March 2014 President’s message

The US Forest Service is updating all the forest management plans. These Plans provide broad, multiple resource management direction to guide the management of forest resources over the next 10-15 years. The current Inyo National Forest Plan was adopted in 1988 and it took 6 years to complete. This time, the Forest Service would like to complete the process 3 years – by 2016.

The Inyo National Forest is one of the first three forests in California to update their plan using the “2012 National Forest System Planning Rule.” It is an “adaptive management” plan so it should be able to flex and change with the changing times without going through this heady process again. The management is to be based in science and include public values and effective land management practices. There is a focus on restoration of lands and waters at a landscape level. One of its goals is to support vibrant rural communities by considering the social, cultural and economic conditions of the area and how the forest might contribute to these conditions.

Most importantly, this plan emphasizes public involvement throughout the planning process. During the process of writing this document, the Forest Service would like to hear from as many stakeholders as possible. If you use the forest in any way – hike, bike, ski, horseback ride, off-highway vehicle use, climb, fish, camp, or just sightsee or sit – you are a stakeholder.

The next deadline for the process is April 1, 2014 when the “Notice of Intent” will be available. You can get more information on the plan and how to comment on the Inyo National Forest’s website: www.fs.usda.gov/main/inyo/landmanagement/planning.

The Forest Service is doing its best to include the public throughout the process; if you don’t participate you can’t complain. We all have valuable insights into this vital resource, so please take the time to give your input.

— Katie Quinlan

Some Useful Links:

• Forest Plan Project Documents
• Subscribe to Email Updates
• Send Comments to:
  Debra Schweizer
  Inyo National Forest All Units
  351 Pacu Lane Suite 200, Bishop, CA, 93514
  debraaschweizer@fs.fed.us

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Bristlecone Chapter Meetings

March General Membership Meeting:
Tracking the Effects of Climate Change on our Flora and Fauna, with Brian Haggerty and Julie Anne Hopkins

Our March CNPS General Membership Meeting will be held on THURSDAY March 20th at 7pm at the White Mountain Research Center, Owens Valley Station, on 3000 E. Line St, outside of Bishop.

How will changing climate affect vegetation in our area?

The California Phenology Project (CPP) is a new state-wide monitoring program designed to track the effects of climate change on the seasonal behavior of our flora and fauna. From backyards and schoolyards to National Parks and UC Natural Reserves, we are observing and recording the day-to-day activities (phenology) of plants and animals and reporting our observations online. Since 2011, scientists, educators, and citizen scientists have contributed over 500,000 observations to the California Phenology Project, and we are now able to see that many of our monitored plant species are highly sensitive to climate. Come join us for a fun and informative evening where you’ll hear the latest about this exciting project and how you can get involved, whether at the UC Valentine Eastern Sierra Reserves or elsewhere in the Eastern Sierra.

This lecture will be presented by Brian Haggerty and Julie Anne Hopkins. Brian is the Field Coordinator for the California Phenology Project and a PhD student in evolutionary ecology at UC Santa Barbara. He has helped to design and cultivate the California Phenology Project and has created many of its training and education materials, including a lesson plan in a book on citizen science recently published by the National Science Teachers Association Press. Julie Anne, our Bristlecone Chapter’s Conservation Chair, is a CPP volunteer at SNARL and Valentine Reserves.

Note this program will be on Thursday rather than our usual Wednesday.

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Upcoming Bristlecone Chapter and Other CNPS Events of Interest

There are so many great events coming up - many programs presented by other organizations may also be of special interest to our members - be sure to check our events page for the latest updates and more events, including other organizations’ events of interest.

March Events

March 11-12, Tuesday-Wednesday: Rare Plant Survey Protocols - A Scientific Approach, CNPS Education Workshops - Space Still Available!

This course is designed to approach rare plant surveys using the best scientific information available. This scientific approach is built on conducting proper background review and literature searches, evaluating ecological information, assessing annual phenology, appropriate study design based on the scale of the survey area, survey execution, and adequate documentation of rare plant populations encountered. (for more details - see CNPS Education Workshops page)

Taught by: Heath Bartosh, Aaron Sims, with a lecture by Roxanne Bittman
Location: CDFW Yolo Bypass Visitors Center Davis and West Sacramento
Cost: CNPS members $310; Non-members $345

March 13, Thursday: Online Tools for botanists and biologists, CNPS Education Workshops - Space Still Available!

