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ORG.
THE
PO Box 577, Gualala CA 95445
$5.00 per year, non-members
CALYPSO
Volume 2005, Nov-Dec 05
NE
Printed on Recycled Paper
NEWSLETTER OF THE DOROTHY KING YOUNG CHAPTER
CALIFORNIA NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY
CALENDAR
The Mendocino Coast Cooperative Weed
Management Area (MCWMA) meetings:
Mendocino: Saturday, November 19th
4:00 – 6:00 p.m., Mendocino Recreation Center
Community Room.
Gualala/Sea Ranch: Early December, date &
time to be arranged. For further information see
article below in INVASIVE PLANTS section.
Contact Peter at 937-2278 or Tara at 485-1198,
or view http://www.alt2is.com/mcwma.
Annual Meeting and Potluck Luncheon
Sunday, December 11
12:00 Noon for Luncheon, 1:30 PM for program
Greenwood Community Center, Hwy 1 in Elk
Program: Native Plants and Restoration in the
Navarro Watershed. See article below.
PROGRAM: Annual Meeting and
Potluck Luncheon
Our Potluck Luncheon and Annual Meeting will be
held on Sunday, December 11, 12:00 noon for
potluck, 1:30 p.m. for program, at the Greenwood
Community Center in Elk – the halfway point for
our long, spread out chapter. Not only is this a fun
meeting, but it also includes our Chapter Board
Election so be sure to show up and vote.
Please bring a main dish, salad or dessert to
share, plus dishes and flatware if possible.
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
GUALALA CA
PERMIT
The Community Center is at the south end of Elk,
right off Highway 1, on the east side. We’ll try to
have a CNPS sign out front.
The DKY Chapter is delighted to present Ken
Montgomery of Anderson Valley Nursery, with a
program on his work growing local native plants
for restoration, a project that involves school kids.
The Mendocino Natives Nursery Program is a
community-driven, cooperative venture begun in
1998 to propagate and grow custom orders of
site-specific native plants for watershed
restoration projects in Mendocino County.
Local high school students work as interns at the
nursery facility on the Anderson Valley High
School campus. They get job experience and
training in native plant production under the
supervision of Anderson Valley Nursery staff. The
program is partly self-supported through plant sale
income with additional support from the school
district, grants, and the community.
Ken Montgomery, who has generously donated
many fine plants to DKY plant sales, has been the
proprietor of Anderson Valley Nursery for 27
years. He came to Mendocino County from
Southern California with a background as a
research biologist and teacher. A former Director
of the Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens, Ken
is also involved with the River Center in Boonville.
His deep love and knowledge of native plants
should make for an exciting program!
Looking Ahead
The DKY Chapter hopes to co-sponsor a fund-
raising dinner with our ally, the Redwood Coast
Land Conservancy, in January at the Gualala Arts
Center. Mary Sue Ittner will show slides of
wildflowers from the fabulous, extended blooming
season of 2004.
Funds raised through raffles, wine sales, etc. will
go to RCLC to help with legal expenses. As you
may know, RCLC has been continually challenged
over its right to access, construct and maintain a
bluff trail in Gualala.
2005 Fall Plant Sale. B. Rutemoeller
PRESIDENT’S CORNER
by Jon Thompson
Plant Sale a Success
I am proud to announce that our Fall Plant Sale
was a record setter! We grossed over $3,000!
This could not have been accomplished were it
not for all of the help we had from many
volunteers.
I want to thank Lori Hubbart, Mary Hunter, Bob
Rutemoeller, Mary Sue Ittner, Mary Rhyne,
Roberta Rams, Fred and Fran Ducey, Cecilia and
Bob Moelter, Bob and Sue Lease, Mary Bennet,
Rich Schimbor, Jack O’Rourke, and Gretchen
Barton. Forgive me if I have forgotten anybody
and know that your contributions are appreciated.
