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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.

May 1998

Volume 31 · Number 5

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In This Issue


State News

May 8 - 10

Fri. - Sun.

Annual Meeting: At Mosier, in the Columbia River Gorge. See March Bulletin for details and registration form.

May 10, Sun.

Board Meeting: 9 A.M. At the annual meeting.

Chapter News

Blue Mountain

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,( policy).

 

Meeting: No meeting in May.

Corvallis

May 11, Mon.

Meeting: 7:30 P.M. Room 2087 Cordley Hall, OSU campus. Aaron Liston presents "Pine Trees: Phylogeny and Biogeography of Pinus."

May 23, Sat.

Work Party: 1 - 4 P.M. Avery House, Avery Park, Corvallis. Come help move mulch or gravel and help clean up the native plant garden before the grand opening of the Avery House in June. Bring gloves, a shovel and some energy. Contact Esther,( policy), for more information.

May 30, Sat.

Field Trip: 1 - 5 P.M. Searching for Delphinium pavonaceum in the Corvallis area, with trip leader Gaylee Goodrich. Meet at parking lot across from Monroe Beanery, 1 P.M., to car pool for the afternoon. Minimal walking. Call Esther,( policy), for more information.

Emerald

May 16 Sat.

Wildflower Festival: Preparation for Mt. Pisgah Arboretum Wildflower Festival. For field work, meet at SEHS (corner of 19th & Patterson), 9 A.M. To help with set-up, come to Arboretum (off Seavey Loop Rd., Eugene), starting at 8 A.M. Your help in either activity will greatly benefit the show. For information, call Gail Baker,( policy), or( policy).

May 17, Sun.

Wildflower Festival: Set-up for MPA Wildflower Festival. To help with set-up, come to Arboretum (off Seavey Loop Rd.) beginning at 7:30 A.M. There are a variety of tasks to do to make the show come together. Your help is needed and much appreciated. For information, call Gail Baker,( policy) or( policy).

May 17, Sun.

Wildflower Festival: Mt. Pisgah Arboretum Wildflower Festival. 10 A.M. - 4 P.M. See page 65 for details.

May 18, Mon.

Meeting: 7:30 P.M. Room 109, Science Building, main campus, Lane Community College, 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: 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. 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.

May 21, Thurs.

Field Trip: 4-6 P.M. The Nature Conservancy's Willow Creek Preserve, in west Eugene. Led by Ed Alverson, steward for TNC. Limited to 12 NPSO members, by pre-registration only. Call Bruce,( policy), to pre-register and get car pool details.

High Desert

 

Meeting: No meeting in May.

May 16, Sat..

Field Trip: Dry Canyon trail at Horse Ridge. We will join with the Sierra Club to hike this deep canyon which was carved by a prehistoric river. Meet: 9:30 A.M., Juniper Park. A 3 mi., easy hike. Call Sierra Club leader Alison Hamway,( policy), for details.

May 20, Wed.

Field Trip: Pilot Butte State Park. This is a special natural area in the urbanized area of Bend. This half million-year-old volcano has intact native bunchgrass communities over much of its flanks and springtime wildflowers abound. Unfortunately, in the last ten years, spotted knapweed, toadflax, cheatgrass and mullein have begun to replace native plants. In cooperation with the State Parks Division and Pilot Butte Partners, we will pull weeds and stop this invasion in its early stages. Bring gloves, wear sturdy footwear, and meet at the eastside parking lot at the base of the Butte, 6:30 P.M., for an hour or two of weed pulling. Call Stu Garrett,( policy) eves., for more information.

May 28, Thurs.

Wildflower Show: 11 A.M. - 4 P.M. Central Oregon Native Plant Show, Central Oregon Environmental Center, 16 NW Kansas, Bend. Howie Brounstein and his students will gather common examples of native plants from a variety of central Oregon ecosystems and display and identify them.

June 6, Sat.

Field Trip: The Island. This is a remnant example of our native grasslands. Much of the local high desert probably looked like this before grazing, farming and urbanization took over. Unfortunately, even in this barely grazed area exotic weeds are a problem. NPSO will help BLM in removing medusahead from several small infested areas. Call Stu Garrett,( policy) eves., for details.

June 9, Tues.

Field Trip: Pilot Butte State Park. The same time, place and purpose as May 20.

June 20, Sat.