Optional Day 3: The CNDDB/RareFind/BIOS class is a six-hour course describing the background, purpose, and use of both the CNDDB dataset and the BIOS web-based map viewing tool (which includes access to the CNDDB). The class includes instruction and exercises on using many of the tools in both the online RareFind 5 and in BIOS 5, as well as viewing and querying the CNDDB dataset in BIOS. (for more details - see CNPS Education Workshops page)

Taught by: Roxanne Bittman, Sandra Summers
Location: Office of Training and Development, Sacramento, CA
Cost: $150 (may be taken together with workshop above or separately)

March 16, 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.

NEW DATE: March 20, Thursday, 7pm, CNPS Program: Tracking the Effects of Climate Change on our Flora and Fauna, White Mountain Research Station (North Classroom - next to the parking lot).

The California Phenology Project (CPP) is a new state-wide monitoring program designed to track the effects of climate change on the seasonal behavior of our flora and fauna. From backyards and schoolyards to National Parks and UC Natural Reserves, we are observing and recording the day-to-day activities (phenology) of plants and animals and reporting our observations online. Since 2011, scientists, educators, and citizen scientists have contributed over 500,000 observations to the California Phenology Project, and we are now able to see that many of our monitored plant species are highly sensitive to climate. Come join us for a fun and informative evening where you’ll hear the latest about this exciting project and how you can get involved, whether at the UC Valentine Eastern Sierra Reserves or elsewhere in the Eastern Sierra.

This lecture will be presented by Brian Haggerty and Julie Anne Hopkins. Brian is the Field Coordinator for the California Phenology Project and a PhD student in evolutionary ecology at UC Santa Barbara. He has helped to design and cultivate the California Phenology Project and has created many of its training and education materials, including a lesson plan in a book on citizen science recently published by the National Science Teachers Association Press. Julie Anne, our Bristlecone Chapter’s Conservation Chair, is a CPP volunteer at SNARL and Valentine Reserves.

Note this program will be on Thursday rather than our usual Wednesday.

March 24-mid-April: Help Wanted to Survey Eureka Dunes, Death Valley National Park

Did you know there was a big bloom at the Eureka Dunes this fall that may continue this spring?

Death Valley National Park is looking for volunteers to assist in data collection surveys at the Eureka Dunes. The project involves surveying the three dune systems in Eureka Valley (Main dunes, Saline Spur, Marble Canyon (Hidden) Dunes) and collecting presence/absence data for 4 species: Oenothera californica ssp. eurekensis, Swallenia alexandrae, Astragalus lentiginosus var. micans, and Salsola sp. Survey areas range in difficulty from gentle sloping shrubland to steep, deep sand hiking. A minimum commitment of three consecutive days and the ability to hike at least 10 miles a day are required. Botanical and GPS skills welcomed but not required. On-site orientation will be given. Contact Drew Kaiser at Death Valley National Park, if interested: Andrew_Kaiser@nps.gov or 760-786-3235.

March 31, Monday: Deadline: American Penstemon Society Special Project Grants

The American Penstemon Society is seeking to fund small projects that focus on scientific or horticultural aspects of Penstemon, especially those that promote conservation or public appreciation. Grants of up to $1000 are available. The deadline for application is March 31, 2014, with funds distributed in May. Details are provided on the linked flier.

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April Events

April 1-2, Tuesday-Wednesday: Introduction to Plant Family Identification, CNPS Education Workshops - Space Still Available!