2 November - December ’05
Anderson Valley Nursery made a generous
donation of many great looking native plants. This
wholesale and retail nursery is located in the town
of Boonville at 18151 Mountain View Road. The
owner, Ken Montgomery is a very friendly
knowledgeable person and he has a great
selection of beautiful, healthy California native and
Mediterranean plants.
All of the plants that Ken donated were so nice
they were snapped up within the first hour and a
half of the sale. Ken has donated plants to many
of our chapter plant sales and the sales would not
have been as successful as they have been if it
weren’t for his generous contributions. Be sure to
visit Ken and check out his nursery. Call (707)
895-3853 for nursery hours or to schedule a visit.
Another source for some of the plants at the sale
was stock that was purchased at reduced prices
from Mostly Natives Nursery. This fantastic small
retail nursery offers a wide variety of native and
non-native perennials, grasses, shrubs, and trees.
It is located at 27235 Highway 1 in Tomales,
Marin County. This nursery’s staff is also very
friendly and knowledgeable. Be sure to pay them
a visit.
Our Chapter Needs You!
I want to use this space to urge members to
volunteer their skills and energy to keep the DKY
chapter going strong. There are many openings
on the board and chairs that must be filled in order
for our chapter to function properly. We are
capable of continuing to engage in native plant
and habitat conservation, educational projects,
informative programs as well as fun wildflower
walks and camping trips, but only if more
members engage with the chapter.
Don’t be shy, volunteer to make a difference!
Some of the available positions are President and
Vice President, as well as, Education, Mailing, and
Program chairs. Be sure to look at the openings
under Standing Committee Chairpersons on the
last page of this newsletter. If you are interested,
please call me at (707) 884-4847.
GARDENING – After the Plant Sale
by Lori Hubbart
Here are some hints to get your new native plants
off to a good start:
If you can’t plant them right away, keep the pots in
a wind-protected, lightly shaded spot and water
them moderately – about twice a week (more
often for 4” pots). If fall rains start, you can water
only when the pots are dry. It’s easy to tell a dry
potted plant from a damp one – just pick it up and
feel the weight. If it’s light as a feather, it needs Browsing for natives at the plant sale. J. O’Rourke
water right away!
Now, for planting your plants:
Thoroughly water the plant one hour or so before
planting. The rootball should be uniformly wet, but
not falling apart soggy when it goes into the
ground. In the unfortunate case of a really
dehydrated root ball soak the plant, container and
all, in a bucket of water for at least an hour, then
let it drain before planting.
For most natives, the soil should not be amended.
Heavier soils should be dug up and fluffed to get
air into them. A bit of organic amendment may be
OK for woodland plants, though it is not usually
necessary.
DKY Chapter display table at sale. B. Rutemoeller
Most native plant horticulturists advise that the
planting hole be wider than it is deep. Only you retains enough water. Water a newly-planted
can answer the question of whether gopher plant slowly and deeply. It should not need to be
baskets are needed. If you do line your planting watered again for at least a week. If you wait too
holes with wire, be sure your planting hole is big long to water again, or if the plant went in with a
enough to accommodate a large gopher basket. dryish root ball to begin with, be sure to irrigate
Small baskets can constrict plant roots. close to the plant. Watering the basin or area
around the plant may not be sufficient in this case,
Plants that need good drainage, like sages and since the plant’s roots have not grown out into the
manzanitas, can be planted high, in a bit of a surrounding area yet.
mound. On a slope, a basin can be created
around the plant to insure water retention in the Once your plants are in the ground, continue to
pre-rain season. Sometimes people remove the water lightly every ten days or so until the rains
basin once the rains are underway. start. Remember to water during rainy season dry
periods, too. Believe it or not, many natives,
These stratagems are not so important for planted in the fall, and nurtured by winter and
woodland or moisture-loving plants, which spring rains, will not need further watering after
simply need to be in a spot where the soil that. This applies to really drought-adapted plants

3 November - December ’05

like Ceanothus (wild lilac), manzanita, sage,
flannel bush (Fremontodendron) and various
seaside perennials.
