State & Chapter Events

Updated 2 March 2024
 


Click a chapter/group name, or scroll the entire list.

State Cheahmill Corvallis Emerald
High Desert Klamath Basin Portland Siskiyou
South Coast Umpqua Valley Willamette Valley William Cusick
Filipendula Group

State

SAVE THE DATE!
May 17-19, 2024
NPSO Annual Meeting
Spirit Mountain Lodge, Grand Ronde
Hosted by Cheahmill and Corvallis Chapters
More information and registration at https://annualmeeting2024.npsoregon.org/

Cheahmill

For questions, or to be added to the Cheahmill Chapter's email list for reminders of upcoming programs and events, please contact the Cheahmill Chapter President at ch_president@NPSOregon.org.

Check out our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/NPSO.Cheahmill.

Friday, March 1, 9:00 am - 6:00 pm and
Saturday March 2: 9:00 am - 2:00 pm
Event: Yamhill Soil and Water Conservation District 2024 Native Plant Sale
Location: Yamhill Valley Heritage Center, McMinnville

Online orders can be placed for the native plant sale from the Yamhill Soil and Water Conservation District at https://yamhillswcd.org/nps/. You can also sign up for volunteering for the event with this link.


Saturday, March 23, 10:00 am - 12:00 pm
Work Party: Native Plant Garden at McMinnville Public Library
Location: McMinnville Public Library

Spend a couple hours with a congenial crew and learn how the beauty, diversity and educational value of this mature demonstration garden is maintained with a minimum of effort. No experience is necessary. Bring gloves, bucket, and gardening tools. Dress for the weather. 
For more information, contact Catie Anderson at catie.fishback@gmail.com or 971-241-7634.

The library is located at 225 NW Adams Street (corner of Highway 99 W and SW Second Street), McMinnville, Oregon. The library parking lot may be entered from either Adams or Second Streets.


Corvallis

For questions, information on upcoming events, or to be on the Corvallis Chapter email list, contact co_president@NPSOregon.org. Find us on Facebook at facebook.com/CorvallisNPSO. 

Monday, March 11, 7:30 pm - 9:00 pm
Program: Gardening for the Bees (and the Birds), and an Introduction to the Xerces Society
Presenter: David Kollen, Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation
Location: Room 2602, Cordley Hall, Oregon State University Campus, 2701 SW Campus Way or via Zoom 

This program will include:

  • an introduction to pollinators and their importance in natural systems and our food system;
  • native bee diversity and natural history;
  • some butterfly and moth natural history;
  • threats facing pollinators;
  • how we can play a role in pollinator conservation, both in general and in our own landscapes and communities; and
  • opportunities to get involved in community science activities for those interested in going above and beyond.

Dave is a Xerces Society Ambassador and in that role is involved in educational and outreach work. Additionally, he is an Oregon Master Naturalist and Master Melittologist Apprentice. His involvement in community science includes the Pacific Northwest Bumble Bee Atlas, the California Bumble Bee Atlas, and the Oregon Bee Atlas. Dave also writes pollinator-focused articles for the Oregon State Federation of Garden Clubs newsletter, Mahonia

Preregister for Zoom
at https://oregonstate.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJEvceqrpzsqGtVgVJF63Yx7zw5SGdbFcfg9  After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

Saturday, March 30, 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm 
Event: Work Party at the Avery Native Plant Garden
Leader: Esther McEvoy
Location: Avery House Nature Center, Avery Park, Corvallis

Come help with spring cleanup in the gardens. Dress for the weather and bring gloves, shovel, and clippers. Contact Esther for more information or to RSVP at 541-990-0948 or estherco@peak.org.

Emerald

Visit the Emerald Chapter website at http://emerald.npsoregon.org to learn more about the latest chapter events, plant lists, and botanical information about Lane County plants and the people who love them. 

Monday, March 18, 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Presentation: Culturing Native Plants in the Pacific Northwest
Speaker: Michelle Osgood, Assistant Horticulturist at the U.S. Forest Service Dorena Genetic Resource Center
Location: Amazon Community Center, Main Building, 2700 Hilyard St, Eugene, Oregon
 
Featuring funky ferns and quirky Quercus, U.S. Forest Service horticulturist Michelle Osgood shares techniques about propagating ferns from spores, collecting wild seed, growing resilient native plants, and out planting them into the wild or even your own backyard.

