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NPSO Logo Bulletin of the Native Plant Society of Oregon

Dedicated to the enjoyment, conservation, and study of Oregon's native vegetation.

July 1997

Volume 30 · Number 7

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In This Issue


State News

Officers: Newly elected state officers are: Mike Fahey, president; Mike McKeag, vice president; Heather Laub, secretary; Jean France, treasurer; Bruce Barnes, Bruce Newhouse and Kareen Sturgeon, directors.

State Board Meeting: 10 A.M. In Bend, on a Saturday in September. Place and date to be determined.

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Chapter News

Blue Mountain

Meeting: No meetings for the rest of the summer.

July 12. Sat. Field Trip: Target Meadows, near Tollgate. Meet: NE corner of Pendleton Safeway parking lot, 8 A.M. Leader: Bruce Barnes

Corvallis

Meeting: No meetings until October.

July 5, Sat. Field Trip: Iron Mountain. Meet: 7:30 A.M., parking lot diagonally across from the Monroe St. Beanery (26th and Monroe). All day trip. Bring lunch, snacks, water. From Corvallis we drive to Tombstone Pass parking lot (on Highway 20) to reconvene and meet with any others who will join us. The Cone Peak/Iron Mt. loop is of moderate difficulty, 4-5 mi. in length. Sun glasses and lotion may be useful (we hope). Forest and meadow wildflowers with spectacular views of the Cascades are main attractions. "Wildflowers of the Central Cascades" by Ross Chambers is recommended. Call trip leader, Dan Luoma, for more information.

July 19, Sat. Field Trip: Tour local Corvallis parks. Find out what's right under our noses! Chip Ross Park, Bald Hill, Willamette Park, and possibly Jackson-Frazier. Led by Dick Brainerd, participants will be polled for their preferences and we'll go where you want to. Meet: OSU parking lot, west of the Beanery, 26th and Monroe, 9 A.M. (to 1 P.M.). Bring lunch and water if you wish to. Call Carolyn, for information.

Aug. 2, Sat. Work Party: Help build the boardwalk at Jackson-Frazier Wetlands. Spend a constructive morning helping to level soil, shovel gravel, move boards, and assemble boardwalk. It's a great project! Tools and water provided, but bring work gloves (and food if desired). 9 A.M. - 1 P.M. Meet: OSU parking lot, west of the Beanery, 26th and Monroe. For more information, call Bob Frenkel.

Emerald

Meeting: No meetings in the summer.

July 12, Sat. Field Trip: Fingerboard Prairie. We will visit this flat meadow in the McKenzie Ranger District, at about 4500 ft. elev., near Mt. Washington. We will also visit nearby Deer Butte. Leave S. Eugene H.S., 9 A.M. Call Dave Predeek, for information.

July 26, Sat. Field Trip: Sardine Butte. Wet meadow habitat, suitable for Frasera umpquaensis. Located at the intersection of Oakridge, Blue River, and Lowell ranger districts. Meet: S. Eugene H.S., 8 A.M., or the covered bridge at Westfir, 9 A.M. Call Jenny Dimling, for more information.

High Desert

Meeting: No meetings in the summer.

July 19 - 20 Sat. - Sun. Field Trip: Studhorse Butte, Christmas Valley. We will join Lucile Housley, BLM botanist, for a survey or rare plants in this beautiful and isolated area of Christmas Valley. We will camp overnight and help Lucile survey. Call Lucile for details. We will meet her at the Christmas Valley Lodge on Saturday morning.

Aug. 2, Sat. Field Trip: Strawberry Summit/Morning Hill Forest Farm. Easy 7 mi. R.T. hike, with 1200 ft. elev. gain, to the highest peak in the Strawberry Wilderness, at 9038 ft. See interesting alpines and whitebark pine. Three grapeferns are found here. Participants can camp Fri. and Sat. nights at the trip leader's beautiful Morning Hill Forest Farm. Call Jennifer Barker in Canyon City, for details.

Sept. 13, Sat. Field Trip: Broken Top Volcano. Our annual trek to view the spectacular glaciated scenery and alpine wildflowers in the high Cascades, west of Bend. This is a 6 mi. R.T., moderate to strenuous hike with 1700 ft. elev. gain. Mostly off-trail hiking through the Three Sisters Wilderness, so number is limited to 12. A Cascades classic! Preregistration is required. Call trip leader Stu Garrett, evenings, to sign up.