During a very hot, dry, summer, you might give
your new plants water once a month. Resist the
temptation to pamper them, though. These are
plant species that have survived with no
supplemental water for thousands of years.
Woodland plants like columbine (Aquilegia) and
wild azalea (Rhododendron occidentale) will
certainly benefit from supplemental water during
the summer, but even for them, watering should
taper off in late summer. The larger wild roses,
Rosa nutkana, and R. californica, also appreciate
supplemental water, as they grow in sunny seeps
in the wild.
Some native shrubs do not respond well to heavy,
hardwood pruning, so the time to prune them is
when they are young and pliable. Shape them
now to avoid ungainly branch structure later in
their lives.
Consult last October’s Calypso for further
information, such as deer cages, which may be a
good idea for the first year or two.
Happy gardening, and thanks to Celia Kutcher of
the Orange County Chapter for the inspiration –
this is a Northern California version of her article!
purchase until the toxic materials on the site have
been identified and removed.
This could involve considerable disturbance,
including impacts to rare plants. The Sierra Club
objected to the fact that this first phase was
approved with a Mitigated Negative Declaration.
It did not seem appropriate for our CNPS Chapter
to make any public commentary about plant
issues until the actual mitigation plan was
released. One could also argue that a Mitigated
Negative Declaration should not be approved
without a formal mitigation plan, but in any case,
we hope mitigations, including seed collection,
creation of new habitats via weed abatement,
plant salvage and transplantation, will more than
make up for any damage that occurs. Chapter
members will be watching this project closely as it
moves along.
Albion Ridge Pygmy Forest
Owners of a large tract of land on Albion Ridge
are reported to have been bulldozing, excavating
and filling in areas that include pygmy forest and
other wetlands. CNPS has written to the Army
Corps of Engineers about this issue, since it
appears that the land owners should have applied
for a permit under the Clean Water Act.

CONSERVATION NEWS
by Lori Hubbart
Fort Bragg Golf Course
The first public hearing on the Fort Bragg Golf
Course and Sports Park project is scheduled for
October 27 – too late to be reported in this issue.
As ever, we hope the Mendocino Recreation and
Park District board of directors will support all the
proposed mitigations. These include long-term
monitoring, restoration and weed abatement. It
could be a project that preserves pygmy forest,
while cleaning up an outlying area that has been
subject to illegal toxics dumping for years.
GP Mill Site Reclamation
The Sierra Club has filed an appeal on the first
phase of this project, involving toxics remediation
on a portion of the former mill site. The Coastal
Conservancy cannot legally release funds for
4 November - December ’05
INVASIVE PLANTS
by Peter Warner
2005 California Invasive Plant Council Symposium
As compelling and informative as ever, this year’s
Cal-IPC Symposium featured presentations about
weed management projects and scientific
research, strategic approaches for weed
management, and predictive modeling, all in an
atmosphere of camaraderie and collaboration in
the statewide efforts to inform the public about
invasive plants and how to manage them. The
theme of this year’s conference, convened on the
Chico State University campus in early October,
was “Prevention Reinvention: Protocols,
Information, and Partnerships to Stop the Spread
of Invasive Plants.”
Two days of data-driven reports, success stories,
creative proposals, and lively meetings were
followed by Saturday field trips to four Sacramento
Valley venues where weed management efforts
aim to sustain the vitality of native ecosystems.
Prior to the symposium, a one-day Wildland Weed
Field Course brought the latest techniques in
invasive plant management to land managers and
practitioners of habitat restoration.
A prominent approach to weed management
emphasized by speakers is getting an early jump
on weed infestations through “early detection” and
“rapid response.” While practiced successfully
statewide by agriculturally oriented government
agencies for several decades, funding and
support for this fundamentally sound,
economically effective strategy have actually
declined.
