Bulletin of the Native Plant Society of OregonNOTE: This is an archived NPSO Bulletin.
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Bulletin of the Native Plant Society of Oregon[ Return to Bulletin Directory ]
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May 8 - 10 Fri. - Sun. |
Annual Meeting: At Mosier, in the Columbia River Gorge. See March Bulletin for details and registration form. |
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May 10, Sun. |
Board Meeting: On Sunday morning, at the annual meeting. |
Chapter News
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April 4, Sat. |
Field Trip: Umatilla Wildlife Refuge, on the Columbia River. Check out the results of last year's plantings, and see the spring flowers in the Refuge. Meet: NE corner of Safeway parking lot, 8 A.M., or Refuge headquarters in Umatilla, 8:45. Contact Bruce Barnes. |
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April 6, Mon. |
Meeting: 7 P.M. Small Business Development Center, SE 1st & Dorian, Pendleton. Berta Youtie will update the activities of The Nature Conservancy in northeastern Oregon. |
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April 25, Sat. |
Field Trip: Hat Rock State Park and Twin Sisters, on the Columbia River. Things should really be popping out then. Meet: NE corner of Safeway parking lot, 8 A.M., or contact Jerry Baker to meet elsewhere. |
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May 3, Sun. |
Field Trip: Take a winding, stopping drive up the old Cabbage Hill Rd., ending at Marilyn Lieuallan's cabin at the top. Meet: NE corner of Safeway parking lot, 8 A.M. Contact Jerry Baker. |
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May 16, Sat. |
Field Trip: Another winding, stopping drive up the Lincton Mtn. Rd. to the Tollgate Chalet. Meet: NE corner of Safeway parking lot, 8 A.M. Contact Jerry Baker. |
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April 13, Mon. |
Meeting: 7:30 P.M. Room 2087 Cordley Hall, OSU campus. "Conserving Open Space in Corvallis and Philomath" by Greenbelt Landtrust. |
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May 11, Mon. |
Meeting: 7:30 P.M. Room 2087 Cordley Hall, OSU campus. Aaron Liston presents "Pine Trees; Phylogeny and Biogeography of Pinus." |
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April 18, Sat. |
Field Trip: Explore the back country of Mt. Pisgah with Dave Predeek and Bruce Newhouse. We'll enjoy the spring splendor, look for a couple of rarities up there (Aster vialis, Senecio macounii, Cimicifuga elata, etc.) and examine a restoration site. This is a big, diverse area, with some spectacular spring blooms and lots of surprises. The scrub oak/buckbrush community, in one area we'll visit, will make you think you've ventured into southern Oregon chaparral. Meet: S. Eugene H.S. parking lot, 9 A.M., bring lunch, hand lens and binoculars if you have them, sturdy shoes for the steep slopes, and a sense of spring adventure. |
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April 27, Mon. |
Meeting: 7:30 P.M. Room 109, Science Building, main campus, Lane Community College, Eugene. Just in time for spring gardening, Mike Fahey, state president of NPSO, will share some great tips in, "My Experiences Growing Northwest Native Plants." Mike's slide-illustrated talk is based on the development of his own Vancouver, Washington garden, which has over 100 native species. Directions: From 30th Ave., turn south on Eldon-Schafer Dr., go past Oak Hill School and park in LCC's south parking lot, east end. Entrance to room 109 on south side of bldg. |
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May 18, Mon. |
Meeting: 7:30 P.M. Room 109, Science Building, main campus, LCC, Eugene. Joseph Minato will tell us the latest on "Native Plant Restoration in Alton Baker Park," with a talk and slides. Joseph, a very knowledgeable local naturalist, is a Spencer Butte Middle School Science Consultant/Teacher and a lead instructor for Nearby Nature. Directions: See April meeting. NOTE: CHANGE FROM 4TH TO 3RD MONDAY (this month only). Joseph will also lead a field trip to Alton Baker Park, date and time TBA. |
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No meeting in April. |
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April 14, Tues. |