Field Trip: Oregon's ancient junipers. Researchers from Oregon State have discovered the oldest tree in Oregon in our backyard, an ancient juniper more than 1500 years old. We'll travel to the Badlands, 20 mi. east of Bend, to learn about old trees and the high desert ecosystem. Call Stu Garrett,( policy) eves., for details.

June 20, Sat.

Field Trip: Lookout Mountain, Ochoco Mountains. We'll join the Sierra Club to hike this roadless area in the Ochocos for a great wildflower bloom. Moderate, 8 mi. trip. Meet 9:30 A.M., Juniper Park. Call Sierra Club leader, Alison Hamway,( policy), for details. Note: two trips on this date.

June 27, Sat.

Field Trip: Metolius Basin -- natural history and weed attack. Forest Service botanist, Katie Grenier, will take us on an easy hike through the spectacular pine forests of the Metolius Basin. Old growth pine, pristine riparian areas, and wildflowers will be highlighted but we will also learn about the weedy invasion in this area and do some pulling. Please bring gloves. Meet: USFS Sisters Ranger Station parking lot, 9 A.M. Call Katie Grenier,( policy), for details.

July 11, Sat.

Field Trip: Wildcat Basin, Strawberry Wilderness Area. Located west of Strawberry Mtn., the Buckhorn Meadows trail starts at 5900 ft. and reaches Wildcat Basin at 7100 ft. We'll see forested, riparian and alpine habitats. Participants can camp Fri. and Sat. nights at the leader's beautiful Morning Hill Forest Farm. Call trip leader, Jennifer Barker, ( policy), Canyon City, for details.

July 14, Tues.

Field Trip: Oregon Atlas Project survey -- Pringle Falls. This is one of our surveys to look at previously poorly-botanized areas to develop information for the Oregon Plant Atlas Project. We'll take our time to key-out and identify plants along this scenic section of the Deschutes River. All welcome. Meet: Deschutes N.F. Supervisors Office parking lot, near Pilot Butte, 8:30 A.M. Call Katie Grenier,( policy), for details.

July 16, Thurs.

Field Trip: Iron Mountain. Perhaps the best wildflower hike in the central Oregon Cascades. This steep 3 mi. trail passes through a variety of habitats. Over 100 species are likely to be seen as well as great views from the top. Call trip leader, Betty Seidel,( policy), for more information.

July 18, Sat.

Field Trip: Canyon Creek Meadows. Another Cascades classic! Reid Schuller, superb botanist and probably the most knowledgeable person on the wildflowers of these meadows, will lead this 4 mi. R.T. hike, with 500 ft. elev. gain. The meadows are located in the Mt. Jefferson Wilderness at the base of Three-Fingered Jack. Meet at USFS Sisters Ranger District parking lot, 9 A.M. (NOTE: IN SISTERS, NOT IN BEND). Limited to 12 persons, because of wilderness travel. Call Reid,( policy) days,( policy) eves., for pre-registration. Do not just show up!

Aug. 22, 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 1,700 ft. elev. gain. We will do mostly off-trail hiking through the Three Sisters Wilderness, so number is limited to 12. Pre-registration required. Call trip leader, Stu Garrett,( policy) eves., to sign up.

Klamath Basin

May 9, Sat.

Field Trip: Mid-Klamath River Ethnobotany. Don Todt and Lucile Housley will lead a trip down Klamath River Canyon to look at four plant communities and the ethnobotanical plants associated with them. Meet at grocery store in Keno, south side of Klamath River Bridge, 9 A.M., to car pool to the canyon. Bring water, lunch, hiking boots, whatever else you need. No dogs please. For more information, map, or what to bring, call Lucile Housley, ( policy), or e-mail lhousley@or.blm.gov. HHH HH

May 12, Tues.

Meeting: 7-9 P.M. Room 202, Owens Hall, OIT, Klamath Falls. Darren Borgias, Ashland Office, The Nature Conservancy, will speak on Astragalus applegatii, Oregon's most endangered plant species, and the population in Klamath Falls. Call Susan,( policy), for more information.

May 15 - 16,

Fri. - Sat.

Workshop/Field Trip: A "Celebrating Wildflowers" plant identification workshop and field trip. Learn basic identification skills in the evening and use them in the field the next day. Fri., 7-9 P.M. North Lake School cafeteria. Sat., 9 A.M., meet at North Lake School parking lot, to car pool to field site. Bring water, lunch, hiking boots, and whatever else you need. No dogs please. For more information, map, or what to bring, call Lucile Housley or Kim Frymire, BLM Lakeview District, ( policy), or Bob Wooley, Silver Lake Ranger District, ( policy).