Saturday, March 30, 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm
Field Trip: Ramble
Location: Buford Park, East Entrance

Rambles are casual walks where participants identify and share knowledge of plants they encounter as a group. All levels of experience are welcome. All we ask is that you are interested in plants! We’ll walk along a gravel access road and established trails. The approximate round- trip distance will be three miles. There should be an abundance of early wildflowers. Since parking at the East Trailhead is limited, we’ll meet up two miles away at the Pisgah Public Market in Pleasant Hill and carpool from there. From southbound I-5, take exit 188 for OR58 East, “Oakridge-Klamath Falls,” and continue on OR58 for just under four miles. The Pisgah Public Market is on the left as you enter Pleasant Hill. Please call Karl Anderson at 505-257-0554 if you have questions. Sign up here.


Saturday, April 13, 9:00 am - 3:00 pm
Field Trip: Brice Creek Trail
Leader: Bruce Waugh

Join State Board member Bruce Waugh hiking in an old growth forest on a streamside trail through a scenic, rocky canyon. We will primarily see forest flora with the occasional rocky bald. It is a three-mile round-trip on an easy to moderate trail. Due to the narrowness of the trail and steep drop offs, this hike is not suitable for those with vertigo or balance issues. 

If participants are interested in seeing the native plant gardening and restoration Bruce has been doing on his oak woodland property outside of Cottage Grove for the past eight years, he is willing to show folks around after the walk. 

Meet at South Eugene High School at 19th and Patterson Street in Eugene at 9:00 am or at Row River Nature Park in Cottage Grove at 9:30 am. Bring lunch, water, boots, rain gear, and hiking poles if desired. Sign up here
 

High Desert

For information, visit our website: www.highdesertnpsoregon.org or Facebook page: Native Plant Society of Oregon: High Desert Chapter, or email us at highdesertnpso@gmail.com. Find our latest field trip observations on iNaturalist, https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/high-desert-chapter-npso-field-trips.

Tuesday March 26, 7:00 pm
Presentation: Butte Biogeography: Tree Distribution in the Mountains of Central Oregon
Speaker: Bob Earle
Location: East Bend Library, 62080 Dean Swift Road

The presentation will look at disjunct populations of trees in the mountains (popularly called “buttes”) of Central Oregon. While considerable data has been collected about trees in the Cascade Range, less is known about tree species on the smaller mountains of the high desert of Central Oregon. Through many field trips, the speaker attempted to fill in the missing data. He will discuss possible reasons for the locations of the trees and reveal interesting patterns in tree distribution that he discovered.

Bob Earle is a member of our High Desert Chapter who arrived in Bend during the pandemic and spent many days exploring the buttes in Central Oregon. He teaches Geographic Information Systems and Physical Geography (Landforms, Weather, Climate, Biogeography) at Central Oregon Community College.
 
Wednesday, April 24, 4:00 pm
Event: High Desert Chapter Spring Social and Chapter Meeting
Location: WinterCreek Nursery, 63405 Deschutes Market Road, Bend

Come meet our incoming board members and enjoy a spring afternoon perusing WinterCreek’s extensive native plant selection. More details coming soon.


Klamath Basin

For information on the Klamath Basin Chapter, contact kb_president@npsoregon.org, visit our website: http://klamathbasinnps.com, or find us on Facebook:(13) Klamath Basin Chapter - Native Plant Society of Oregon | Facebook.

Portland

Our members receive The Calochortus, our monthly e-newsletter with field trips, programs, news, and events for the Portland area. If you are a Portland Chapter member and not receiving it, notify us at npsopdxchapter@gmail.com. You'll also find our monthly programs and additional field trips posted on our Meetup page: meetup.com/NPSO-Portland/. Our Facebook page is regularly updated with current wildflower bloom status and photos: facebook.com/npso.portland. Visit our chapter website at portlandnativeplants.org for archived newsletters and to register for current programs. View recordings of past programs on our YouTube channel. Join one of our iNaturalist projects: inaturalist.org/projects/npsopdx-collective-annual-projects. Follow us on Instagram: instagram.com/npsopdx/.

Members will find links to register for our second Thursday Zoom presentations in each issue of the Bulletin, in The Calochortus newsletter, and on our social media channels. The Portland Chapter does not host Zoom Programs in July and August.