Mid-Columbia

July 2, Wed. Meeting: 6:30 P.M. Our annual potluck at Jerry Igo's. Jerry will give us a little presentation on weeds. For directions and further information, call Barbara Robinson.

July 26 - 27 Sat. - Sun. Wildflower Show: 10 A.M.- 4 P.M., both days. Skamania Lodge, Stevenson, Washington. Presented in conjunction with the National Committee for the Lewis and Clark Bicentennial. For more information, call Allen Bell.

Aug. 6, Wed. Meeting: 7:30 P.M. Mildred and Stuart Chapin's beautiful house in White Salmon, Washington. Paul Slichter, a biology teacher at Gresham H.S., will give a slide show on the wildflowers of Lake County's high desert area. For directions, call the Chapins.

North Coast

For information on the North Coast Chapter, call Christine Stanley.

Portland

July 8, Tues. Meeting: 7 P.M. First United Methodist Church, 1838 SW Jefferson St., Portland. John Christy, wetland and aquatic ecologist for The Nature Coservancy, will give a program on "Pre-settlement Vegetation of the Tualatin River Basin."

July 13, Sun. Field Trip: Saddle Mountain. Visit a unique coastal mountain habitat at the height of the flowering season, with USFS botanist Carol Horvath. Species include Dodecatheon austrofrigidum, Cardamine pattersonii and Saxifraga caespitosa var. subgemmifera. Hike 2.5 mi. to the top with some moderate and some steep, uneven terrain and exposure. Trip limited to 12. Preregistration required. Driving: 100 mi. R.T. Leave: 8 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.

July 19, Sat. Field Trip: South Prairie and Big Lava Bed. There will be three stops on this trip. The first will be at South Prairie Bog, next at Suksdorf's "Barley Meadow" -- the kind of locality for pale blue-eyed grass, Sisyrinchium sarmentosum -- then on to the west side of the Big Lava Bed to explore the lava and search for the tiny green spleenwort, Asplenium viride, under lava overhangs. Bring boots or an extra pair of shoes for bog slogging. Meet: Lewis and Clark State Park, Hwy. 84, 7:30 A.M., or the north end of the Bridge of the Gods, Hwy. 14, at 8:30 A.M. Contact Lois Kemp, for more information.

July 26, Sat. Field Trip: Mount Hood Meadows. Examine the impact of ski area development on alpine meadows and learn about restoration efforts. This will also be a chance to discuss recent management plan changes and their impacts while viewing the site with USFS botanist Heather Laub. Hiking distance, 2.5 mi., with 600 ft. elev. gain. Leave: 8 A.M., from Gateway/99th Ave. Park & Ride, near southeast corner of the parking lot. Take exit 7 from I-84, turn immediately right onto NE 99th Ave. Second meeting: 10 A.M., Mount Hood Meadows parking lot. Contact Heather Laub, or Greg Stone.

Siskiyou

Meeting: No meetings in the summer.

Aug. 2, Sat. Field Trip: Oregon coast from Brookings to Charleston. Leader: Bruce Rittenhouse, BLM. Features: Rare plants, such as Lilium occidentalis, other coastal vegetation. Meeting place to be announced. This trip may be extended to two days, if the participants want to. Call Don Heinze, for more information.

South Coast

For information on South Coast Chapter, contact Bruce Rittenhouse.

Umpqua Valley

July 10, Thurs. Meeting: 6 P.M. Potluck at Hillcrest Vineyard. View Quercus chrysolepsis and Quercus suber in ag setting. Discuss the Oregon Flora Project. Bring an unknown plant for identification.

July 12, Sat. Field Trip: Go to Illahe Lookout and Wild Rose Trail to view plant regeneration and composition after last fall's Spring Creek fire. Meet: BLM parking lot, 777 Garden Valley Blvd., just off exit 125 of I-5, for 8 A.M. departure.

