Fine tune your eye to spy the endangered Eureka Dunes evening primrose and help complete the fifth and last year of the evening-primrose survey. Volunteer for a weekend, a few days, or a week to survey the evening-primrose, the invasive Russian thistle and other vegetation at the sand dunes of Eureka Valley in Death Valley National Park. Explore the dune systems of Eureka Valley, learn the sand dune flora, and improve your plant identification skills.

Our project goals are to understand patterns of population density and spatial distribution of the rare and endemic evening primrose and non-native Russian thistle.

Volunteers will use a compass, binoculars, range finder, GPS units and quadrats to record plant observations. Volunteers must be physically able to hike 7 to 14 miles each day in the spring time weather conditions of the desert (e.g. lots of sun, high temperatures, and some windy days) and to hike up and down the sandy slopes of the dunes.

Food and water will be provided. Please bring your own sleeping bag and tent to car camp at the main campground of the dunes.

Data sampling will be conducted between May 11-20th and possibly extended to between May 27-31st to complete sampling.
Contact Information:

If interested, please contact Elaine at ekych@ucdavis.edu Please write PRIMROSE VOLUNTEER in the subject heading. Thanks!

CNPS Event May 31 through June 2, 2013, Return of the Sierra Spring Sojourn

The Bristlecone Chapter will once again host the Sierra Spring Sojourn on May 31 through June 2, 2013 with field trips to view wildflowers from Paradise to Owens Lake along the Eastern Sierra. The gathering place for programs, field trips and accommodations for out-of-town participants will be at the Sierra Adventure Center at Bernasconi near Big Pine, 15 miles south of Bishop. Registration information and more details coming soon.

Field trip extravaganza! Potential trips so far (SUBJECT TO CHANGE, based on where the best blooms are the weekend of the Sojourn- keep checking back for updates and full descriptions as the date grows closer): Mazourka Canyon – Steve McLaughlin, Buttermilks – Jerry Zatorski, McMurry Meadows – Paul Satterthwaite, Eureka Dunes area – Michele Slaton, Owens Lake – Steve McLaughlin, Marble Canyon – Scott Hetzler, Joshua Flat & Lime Hill – Mark Bagley, Westgard Pass – Sue Weis.

Read more about it on our Sojourn page!

Registration Packet available HERE for download. Registration deadline is April 29th - space is limited, sign up early!

End of May (TBA) - Watershed restoration project for the Lower Owens River

Jaryd Block, Americorp Volunteer with Sierra Nevada Conservancy and Larry Freilich, Inyo County Water Department are co-operating on a watershed restoration project for the Lower Owens Recreation Use Plan. The Lower Owens River experienced a major fire at the end of February 2013 resulting in over 400 acres of burned area. This proposed project will focus on restoration of willow tree species within the burned area. Many volunteers are needed for collection, transport and planting of seed within a week's time. Timing depends on optimum conditions for collection and planting.

Contact: Jaryd Block jblock@sierranevada.ca.gov

CNPS Event June 9, Sunday, 9:00am, CNPS Field Day: Highway clean-up, Leader: Scott Hetzler

Meet at the intersection of Highway 395 and Pine Creek Rd., west of 395, at 9.00 AM. We will try to be done by 1:00 PM. For more information contact Scott at (760) 873-8392.

CNPS Event July 6, CNPS Field Trip: South Fork Big Pine Creek, Leader: Steve Matson

Meet in Big Pine at the parking area next to campground at Junction of 395 and 168. We will drive 10 miles up Big Pine Canyon to the trailhead by Glacier Lodge. I propose to hike 6 to 7 miles round-trip. I hope to find Lupinus padre-crowleyi, Nama rothrockii, and Penstemon papillatus.

Contact: Steve Matson 760-938-2862 or ssmat@sbcglobal.net.

CNPS Event July 13, Saturday, CNPS Field Trip: Mammoth Lakes Basin, Heart Lake and Arrowhead Lake, Leader: Ann Howald

Meet at the far end of the parking lot that is beyond the Coldwater Campground, at 9:00 a.m. We will hike up the Heart Lake trail, through the montane form of sagebrush scrub that is “enriched” with many wildflowers, then cross a talus slope with an array of multi-colored hybrid columbines, then return from Arrowhead Lake through subalpine forest. This is a moderately strenuous, although short (approximately 2.5 mile) hike. We should return to the parking lot by mid-afternoon. Bring lunch, water, sunscreen and a hat; and hiking poles if steep downhill bothers your knees. For more information contact Ann at (707) 721-6120 or annhowald@vom.com

CNPS Event July 20, Saturday, 9am: Little Lakes Valley (Upper Rock Creek) thesis field work with Joy England

Assist Joy with her fieldwork for her thesis research. Translation: look for cool plants. Meet at Mosquito Flat trailhead at 9:00 AM. See a summary of Joy's work from last summer in our January-February 2013 Newsletter. Contact Joy for more information: jengland@rsabg.org or 626-208-7904.