Increasingly, success through this approach is
being achieved at the pampas grass-roots level by
local environmental stewards, whether by pulling
out the first few weedy opportunists along a road,
engaging in watershed-wide planning, raising
voices in concern for a compromised viewshed or
threatened native plant, or recognizing the social
benefits of community-based ecological
stewardship. Several speakers testified about the
effectiveness of cooperation, participation, and
resource-sharing in stopping nascent populations
of invasives, or preventing them from establishing
5 November - December ’05
altogether; early, coordinated action generally
results in huge cost-savings later on. Regional
and statewide communication must be augmented
by local partnerships that recognize the threats to
resource-based and economic values posed by
weeds, especially in this time of reduced
governmental funding for protection of critical
environmental assets.
Knowledge about the biology of weeds, species
distributions, and dispersal mechanisms, in
addition to understanding current management
practices – for better or worse – and practical
limitations for management are all essential
components of strategic planning for the
successful control or eradication of invasive
plants. Raising awareness and imparting
relevance, articulating values and threats, and
implementing strategic plans that address local
concerns most logically belong within the realm of
communities, both biological and human.
Relying on remote leadership and support often
results in neglect and misplaced priorities. People
who care about the compromising of ecological
integrity are more likely to be those most in touch
with the land, those who understand how global
phenomena result in negative consequences for
local communities. In short, government may,
eventually, follow the lead of the people, but the
practical, tangible, and cost-effective alternative --
community-based ecological stewardship -- must
forge ahead regardless of recklessly misinformed
political priorities that do nothing to sustain life.
Virtually all the success stories and worthy
endeavors communicated at the 2005 Symposium
originated from motivated individuals who are
taking responsibility for improving local weed
management. Effective campaigns from across
the state include the development of local
ordinances that require the pursuit of “best
management practices” during ground-disturbing
projects, the reduction of weed dispersal through
conscientious use of tools and materials, such as
equipment-cleaning and the use of weed-free
straw and mulch, and the institution of ecologically
wholistic, experimental management as a
strategic approach to restoring ecosystems.
In Montana, a pilot project to prevent new weed
infestations relies on not only local people who
work close to the land, but also on the keen noses
of canines – weed-sniffing pooches (where have
we heard that before?): a great retirement
opportunity for dogs that flunk out of Police
Academy or Sheepdog School. The
implementation of preventative measures has
not entirely gone to the dogs, and need not be
restricted to the realm of local ecological
management and information development.
Opportunities for cooperation at a broader
geographical scale include interstate strategic
planning to limit weed introductions to new areas,
sharing spatial inventories of weeds on web-
based resource networks (statewide weed
mapping and the Cal-IPC weed list are just two
such examples), and exploiting potential for
widespread participation in detection from
conservation groups with inherent expertise –
including CNPS!
While the theme of prevention was prevalent,
several speakers feted the success of invasive
plant management projects on weeds that have
already become ecological and economic
liabilities. In reality, we know that the work of
habitat restoration never ends, so even with a
theme of prevention we heard a lot about what’s
being done once the opportunity for prevention, at
least locally, has come and gone.
Given that every weed population is a potential
source of infestation somewhere else, near or
afar, removing weeds, thereby reducing dispersal
potential as well as restoring to dominance native
species, is actually a vital component of
preventative strategy. Specifically preventative
measures – such as proper debris disposal and
cleaning equipment – are necessary and
complementary elements to habitat restoration;
any comprehensive, integrated response to
reducing the negative impacts of species
invasions must include both.
Recent efforts to erase plant invasions and restore
native species habitat in California range from
volunteers manually removing annual grasses, to
the use of weed wrenches and power equipment,
and on to the judicious application of prescription
6 November - December ’05
fire and herbicides. Flaming (not burning!) is a
relatively unexplored technique that could yet be
developed as a treatment on numerous weeds –
just be sure to know your plant’s biology, fire
ecology, and safety practices well before
discovering what ignited propane can accomplish.
