Volume 20, Number 6 April 2015
the
Phlox Phlyer
Columbia Basin Chapter, Washington Native Plant Society
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P.O. Box 221, Richland, WA 99352
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http://www.wnps.org/cbasin/
MEMBERSHIP NEWS The State is changing to a once a year membership renewal date occurring on June 30th. Members whose renewal date was/is anytime from January 1st to September 30th of 2015 will have a new membership renewal date of June 30th, 2015. Members whose renewal date is between October 1 and December 31, 2015 will have their membership extended to June 30, 2016. Notices will be sent out soon informing members of this change.
Botany Washington – Late Spring in the East Cascades – June 5-7, 2015 Explore the floristic diversity of the East Cascades in Chelan County. Field trips include: taxonomic study, keying with Hitchcock, and East Cascades wildflowers. See State website (http://www.wnps.org/ ) or your Douglasia for registration and field trip information. Deadline to register is May 1.
Study Weekend – Islands in the Sky – August 14-16, 2015 The Koma Kulshan Chapter will host this year’s study weekend in the North Cascades. Registration will start in May. Check the State website (http://www.wnps.org/ ) or your Douglasia for registration and field trip information. NOXIOUS WEED ALERT - Ravenna Grass Ravenna grass (Saccharum ravennae) has been added as a Class A Noxious weed for 2015 which means eradication is required. This ornamental grass has been found in Benton, Franklin, Yakima, and Chelan counties. At this time it doesn’t appear that nurseries carry the plant for sale in Washington. However, if you see it for sale, please inform the nursery and the noxious weed board (360-7255764; noxiousweeds@agr.wa.gov ). Also if you see a suspicious grass on your hikes, use your smart phone to get coordinates and a picture and send to the noxious weed board. Ravenna grass is a tall clumping grass with a basal tuft of leaves and a flowering stalk that can reach heights of 8-12 feet. Leaves and stems are covered with fine hairs that can be irritating, flower heads are pale, feathery plumes. For more information go to: http://www.nwcb.wa.gov/detail.asp?weed=193
Changes to our webpage We are in the process of updating our webpage; for current information go to: http://www.wnps.org/col_basin/index.html . Or to get late breaking news check out our facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ColumbiaBasinWNPS
Chapter Photo contest The focus for our chapter’s annual photo contest is plants growing in lithosols (rocky soils). Whether you’re hiking in the Blue Mountains, the scablands, or the Horse Heaven hills, keep an eye out for plants that prefer those rocky soils. The winner will receive a copy of the 2016 Washington Native Plant Society calendar and your photo entries may be used in future chapter educational displays. Send photos to Mickie Chamness VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES – Walla Walla and Tri-Cities Isn’t it great to have opportunities to get together with old friends and meet new people while learning new things, sharing your own expertise, and contributing to something that you feel benefits the greater world and community around you? The world will be a
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better place if we each do a little bit to preserve, conserve, instruct, and share our interests in native plants and their role in the ecosystems of the Pacific Northwest. Blue Mountain Humane Society Demonstration Garden. Volunteers can join Sue, Betsy and Nancy on Fridays from 10 – 12 noon at 7 E. George, Walla Walla. Saturday, April 11, 2015, 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Planting natives in the Wine Science Center Native Pollinator and Plant Ecology Garden at WSU Tri-Cities in Richland. This is an opportunity for people with experience to share with those wanting to gain experience working directly with native plants to learn identification, proper planting techniques, and which plants are great for your home garden. Dress for the ever-changing weather, bring gloves, a hand trowel or shovel if you have them, and bring your lunch. Water and bathrooms will be available. Contact Gretchen at gretchen.graber@wsu.edu for more information.
