We want to thank our amazing volunteers who contributed over 27,000 hours in 2019 to help our CNPS East Bay Chapter with restoration, communications, conservation, rare plants, field trips, Native Here Nursery, and tabling at public events.

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Common names such as butterfly mariposa, splendid mariposa, superb mariposa, and Diogenes’ lantern tip us off that the genus Calochortus is a thrill. And once again, the East Bay (Alameda and Contra Costa counties) has more than its fair share of that thrill. Here is a quick skip through the genus with the focus on East Bay species.

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Although we regret that we weren't able to serve our customers this spring, the coronavirus shutdown has given us time to work on many projects at Native Here Nursery so we can serve you better when we reopen. We’re excited to announce our most significant accomplishment: we have created a new website that enables our customers to order plants online for nursery pickup until we can return to in-person shopping.

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Skyline Serpentine Prairie Revisited

Nearly 30 years ago, I first walked through the remnant serpentine-soil grasslands of the Skyline Serpentine Prairie on a CNPS field trip. With restoration crews on hold during the coronavirus pandemic, I returned to the Skyline Serpentine Prairie in mid-April to check on the early wildflower show in this Oakland hills habitat. The April blooms provided new wildflower sights for me.

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News from the Regional Parks Botanic Garden

During this time of sheltering in place, the Regional Parks Botanic Garden staff has been missing all the garden visitors, volunteers, docents, and Friends! We have been closed since late March, and we are working on a plan for reopening that may involve one-way paths, some path closures, and limiting the number of visitors at one time. 

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