Mid-Columbia

May 6, Wed.

Meeting: 7:30 P.M. Mosier School. Dave Walderman, Washington State Department of Natural Resources, gives a presentation on a rare Gorge endemic, Dalles Mountain buttercup (Ranunculus reconditus), and on the Columbia Hills Preserve.

June 3, Wed.

Meeting/Potluck: 7:00 P.M. Meet at Arlene and C.B. Larison's home in Goldendale, Washington to see some native plants of the southern Great Plains, including a lawn of buffalo grass! On the subject of grasses, Caitlin Cray will bring samples of several Pacific Northwest species, to help folks identify the good, the bad and the hard-to-key. Maps to the Larison's house will be available at the May meeting, or by contacting Caitlin Cray, ( policy), and leaving your mailing address in the answering machine.

North Coast

 

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

Portland

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,( policy), or Greg Stone,( policy), for more information.

May 12, Tues.

Meeting: 7 P.M. First United Methodist Church, 1838 Jefferson St., Portland. Christine Colasurdo presents "Sprouting in the Shadow of the Volcano -- the Flora of Mt. St. Helens."

May 17, Sun.

Field Trip: Bald Butte. Join trip leader Beth Magnus as she takes us to the beautiful meadows and oak woods of the Mt. Hood foothills, south of Hood River Valley. We'll see Collomia grandiflora, Arabis sparsiflora, Phoenicaulis Cheiranthoides, and lots more, including the showy balsamroot. Although this trail is 8.4 mi. R.T. with a 2,300 ft. elev. gain, it is up to the group as to how far we feel like going. Most likely the entire length will not be accomplished. Leave 8:30 A.M., Gateway/99th Ave. Park & Ride, southeast corner of parking lot. (see May 2 for directions). Driving: 170 mi. R.T., arrive at trailhead 10 A.M. Call Beth Magnus,( policy), or Greg Stone,( policy), for more information.oH

May 30, Sat.

Field Trip: Multnomah Bog on Larch Mountain. Hike 2 mi. R.T., 300 ft. elev. gain. Driving: 70 mi. R.T. Leave: 9 A.M., Gateway /99th Ave.. Park & Ride (see May 2 trip for directions). Leaders: Dave and Jan Dobak,( policy).

June 6, Sat.

Field Trip: Vernal Ponds. Join trip leader Russ Jolley for a combination hike and car tour to Mosier, Memaloose, and Horsethief Lake to explore a number of ponds in this area along the Columbia River Gorge. We'll see Plagiobothrys scouleri and figuratus, Downingia elegans, Machaerocarpus californicus and some special grasses as highlights. Leave 8 A.M., Gateway/99th Ave. Park & Ride, southeast corner of parking lot. (see May 2 trip for directions). Second mtng. Place: Take exit 64 from I-84 to Hood River Inn parking lot, 9:30 A.M. Driving: 130 mi. R.T. Call Russ Jolley,( policy), or Greg Stone,( policy), for more information.

Siskiyou

May 3, Sun.

Field Trip: Illinois River Trail (rare plants, including Kalmiopsis leechiana). Leaders: Don Heinze and Steve Marston. Meet: Interagency Visitor's Center, Cave Junction, 9 A.M. Bring lunch and water. Easy hike, but the mountainside from the trail to the river is precipitous.

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.

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.

May 21, Thurs.

Meeting: 7:30 P.M. Room 171, Science Building, SOU, Ashland. John Roth will give a presentation on "Flower Folklore of North America: Legends from Across the Country Dealing with Genera of Local Plants." John is Resource Manager and Specialist at the Oregon Caves National Monument.

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, ( policy), or 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.

May 30, Sat.

Field Trip: Roxy Ann Butte-- to list plants for the Oregon Plant Atlas Project. This trip may be slow, with time spent to identify plants. Leader: Barbara Mumblo. Meet: McDonald's, Barnet Rd., Medford (south exit of I-5), 10 A.M. Easy hike.

South Coast

June 27-28,

Sat.-Sun.

Field Trip: Snow Camp/Game Lake area to see unique serpentine plants. We will plan on camping at Game Lake, a small lake lined with fragrant western azaleas. Short hikes around Snow Camp and into the Kalmiopsis Wilderness are planned. Meet: Gold Beach Ranger Station, 10 A.M., on Saturday. For more information, call Bruce Rittenhouse,( policy).

July 25-26

Sat.-Sun.