This is an intensive introductory course on how to recognize plant families, focusing on the 25 dominant families of native plants found in California. Plant identification can be a challenge; however, if you know the basic leaf, flower, and fruit characters of the most common plant families, you will be able to significantly reduce the amount of time required to properly identify most plant species. It is geared towards anyone who wants or needs to improve their knowledge and skills about identifying native and naturalized plants. Emphasis will be given to southern California species; however, information learned in this class will be readily applicable throughout California and elsewhere. Common and rare species will be covered. The class will include classroom presentation and exercises, and field excursions, primarily into the Ventura River and Ojai Valley in Ventura County. We will spend at least half the time in the field. Riparian, chaparral, and coastal sage scrub plants will be covered. (for more details - see CNPS Education Workshops page)

Taught by: David L. Magney
Location: Casitas Springs, Ventura County
Cost: $310 CNPS members; $345 non-members

April 3, Thursday, 7:00pm: Population dynamics and plant competitive interaction of the endangered Eureka Valley evening-primrose, White Mountain Research Center public lecture series

White Mountain Research Center is pleased to present a series of lectures open to the general public. The lectures cover a diverse array of topics and are usually presented by scientists and other researchers affiliated with the station. Unless otherwise noted, lectures are held at 7 pm at the Owens Valley Station, White Mountain Research Center, 3000 E. Line St., Bishop. Tonight’s lecture will be Population dynamics and plant competitive interaction of the endangered Eureka Valley evening-primrose, with Elaine Chow, Univeristy of California, Davis. This program is of special interest to the Bristlecone Chapter because Elaine was a Mary DeDecker Grant Recipient for this work, and The Eureka Valley evening-primrose is a plant of special interest to the chapter.

April 10, Thursday, 7:00pm: Exploring Eastside Aspen Love, White Mountain Research Center public lecture series

White Mountain Research Center is pleased to present a series of lectures open to the general public. The lectures cover a diverse array of topics and are usually presented by scientists and other researchers affiliated with the station. Unless otherwise noted, lectures are held at 7 pm at the Owens Valley Station, White Mountain Research Center, 3000 E. Line St., Bishop. Tonight’s lecture will be Exploring Eastside Aspen Love, with Nancy Hadlock and Richard Potashin.

April 11-13, 2014, 10am-5pm: Wildflower Exhibit at the Maturango Museum, 100 E. Las Flores, Ridgecrest, CA

April 12, 2:30 pm: “What a Surprise!: the Amazing Panamint Mountains Watershed Known as Surprise Canyon” presentation by Shelley Ellis, BLM Biologist and Marty Dickes, BLM Wilderness Coordinator, both working out of the Ridgecrest BLM Field Office.

April 13, 2:00 pm: “Day Tripping with California Wildflower” presentation by Kathy LaShure, Creosote Ring subchapter coordinator, California Native Plant Society. This will be a colorful visit to many wildflower locations within a day’s drive of the Indian Wells Valley featuring a variety of habitats during years of good rainfall. Held at the Historic USO Building, 230 W Ridgecrest Blvd. Ridgecrest, CA.

Come see what wildflower treasures have been uncovered within a 50-mile radius of Ridgecrest. Volunteer teams with BLM permits will search for flora on the east-facing slopes & in the canyons of the Sierra Nevada, in the Coso and El Paso Mountains, as well as the Indian Wells Valley itself. No matter what the weather has been each year there will be wildflowers to enjoy. On average over 200 species representing over 40 plant families are displayed. Although 2012 was the second drought year, 11 new-to-the-exhibit species were collected and displayed. 2013 has been dry again but our intrepid collectors will seek out what blooms there are. Accurate records of the collections and herbarium specimens are as important as the 3-day exhibit itself.

April 15-17, Tuesday-Wednesday: Spring Flora of the Eastern Mojave: a Focus on Five Formidable Families, CNPS Education Workshops - Space Still Available!

The rugged eastern Mojave Desert represents one of the most floristically diverse regions of California, and continues to yield a high rate of new species discoveries. This course will focus on the taxonomy and ecology of five major plant families that collectively comprise more than 50% of the species in the spring flora: Asteraceae, Boraginaceae, Fabaceae, Polemoniaceae and Onagraceae. Through field observation, lab identification, and evening presentations, participants will gain a better understanding for these families and other common species in the region. This field-intensive workshop is intended for botanists with moderate to advanced taxonomic training with an interest in learning both the general and rare spring flora of the eastern Mojave. Field trips will target a variety of habitats and CNPS-listed rare species. Day trips will be planned according to optimal blooming. Be ready to hike on rugged terrain. A few 4WD vehicles will be needed beyond what we have available. (for more details - see CNPS Education Workshops page)

