Note: The new season has started, field trips are listed...

El Dorado County and Our Native Plants

location El Dorado County lies on the western slope of the Sierra Nevada between Sacramento and Lake Tahoe. Along with some interesting features with gabbro and serpentine soil and the special endemic plants they support, we enjoy the El DoradoIt's one word for the forest,
but two words for the county! National Forest and a wide variety of destinations, from drought-tolerant foothill chaparral at 1500 ft to subalpine above 9000 ft in the Desolation Wilderness.

We offer field trips (during Spring and Summer) to many areas, and you are invited to attend. You don't need a science background to participate; most of our members are not formally trained botanists, simply people who enjoy learning about our native vegetation. If you want to start learning about native plants and why they need protection, CNPS is for you. Meetings are geared toward local concerns and can be enjoyed by even an absolute beginner. If you're a new county resident, this is a nice way to get familiar with the neighborhood.

The California Native Plant SocietySee what CNPS is about... is a state-wide organization dedicated to protecting the native vegetation that is too often seen as "in the way" when it comes time to build a shopping center! By joining, you will be getting to know the plants and learning their importance; then you too can contribute to the well-being and happiness of the community...

Follow the Example of Willis Jepson...

"A scientific interest in at least certain features of our natural environment, as for example the trees, shrubs or herbaceous plants, directs one to useful and agreeable intellectual activity. Accurate and detailed knowledge of even a small area lifts the possessor out of the commonplace and enables him directly or indirectly to contribute to the well-being and happiness of his community."

-Willis JepsonClick to read about Jepson,
a very interesting man., Trees of California, 1921

Our logo flower is the Pleasant Valley Mariposa, Calochortus clavatus var. avius...a link to Calflora..., a member of the Lily family that was once so common in the Pleasant Valley area of Placerville that people would dig them up for home landscaping. Now they are listed as 1B: Rare, threatened, or Endangered and can only be found in parts of the Eldorado National Forest that you are likely not going to see unless you come on a field trip with the chapter.

Want to catch up on name changes in the new Jepson Manual: Check these lists on the Plant Names page...

Chapter Meetings and Programs

Next meeting is May 28.
On Tuesday, May 28th, at 7 p.m., LeeAnne Mila, the Deputy Agricultural Commissioner for El Dorado and Alpine Counties, will present "Invasive Noxious Weeds in El Dorado County." This talk will address those species that are currently present as well as species that are a threat. She will discuss their biology, the extent of currently occupied habitat, and the threat potential of additional species. She will illustrate her talk with both fresh specimens as well as dried material so that participants can become familiar with these plants.

Ms. Mila has been an Agricultural Biologist with the El Dorado/Alpine County Department of Agriculture for the past 11 years, where she has been working on the eradication of noxious weed species within these 2 counties, including the Lake Tahoe Basin. She holds a Bachelor's of Science in Biology with a focus on Botany from California State University, Hayward.

The meeting location is in the Lobby Meeting Room of the El Dorado County Library, 345 Fair Lane, Placerville.

Chapter meetings are free and the public is always invited to attend. Meetings usually includes a show-and-tell about a particular plant, any announcements of chapter happenings, and the speaker presentation.

Refreshments are served and you get a chance to mingle and meet interesting new friends.

CNPS Chapter Plant Sales

The chapter plant sales only come along twice a year but they are always popular and sell out fast. They are typically held on the first Saturday in April and October. Our Spring Plant Sale was held on April 6th, 2013, 9 a.m. - 1 p.m., in front of County Government Buildings A and B at 330-360 Fair Lane, Placerville. These buildings are directly across the street from the Main El Dorado County Library.

We offer grasses, perennials, shrubs and trees suitable for the foothills of El Dorado County (read why...), as well as seed packets of native spring annuals, and native plant bulbs. There will also be an extremely diverse offering of books on native plant horticulture, the basics of botany, and field guides for all aspects of natural history. Cash and checks only: all sales final!

Board Meetings

Chapter board meetings are held to discuss business items concerning the chapter and its activities. Please note that a decision was made to reduce the number of board meetings to six per year, coinciding with the months of the meetings. Board meetings will be held on the third Tuesdays in January, March, May, July, September, and November. Meetings are held at the El Dorado County Office of Education, 6767 Green Valley Road, Placerville. The meeting rooms are in the B complex (opposite the main office behind the flag pole), usually in B-1 or B-3, at 6:30 pm.
Copies of the minutes from board meetings can be requested from the Chapter Secretary or Chapter President.

Places for Wheelchair Hiking!

Finding very little information available for forest locations with adequate access for wheelchairs, I thought I'd offer a few suggestions about places I have personally checked and believe worth a visit for those who want to go see wildflowers, birds, or just get a breath of fresh air and enjoy a few hours in a forest. Take a look and let me know if I can add more places, or correct any observations.

Contacts

General questions should be addressed to Rosemary Carey, President, or call 530.620.3631

See the newsletter for a list of Board Members and Committee Chairs.

[back to top]