The Phlox Phlyer is the newsletter of the Columbia Basin Chapter, Tri-Cities and Walla Walla, Washington Native Plant Society. Chapter Officers President — Marita Lih, mplih@charter.net Vice-President — Rik Smith,
rsmith@columbiabasin.edu Secretary — Marilyn Lemar, dwlemar@hotmail.com
Tri-Cities
Treasurer — Cheryl Smith
MEETINGS
cyankee@charter.net
Wednesday, April 1, 2015 7:00 p.m. “What Plants Talk About.” As shown on the PBS program Nature. Introduction by Dr. Rik Smith. Did you know some parasitic plants can "sniff" and grow toward their preferred host plant? Or that they have ways to communicate and cooperate with or defend themselves from predators and competitive neighbors? Join us as we watch the video and discuss examples of similar relationships between plants in our own area. Maps and directions are available at: http://www.wnps.org/cbasin/pdf/maps/CBC_mtg_room_maps.pdf Columbia Basin Chapter board meetings: April 20 and May 18, Richland Community Center, 6-8:30 p.m.
Chapter Committees Program Chair — Janelle Downs,
sagejld@aol.com Field Trips — Ernie Crediford, ernest_crediford@live.com Restoration/Salvage — Bill Mast, bmast1@live.com Heritage Garden Program — Donna Lucas, Donna_Lucas@hotmail.com
WILDFLOWER HIKES If you would like to explore on your own check out the Hikes/Plant lists on our webpage - http://www.wnps.org/cbasin/hikes_lists.html and our wildflower brochurehttp://www.wnps.org/cbasin/pdf/brochures/wildflower_trail_map_2010.pdf . Contact Ernie Crediford (509-460-9057 or ernest_crediford@live.com ) for more information. All hikes are open to the public. Please dress appropriately (it can be windy on the ridges), bring water, and, if car-pooling, some money for the driver for gas. Saturday, March 28, 2015, 9:30 a.m. Twin Sisters Meet at Columbia Basin College (CBC) parking lot (across from the Red Lion Inn) in Pasco. Dress for the weather, which may be cooler in the Gap, bring water and a lunch. Come enjoy the first spring flowers. Saturday, April 4, 2015, 8:30 a.m. Cowiche Canyon-Snow Mtn. Meet at Van Giesen Park and Ride in Richland (corner of Van Giesen and Bypass Highway) to car pool. Bring lunch and water; dress for the weather. We should return about 3:30 p.m. Saturday, April 18, 2015, 10:00 a.m. Badger Mtn. Meet at the Skyline trail on Dallas Rd. Saturday, April 25, 2015, 10:00 a.m. Columbia National Wildlife Refuge Meet at the CBC parking lot across from Red Lion in Pasco. Bring a lunch and water. This is a moderate hike of 3 miles roundtrip gaining about 200 ft. in elevation. Saturday, May 2, 2015, 10:00 a.m. Badger Mtn. Meet at the Skyline trail on Dallas Rd. 2
Education — Gretchen Graber,
gretchen.graber@gmail.com Newsletter Editor — Mary Ann Simmons, msimmons_1@charter.net Publicity — Mickie Chamness, mickiec@charter.net Books — Carmen Wooten, canoecarmen@yahoo.com Web Site Editor — Mary Ann Simmons msimmons_1@charter.net
Walla Walla Subchapter Darcy Dauble, Walla Walla, dadauble@gmail.com
This issue reproduced by
THE DIGITAL IMAGE Richland Washington 509-375-6001
Saturday, May 9, 2015, 9:00 a.m. Wild Horse wind farm Meet at Van Giesen Park & Ride in Richland (corner of Van Giesen and Bypass Highway). Bring a lunch and water. Saturday, May 16, 2015, 10:00 a.m. Mc Bee Grade / Horn Rapids Meet at the Park and Ride just off the freeway exit at Benton City. This trip will continue on to Horn Rapids where we should see some nice purple sage. Bring a lunch and drinks. Saturday, May 23, 2015, 10:00 a.m. Twin Sisters Meet at CBC parking lot across from Red Lion in Pasco.
