Non-functional turf in non-residential landscapes like this will be banned under AB 1573.  Photo by Dinesh Valke, CC_BY-2.0_SA.

This month, AB 1573, a bill that would create California’s first requirement for the use of native plants in public and commercial landscapes successfully passed the California Assembly and is now headed for the Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee on June 27. CNPS is a proud sponsor of the bill authored by Assemblymember Laura Friedman (D-Burbank). [READ MORE]

 

Over 700 plants were sold at the WLJ Chapter Spring 2023 plant sale. Online and on-site sales combined grossed approximately $5,000. Most plants were sold online for pickup in Fairfield or Benicia. Remaining inventory was sold at the Heritage Presbyterian Church on May 6th, which also served as the Benicia pickup location. Proceeds from these semi-annual sales support activities to conserve native flora in Solano County.  [READ MORE]

 

This summer the University of California Cooperative Extension will offer a forest stewardship workshop to Solano County residents of oak forests and woodlands. Participants will learn how to manage their forest lands to reduce their risk from wildfire. The workshop begins online July 18th to September 12th with one in-person workshop on Saturday, August 5 in Solano County at a location to be determined.  [READ MORE]

The WLJ Chapter encouraged members to enjoy native plants during the spring of 2023 by promoting four hikes in the area.  Destinations included the Forrest Deaner Native Plant Botanic Garden in Benicia, the Jepson Prairie Preserve in Dixon, Lagoon Valley in Vacaville, and Samuels Ranch in Mix Canyon.  Reports from members on three of these hikes are provided below.

 

On April 8th Jim Adams, co-author of “Healing with Medicinal Plants of the West”, led a walk through the Forrest Deaner Native Plant Botanic Garden focusing on the medicinal properties of native plants.  Adams holds a PhD in Pharmacology and Toxicology from the University of California at San Francisco, is a retired Associate Professor of Pharmacology at the University of Southern California, and has studied with a Chumash Indian Healer for many years.  Participants learned about native plants growing in the botanic garden that can be used to make remedies for a variety of common ailments.  [READ MORE]

Jepson Prairie Preserve

Kathleen Catton, WLJ Chapter Treasurer, led a walk on April 15th at Solano Land Trust’s Jepson Prairie Preserve.  This 1,566-acre site south of Dixon is one of California’s best remaining examples of claypan vernal pools and bunchgrass prairie.  There was plenty of water in the vernal pools due to the winter rains. 

It was definitely a superbloom year, although with the cool spring it had not yet reached it's peak for blooms.  [READ MORE]

Samuels Ranch

The WLJ Chapter had its third field trip to Samuels Ranch at the top of the Vacaville hills up Mix Canyon Road on May 20^th.  Click here for a report on last year’s hikes.  Even though the area was ravaged by the 2020 LNU fire, the hills were quite green and recovering, some of the plants' seeds needing fire to sprout. [READ MORE]

 

To celebrate the 35th anniversary of the Butterfly House at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom in Vallejo, Sierra Lissick (Solano College graduate and local resident) invited our chapter to staff an exhibit table on Sunday, May 28th during the Memorial Day weekend. We were joined by two other conservation organizations, Solano Resource Conservation District and the Xerces Society. [READ MORE]

 

• Facilitated the meetings of the CNPS Chapter Council’s Health Nurseries & Habitats Committee
• Maintained a nursery in Vallejo and finished plans for a new irrigation system
• Held two native plant sales
• Organized two hikes
• Commented on a local park master plan to support the use of native plants
• Grew and planted trees for the Re-Oak Solano County project
• Installed a native plant garden at a local school
• Produced two newsletters and maintained the Chapter website
• Held four meetings of the Chapter Board of Directors

[READ MORE]

This is a call for contributions to the WLJ Chapter newsletter for the Fall 2023 edition. Please send your articles, announcements, events, hikes, photos, programs, reports, volunteer opportunities etc. for this upcoming newsletter to contact@jepson.cnps.org. The deadline for submissions is September 1st. Thank you for helping to keep the Chapter informed and active.

• See the CNPS Calendar of Events for five on-line or in-person native plant events for June and July.
• See the Center for Environmental Inquiry Calendar of Events for one event in August.
• See the Solano Land Trust Calendar of Events for five hikes in June and July.
• Forest Stewardship Workshop, July 18-Sept. 12 online, August 5 in Solano at location TBD.  Click here to register.
• July 20, Re-Oak Solano County, Lake Herman Open Space, Benicia, 9:00 AM-Noon. Click here to register.
• WLJ Chapter Fall 2023 Native Plant Sale, Online Oct. 3-9, pickup and on-site sale Oct. 14.
• Volunteer opportunities Monday or Thursday, 10:00 AM-Noon at Jepson Native Plant Nursery in Vallejo, Contact Barbara.