Meeting: 7 -9 P.M. Room 202, Owens hall, OIT, Klamath Falls. Ron Larson will speak on the native orchids of the Pacific Northwest. Call Susan for more information. |
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April 1, Wed. |
Meeting: 7:30 P.M. Mosier School. Kareen Sturgeon will give a presentation on "An Arctic Dream Come True; Botanizing Alaska By Bush Plane and Canoe." |
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April 19, Sun. |
Wildflower Show: 10 A.M.-4 P.M. Mosier School. Come see a stunning array of wildflowers, shrubs and trees from the Columbia Gorge and habitats to the east. |
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May 6, Wed. |
Meeting: 7:30 P.M. Mosier School. Dave Walderman, Washington State Department of Natural Resources, will give a presentation on a rare Gorge endemic, Dalles Mountain buttercup (Ranunculus reconditus), and the Columbia Hills Preserve. |
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For information on the North Coast Chapter, call Christine Stanley. |
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April 11, Sat. |
Field Trip: Mock's Crest. Join Lauren Walker, with P.S.U. and Urban Eco Systems, along with students from Ockley Green Middle School. They will present their project, funded by Metro, which includes the evaluation and design of Mock's Crest and possible other Urban Greenspaces for the revegetation of native species. This is a chance to work with students and share some of the history of our metropolitan area. The event is from 10 A.M. to noon. Meet: Mock's Crest, at the westernmost end of N. Ainsworth St. For more information call Greg Stone. |
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April 14, Tues. |
Meeting: 7 P.M. First United Methodist Church, 1838 Jefferson St., Portland. Peter Zika presents "Who Eats the Fruits of the Amazon?" |
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April 18, Sat. |
Field Trip: Saddle Mt. Join U.S.F.S. botanist Carol Horvath and Christine Stanley for one of the most popular hikes for wildflowers in the Pacific Northwest. With luck we will see Synthyris schizantha, Cardamine pattersonii, and Lloydia serotina, along with many more. It's a little early in the year to go all the way to the top, but this moderate, 2.5 mi. hike will still contain some steep and uneven terrain. Pack a lunch and rain gear. Trip limited to 12. Preregistration required. Driving: 100 mi. R.T. Leave 8:15 A.M., east end of Cedar Hills Shopping Center parking lot. (Westbound from Portland on Hwy. 26, take exit 69B, follow signs to Cedar Hills. Northbound on Hwy. 217, take exit to Hwy. 26E/Cedar Hills, follow signs to Cedar Hills.) Contact Carol Horvath to sign up and for more information, plus information on car pooling from Cannon Beach. Meeting time at trailhead, 10 A.M. |
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April 26, Sun. |
Field Trip: Phlox Ridge. Join trip leader Russ Jolley to see a large variety of phlox, and the serviceberry, which should be in its prime, to name a couple of highlights. This moderate hike takes us 500 ft. higher than Mt. Hamilton for some spectactular views of the Gorge. Approximately 3 mi. R.T. Leave 8:30 A.M., Gateway/99th Ave. Park & Ride, southeast corner of parking lot. (Take exit 7 from I-84, turn immediately right onto NE 99th Ave.) Parking for trailhead located on S.R. 14 at Beacon Rock, where the restrooms are. Can meet there at 9:30. For more information, call Greg Stone or Russ Jolley. |
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May 2, Sat. |
Field Trip: Hood River Mountain Meadow. Join trip leader Russ Jolley to see Astragalus hoodianus, Penstemon grandulosus, balsamroot and many more. Easy, one mi. hike, 400 ft. elev. Gain, to a ridge with great views of the valley. Possible side trip to Sand Dunes, if weather allows. Leave 8 A.M., Gateway/99th Ave. Park & Ride, southeast corner of parking lot. (Take exit 7 from I-84, turn immediately right on to NE 99th St.) Second meeting place: Take exit 64 from I-84 to Hood River Inn parking lot, 9:15. Driving: 130 mi. R.T. Call Russ Jolley or Greg Stone for more information. |
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April 4, Sat. |
