In acknowledgement of a recent donation, Northern California Botanists (NCB) graciously gave Shasta Chapter CNPS a free registration to its upcoming symposium. We offered that free registration to our membership, on a first-come, first-served basis, and heard back from four interested parties!
Our first responder, who was awarded the free registration, was Christina Peirce of Hayfork. Christina is a retired nursery owner who wanted to attend this symposium with a younger friend who is the native nursery manager for the Trinity County Resource Conservation District. They are putting in a community orchard, garden, native plant welcome garden, and pollinator garden on a nine-acre property in Hayfork. This property is being rehabilitated after having been a dumping ground for trash for many years, and Christina and her friend are excited to be able to do a safer job of propagating natives.
When the second offer inquiry came in, from Dave Garcia of Medford, Oregon, an anonymous Shasta Chapter member stepped up to donate funds to cover his registration. Dave’s deeper awareness of native plants began when he was a horticulture student at Shasta College, and became more focused during his years as a botany student at Cal Poly. Classes in plant taxonomy and plant ecology, and field trips with the San Luis Obispo Chapter of CNPS were the beginning of his lifelong appreciation of the science and wonder of the plant kingdom. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Native Plant Society of Oregon.
Two more inquiries were received, but neither came to fruition, for various reasons.
Shasta Chapter CNPS is delighted to be able to facilitate native plant education opportunities for its members, and NCB’s upcoming symposium is an excellent such opportunity. For further information on NCB’s upcoming symposium, please see: www.norcalbotanists.org