In addition to symposium presentations on
management, the Wildland Weed course
demonstrated a wide array of technological and
cultural methods for treating invasive plants. The
instructors continually emphasized a prerequisite
for managing any invasive plant: knowledge of its
biology and ecology – life history, growth pattern,
habitat requirements, season of flowering and
seed production, and so on. In a fitting culmination
to the symposium, the field trips to the
Sacramento River, Sutter Buttes, Stony and Red
Bank Creeks, and Bidwell Park highlighted the
challenges, trials, and successes of projects past
and present, and provided inspiration for future
efforts in maintaining and restoring California’s
irreplaceable natural diversity.
For further information on this year’s symposium,
including ordering the proceedings and other
valuable reference materials, please visit the Cal-
IPC website: www.cal-ipc.org, and consider
joining an organization that reveres our priceless
native plant heritage and is working closely with
CNPS to achieve lasting protection of wild lands
and native plant habitat.
Mendocino Coast Cooperative Weed
Management Area
The Mendocino Coast Cooperative Weed
Management Area (MCWMA) will hold two in a
series of community meetings this fall. We’ll meet
in Mendocino at the Recreation Center,
Community Room, on Saturday, November 19
from 4 p.m. through 6 p.m. In early December,
we’ll introduce the weed management area to the
Gualala and Sea Ranch communities [date and
time yet to be determined].
The MCWMA is a partnership of private land
owners and property managers, land
management agencies, educational institutions,
conservation organizations, and other concerned
people created to promote cooperative efforts
aimed at reducing and preventing the negative
impacts of invasive plant species along the
Mendocino coast. Please join us for this
introductory meeting to learn more about
developing mutually beneficial solutions to the
plague of weeds that is compromising the
ecological integrity as well as the economic vitality
of our cherished coast and its communities.
For further information please call Peter at 937-
2278 or Tara at 485-1198, or visit our website:
http://www.alt2is.com/mcwma
If your roadside looks like this, you need the
Mendocino Coast Cooperative Weed Management
Area!
Measure M: Why Native Plant Lovers
Should Vote Yes
-- Excerpts from article by Wendy Krupnick, organic
farmer, and Bob Hass, Conservation Co-chair.
See entire article in the Nov 2005 newsletter of
the Milo Baker CNPS Chapter: www.cnpsmb.org
Measure M is on the ballot [in Sonoma Co.] in the
Special Election this November 8. It would create
a 10-year moratorium on the introduction of
genetically engineered (GE) agricultural crops in
Sonoma County. [Measure M differs from a similar
ballot measure passed in Mendocino County in
2003 in that it is a moratorium, not a ban, and it
exempts medical and other controlled uses of
genetic engineering.]
Because so little independent research currently
exists on GE foods and crops—and what does
exist points to serious health effects--it is hoped
sufficient new research will be conducted during
7 November - December ’05
this period of time to make possible an informed
decision based on solid scientific evidence.
[Measure M] is based on the precautionary
principle of science, which requires that when a
new technology is proposed that poses a threat of
serious or irreversible damage to humans and
environmental health, it must first be proven safe
before it is used.
How would GE agricultural crops affect native
plants in Sonoma County? Based on experiences
elsewhere, it is clear that “superweeds” are likely
to develop in areas where GE crops are grown.
Since invasive weeds are one of the biggest
threats to native plants and plant communities
today, anything that results in stronger weeds will
negatively impact natives.
We already know that in every instance where GE
crops have been introduced there has been “drift”
due to wind, crosspollination, and mixing of
varieties. … Since the agricultural ecosystem
interacts with the native one, there is no
containing this technology or its side effects.
GE agricultural crops also negatively impact the
environment, due to increased herbicide use. In
spite of claims that GE can reduce pesticide use,
that use has actually skyrocketed where these
crops are grown, because stronger herbicides are
now needed to kill the new class of superweeds
that has developed.
Do we want more super weeds invading our
native landscapes? Can we afford to lose more
native pollinators? Can our bodies withstand the
added load of herbicides in the environment?
In addition to the harmful consequences of GE
crops and increased herbicide use outlined above,
there is also the threat they pose to the health of
our entire food system.