Field Trip: Limpy Creek (early serpentine plants and a beautiful, unique area). Leaders: Linda Mullens and Maria Ulloa. Meet: Siskiyou National Forest office in Grants Pass, 200 NE Greenfield Rd., 10 A.M. Easy hike. |
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April 11, Sat. |
Field Trip: Rough and Ready (early dry land serpentine plants, including rare ones). Leader: Don Heinze. Meet: Interagency Visitor's Center, Cave Junction, 9 A.M. Easy hike. |
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April 16, Thurs. |
Meeting: 7:30 P.M. Room 171, Science Building, SOU, Ashland. Sandy Lonsdale will present a slide show on Rough and Ready Creek, which will include a discussion of the proposed NICORE mining project. |
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April 18, Sat. |
Field Trip: Lower Table Rock (spring flowers and vernal pond vegetation, including a rare species). This trip is in conjunction with The Nature Conservancy. Reservations necessary; call BLM, (541) 770-2349. Leaders: Barbara Mumblo, et. al. Meet: Lower Table Rock parking lot, 10 A.M. Moderate hike. |
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April 25, Sat. |
Field Trip: Star Flat (wetland serpentine plants, including rare ones). Leader: Don Heinze. Meet: Interagency Visitor's Center in Cave Junction, 9 A.M. Easy hike. |
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May 3, Sun. |
Field Trip: Illinois River Trail (rare plants, including Kalmiopsis leechiana). Leaders: Don Heinze and Steve Marston. Meet: Interagency Visitor's Center in Cave Junction, 9 A.M. Bring lunch and water. Easy hike, but the mountainside from the trail to the river is precipitous. |
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May 9, Sat. |
Field Trip: Return to Rough and Ready (later dryland serpentine plants, including rare ones). Leaders: Jennifer Beigel and Linda Mazzu. Meeting time(s) and place(s) not yet set. Easy hike. |
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May 16, Sat. |
Field Trip: Golden Coyote Wetlands (a wetland that was devastated by mining and is now being rehabilitated). Leader: Don Heinze. Meet: Wolf Creek Store in Wolf Creek, 10 A.M. Easy hike. |
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May 23, Sat. |
Field Trip: Grass and Grassland Workshop, Fish Hatchery Park (grasslands, grass taxonomy, natural history and historic significance). Leader: Don Heinze. Reservations necessary; contact Don jstducky@cdsnet.net Meet: North side of parking lot, Fish Hatchery Park, 9 A.M. Bring hand lens, digging tool, clipboard, lunch, water. Easy, slow hike, with many stops. |
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For information on the South Coast Chapter, call Bruce Rittenhouse. |
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April 9, Thurs. |
Meeting: 7 P.M. Room 310, Douglas County Courthouse, Roseburg. Simone Grissette will speak to us about the Glide Wildflower Show. She indicated that her talk would be brief, so let's bring spring flowers to discuss and share, as well. Call Candra for more information. |
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.April 18, Sat. |
Field Trip: Six Mile Creek, Store Gulch, and the Illinois River Rd. See Indian rhubarb and a large patch of chain fern. Leave BLM, 8 A.M., leave Fat Harvey's, 8:30 A.M., and leave Selma Market, 10 A.M. Call Sandra for information. |
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April 20, Mon. |
Meeting: 7 P.M. Room 225, United Methodist Church, 600 State St. NE, Salem. Don Eastman will talk about the rare and endangered species of Oregon. |
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April 15, Wed. |
Meeting: 7 P.M., Forest and Range Sciences Laboratory, C Ave. & Gekeler Lane, La Grande. Dan Sharratt, agronomist, Oregon Department of Agriculture, will give an in-depth talk and slide show on the "Effects of Weeds on Eastern Oregon Ecosystems." Dan will also discuss his work with biocontrol agents on these pests. |
NPSO Board Meeting Highlights, January 31, 1998
Fine views of Mt. St. Helens and Mt. Rainier greeted board members as they traveled north across the Columbia River to the first extra-territorial meeting of the NPSO Board of Directors, in Vancouver, Washington.
Dan Luoma, Budget Committee Chairman, discussed the proposed budget for 1998. The following budget was adopted.