Taught by: Jim Andre and Tasha LaDoux
Location: UC Granite Mountains Desert Research Center, Mojave National Preserve, eastern Mojave
Cost: CNPS members: $360; non-members $395

April 17, Thursday, 7:00pm: Midnight at the Oasis: Influence of invasive palms on terrestrial insect assemblages at desert springs, White Mountain Research Center public lecture series

White Mountain Research Center is pleased to present a series of lectures open to the general public. The lectures cover a diverse array of topics and are usually presented by scientists and other researchers affiliated with the station. Unless otherwise noted, lectures are held at 7 pm at the Owens Valley Station, White Mountain Research Center, 3000 E. Line St., Bishop. Tonight’s lecture will be Midnight at the Oasis: Influence of invasive palms on terrestrial insect assemblages at desert springs, with Dr. Jeff Holmquist, Research Scientist, University of California White Mountain Research Center.

April 19, Saturday, CNPS Field Trip: Darwin Falls Flower / Insect Walk. Leaders: Richard Potashin and Nancy Hadlock

Join Richard Potashin (aka “Botany Boy”) and Nancy Hadlock (aka “Bug Girl”) for an easy, one-mile dawdle up Darwin Canyon to a waterfall in the desert. Along the way we will be exploring the compelling interactions between insects and plants as well as experiencing the magical riparian spell water casts over this canyon. Bring water, lunch, hats, sunscreen, cameras, insect repellent if you must, hiking shoes you don’t mind getting wet and muddy and a notebook to draw in. This hike is co-sponsored by the National Park Service.

Time: Walk will begin at 10:00 am and end at 3:00 pm.
Meeting Place: Panamint Springs Resort parking lot.

April 24, Thursday, 3-6pm: GardenFest, Eastern Sierra Land Trust

Join us for our annual GardenFest! Held at the ESLT Garden at 176 Home Street in Bishop. Learn from Master Gardeners, swap gardening tips and stories, share seeds, and purchase plants from local nurseries and organizations. We will offer children’s activities for our younger gardeners, too. Save the date and celebrate the growing season with us! The Bristlecone Chapter’s Plant Sale Coordinator (and President), Katie Quinlan, will be at the GardenFest with some native plants available for purchase - get a head start on your garden!

April 26 TBA: Replacing your Lawn with Drought-tolerant Native Plants, CNPS and Inyo-Mono Master Gardeners

If this drought year is motivating you to take out your lawn, the Bristlecone chapter and the Master Gardner Program will be co-hosting a workshop on April 26th covering the best way to remove turf and the top local native plants to replace it with. Check back on the events page or the master gardener website for details about where and when this workshop will take place.

April 29-May 1, Tuesday-Thursday: Measuring and Monitoring Plant Populations, CNPS Education Workshops - Space Still Available!

Using classroom and field exercises, the workshop will focus on the role of plant population monitoring for adaptive management. Participants will learn how to develop good management objectives. Topics cover principles of sampling and several sampling designs, field techniques for measuring vegetation, analyzing monitoring data and presenting results. Participants will receive a copy of the BLM-published book, Measuring and Monitoring Plant Populations, by Caryl Elzinga, Dan Salzer, and John Willoughby, a notebook of all materials covered and a CD with additional materials to help with monitoring programs. (for more details - see CNPS Education Workshops page)

Taught by: John Willoughby
Location: UC Santa Cruz Arboretum, Santa Cruz, CA
COST: CNPS members: $395; Non-members: $430

Check the Events page for more!

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Reports

January Program Notes:
Weed Wars, Rare Plants, and Outdoor School on the Bishop Paiute Tribe’s Conservation Land
with Brian Adkins and Hillary Behr

On January 22, our Chapter hosted Brian Adkins and Hillary Behr of the Bishop Paiute Tribe Environmental Office to speak about their work on the Tribe’s Conservation Open Space Area (COSA). This 25-acre piece of conservation land was created in 1997 as wetland mitigation for developing some surrounding parcels. The Conservation Area sits between See Vee lane to the West, Pioneer Cemetery and the Pine St. School to the east, and the Forest Service/BLM building to the south.