Walla Walla WHAT’S BLOOMING Humane Society Native Plant Demonstration Garden: Scouler's willow, a lomatium, creeping barberry, Brown's peony, golden current, yellow bells and shootingstars. Annual Brode Blooms Walk (open areas in City beneath airport flyover and old landfill between New York Store and Lilllie Rice Center on East Issac): lomatium (Lomatium cous), arrowleaf balsamroot (Balsamorhiza sagittata), grass-widow (Olsynium douglasii), woodlawn/prairie stars (Lithophragma tenellum), henbit (Lamium amplexicaule) and Whitlow grass (Draba verna). Previous populations of yellow bells, Dutchmans breeches, shootingstars and blue-eyed Mary were not found. MEETINGS There will be no further meetings till fall; check out our wildflower hikes. WILDFLOWER HIKES The following plant walks and hikes are tentatively planned for spring and summer 2015. Included are hikes not sponsored by WNPS but supported. Trips are open to the public and guests are always welcome. Please notify trip contact person of intention to participate. The schedule and hike descriptions will be updated and expanded two months out. Unless otherwise noted, all trips begin at Harper Joy parking lot on Whitman campus in Walla Walla for carpooling. Arrangements can also be made to meet you on the way. Bring walking sticks, hat, water, appropriate layers, guide book, snack/lunch and a few bills for the driver. Saturday, March 28, 2015, 9:30 a.m. Twin Sisters* Darcy Dauble (dadauble@gmail.com ) Saturday, April 4, 2015, 7:30 a.m. Cowiche Canyon-Snow Mtn* Darcy Dauble (dadauble@gmail.com ) Wednesday, April 15, 2015, 9:00 a.m. White Bluffs Darcy Dauble (dadauble@gmail.com) WWNPS hike and Rare Care Monitoring Saturday, April 25, 2015, 9:00 a.m. Columbia National Wildlife Refuge* Ernie Crediford (ernest_crediford@live.com) Friday, May 1, 2015, 10:00 a.m. Weston Mountain Jeff Fredson (fredsonjeff6@gmail.com ) TBA, Russell Creek Karen Kirkwood (kirkwoodweaver@gmail.com) Sunday, May 10, 2015, 9:00 a.m. Chandler Butte – Horse Heaven Hills - Darcy Dauble (dadauble@gmail.com) Sunday, May 17, 2015, 10:00 a.m. Chase Mountain – Susan Hosticka (pshosticka@yahoo.com) Wednesday, May 27, 2015, 9:30 a.m. Middle Point Ridge Trail - Susan Hosticka (pshosticka@yahoo.com) Wednesday, June 3, 2015, 9:00 a.m. South Fork Wenaha River Trail – Timothy Springs Campground Darcy Dauble (dadauble@gmail.com) *Joint hikes with Tri-Cities
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OTHER ITEMS OF INTEREST Heritage Garden Spring Workshop, April 25, 2015, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. – The Spring workshop will be a tour of new local Heritage Gardens to provide ideas for your own garden. For more details and a registration form, go to the Benton Conservation District webpage: http://www.bentoncd.org . Deadline for registration is April 17th. Wild Horse Wind Farm Spring Events:
April 4, 2015. Wild Horse Kick Off and Earth Month Activities – Snacks and coffee, nature walks, kid’s activities, free native plants and trees April 25 and 26, and May 9, 2015. Wildflower and Wind Power Walks. Enjoy hikes through the beautiful shrub-steppe led by local native plant enthusiasts. Please call 509-964-7815 or email wildhorse@pse.com to sign up.
Native Wildflower Identification Course – May 9, 2015, 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. – Cheney WA. Offered by the Northeast Chapter and the Turnbull Laboratory for Ecological Studies (http://www.nechapterwnps.org/special-events.html ). Learn the basics of how flowers are put together followed by a leisurely stroll through the Turnbull Wildlife Refuge. Cost $25 per person. The City of Pasco draft Shoreline Management Plan is available for review at http://www.pascowa.gov/DocumentCenter/View/54508 and more information is available at http://www.pasco-wa.gov/858/Shoreline-ManagementProgram. Comments can be submitted up until the final hearing in May or June, 2015. Bumping Lake Collection and Inventory Excursion July 16-19, 2015. Join Clay Antieau, Joe Arnett, Pam Camp, Don Hardin, and Becky Chaney for summer botanizing. The goal is a comprehensive inventory and photo documentation, along with collection of plants within the inundation area of the proposed reservoir expansion. Contact Becky Chaney (425-880-4220 or becky@chaney.org ) ASAP if interested in participating.
Columbia Basin Chapter Washington Native Plant Society P.O. Box 221 Richland, Washington 99352
To receive the newsletter electronically – email msimmons_1@charter.net 4