Income
Membership dues 18, 200
Environmental Federation of Oregon 9, 120
Symposium Proceedings (net sales) 1, 535
Miscellaneous 1, 650
Total Income 30, 505
Expenses
Chapters share of dues @ 35% 6, 370
Bulletin 7, 500
Kalmiopsis 3, 500
ODA Plant Conservation Internships 4, 500
Oregon Flora Project 2, 000
Oregon Atlas Project 1, 000
Carex Working Group 1, 500
Research Grants (3 @ $750) 2, 250
Eastern Oregon University Herbarium 1, 500
Other grants 1, 300
Miscellaneous 4, 635
Total Expenses 36, 055
Income less expenses - 5, 550
Balance at beginning of year 19, 350
Balance at end of year 13, 800
Rhoda Love presented an overview of the financial needs of the Flora project, and the board increased total support for the Oregon Atlas and Flora projects by $1,000 over the amount in the proposed budget. The Carex Working Group grant will cover the expense of publishing the results of several years' work as an "Occasional Paper." Two hundred dollars will be contributed to the forthcoming Siskiyou Field Institute for scholarships.
Barbara Russell has been working on promoting the remaining 500 copies of the Symposium proceedings. as well as filling orders as they come in.
Webmaster Lisa Karst reported that 81 members are participating in the e-mail list service, "npso-l." The board approved purchase of the domain name "www.npso.org." About six new members per month are using the on-line enrollment form on the Web site.
Last summer, President Mike Fahey asked several members to form a Task Force on NPSO Future. Vice President Mike McKeag has been capturing the brainstorming in a rough document, and hopes to have these ideas organized and distilled in time for the annual meeting.
Steve Jessup was appointed to the chairmanship of the Westside Conservation Committee.
The following schedule for annual meetings was approved:
Ever since the Plant Conservation Symposium in Corvallis in 1995, Bruce Rittenhouse has been thinking about the next conference. He has proposed a Pacific Northwest Regional Native Plant Conference for September, 2000, and the Board endorsed his proposal, and asked Bruce to move forward with organizing.
Thanks to the Portland Chapter for hosting the meeting.
Dave Dobak
Secretary, Pro Tem
Lichens Anyone?
The California Lichen Society is planning a field trip to the Ashland, Oregon area on Saturday and Sunday, May 23 and 24. If you are interested in joining the group, contact Mona Bourrell or Veva Stansel, e-mail vstansel@harborside.com
Oregon's Rare Wildflower Poster depicts Punchbowl Falls and three of the Columbia River Gorge's endemic wildflowers. Text on the back describes the natural history of the Gorge and the mission of the NPSO. Available from Stu Garrett. Individual may order posters at $12 each, plus $3 per order for shipping. Posters are mailed in tubes. Chapter treasures may contact Stu for wholesale prices to chapters.
NPSO Window Stickers are decals with NPSO's trillium logo in green over an opaque white background, for use inside car windows. Available from Stu Garrett, $1, minimum order five.
NPSO's Original Wildflower Poster depicts 13 Oregon wildflowers in a striking artist's rendition. Soon to be a collector's item. Available from Stephanie Schulz, $5 each, plus $3 per order for shipping. Posters are mailed in tubes.
Conservation and Management of Native Plants and Fungi: Proceedings of an Oregon Conference on the Conservation and Management of Native Vascular Plants, Bryophytes, and Fungi. Edited by Thomas N. Kaye, Aaron Liston, Rhoda M. Love, Daniel L. Louma, Robert J. Meinke, and Mark V. Wilson, with a foreword by Reed F. Noss. Available from NPSO Conference Proceedings, 804 Jefferson Ave., La Grande, OR 97850. (541) 962-7749. $20 plus $5 for shipping for the first copy, $2.50 for shipping, each additional copy.
E-mail Discussion List
You may join an ongoing discussion on issues of concern to the Native Plant Society of Oregon by subscribing to our e-mail discussion list. We currently have over 100 members. To subscribe, send email to: Majordomo@teleport.com with the text "subscribe npso-l <your e-mail address>" (and no other text) in the body of the message. Notice that the letter after the "npso-" is a lower case L, not the number one. Also, do not include the < or > in the message, just your address. You will receive an acknowledgement and instructions message from the list server. After that, you will receive all postings to the list and be able to post your own contributions. If you have any trouble subscribing, contact Lisa Karst at webmistress@NPSOregon.org.