Aug. 2, Sat. Field Trip: Explore Crater Lake's rim drive pumice fields for subalpines. Long legs can hike the Mt. Scott trail. Leave: 7 A.M., BLM parking lot, 777 Garden Valley Blvd., just off exit 125 of I-5, or rendezvous, 9 A.M., Diamond Lake Lodge. For information, call Richard Sommer.

Willamette Valley

Meeting: No meetings in the summer.

July 5, Sat. Field Trip: Snow Peak and associated wetlands. Moderately difficult 1 mi. hike up to the old lookout site. The objective is to develop a species list for the Oregon Flora Project. Meet: BLM parking lot, corner of Fabry Rd. and South Commercial. Travel distance about 80 mi. Leader: Terry Fennell.

July 12, Sat. Field Trip: Iron Mountain. Joint trip with Audubon Society. Moderately difficult hike. Meet: 7:30 A.M., K-Mart parking lot on Mission St. Bring water and lunch will be eaten at the lookout. Leader: Walt Yungen.

July 19, Sat. Field Trip: Willamette University's Dr. Susan Kephart will lead the first of two trips to Black Butte in central Oregon to catch the early wildflowers and spectacular views.Bring layered clothing, sunscreen, lunch and water. Meet: Indian Ford Campground, north of Hwy. 20, 9 A.M. Check with the USFS to see is summer park permits are required for the Black Butte trailhead. Call Susan for more information.

Aug. 9, Sat. Field Trip: Black Butte and Metolius Spring. Dr. Morris Johnson, Western Oregon University, will lead to the top of Black Butte in central Oregon. This 3 mi. hike starts at 4500 ft. elev. and ends at 6000 ft. Terrific views, penstemons and other wildflowers. Contact Morris for meeting time and place.

Aug. 16, Sat. Field Trip: Wash Creek Divide. This trip along Cascade Mountain ridges features the rare Aster gormanii, other late season flowers, huckleberries and great views. Meet: 8 A.M., BLM parking lot, corner of Fabry Rd. and South Commercial. Driving time about 2 hrs. Leader: Claire Hibler.

Wm. Cusick

Meeting: No meetings in the summer.

July 9, Wed. Field Trip: Local landowner and conservationist Loren Hughes will lead a trip to examine areas that are recovering from long term grazing. Location will be the Morgan Lake area or Mt. Harris, depending on conditions and participant interest. Optional picnic/barbecue after the trip. Meet: Safeway parking lot, 6 P.M. For information, call Loren Hughes.

July 12 - 13 Sat. - Sun. Field Trip: You are invited to spend the weekend on The Nature Conservancy's spectacular Clear Lake Ridge Preserve near Joseph, Oregon. Hike Devil's Gulch to pull late season knapweed and Scotch thistle. Tom Rohn, an accomplished birder, will lead. Meet: Jerry's Market, Joseph, 8 A.M., for an early start. Drive 4-wheel drive vehicle, if you have one, and bring camping gear, food, gloves and your favorite weed digger. Call Berta Youtie for more information.

There may be more field trips in July. Please watch the "Briefly" column in the La Grande Observer for announcements.

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IMPORTANT NOTE TO FIELD TRIP PARTICIPANTS

Field trips take place rain or shine, so proper dress and footwear are essential. Trips may be strenuous and/or hazardous. Participation is at your own risk. Please contact the trip leader or chapter representative about difficulty, distance, and terrain to be expected on field trips. Bring water and lunch. All NPSO field trips are open to the public at no charge (other than contribution to carpool driver) and newcomers 'and visitors are always welcome.

NOTICE TO FIELD TRIP CHAIRS AND LEADERS

The Forest Service and other agencies have set policies limiting group size in many wilderness areas to 12. The reason is to limit human impacts on these fragile areas. Each group using wilderness areas should be no larger than 12.

POSTAL NOTICE

Bulletin of the Native Plant Society of Oregon; John Robotham, Editor; 117 NW Trinity P1. #28, Portland, OR 97209.
Published monthly. Subscription price $18/year. ISSN 0884-599. Date and issue number on page 1.

Opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors of the articles. They do not represent the opinions of the Native Plant Society of Oregon, unless so stated.