July 20-28: GLORIA week in the White Mountains (Attend Session 1: July 20-24; Sesson 2: July 24-28; or both!)

JOIN US for a fun and educational stay at Crooked Creek Research Station (University of California, White Mountain Research Center) at 10,200 ft in the White Mountains!

The international GLORIA project (Global Observation & Research Initiative in Alpine Environments) monitors alpine plants at risk from climate change at the tops of the world’s highest mountains.

This year, the California GLORIA field crew is holding an open-invitation field trip. Interested parties are encouraged to come join us and learn about the alpine environment. Educational walks, hiking tours, and lectures will be led by some of the scientists who know the White Mountains best.

Lodging: Accommodations are at the UC White Mountain Research Center’s Crooked Creek Research Station, a lovely high elevation mountain lodge surrounded by ancient bristlecone & limber pines. Three delicious meals a day are included.

Cost: Prices range from $60-$85/night per person depending on room type (shared room, private room with shared bath, or private room with private bath). Please see the GLORIA California website or download/view the GLORIA week flyer (pdf) for details!

Full Details: http://www.gloriacalifornia.org

Additional questions or to register contact: Adelia Barber adelia@biology.ucsc.edu

CNPS Event July 27, Saturday, CNPS Field Trip: White Mountains, Leader: Jerry Zatorski

It always a treat to see what can be found in this high desert mountain range in mid-summer. This trip will focus on the sub-alpine and alpine habitats in the White Mountains. Although if the Monsoon Gods are good to us, there could also be some nice blooms lower down as well. Expect to see many herbaceous and shruby alpine species along with the famous Bristlecone Pines. All areas are accessible by car although the dirt road portions can be dusty.

We will meet at the Triangle campground entrance just north of Big Pine, at the intersection of US 395 and SR 168 at 8:00 AM and go from there. This will be an all day trip, so have plenty of food, fluids, along with field guides hand lens, sun protection, dress for weather (temps at high elevations are much cooler than on the valley) and so forth, plant to return to Big Pine by ~ 5:00 PM. For more information contact Jerry Zatorski at (760) 387-2920 or jerryzat@gmail.com.

CNPS Event September 14, Saturday, 9-11:30am: Bristlecone Chapter Native Plant Sale

A wonderful array of native plants are offered every year.  We’ve been busy coaxing from seed dozens of  brittlebush, various buckwheats, penstemons, Mojave aster, lupine and many more favorites!! See our sortable database of species that have been available at our plant sales for ideas of what to expect. Plant prices are currently $5.00 for a small tree pot and $8.00 for gallon pots. Contact Katie at plant_sale@bristleconecnps.org if you have any questions.

For more events, see the Bristlecone Chapter Events Page

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We now have a Facebook Page and a Wildflower Hotspot Forum!

Facebook Page

The Bristlecone Chapter now has a Facebook Page! If you are on Facebook, head on over and "like" us (or click "like" in the box at left) to get updates in your Facebook newsfeed. While you are there, post a message on our wall, share photos or links of interest, let us know what you think!

Wildflower Hotspots Google Group

Google Groups
Wildflower Hotspots
Visit this group

For those of you not on Facebook, who would like to share wildflower sightings, photos, etc, join our Google Group, Wildflower Hotspots. You can control the number of messages you receive, from none (view on the web only) to emails for every new post (recommended at first, so you don't miss anything - and since this is a new group, there may not be very many messages at first). After you join, you may post your reports and/or photos and view other posts either by email or online. If you do not have a Google account, you will have to create one, but it's free, easy, and you can use your normal email address. You may also see the latest posts on this website on our Wildflower Hotspots page.

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Conservation Alerts

New! Conservation Alerts from the Bristlecone Chapter: if you'd like to receive occasional emails alerting you to conservation issues which directly affect the Eastern Sierra, contact Steve McLaughlin at conservation_alerts@bristleconecnps.org and request to be added to the email list. Our first Conservation Alert was sent on 2/1/2011 about the Bodie Hills - read more about it here.

Current Conservation issues to be aware of include:

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But Wait! There's More:

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