Quosatana Hummingbird Garden
This project involves converting a rock quarry abandoned in 1980 into a native plant garden consisting of plants that attract hummingbirds and butterflies. The project is possible through partnership with the Innominata Garden Club and Kalmiopsis Audubon Society.
The garden is on the Quosatana Creek 3313 road, 6.9 miles south from the Agness Road junction. Native plants that have nectar producing flowers that attract hummingbirds and butterflies as well as plants that may serve as larval plants for butterfly caterpillars have been planted at the site. Members of the Innominata Garden Club and Kalmiopsis Audubon Society have grown these plants (and continue to grow) for outplanting at the garden site. Some plants include: red-flowering currant, fuchsia-flowered currant, hairy manzanita, Howell's manzanita, bleeding heart, larkspur, stonecrop, penstemon, twinberry honeysuckle, crimson monkeyflower and many
others. A short trail through the garden has been initiated and signs labeling the plants and their usefulness to hummingbirds and butterflies have been built.
This project is expected to take three years, 1998 being the second. Future plans include more signs, more plants, an improved trail, and especially more hummingbirds and butterflies. The garden's inauguration is set for May 2, 1998 at 10 A.M. Please come and join us! Contact Colin Dillingham.
From: "The Storm Petrel," bulletin of the Kalmiopsis Audubon Society, vol. 19, no. 1, Jan./Feb. 1998.
Spring Plant Sale
At the Floyd Light Middle School, 10800 SE Washington, Portland, on April 25, from 9 A.M. to 3 P.M., the Leach Botanical Garden along with over 20 specialty nurseries will again offer the gardener a diverse selection of unique, high quality plants.
There will be a large selection of Northwest natives, unusual and drought tolerant perennials, ferns, alpines, small shrubs and trees and bonsai, along with special plants propagated from the Leach collection.
All participating vendors bring a wealth of botanical knowledge. Gardening-related items from the Gift Shop will also be available.
Ample free parking is close by, and carry-out service will lighten your plant shopping day. All proceeds directly support the Garden's botanical collections and educational programs.
Protection and Enhancement
Of Oregon's Natural Grasslands
Part III. Effects of Cattle Grazing on Native Bunchgrasses
Spring Grazing -- It has long been known that livestock grazing during the spring season is harmful and eventually lethal to bluebunch wheatgrass (BBWG), the principal native perennial grass of the Intermountain West.1 Even light/moderate spring grazing of BBWG, with 50% of new growth removed, resulted in a 25% reduction in herbage production in the following year.2 Other native bunchgrasses were similarly affected.
In other studies, it has been found that defoliation of BBWG at a height of 0-2 inches during the spring grazing season resulted in a 70-95% decline in herbage production the following year.3 (See also Blaisdell4, Wilson5, McLean6, and Heady7) In fact, most of the BBWG plants subjected to heavy spring defoliation died. Wilson et. al. (see above) concluded that three years of spring grazing could " Ö result in almost complete disappearance of bluebunch wheatgrass from rangeland." And of course, this is precisely what happened when cattle and sheep were brought to the intermountain grasslands. Before that, the impact of grazing by native wildlife - bighorn sheep, antelope, mule deer, elk - would have been orders of magnitude less than that of present livestock grazing8 and within balance with the natural recovery rate of the native bunchgrasses.
Fall/Winter Grazing - Grazing during quiescence also has an adverse effect on BBWG, although the effect is less severe than that caused by spring defoliation. Scientific studies9 are unanimous in finding a marked reduction in yield, averaging about 25%, in the year following fall/winter defoliation. (See also Willms,10 Daer,11 McShane,12 Cook,13 Sauer,14 Wikeem,15 Buwal,16 and Mueggler17) Recovery of BBWG and Idaho fescue to original vigor following defoliation has been found to require 6-10 years, so the reductions in yield after fall/winter defoliation would be largely cumulative from year to year. (See Mueggler below).