Guidelines for Contributors to the Bulletin

The NPSO Bulletin is published monthly as a service to members and the public.
All kinds of contributions are welcome. Copy is due by the 10th of the month.
CREDITS: Identify author and affiliation. If it's not original, cite source and date.
ILLUSTRATIONS: Line drawings, prints and high contrast black-and-white prints are useable. Some Macintosh graphics can be used. Contact editor for current needs, or send illustrations with the article.
BOTANICAL NOMENCLATURE: Follow "Flora of the Pacific Northwest" by Hitchcock or "The Jepson Manual" where appropriate.
FORMAT: Submissions can be in any form. The use of a modem is not possible at this time. For further details, consult the editor.
ORIGINALS: Submissions are not returned, unless requested.



It is with great sadness that I report the death of Jean L. Siddall, longtime member of the Portland Chapter of NPSO, who died May 3, 1997, of complications of a brain tumor.

Jean will be remembered for a great many important activities, but perhaps the most significant was her contribution to our present knowledge of Oregon's rare and endangered plants. An abbreviated history of that effort and Jean's key role is perhaps in order here, since almost 30 years have passed since the work began.

In the early nineteen seventies, Jean contacted Kenton Chambers, then Curator of the Herbarium at OSU, about assembling a comprehensive list of Oregon's rare plant species. Prior to this time, Dr. Chambers had prepared a preliminary list of Oregon rare species, focused especially on endemic taxa. Jean subsequently met with him to add species of her own which she felt were becoming rare through threats from human activities. Their combined preliminary list was used by The Smithsonian Institution in its 1978 publication, "Endangered and Threatened Plants of the United States."

Jean then acquired a grant from the Fish and Wildlife Service to document information on Oregon's rare species. Of these times, Ken remembers: "Jean was a superb organizer and was the perfect person to lead the cooperative effort that was required in preparing an endangered plant species list for Oregon." Jean set up her central files in a basement office in her home, under the organizational title "Oregon Rare and Endangered Plant Project." Because these were the days before personal computers, the data files all were typed by Jean and her major helpers, one of whom was Sue Vrilakas (now of The Nature Conservancy).

Beginning in 1976, Jean organized the first of four "rare and endangered plant conferences," at which participants responded to a proposed list of Oregon endangered taxa, by writing their personal observations about rarity and threats on worksheets. These sheets plus data from first-hand sighting reports were transferred by Jean's group of workers to punch cards. Now all such information is kept in computerized databases, like that at The Natural Heritage Program, but Jean Siddall and her small corps of workers did it all by hand in the seventies and eighties. Recently, remembering those days, Sue Vrilakas wrote: "Jean had a combination of intelligence, curiosity and focus, topped off with incredible amounts of energy and enthusiasm. She was a person whom it was hard to dissuade but a person who made a difference." Ultimately, Jean's pioneering work led directly to the current Natural Heritage Program and the Oregon Department of Agriculture's rare plant program.

After Jean's death this May, her family arranged for her accumulated data files, maps, punch cards and reference library to be transferred to the Oregon State University Herbarium. Funds were also donated by the family to initiate a Jean L. Siddall Memorial Botany Scholarship in the OSU Department of Botany and Plant Pathology, to support research projects using the files.

At a recent memorial service for Jean in Tryon Creek State Park, Ken Chambers emphasized how important it is that we remember Jean's pioneering work in the protection of Oregon's rare and endangered plant species. He writes: "As I told those who attended her memorial service, when it comes to protecting and conserving Oregon's endangered flora, the plain facts of the matter are: Jean was the pioneer; she initiated the work, and she made it all happen."

Donations to the Jean L. Siddall Memorial Botany Scholarship can be made to the Oregon State University Foundation, 517 Snell Hall, Corvallis, Oregon 97331. Rhoda Love Emerald Chapter


New Kalmiopsis Editor Named

Thank you for asking me to edit Kalmiopsis; I think it will be a stimulating way for me to contribute to the Society. Any manuscripts, input, ideas, and other communications can be sent to me at vorobik.rockisland.com, or U.S. Mail: Dr. Linda Ann Vorobik, R.R. 1 Box 1964, Lopez, WA 98261; phone 360-468-3188; summer (June 8 - Aug. 20) phone via the Jepson Herbarium, UC 510-643-7008. I had a very productive meeting with retiring editor, David Kennedy, and the boxes were passed. Linda Ann Vorobik


Native Plant Outreach
Program a Success

A new and successful native-plant outreach program in Washington might serve as a model for other states interested in educating the public on use and importance of native plants. The Native Plant Stewardship Program provides native-plant education to local residents who then volunteer their time to teach others the importance of natives in the landscape.