Field Trip: Bear Camp area. Plan on camping in the area. Meet: Agness store, 10 A.M. For more information, call Bruce Rittenhouse,( policy).

Umpqua Valley

May 14, Thurs.

Meeting: 7 P.M. Room 310, Douglas County Courthouse, Roseburg. William Sullivan of 100 Hikes in Southern Oregon will show slides and tell about his many hiking adventures. He has written several books on the subject. Call Sandra,( policy), for more information.

May 16, Sat..

Field Trip: To Cathedral Fall on the South Umpqua River and to Callahans to see Calochortus coxii. By old CCC and Deadman Rd. Meet: BLM parking lot, 777 Garden Valley Rd., Roseburg, 8 A.M. departure. Call Sandra,( policy), for more information.

Willamette Valley

May 2, Sat.

Field Trip: Butte Creek Falls. George and Harriet Schoppert will lead an easy trip to the floristically diverse Butte Creek Falls. Meet: 8 A.M., K-Mart parking lot, Mission St., Salem. Contact George or Harriet, ( policy).

May 18, Mon.

Meeting: Room 225 United Methodist Church, 600 State St. NE, Salem. Russ Jolley will talk about "Are We Going to Let Cows Eat All Our Natural Grasslands."

May 23, Sat.

Field Trip: Little Luckiamute River. Ed Myers will lead this moderately difficult 5 mi. hike through several riparian and upland plant communities. Meet: West Salem Roth's IGA near the hospitality entrance. Contact: Ed Myers,( policy).

July 10, 11, 12

Fri. - Sun.

Field Trip: Ashland and vicinity. Glenn and Barbara Halliday will lead this trip to the Ashland, Oregon area to see the very rare Greene's mariposa (Calochortus greenei) near Siskiyou Pass, the flora near adjacent Pilot Rock, and to explore the area west of Ashland for showy Vollmer's lily (Lilium pardilinium var. vollmeri) and other meadow and forest flora. An option would be to botanize the meadows and alpine slopes of Mt. Ashland. Easy trip with minimal hiking. All areas accessible to passenger cars. Contact: Glenn and Barbara Halliday, ( policy).

William Cusick

 

Meeting: No meetings from May - September.

May 3, Sun.

Field Trip: Andy Huber will show us his GROWISER (Grande Ronde Overlook Wildflower Institute Serving Ecological Restoration) project on Pumpkin Ridge. He is propagating wildflowers and there should be a wonderful early spring display! Meet: Forest and Range Lab, Gekeler Lane and C Ave., La Grande, for 1:00 P.M. departure, or meet at Pumpkin Ridge site if you know the location. Trip will last 3-4 hrs. Call Andy,( policy) (w), or( policy) (h), for more information.

May 19, Tues.

Field Trip: Dr. Karen Antell, Professor of Botany, EOU, will lead to Ladd Marsh from 6 P.M. to dark. Take advantage of her extensive knowledge to learn about these spring blooming meadow and wetland species. You may want to bring rubber boots although we aren't planning on being in too wet an area. Meet: Foothills Rd. overlook, about 3.5 mi. south of Gekeler Lane and Foothills Rd. intersection, on the left side. Call Karen,( policy), for more information.

May 31, Sun.

Field Trip: Bob Ottersberg, landscape ecologist, leads a trip on wild, edible plants along the Oregon Trail. Meet: Forest and Range Lab, for 9 A.M. departure. Bring water and lunch, as it could last all day. Call Bob,( policy), for more information.

June 6 - 7

Sat. - Sun.

Field Trip: The Nature Conservancy is sponsoring a weekend campout at the Boardman Natural Research Area -- a native grassland and one of the most endangered ecosystems in Oregon. Wildflowers will be blooming galore, and sensitive animal species such as Washington ground squirrels, burrowing owls, long-billed curlews and several hawk species may be seen. Camping available at nearby Tullis Farm. Bring gloves to help pull noxious weeds. Bring a potluck dish for Saturday night barbecue, water, and breakfast and lunch material for as long as you plan to stay. Meet: South side of I-84 at Irrigon exit (#168, Hwy. 730), 9:30 A.M. Saturday. Call Berta Youtie,( policy), for information.

June 13 - 14

Sat. - Sun.