Light Grazing - Some managers may advocate light grazing, based on the assumption that light defoliation would not be harmful to bunchgrasses. However, range scientists have found an appreciable adverse effect of light defoliation.18 (See also Ellison, McLean and Cook, 1991 above). According to Cook et. al.19 "It appears that any herbage removal reduces total root production." Furthermore, the adverse effects of light defoliation would tend to be cumulative, since the recovery rate of bunchgrasses is low.
Anderson20 concluded that, "Although some light' grazing may be allowed during the active growing season, tolerable utilization levels are so low, and the room for error so great, that any grazing would appear impractical, if not risky."
Russ Jolley
Portland Chapter
Results of Corvallis Survey
We (the Corvallis Chapter Board of Directors) feel that it's valuable to query you every now and then to get some feedback about what you want from this chapter. We sent out surveys in the fall to everyone in the chapter to assess the level of interest and involvement in our ongoing events, such as monthly meetings, in our projects, and to hear your ideas. Twenty three percent of you responded, which is considered to be a very good response-- at least by marketers. Those who returned surveys naturally represented a wide array of interests and levels of knowledge. It was great to read your responses, as summarized below.
What you know: Knowledge of native plants ran the gamut from very little (1) to a lot (5), but was definitely skewed toward the more knowledgeable end, which probably isn't surprising for a group focussed on a particular interest. Regardless of the level of knowledge however, almost everyone was interested in learning more. What you want to know: Plant ID topped the list, followed by ecology and ecosystems, landscaping with native plants, propagation, and habitat restoration, and then was evenly divided among conservation, population biology, medicinal and food uses, and specific plant groups such as grasses, alpine plants, lichens, etc.
Monthly meetings: A couple of you wanted earlier meetings, maybe even during the day. Field trips: Lots of ideas for field trips. The top two were half-day/local trips and trips to the coast, including dunes, swamps, and seaweeds (especially by members living on the coast). MacDonald Forest and the Cascades or mountains were tied for second place. Other
suggestions were native grasslands, field trips for families with young children, lava flows, Mary's Peak, national forests, wetlands, "gee whiz" trips like the Columbia Gorge, high Cascades, E. side of Oregon, and an occasional overnight trip. One of you just thought variety was good.
Knowledge of projects: More than half of you knew about the Avery Park native garden, and quite a few about the spring garden sale. Projects you'd like to see happen: One of the areas of greatest interest was to survey and/or rescue flora on particular sites such as public lands or lands about to be bulldozed, possibly with a centralized means of coordination. Also of interest were more public education about native plants and educational activities for kids of all ages; working with agencies, such as the city, Forest Service, Finley National Wildlife Refuge, and OSU on projects-- for example, native landscaping of parking lots; and using tissue culture to save endangered species. (This
may be beyond our chapter's current technical capabilities).
Preservation: You were overwhelmingly in favor of roadside protection for native species. One suggestion was that we should also be paying attention to the inappropriate planting of exotics, such as non-native oaks and ornamentals, in sensitive areas like Bald Hill and the riparian zone at Avery Park.
Time: No one has any. You had a lot of terrific ideas and observations, but no time. Being able to invest in furthering your ideas generated this typical response: would like to participate but overcommitted, have no time. Two or three people, in addition to having no time, also lacked transportation.
Activities - Past and Future
This past year: Our monthly meetings covered diverse topics, from a book in process about botanists, to truffles and how to find them. Our field trips consisted of 5 local half-day trips (two to MacDonald Forest, one to local parks, one to Mary's Peak, one to Jackson-Frazier wetlands), four all-day trips (one to the coastal dunes, three to the Cascades), one work party at Jackson-Frazier wetlands, and one plant propagation workshop. For those without transportation, we usually meet at the same place and carpool from there. If you need help arranging for a ride to the meeting place, call the trip leader or the Board members.