The volunteers receive 100 hours of free training in a variety of topics, including plant taxonomy, ethnobotany, working with wetland plants and invasive species, landscaping with native plants, and the restoration of native habitats. In return, the students are required to provide a minimum of 100 hours of outreach education to area residents.

"This is a comprehensive overview and enough to give [volunteers] some expertise on on the native-plant issue," according to Marilyn Freeman, acting agro-ecologist at Washington State University Cooperative Extension in Seattle. "Many [volunteers] that went through this training were Master Gardeners, artists, writers and some nursery workers ... "

... The first course ran for eight sessions, from February to April, and was held at University of Washington Center for Urban Horticulture in Seattle. It included three full-day tours of native habitats and visits to native plant nurseries. In addition, the volunteers were provided with a binder of reference materials on those topics.

For their 100 hours of outreach education, students could choose among a wide variety of projects, such as leading field trips for a school group or helping homeowners use native plants in their landscapes. The volunteers are required to keep a record of their hours and complete their projects within a year. "We hope it will then be a continual commitment," Freeman said.

Heidi Bennett, one of the volunteers, worked on several restoration projects. Bennett was also one of the teachers for the ethnobotany course, education volunteers on the Native American use of plants in the area. She is currently working on having native plant courses become a part of the horticultural curriculum of the University.

The program was created through a partnership between the [Washington State University] Extension Service and the Central Puget Sound Chapter of the Washington Native Plant Society. It was funded through an $18,000 grant awarded by the Puget Sound Water Quality Authority. The grant only provided funding for the first round of classes, Freeman said, so organizers are currently seeking revenue for continuation of the program from various state organizations and the University.


The article above is reprinted from the American Nurseryman magazine, December 1, 1996.

The program is said to be the only one of its kind in the country. Guy Sternberg, statewide director of the Illinois Native Plant Society, has said that while a number of other state native plant societies have seminars on native plants, very few offer outreach educational courses. Sternberg believes similar programs can work in other states, if conducted through a university.

For further information on the format of this native plant project, which may be of interest to other states, or to discuss funding, contact Heidi Bennett.

Wilbur L. Bluhm Willamette Valley Chapter


Wallowa-Whitman Walk

The Baker Ranger District of the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest is sponsoring a wildflower walk around Anthony Lakes, to see subalpine wildflowers and aquatic plants.

Meet at the Anthony Lakes campground at 10 A.M. on Saturday, the 26th of July. For more information, call Paula Brooks.


Corvallis Native Plant Garden

History

In 1995, the Corvallis Environmental Center was looking for volunteers to plant a garden around a house being renovated in a park south of town (Avery Park). The house was to serve as a nature center for displays and public education run by the Environmental Center, as office space for the group doing the renovation (the Jay Cees), and as a second story flat for a caretaker hired by the Corvallis Parks and Recreation Department. The Corvallis Chapter of NPSO had long wanted to establish a native garden in this area and was delighted to take on this project when it was proposed at a chapter meeting. Coincidentally, the deadline for a grant being offered by the city of Corvallis's Civic Beautification Trust Fund was approaching, and so our newly-formed garden group hastily submitted a grant proposal for $600, which was awarded to us. With the house as a focal point, our proposed garden was part of a larger plan serving the house, and required coordination with other interested parties. Our idea for a native garden was enthusiastically received by the Environmental Center and fell in nicely with their plans for a nature center.

Goals

We had several goals in mind, which have been modified as the project evolved. We wanted to set up a botanical garden with cataloged plants as a potential seed/cutting resource, using plants locally endemic to the floor of the Willamette Valley. We wanted to place the plants in the context of habitats found in the Valley and to approach the garden as a small ecosystem, rather than using the individual plant approach found in most home gardens. In keeping with the habitat approach, we especially wanted to put in a section of upland prairie, which is now restricted to approximately 1% of its former range.