Brian Adkins, the Director of the Bishop PaiuteTribe’s Environmental Managment Office, gave us a brief history of the COSA as well as background on the 2011 project that included building a half mile of walking trails which connect the Pine St. Elementary School to the Paiute Shoshone Cultural Center. Two ponds serve as a desert fish refuge. He outlined the goals of the COSA project, which are preservation of rare and culturally important native plants and animals, trails for transportation and recreation, and educational uses.

Checkerbloom transplanting
Photo by Hillary Behr

Hillary Behr spoke about habitat restoration projects that she had worked on during her AmeriCorps term with the Tribe. One project is the preservation of the Owens Valley Checkerbloom (Sidalcea covillei), which occurs on lots adjacent to the COSA that are slated for development. She has been working on transplanting the species to the COSA as well as growing it from seeds collected last summer. Other rare plants in the adjacent areas include Hall’s Meadow Hawksbeard (Crepis runcinata ssp. hallii) and Inyo County Star Tulip (Calochortus excavatus).

Another interesting project is the solarization of the soil around one of the COSA ponds. The area was infested with perennial pepperweed (Lepidium latifolium) and other weeds. Although the Tribe sprays herbicides for weed control on other parts of the COSA, they wanted to try an alternative method. Hillary coordinated the effort to lay clear plastic around the pond for the three hottest months of the summer to raise soil temperatures to a point that kills seeds and roots. So far the method seems successful and revegetation of the area with native plants is under way.

Hillary also spoke about community events and environmental education on the area. “The goal of outreach efforts is to let the Tribal community as well as the general public know that this space is available to recreate, relax, and learn about cultural and natural history. We also want users to engage in stewardship of the area,” Hillary said. One opportunity to engage is the Eastern Sierra Audubon Society’s monthly bird walks on the COSA, which occur the second Saturday of every month. An opportunity to help take care of the area is the COSA Stewardship Days, which begin in April and meet from 8 AM- 12 PM the first and third Fridays of the month.

The Conservation Area is located directly behind the Pine St. Elementary School, which provides an incredible opportunity to get students outdoors and learning about nature. The Tribe hosts two third grade classes for a field trip every month as part of a program called “Taking Root: Nature-based Learning in the Eastern Sierra.” Hillary says, “The point of this program is to get kids outdoors, observing nature, and asking questions. It is important for kids to know that nature is safe, fun, and deserves respect.” Programs on the COSA have also included field trips for the Bishop Indian Education Center summer program, the third grade GATE program, a September field trip in partnership with Eastern Sierra Institute for Collaborative Education called “Exploring a Wetland,” and fifth grade World Water Day field trips.

The COSA is open to the public during daylight hours. There are entrances to the trail behind the Paiute- Shoshone Cultural Center and from the Forest Service/BLM building parking lot. For more information about the project and how to be involved, contact Brian.Adkins@bishoppaiute.org or Hillary.Behr@bishoppaiute.org.

— Hillary Behr

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A New Bench in the DeDecker Garden in Memory of Gary and Cindy Sims

Walk the DeDecker Garden path, and you’ll find a bench with a plaque reading:

Gary and Cindy Sims
With their love
They made the desert bloom.
From HMSSurprise.org

Memorial Bench for Gary and Cindy Sims
Photo by Julie Anne Hopkins

Who were Gary and Cindy Sims, and why a bench to honor them? Raised in Southern California, they met in high school and married after graduation. Gary joined the Air Force, which sent them to such exotic locales as Taiwan and Greece. Following Major Sims’ retirement, he worked at Jet Propulsion Laboratory and Loral before he and Cindy founded an engineering analysis firm, Stonehaven Laboratory. Gary also joined The Gunroom of HMSSurprise.org, an online discussion group named for the gathering place of naval officers aboard a frigate in the Royal Navy, where we talk about the works of Patrick O’Brian and everything else.

The Gunroom’s worldwide participants knew Gary as a witty, opinionated, and erudite man who loved his wife deeply. Gary regaled us with stories of their past travels and of their daily life in Lancaster, California. Gary recounted the success he and Cindy had in turning an arid patch of land in the Antelope Valley into an oasis, despite encounters with rattlesnakes and feral dogs. He told us of their mutual love of fast cars. And he told us of his untiring efforts to aid Cindy’s everyday life after a 1998 heart attack, and a devastating stroke following a 2003 heart attack. Finally he allowed the Gunroom to stand virtual watch with him in the long hours leading to Cindy’s death in April, 2012. They enjoyed 50 years together, and she died holding his hand.