Field Trip: Spend a weekend on the most spectacular preserve in Oregon, The Nature Conservancy's Clear Lake Ridge. View a profusion of spring wildflowers close up, and the majestic Wallowa Mountains and the Seven Devils farther away. Camp at the cabin on Friday and Saturday nights, on Saturday take a 6 mi. down hill hike along Devil's Gulch to see the birds and pull knapweed and Scotch thistle. Sunday will be a tour and birdwatching at Downey Lake. Car pooling to the Preserve is necessary, so meet at Jerry's Market in Joseph, 8:45 A.M. Saturday. Drive a 4-wheel drive vehicle if you have one, and bring camping equipment, food, gloves, and your favorite weed digger. Call Berta,( policy), for more information.

June 20, Sat.

Field Trip: If you live in La Grande or Baker City, this is your opportunity to help steward a Nature Conservancy preserve. Weeds are displacing the rare pink thelypody. Meet: North Powder Café, 9 A.M. (south side of I-84, North Powder exit). Bring gloves, lunch, water, weed removal tools. Call Berta,( policy), for more information.

June 27 - 28

Sat. - Sun.

Field Trip: Meet Saturday morning at The Nature Conservancy's Dunstan Preserve, Middle Fork John Day River, to help remove old fences, dismantle buildings, repair historic structures. Barbecue Sat. eve. Bring camping equipment, pot luck dish, musical instruments. Call Berta,( policy), for more information.


President's Message

The NPSO received a notice from the Fish and Wildlife Service announcing a proposal to list Fritillaria gentneri as threatened. They requested information and comments on the listing. I sent this request on to Bruce Rittenhouse, chair of our Rare and Endangered Committee, for response. This is the fourth notice we have received over the past six months for proposals to list rare plants of Oregon. NPSO was represented at a hearing in Baker, Oregon on the listing of Thelypodium howellii ssp. spectabilis. Barbara Russell, Berta Youtie and Karen Antell indicated they would attend. I am pleased we are participating in these hearings to protect our rare plants.

You will be seeing the first of a series of articles featuring the Oregon Flora. NPSO, at the last Board meeting, voted to support the Flora and hopes that all members will give generously so that we will not need to carry two or three field guides to identify plants in field trips to different parts of the state.

I will be looking forward to seeing you at the annual meeting. The Mid-Columbia Chapter has done a great job of organizing field trips and I anticipate a good time will be had by all. Whiles the agenda is not set at the time this is due for the Bulletin, we should have a couple of interesting issues to discuss at the Board meeting -- which is open to all.

Mike Fahey

President, NPSO

 


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 ( policy). 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.

 


Help Wanted

Botanists producing the Oregon Plant Checklist at the Oregon State University Herbarium need access to Oregon plant specimens. Unfortunately, the Herbarium has a backlog of more than 1,000 unmounted Oregon specimens awaiting processing. First state records and other important specimens are included. Herbarium workers are unable to clear this backlog before the 1998 field season provides us with new plant specimens.

Would you please help mount plants? No experience necessary; will train! Individuals are welcome at any time. If your chapter or other group arranges a time to mount plants together, the Herbarium will provide a pizza lunch or dinner. Groups or individuals please contact Barbara Wilson at (541) 737-4106.

 


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 e-mail 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.

 

SUPPORT THE OREGON FLORA PROJECT!

The Native Plant Society of Oregon is proud to support the Oregon Flora Project. Coordinated by Dr. Scott Sundberg, the Oregon Flora Project is being directed from Oregon State University and is sponsored by Herbarium Director Dr. Aaron Liston. To increase our scientific understanding of and public access to Oregon's native plants, the Oregon Flora Project will produce:

  1. A Checklist; a comprehensive list of Oregon's native and natuaralized plants
  2. An Oregon Plant Atlas; distribution maps generated from an Internet-accessible database
  3. A Flora of Oregon; an illustrated identification manual to the plants of Oregon

The Oregon Flora Project is a 10 year, 2 million dollar effort that needs your support! Won't you join us by making a generous contribution today?

Make checks payable to:
OSU Foundation, and note that it is for the Oregon Flora Project.

Please send checks to:
Dr. Scott Sundberg
Dept. of Botany and Plant Pathology 2082 Cordley Hall
Oregon State University
Corvalis, OR 97331-2902

More Rough and Ready News

Thanks to Barbara Ullian (who persistently has been getting out the word on this project of great impact) hundreds of letters have been received by the Siskiyou National Forest. Because of this national interest, the comment period has been extended to May 15, 1998. The Draft Environmental Impact Statement for this project can be found on the Siskiyou National Forest website (http://www.magick.net/~siskiyou). You can send comments by e-mail to (Siskiyou@magick.net).