Probably our main goal was to provide educational outreach to the public about native plants and native gardens. We wanted to teach people what could be done in their own gardens with local species, and to plant the notion not only of a garden that is potentially self-sustaining, but also one that would be constantly evolving, to be directed or not as desired by the gardener. We wanted to help the public to be able to recognize native plants and to discourage use of the term "native weeds." We plan to label each plant and have an informational notebook and handouts in the nature center containing plant descriptions, preferred growing conditions and other general nursery-style information, as well as photographs of plants in bloom, and their uses by indigenous groups and wildlife (including insects.). The latter category, especially needs more research. For example, more needs to be known about the native plant preferences of local birds. We wanted the garden to be wheelchair accessible, and as it turned out, this was also essential to Parks and Recreation as a connection to other areas in the park. Finally, we wanted to educate ourselves, to fill in the gaps in our knowledge and to find out what works and why. We have already found it unexpectedly educational to coordinate a project with several other groups.

Site and Plan

The house contained a yard partially surrounded by a cyclone fence. Parks and Recreation decided that the fence could be taken out and they removed it for us, which substantially opened up the area and allowed a much more natural and flowing garden design. The fence on the south side of the house was thick with three evils: blackberry bushes, morning glory, and ivy -- plus a little native poison oak -- and this all had to be removed manually. We decided to do the garden in stages over a three year period, beginning with the south side where there was open oak woodland and one young big leaf maple. This provided a good site for understory plants and we made one section a coniferous understory (even though there were no conifers) and one an oak understory. We created a wheelchair path which joins the parking lot on the north side of the house to the deck on the south side, between the lawn area and our garden on the periphery of the lawn. We also planned to lay in bark mulch paths running from the wheelchair path through the trees and around the garden beds.

We created raised beds by bringing in soil from the local landfill and placing six inches of bark mulch (supplied by Parks and Recreation) on top. We dug out the wheelchair path with a tractor. Our inexperience in using the scoop produced a slightly different path configuration than we had imagined, somewhat less meandering than we had intended. We filled the path with quarter minus gravel and tamped it down with a mechanical plate. The path was by far the most difficult part of the project.

This summer we're going to start the prairie section with flats flats of seeds that we planted this spring. We plan to fill it in with other species by collecting this year's seed crop as it matures. We'll have to see if we can achieve a balance among various species, or whether some maintenance will be required, as some plants will tend to be more aggressive than others.

There were some constraints associated with the site. Because it is next to a heavily used canopied fire pit (up to 300 people at a time), a volley ball net, an area with playground equipment for children, and will be flanking the house, Parks and Recreation had safety concerns about dense shrubbery. They also did not want to add much to the tree canopy. And with the heavy use, we had to ensure that the garden would not be trampled. They will remove three non-native trees for us, but will not remove the pesky cherry tree bordering our wheelchair path as they feel the public likes it. We plan to use that to our advantage by describing its undesirable traits in our literature.

We did not put in a couple of trees (one of which had already been eaten by something tall). We spaced the shrubs so that they won't be dense, but as time passes, we may need to either prune or remove them. We also realized that Corvallis and the surrounding vicinity encompasses elevations and unique areas, such as Mary's Peak, that support species not found on the valley floor. We ended up incorporating some of these species into the garden as it seemed to make sense to try to show plants found throughout Corvallis. Mary's Peak is so different that we felt it was important to represent it separately. We plan to build a rock wall which will contain plants endemic to the rockeries found on the mountain.

We received another grant from the Civic Beautification Committee this year and plan to buy two concrete benches which we will place strategically in the garden, for both protection from the crowds and for enjoying the garden. The Committee viewed the garden for the first time last week and consider it one of their most successful funding efforts. We decided it was unrealistic at this time to to pursue a botanical garden, but it is perhaps something we could attempt in the future.

With several species endemic to this area that either are, or are becoming, endangered, such as Sidalcea nelsoniana and Delphinium pavonaceum, we hope we can use the garden to show people what they can do with their own gardens, and sensitize them to native plants in general and the plight of native species and habitats in particular. We would like to see people understand and want to preserve their regional uniqueness. Suggestions and volunteers are welcome.