Saturday, March 6-9, various times
Conference: 77th Annual Meeting of The Northwest Anthropological Conference 
Location: University Place Hotel & Conference Center





This year's theme of building bridges reflects the collaboration and connection needed in all fields and practices of Anthropology. Two of our NPSO Portland Chapter members will be speaking at the event, Dr. Gabriel Campbell and Dr. David G. Lewis. We hope you can make it! Register and find more information here

Thursday, March 14, 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Program: Forests During the Time of the Mastodons: Ziegler Reservoir Fossil Site
Presenter: Dean Miller, Data Analytics Trainer and Quaternary Paleobotanist
Location: Zoom
 
In 2010, during the construction of a reservoir near Snowmass Village, Colorado, bones of mammoth and other extinct species and a rich assemblage of vertebrate, plant, and other fossils were unearthed. Miller takes us on an insider’s journey into the intriguing and revealing world of paleontological and paleobotanical specimens found at the site, especially fossil conifers and their cones. His research on conifer macrofossils provides insights into the successional forest stages throughout the Pleistocene in Colorado. The Snowmass discovery offers insights into poorly understood climatic and ecological changes during the late Pleistocene at high elevations. 

Register for this Zoom event here. When you register, you will receive an email with the Zoom link to join. Save it! 
 
Tuesday, March 26, 10:00 am
Hike: March BioBlitz: Marching into Spring
Hike Leaders: Lecia Schall and Cheryl Brock
Location: Whipple Creek Regional Park
 
Please join Lecia Schall and Cheryl Brock as we March forth into Spring at Whipple Creek Regional Park near Ridgefield, WA. This hidden gem is a 300-acre park with lots of crisscrossing graveled trails which border the Whipple Creek drainage. We will be looking from the treetops of this unique, temperate Douglas-fir and grand fir forest, down to the soggy ground for signs of spring. Which are the first plants to flower and leaf out? This easy 2-3-mile hike will follow the main loop, and explore some of the extra features and loops, like cedar groves and a stone mill. It could be muddy, so please wear proper footwear. Once we have our guest list, we can arrange carpooling. Contact Lecia (Lisa) schalllecia@gmail.com to RSVP. Be sure to sign up for our NPSOPDX24 March BioBlitz so you can track your observations: Marching into Spring BioBlitz.
 
After the hike, there will be an optional trip a bit further north to do the drive-through at Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge.


April is Native Plant Appreciation Month
 
Join the Portland Chapter of the Native Plant Society of Oregon (NPSOPDX) for a variety of Native Plant-related activities: Hikes, Workshops, Programs, and more. Check our Website and Google Calendar for more details.

The NPSO Portland Chapter gets ready to launch its fourth annual iNaturalist Bioblitz for the 2024 Native Plant Appreciation Month! Help us document the existence and phenology (life stage) of native plants in the greater Portland area and the Columbia River Gorge during the months of March, April and May. This is a fantastic opportunity to enjoy and protect Pacific Northwest natives. If you haven't already, please download the iNaturalist app, available for iPhone or Android, and at iNaturalist. 

Join this year's iNaturalist NPSOPDX24 Native Plant Appreciation BioBlitz 2024 and compare this year’s observations to the previous ones on our Collective NPAM page projects here.

Monday, April 1, 5:00 pm
Hike: April BioBlitz Hike: April Fools Appreciate Native Plants, Even When They Can’t See Them.
Hike Leader: Lecia Schall
Location: Canemah Bluff Nature Park
 
Join Lecia Schall. and one of our new Hike Leaders on Monday, April 1, 2024, at 5:00 pm for one of the kick-off events for Native Plant Appreciation Month, at the very special oak and vernal pools habitat at Canemah Bluff Nature Park just south of Oregon City, OR. This easy 1–2-mile hike will take us across the basalt bluffs and into the woods, where we will see a variety of oak habitat and plant associations, from prairie to woodland and forest.  

This is a Metro Park, so no dogs are allowed. There are limited facilities, but restrooms should be available at the Canemah Children’s Park. There is limited parking, so we might want to carpool from somewhere nearby. Contact Lecia (Lisa) schalllecia@gmail.com to RSVP. Sign up for the iNaturalist: NPSOPDX24 April BioBlitz ahead of time so your timely photos and observations can be added to our database: Native Appreciation Month BioBlitz.
 
Thursday, April 11, 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Zoom Presentation: Native Plants of Oregon’s Northern Coastal Range 
Presenter: Kira Taylor, Naturalist
Location: Zoom

 
Kira shares her knowledge and enjoyment of hiking in the northern Oregon Coast Range. She will highlight the region’s native flora and fauna, as well as give us an insider’s view of several incredible hiking trails.
 
Register for this Zoom event here. When you register, you will receive an email with the Zoom link to join. Save it! 