 

Thanks Barbara for all your efforts in publicizing the potential impacts the mining project would have on this exceptional ecosystem.

Barbara Mumblo

Siskiyou Chapter

 


Shady Cove Wildflower Show

On Saturday and Sunday, May 2 and 3, from 10 A.M. to 4 P.M. this annual event will take place in the Shady Cove School, Shady Cove, Oregon.

Shady Cove is 20 miles northeast of Medford on Highway 62. Admission is by donation, which benefits Jackson County Fire District 4.

 

 

Memorial Gift

The Native Plant Society of Oregon thanks Susan Yamanaka for her gift in memory of Clint Urey of the Willamette Valley Chapter.

 

 

Mt. Pisgah Arboretum

Wildflower Festival

This annual spring festival is centered around a grand display of wildflowers collected throughout Lane County. All flowers are identified and experts are on hand to identify flowers you bring to the show. The display includes a spectacular variety of beautiful native species, a special section identifying poisonous and medicinal plants and their uses and an extensive selection of grasses, rushes and sedges.

There will also be guided nature walks, nature craft vendors, live music and children's activities. This event is a cooperative effort of the Mt. Pisgah Arboretum, the Native Plant Society of Oregon and the botany students and staff of Lane Community College.

For more information, call (541) 747-3817. Suggested donation: $2 individual, $5 family.

_____________


(From a photograph of Idaho fescue taken by Russ Jolley at Chicken Charley Flat.)

Protection and Enhancement

Of Oregon's Natural Grasslands

Part IV. Conclusion

Part II (March) of this series provided the evidence that native bunchgrasses are far more beneficial for the land and wildlife than are introduced annuals like cheatgrass.

Part III (April) established that livestock grazing is directly harmful and often lethal to native bunchgrasses of the Intermountain West. Furthermore, grazing has additional adverse effects on natural grassland ecosystems, such as (a) Livestock trampling destroys the fragile cryptobiotic crust normally present in natural grasslands.

(b) Livestock trampling compacts the soil, resulting in reduced water infiltration, thus a drier microclimate.

(c) Livestock trample the nests of ground-nesting birds and other wildlife.

(d) Livestock grazing exposes mineral soil to wind and water erosion and as seedbed for introduced weeds.

(e) Livestock transport and distribute seeds of noxious weeds, especially in their feces.

(f) Livestock compete with wildlife for available forage, adversely affecting mule deer.

The logical conclusion from parts II and III is that (a) the remaining natural (good and excellent) BLM grasslands should be protected from livestock grazing; and (b) the degraded (fair and poor) BLM grasslands should, if possible, be enhanced. However, as pointed out in part I (January), the degradation is essentially irreversible; i.e., cheatgrass lands do not naturally return to bunchgrass lands. Also, there is at this time no economically feasible way of accomplishing this. Thus 75% of the 14 million acres of BLM grassland in Oregon will likely remain in the degraded condition indefinitely.

That leaves goal (a); THE REMAINING NATURAL (GOOD AND EXCELLENT) BLM GRASSLANDS SHOULD BE PROTECTED FROM LIVESTOCK GRAZING. Without protection, these natural grasslands will be grazed by livestock and ultimately be degraded to the fair or poor category.

The perennial bunchgrasses are among our finest native plants. As Oregon's principal advocate for native plants, the Native Plant Society should seek protection for the remaining natural grasslands before they become degraded by grazing.

Russ Jolley

Portland Chapter

________

 

References

  1. Johnston, A., J.F. Dormaar, & S. Smoliak. 1970. Long-term grazing effects on fescue grassland soils. J. Rangeland Mgt. 23, 185-8.

  2. Paine, L., D.J. Undersander, D.W. Sample, G.A. Bartelt, and T.A. Schatteman. 1996. Cattle trampling of simulated ground nests in rotationally grazed pastures. J. Range Mgt. 49, 294-300.

  3. Harmon, G.W. and F.D. Keim. 1934. The percentage and viability of weed seeds recovered in the feces of farm animals and their longevity when buried in manure. J. Am. Soc. Agron. 26, 762-7.

  4. Wallander, R.T., B.E. Olson, and J.R. Lacey. 1995. Spotted knapweed seed viability after passing through sheep and mule deer. J. Range Mgt. 48, 145-9.

  5. Kie, J.G., C.J. Evans, E.R. Loft, and J.W. Menke. 1991. Foraging behavior by mule deer: The influence of cattle grazing. J. Wildlife Manage. 55, 665-674.