Carolyn Ver Linden, Corvallis Chapter


Weed Free Forage Bill
Goes to Governor for Signing

At the request of the Native Plant Society, a bill to create a weed-free forage certification program within the Department of Agriculture was introduced in the Senate by Senator Thomas Wilde in early April. With little delay, the bill moved swiftly through committees and both chambers with strong support from diverse interest groups.

Often heralded as an effective, albeit small, step forward in the state and national effort to control the spread of noxious weeds, Senate bill 913 attracted strong support from groups as diverse as the Farm Bureau, Cattleman's Association, Watershed Councils, Oregon Trout and the Audubon Society. This bill actually represented several of the rare moments in this session when both sides of the aisle found agreement with little trouble.

The bill involved only a few simple amendments to existing statutes that would allow the Department of Agriculture to establish a program to cover all forage products including straw and hay. The program was presented to the legislature as being cost neutral for budget considerations. To administer the program, the Department of Agriculture plans to charge growers for inspections and subsequent certification. Growers benefit by being able to receive higher market prices for their products.

Testimony before natural resources committees in both the House and Senate often focused on the support this program will provide to wilderness areas and restoration projects. The Seed Growers Association, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Forest Service and Wallowa County provided key support. Special thanks go to Jon Christenson of Senator Wilde's office for his work in guiding this bill through the legislative process.

Governor Kitzhaber is expected to sign the bill near the end of June. One it becomes law, the rule-making process will begin to work out the details of implementation. Anyone interested in helping to guide this process should contact Steve Hinton.

Steve Hinton Legislative Chair, NPSO


Klamath Basin Chapter News

The Klamath Basin Chapter, which is now being organized, is scheduled to hold its first monthly meeting in September, the location and date to be announced.

And on Saturday, July 12, a field trip (lasting three hours) to Seven Mile Marsh in the Klamath Ranger District will take place. Water, insect repellent and boots are desirable. Lichens and various kinds of aquatic and terrestrial plants will be seen. For information on the time and place to meet for this trip, Call Susan Erwin in Klamath Falls.


Eagle Cap Seeks Volunteers

The Eagle Cap Ranger District of the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest is seeking volunteers for assistance with a trail revegetation project in the Eagle Cap Wilderness.

Work will include transplanting native vegetation, collecting and planting native seed, and building waterbars. Some money is available to cover food costs for participants. The work is anticipated to last five to seven days, and will take place in August or September, depending on the needs of the volunteers. This is a great opportunity to explore a beautiful part of Oregon, and to help the Forest Service re-establish native plants in a fragile area. For information, call Tom Carlson at the Eagle Cap Ranger District, 541-426-4978.


NPSO Items for Sale

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, 21663 Paloma Dr., Bend, OR 97701 (541-389-6981). Individuals may order posters at $12 each, plus $3 per order for shipping. Posters are mailed in tubes. Chapter treasurers 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 T-Shirts are available in various colors and designs, and are sold through NPSO chapters.

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, 84603 Bristow Rd., Pleasant Hill, OR 97455. $5 each, plus $3 per order for shipping. Posters are mailed in tubes.

NPSO Membership Directory lists names, addresses and phone numbers of members (April, 1997). Available from Jan Dobak, 2584 Savier St., Portland, OR 97210-2412. $2 each.


North American Sea Plant Society
NOTE: This is an archived NPSO Bulletin.
The information on NASPS is not current.
The society is no longer functioning and
any contact information is obsolete. The text
shown here is for historical purposes only.

The formation of the North American Sea Plant Society, Inc., was recently announced. This is a national organization dedicated to the study and enjoyment of plants indigenous to coastal areas throughout North America. Sea plants are defined as "any botanical specimen which is affected either in a direct or indirect manner by natural salt sea spray." The organization is of special interest to gardeners and horticulturists.

Members receive a quarterly publication, Maritima, have access to the association's seed exchange program, may request on-line computer searches for a nominal fee, and obtain assistance in the formation of local units. Membership, open to all, is $12 a year.

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© Copyright 1996 Native Plant Society of Oregon, All Rights Reserved

Last Modified April 6, 1996