The Gunroom was shocked but not surprised to learn of Gary’s death in February, 2013. Determined to raise a memorial to this remarkable couple, we chose to donate a bench in this desert garden where passersby can rest and contemplate life, love, nature, mountains, and everything else.

— Astrid Bear

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Greenhouse Update, March 2014

New Greenhouse Benches!

This winter exciting things happened at the greenhouse. With the help of some wonderful CNPS volunteers, we raised the shade house tables so they are at a more back-friendly height. Then, with some funding from CNPS and muscle from two BLM seasonals, we were able to expand the shade house to include 2 more benches. This increased my growing space by 128 square feet or 2048 more pots. I am looking forward to having a little more flexibility of space so I can grow more plants for everyone.

I know spring is coming when the bottom shelf of my refrigerator is full of stratifying seeds for the plant sale rather than leftover food. The first seeds were put into their stratifying bags at the end of December and the number of bags has been growing since. My family looks forward to the middle of March when I open the greenhouse and the seeds get planted so the refrigerator is free again.

If this drought year is motivating you to take out your lawn, the Bristlecone chapter and the Master Gardner Program will be co-hosting a workshop on April 26th covering the best way to remove turf and the top local native plants to replace it with. Check back on the events page or the master gardener website for details about where and when this workshop will take place.

For those of you who can’t wait until the fall native plant sale, which will be held September 13th this year, the Eastern Sierra Land Trust will be holding their annual Gardenfest on April 24th and I will be there with some native plants for sale.

If you are planning a big garden project and will need a lot of native plants, you may contact me now and put in a pre-sale order. That way I can plant extra numbers of the plants you would like.

— Katie Quinlan

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February 8th Field Trip Report: Fish Slough, Leaders: Katie Quinlan, Lee Parmenter and Andrew Shurr

Click on the links or photos to see a slide show, photos by Kristen Luetkemeier

Leigh Parmenter and the Group Discuss Fish Slough Riparian Dynamics, photo by Kristen Luetkemeier

Under cloudy cold winter skies, 16 people from around Inyo and Mono Counties gathered for an introduction to the geology, ecology, and human history of the Fish Slough area. This was a joint field trip sponsored by the Bristlecone chapter, Friends of the Inyo, and Range of Light Sierra Club, and was led by Our President Katie Quinlan, Lee Parmenter and Andrew Shurr.

We met at Jean Blanc and Fish Slough roads, signed liability release forms, and travelled about 3 miles north up the historic stage-coach route from Benton to Bishop. Here we stopped to practice differentiating the common components of Upland Desert Scrub. 10 species were counted today including good dried specimens of Psorothamnus nevadensis, Artiplex confertifolia, Menodora spinescens, Tetradymia axillaris, Ephedra nevadensis, and the Owens Valle endemic “white rabbitbrush,” Ericameria nauseosa var. hololeuca)

Strolling over to some nearby springfed pools, we saw several restoration projects underway by FOI and CDFW, and discussed methods of eradicating the invasive “five-hook bassia” (Bassia hyposifolia). We marveled at the clusters of brightly colored pinflags marking the newly-planted Alkali sacaton (Sporobolus airoides), which contrasted with the dry tawny Alkaline Meadow vegetation here, dominated by Distichlis spicata and Anemopsis californica, with nice populations of Heliotropium curassavicum, Lythrum californicum, Asclepias californica, and some Helianthus nuttallii.

Yvonne Wood Tests out an Atlatl
Photo by Kristen Luetkemeier

Our next stop, farther up Fish Slough Road, featured multiple subjects of interest. First we checked-out “house rings,” threshing floors, and grinding rocks related to early native inhabitants of the area. Next, a 1-million-year history of Owens Valley geology was displayed by a long linear scale timeline strung across the landscape. Although this presentation was designed for 4th graders, we all struggled to comprehend the magnitude of massive volcanic and glaciation cycles which formed the stupendous landscape before us. Finally, we got to shoot actual spears using atlatls - an amusing challenge and the highlight of the field trip.

