Hello my plant-loving friends!
It has been a busy April! The blue oaks leafed out overnight, the redmaids (Calandrinia menziesii) put on a spectacular display, and the geophytes (Allium and Dichelostemma) started to bloom in my yard. I enjoy getting out and seeing the diversity of plants growing—always fun to see how far and wide the natives have spread as they fight it out with the non-natives. Shasta Chapter CNPS participated in many events this month—many thanks to all of you who volunteer to keep our Chapter up and running!
Shasta Chapter had its first pre-pandemic in-person meeting on April 20, with a great turn out. Laura Brodhead and Brooke Thompson of the Bureau of Land Management spoke to us about the importance of riparian forest and discussed in detail a large restoration project, Rancho Breisgau, that they have been working on and hope will be funded in May. Hopefully, you were able to attend the Earth Day Festival organized by the Shasta Environmental Alliance. It was wonderful to interact with the community again and see so many people out and about celebrating our planet on such a beautiful day. The Friends of Mary Lake had a sign dedication that I attended. If you get a chance, go take a walk and admire their new sign on native plants that are found around the lake—beautifully illustrated by Susan Lofthouse Meade and edited by Shasta Chapter CNPS members.
Photo taken April 22, 2023, by Amy Henderson.
If you are disappointed to have missed these events, never fear. We are hosting Aaron Sims, California Native Plant Society, at our next Chapter meeting, on May 18 at 6:30 PM, at the Shasta College Health Science & University Programs building in downtown Redding, where he will be talking about the rare plants of Trinity County. We will also be at the 30th Annual Siskiyou County Mother’s Day Wildflower Show on May 14.
As far as missing Earth Day, you haven’t. Earth Day should be celebrated every day. You can start slowly, maybe by switching out your plastic water bottle with a reusable one, or perhaps you are wanting something even more meaningful, like volunteering your time to organizations whose purpose it is to conserve and restore our biodiverse landscapes and the plants and wildlife that depend upon them. There is so much each of us can do to make a difference—it really does begin with you! Plant some natives in your yard, educate our community on why native plants matter, volunteer with our Chapter. We have many opportunities available, from propagation, Board positions, to webmaster. There is something for everyone. These are simple things we can do to celebrate and honor our one and only home.
Kindest regards,
Amy Henderson, President
Photo by Amy Henderson.