Cheahmill Chapter

The Cheahmill Chapter (pronounced “sh-ah-mill”) was named for the Kalapuyan people who inhabited the region encompassing the Yamhill River watershed and what is now Yamhill County and parts of Polk County. The Yamhill River watershed and landscape extends from the riparian bottomlands along the Willamette River into the upper forested slopes of the Coast Range. Historically, this was a region of extensive wet prairies and bottomland hardwood forests that transitioned to upland prairies and oak savanna, and eventually coniferous forests at the higher elevations.

Photo by Cheahmill Chapter

Much of the land has been converted to farms, orchards, and vineyards, yet, remnants of the historic landscape remain and harbor many beautiful native plant communities and rare species including Kincaid’s lupine (Lupinus oreganus), the host plant for the federally endangered Fender’s blue butterfly, Willamette Valley larkspur (Delphinium oreganum), Nelson’s checkermallow (Sidalcea nelsoniana), and Willamette Valley daisy (Erigeron decumbens var. decumbens) to name a few.

Founded in 1998, the Chapter maintains a native plant garden at the McMinnville Public Library, collaborates with Yamhill County Soil and Water Conservation District on their annual native tree and shrub sale, holds an annual wildflower show and plant sale, and partners with Yamhill County Parks and Recreation and the Yamhill Basin Council to restore native vegetation communities at County parks. The Chapter has led efforts in revising the County’s roadside vegetation management practices to account for and avoid select native plants and communities and has assisted in various plant inventory and monitoring projects on publicly owned lands. The Chapter offers grants to support projects aligned with NPSO’s mission and occasionally leads field trips in the region to view native plants and their communities.

The Cheahmill Chapter holds regular monthly meetings fall through spring at the McMinnville Public Library that are open to the public. Monthly meetings feature guest lecturers on topics of interest to our members.

For questions, information on upcoming events, or to be on the Cheahmill Chapter e-mail list, contact ch**********@NP*******.org.