While taking our lunch on some nearby Bishop tuff boulders, we discussed the efficacy of predicting age classes and backgrounds of different people by the types of stickers applied to their water bottles.

Our final stop was along some restored ponds near the eastern edge of the slough. These areas were artificially excavated in order to clear-out invasive tules, exclude non-native bass, and provide habitat for the Owens Valley Pupfish - an Endangered Species endemic to the Owens Valley. We listened to a reading of “Species in a Bucket” describing the last-ditch efforts of the Fish and Game Biologist to save this species. As the skies cleared, we watched dozens of these diminutive fish flitting-about, their scales flashing Electric Blue in the warming sun.

— Michael Honer

The plant list for Fish Slough is available on our plant checklists page.

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Features

Steve Matson’s Best Plant of 2013

Oxtropis borealis var. viscida
Photo by Steve Matson

Journalists frequently use such hyperbolic headlines to draw us in for a read that turns out to be far more mundane. I am guilty of this as well. But wait! Have any of you plant-o-philes ever been asked “what is your favorite flower?” You may have felt nonplussed by such a question (“there are so darn many,” you probably think, as I have). But I can honestly say I have had daily favorites, little surprises that crop up on some hike or field trip. I will now extend this notion to even having a favorite plant for the year, hence the title of this article.

This putative Best Plant of 2013 (for me) was a serendipitous surprise discovered while hiking above South Lake with my wife Eileen and our two new pups, Juno and Luna, this last July 2nd. We had hiked up the pipleline trail past Blue and Green lakes on our way to Coyote Ridge. In spite of a second year of drought, the wildflowers on the steep trail above Green Lake were spectacular! Higher up we found a more alpine community as we shuffled on up to Coyote Ridge just south of the summit known as the Hunchback. No, we did not find any geocache with Victor Hugo references. Instead we sat down for lunch looking west over the Bishop Creek headwaters.

I looked down and noticed a little blossom with a shape that screamed out “Pea Family.” I am a great fan of the Pea family (Fabaceae), especially of the genera Astragalus (Milk Vetch or Loco Weed) and Lupinus in all their glorious desert diversity. I immediately knew this was a plant I had never seen before, largely because it was only a few inches tall and was very glandular. The genus name “Oxytropis” came unbidden to my brain. This turned out to be fortuitous as research upon getting home to Big Pine directed me to Oxytropis borealis var. viscida. What helped me in my prognosis was that this little plant is found in California only on or near Coyote Ridge and in the White and Inyo Mountains. Also, according to the Consortium of California Herbaria, it has been collected only ten times in California, nine of which are around the Coyote ridge locale and once by Mary Dedecker on Waucoba Mountain. It is known from Oregon and other western states and is considered circumboreal in distribution; very rare in California but clearly not rare elsewhere.

Besides being a very attractive little plant, we might call this a little cousin of Astragalus, its restricted California distribution was very curious. Sure, you can find rare plants in the White Mountains and the Sierra as well. But for Sierran plants, why one little region of the entire Sierra, one that is not known for unusual soils or rocky substrate such as limestone. It is also not some little alpine Sierran endemic. Some have considered it a relic from more continental populations, holding on this one tiny unglaciated piece of the central Sierra. In any case, locally rare or disjunct populations frequently pique our curiosity as to “why?”

To see photos: search on “CalPhotos”, click on “plants”, then the “O” under “Browse scientific names,” scroll down and over to Oxtropis borealis var. viscida. Click here to see Steve’s photos! More can be read about this taxon in the Jepson Manual but better yet in volume 3, part B of “Intermountain Flora,” where it goes by the name Oxtropis viscida.

So what was YOUR favorite plant for 2013??? Keep looking and start writing!

There are plants, and then there are always our stories about them....

See our "Native Plants of Interest" pages for more rare, endemic, threatened, or endangered plant species in our region.