Our future: Here are some of the projects we're working on for the upcoming year. We'll have a real booth set up for the first time at the Spring Flower Festival on Sunday, May 3. We plan to hold our monthly meetings at the Avery House soon, possibly by May. Both the interior and exterior work is almost finished and must then be approved before occupancy (hopefully before our summer hiatus). We hope to have an article in the GT garden section about the native plant garden at Avery Park this spring. At the Avery garden, we're planning to put in two concrete benches and a rockery representing Mary's Peak species. If the outside of the Avery House is finished and we have time, we may also put planters (made by Loren Russell) around the house. Sometime in the near future we'd like to install a sign for the Avery garden and start putting in plant labels.
The Corvallis Environmental Center will have ongoing displays and educational programs in the main hall of the Avery House when it opens. We would like to coordinate with them on educational classes for both children and adults, and hope to incorporate some of your ideas for workshops into their schedule. We'll have to see what works. It may be that some of our interests are too narrow for their broad public platform, and vice versa, while others may work out to our mutual benefit.
We would like to work on the Jackson-Frazier wetlands boardwalk again this year. We will have our annual booth at the Fall Festival. We would like to have a fall barbeque at the fire pit next to the Avery native garden.
Thanks for your responses.
Carolyn Ver Linden
Siskiyou Field Institute
The Siskiyou Field Institute (SFI) is a new program that grew out of the 1997 First Conference on Siskiyou Ecology. Beginning this year, SFI will offer hands-on, science-based field courses and workshops. The thread tying all the programs together is their focus on the unique ecology of the Siskiyous and the greater Klamath Region. This year during the week of June 12-19 we are offering 28 different programs, ranging from one to seven days. Courses are available for youth, adult non-scientists and people with a scientific background, such as students and professional scientists and experienced naturalists. Many of the courses are available for college credit through Southern Oregon University.
Some of the courses which focus on the unique flora of the region include: Geo-Botany of the Siskiyous (Bob Coleman and Art Kruckeberg), Lichens of the Klamath Mountains (Steve Jessup); Nature Sketching (Frank Lang), Beginning Plant Identification (Rhoda Love ), Fire Ecology of SW Oregon (Tom Atzet and Darren Borgias), Siskiyou Sedges (Bruce Newhouse and Barb Wilson), Native Seed Collection and Propagation (Althouse Nursery), Conifers of the Siskiyous (Frank Callahan), Natural Dyeing with Lichens (Rachel Winters), Botanizing the Crest Trail (Linda Vorobik), Native Grasses of the Siskiyous (Wayne Rolle), Introduction to Serpentine Ecology (Tom Jimmerson), and Native Plants: Ethnobotany and Folklore (John Roth).
Other courses include Birds of the Siskiyous, Introduction to Siskiyou
Geology, Salmon Biology, Amphibians and Reptiles of the Siskiyous, Wilderness First Aid and Nature Writing with David Rains Wallace, author of the Klamath Knot. Courses for youth include: Wonders of Wetlands, Within the Forest, and Creative Writing. We will also offer workshops for primary and secondary school teachers on environmental education curricula focused on the natural history of the Siskiyous
Regardless of their length, all courses will overlap during the weekend of June 12-14 so participants can come together to engage in evening activities, including a banquet with keynote speaker Dr. Ed Grumbine (author of Ghost Bears), who will speak on the importance of education for the the conservation of biodiversity; and a special presentation of the acclaimed play, Wolf at the Door, a musical-comedy which examines current environmental issues.
SFI is coordinated by the Siskiyou Regional Education Project, and cosponsored by the Native Plant Society of Oregon, Southern Oregon University Biology Department, and Oregon Caves National Monument. All programs in 1998 will be centered in the Cave Junction area of the Illinois River Valley, 30 miles south of Grants Pass, Oregon on Highway 199. For more information about course offerings and other SFI events, contact: Jennifer Beigel or Erik Jules at SREP, P.O. Box 220, Cave Junction, OR 97523; or email institute@siskiyou.org.
Jennifer Beigel
Siskiyou Chapter
Webmistress@NPSOregon.org
© Copyright 1996 Native Plant Society of Oregon, All Rights Reserved
Last Modified April 6, 1996