 

Siskiyou

To sign up for the Siskiyou Chapter NPSO monthly eNews on a new platform: sign up

To view our YouTube Channel and watch past programs: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXFI2J9yp2AYmUzNz0jLlSw

To join a native plant google group forum: Siskiyou-Chapter-NPSO-plant-talk@googlegroups.com

To join our Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/SiskiyouChapterNativePlantSocietyOfOregon

Thursday, March 21, 7:00 pm
Program: Getting Wild Restoring Biodiversity in Our Gardens and Yards
Speaker: Grace Florjancic
Location: Southern Oregon University, Science Building, Room 161, Ashland

Planting native plants is crucial to ecosystem health and to preserving and protecting life on earth. Plant choice matters, and choosing native plants helps to restore and ensure vital ecosystem services in our landscapes. Based on the work of Dr. Doug Tallamy, this presentation outlines steps you can take to create healthy, productive gardens and to help save our disappearing pollinators and birds.

Grace Florjancic is the Agricultural Master Gardener and Home Horticulture Coordinator for Oregon State University’s Southern Oregon Research and Extension Center. Lynn established and runs the native plants nursery at Jackson County Extension Campus.

This program will also be provided as a zoom for folks who cannot attend in person. To register for the zoom: https://bit.ly/npsotalks.
 
Sunday, April 7, 9:30 am
Bald Mt Plant Hike
Leader: Wayne Rolle

The Siskiyou Chapter of the NPSO is hosting a botanical field trip along the ridge of Bald Mountain. Bald Mountain is located above 5,000 feet in elevation between Talent and the Little Applegate watershed. This will be an opportunity to see the locally rare Henderson's biscuitroot (Lomatium hendersonii) and a few other early wildflowers that make up the diverse native flora of the area. Hike participants will enjoy great views of the Siskiyou Mountains. The hike is of moderate difficulty. Meet for carpooling in the south parking lot of Talent Elementary School (corner of Wagner Creek Road and Schoolhouse Road) at 9:30am. To register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/botanical-field-trip-to-bald-mountain-tickets-838899339507?aff=oddtdtcreator

Email the trip leader Wayne Rolle at wrolle@mind.net if more information is desired. All NPSO field trips are free and open to the public.


South Coast

The South Coast Chapter has been recently re-established, with membership from both Curry and Coos counties. Guests of members of other chapters are welcome at our events. To join our mailing list, please contact our chapter president Charmane Mitchell at: cmainie@gmail.com.

Visit our Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/NPSOSouthCoastChapter


Saturday, March 23, 11:00 am - 1:00 pm
Field trip: Skunk cabbage walk
Leader/Speaker: Eric Dean, South Slough Reserve Education Program Specialist and Gail Perrotti - gperrotti@earthlink.net  
Location: South Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve, 61907 Seven Devils Road, Charleston, OR 97420

See the skunk cabbage (Lysichiton americanus) in bloom. We will meet at the interpretive center. Our walk options are either a 1.6-mile walk which includes downhill and flat terrain on good trails or boardwalk. The other option would be a little over two miles with some uphill added to first option. If desired people, can add to that on their own and make it a 3.5-to-4-mile hike. After the hike, enjoy a brown bag lunch at the interpretive center picnic tables.


Umpqua Valley

Check out our Facebook page, www.facebook.com/UmpquaValleyNPSO. Not online? – call Donna Rawson at 541-643-0364.

Willamette Valley

Thursday, March 21, 6:30 pm - 7:30 pm
Virtual Program: Bigleaf Maple Sugaring
 
The bigleaf maple syrup industry in Oregon is small but growing. Join Eliza Nelson, founder and director of the Oregon Maple Project, as she talks about the process of tapping bigleaf maple trees and then producing a delicious, local syrup for market. For more information and to register for this Zoom presentation, email John Savage at wvnpso@gmail.com.
 
Friday and Saturday, March 22 and 23, 9:00 am - 3:00 pm
Field Trip: Deepwood Museum and Gardens Native Plant Sale
 
Members of the Willamette Valley Chapter of the NPSO will lead flower walks to view the Oregon fawn-lily (Erythronium oregonum) and other blooming wildflowers on the Deepwood Nature Trail at 10:00 am and 12:00 pm on both days of the Deepwood Museum and Gardens Native Plant Sale. The walks will start near the Deepwood parking lot. For information about the plant sale and flower walks, visit the event webpage at  https://deepwoodmuseum.org/events/annual-events/ or call 503-363-1825. 

 

William Cusick

Chapter notices and communications are done primarily through a Google group. For more information or to be added to the Google group, please contact Susan Geer at 541-963-0477 or susanmgeer@gmail.com. Our website is not currently functional.
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Native Plant Interest Groups:

Filipendula

For more information, visit our Facebook page: NPSO-Filipendula Chapter

 
 
 
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