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Valentine Eastern Sierra Reserve and Sierra Nevada Aquatic Reserve System – Observations in our Backyard

Climate change is already beginning to transform life on Earth. Around the globe, seasons are shifting, temperatures are climbing and sea levels are rising. Our March General Meeting will present the ongoing plant phenology project, including observations from the UC Valentine Eastern Sierra Reserve (VESR) and Sierra Nevada Aquatic Research Lab (SNARL).

Valentine Eastern Sierra Reserve
Photo by Julie Anne Hopkins

The UC Reserve System is a network of protected natural areas throughout California. One of many research projects at VESR and SNARL is participation in the USA National Phenology Network (USA-NPN), a national consortium of organizations and individuals that collect, share, and use phenology data to better understand resource responses to changing climates and environments. The California constituent of the USA-NPN is the California Phenology Project (CPP).

As defined by the USA-NPN, phenology is the study of seasonal or periodic biological events such as plant leaf-out and flowering, insect emergence, and animal migration. Put simply, phenology is the science of the seasons. The phenological status of plants and animals across the seasons is dynamic and is closely linked to climatic and ecological variables. The information will be used for resource management and land-use decision making.

Both Valentine Camp and the Sierra Nevada Aquatic Reserve System provide excellent locations for phenological observations and data collection. Valentine Camp encompasses several distinct habitats: Sierran upper-montane forest and chaparral, Great Basin sagebrush, and wet montane meadow, all occurring within a relatively small area.

Mammoth Creek flows through the site, bordered by high montane riparian vegetation. Several large springs and small seeps add to diverse habitats. Nearby Sierra Nevada Aquatic Research Laboratory encompasses Great Basin sagebrush, riparian woodland, and riparian meadow communities. Protected from entry and grazing for many years, these communities are in excellent condition. Nonaquatic research is permitted and encouraged, such as the CPP. Check out the VESR website for a wealth of information at www.vesr.ucnrs.org.

Educators and students of all ages monitor the impacts of climate change on plants and animals in the United States – anyone can participate in their schoolyard, local reserves and their own backyard. Join us at our March presentation to learn how you can be part of this important project. For more information check out California Phenology Project and USA National Phenology Network at www.usanpn.org/cpp.

— Julie Anne Hopkins

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From the Editors

Next Newsletter Deadline: April 15, 2014

Send articles to: newsletter@bristleconecnps.org

If you still receive this newsletter via US Mail, please send your email address to the editor (email address above) so you can receive the electronic version. Please help the Bristlecone chapter save money, energy, and trees

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Membership

The California Native Plant Society is an organization of lay persons and professionals united by an interest in the plants of California. It is open to all. 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. Varied interests are represented.

JOIN or RENEW ONLINE

Membership Application

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Bristlecone Chapter Directory

President: Katie Quinlan (760) 873-8023
Vice President: Michèle Slaton (760) 258-1464
Secretary: Rosemary Jarrett (760) 387-2782
Treasurer: Paul Satterthwaite (773) 208-7858
Past President: Yvonne Wood (760) 258-7949
Partnerships/Chapter Council Delegate: Steve McLaughlin (760) 938-3140
Membership: Thomas Brill/Edie Trimmer (760) 920-3702
Newsletter Editors: Edie Trimmer/Thomas Brill (760) 920-3702
Conservation: Julie Anne Hopkins (831) 566-6012
Adopt-A-Highway: Scott Hetzler (760) 873-8392
Programs: Michèle Slaton (760) 258-1464
Field Trips: Sue Weis (760) 873-3485
DeDecker Native Plant Garden: Richard Potashin (760) 263-5022
DeDecker Grant Program: Michèle Slaton (760) 258-1464
Publicity: Kristen Luetkemeier (703) 862-4395
Historian: Kathy Duvall (760) 387-2122
Librarian: EvelynMae Nikolaus - (760) 878-2149
Rare Plant Committee Chair: OPEN - interested? Contact any board member!
Bishop Plant Sales: Katie Quinlan (760) 873-8023
Mammoth Plant Sales: Sherry Taylor (760) 934-2338
Book Sales: Sue Weis (760) 873-3485
Posters: Stephen Ingram (760) 937-9918
Creosote Ring Sub-Chapter Coordinator: Kathy LaShure (760) 377-4541
Webmaster: Maggie Wolfe Riley (760) 258-9694

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