Should Measure M fail, there will be no way of
knowing whether food comes from GE crops or
not, since neither the federal, state, or local
authorities require notice or labeling of GE food. It
is also important to note that organic growing
practices prohibit GE. Organic farmers can lose
their certification if their crops become
contaminated. For more information see
www.gefreesonoma.org.
OFFICERS 2005 MEMBERSHIP
President: Jon Thompson 884-4847 OPEN Welcome New Members:
Vice President: Roz Bray 785-2694 OPEN Harper Smith Gualala
Secretary: Rich Schimbor 785-9626 Susan Pollard Stewarts Point
Treasurer: Mary Hunter 785-1150 Val Greenoak Point Arena
Total members: 142
STANDING COMMITTEE CHAIRPERSONS
--- Submitted by Bob Rutemoeller
AT LARGE OPEN
CAMPING Diane Wickstrom 884-4556
CONSERVATION Lori Hubbart 882-1655 DKY CHAPTER WEBPAGE at www.dkycnps.org
fax:882-1645; includes Activities & Events, photos of What’s
Greg Jirak 882-1660 Blooming, and links to related sites. You can view the
EDUCATION OPEN current issue of Calypso as well as archived
FIELDTRIPS Peter Warner 937-2278 newsletters. Send in photographs and articles to DKY
HISTORIAN Ramona Crooks 884-3585 webmaster, Norm Jensen.
HOSPITALITY:
North Coast OPEN
CNPS MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION
South Coast Beverly Sloane 785-3134
DOROTHY KING YOUNG CHAPTER
Roberta Rams 884-4847
INVASIVES Peter Warner 937-2278 Membership in the California Native Plant Society is open
JUBATA ERADICATION Roz Bray 785-2694 to all. The task and mission of the Society is to increase
LEGISLATION OPEN awareness, understanding, and appreciation of California
native plants. The challenge is to preserve their natural
MAILINGS OPEN
habitat through scientific educational, and conservation
MEMBERSHIP Bob Rutemoeller 884-4426
activities. Membership includes subscription to the
NEWSLETTER Julia Larke 964-2845 quarterly Fremontia, as well as our local chapter
PLANT SALE Jon Thompson 884-4847 newsletter, the Calypso.
PLANT WATCH Heidi Marshall 884-3831
POSTERS Lynn Tuft 785-3392 Name ______________________________________
PROGRAMS OPEN; Lori Hubbart (pro tem) Address ____________________________________
PUBLICITY OPEN City ________________________ Zip ___________
RARE & ENDANGERED: Tel. ___________ E-mail _____________________
Coordinator Teresa Sholars 962-2686
Inland Clare Wheeler-Sias 895-3131 I wish to affiliate with the DKY Chapter _______
Sea Ranch Elaine Mahaffey 785-2279 or, other chapter _____________________________
Sonoma Co. Dorothy Scherer 882-2850 (Please check, or name a chapter; CNPS will make
South Coast Mary Rhyne 884-3043 assignment if none is specified by applicant.)
VEGETATION MEMBERSHIP CATEGORY
North & South OPEN
WEBMASTER Norm Jensen Student/Retired/Limited Income $20
Individual/Library $35
webmaster@dkycnps.org
Family/Group $45
All phone numbers are Area Code 707. Supporting $75
Plant Lover $100
NEXT BOARD MEETING: The next meeting of the Patron $250
Executive Board is scheduled for Wednesday, January Benefactor $500
4, 2006 at 10 a.m. in the Point Arena Library. For Mariposa Lily $1000
information, please contact Lori Hubbart at 882-1655. Make check out to the California Native Plant Society;
mail check and application to:
CALYPSO Jan-Feb Deadline: Send in newsletter Bob Rutemoeller, Membership Committee
items by January 5, 2006 to J. Larke, P.O. Box 1631, DKY Chapter, CNPS
Fort Bragg, CA, 95437; jlarke@mcn.org. PO Box 577

8 November - December ’05