Volume 21, Number 1 October 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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www.cbwnps.org
Election of Officers The following slate of officers was elected at our June meeting Co-Presidents - Janelle Downs/Mickie Chamness Vice-President – Rik Smith Secretary – Marilyn Lemar Treasurer – Cheryl Smith In addition to the elected offices, the following people have agreed to be committee chairs: Tri-City Programs – Kim Hamlin-Hart Walla Walla Programs - VACANT Education – Gretchen Graber Newsletter/Web page – Mary Ann Simmons Field Trips – Ernie Crediford/Gretchen Graber Publicity – Mickie Chamness Salvage & Restoration – Bill Mast Heritage Gardens – Donna Lucas Books – Carmen Wooten Newsletter/Web page – Mary Ann Simmons If you’d like to help find speakers for the upcoming Walla Walla meetings, contact Darcy ( dadauble@gmail.com). If you would like to help out with one of these committees please contact Janelle (sagejld@aol.com) or Mickie (mickiec@charter.net) or the committee chair.
Message from the President Welcome to a new season of Native Plant Society meetings in the Tri-Cities and Walla Walla. Isn’t it nice to have these meetings to help carry our interest and enthusiasm for native plants through the long winter months? Our new program chairs would love to help satisfy your curiosity and pique your interest on anything related to native plants. What would you like to see, hear or do at the meetings? Where to find gorgeous wildflowers, research on restoration, how to use native plants in your yard or provide habitat for native bees or …? Please let us know by filling out a short survey at the next meeting, sending the program chair an email message or posting your suggestions on our Facebook page. Members of our chapter have been busy sharing their passions for native plants. Many thanks to Darcy Dauble and Ernie Crediford for organizing over 20 field trips, Gretchen Graber for her work with several STEM programs for kids and with Coyote Ridge inmates to grow lots of sagebrush for restoration near Ephrata, Donna Lucas and Heather Wendt for their work on the Heritage Garden program, Mary Ann Simmons and Betsy Kaizer for the wonderful native plant / drought tolerant gardens at the Master Gardeners demonstration garden area at the Kennewick Library and at the Blue Mountain Humane Society in Walla Walla., and Cheryl Smith and Mary Ann Simmons for their work with volunteers in the Reach Museum natural areas. Everyone one of these efforts could benefit from YOUR help, you don’t need to be an expert. Get in touch with any of these folks if you’d like to lend a hand or give them a pat on the back.
The Heritage Garden Program The Fall 2015 Workshop (Free) Saturday, November 14, 2014 from 10am to 1pm at the Richland Library (955 Northgate Drive; Richland WA). Registration deadline November 5, to registration go to: http://bit.ly/1jqAS3z to print out a form, contact Erin Hightower at 509-736-6000, or register online at http://bit.ly/1P29hSd. Gail Redberg ~ Umatilla Tribal Native Plant Nursery With over 20 years of experience in biology, Gail will regale you with her experiences in collecting, propagating, and site selection of native plant species all across the Blue Mountains and surrounding areas. 1
Bruce Bjornstad ~ Geologist Bruce is an expert geologist specializing in the Ice Age Floods and Ice-Rafted Erratics. Hear how our geology was formed and transformed by the major ice age floods from Glacier Lake Missoula and Lake Bonneville. Pamela Pavek ~ United States Department of Agriculture Plant Materials Center Pam will tell you what all the buzz is about with native plants and pollinators. Pam will highlight plants that will attract pollinators and provide information on what we can do to promote the health of native bees.
2016 WNPS Native Plant Calendar. Enjoy the beauty of Washington’s wildflowers throughout 2016 with our WNPS calendar. The 2016 Calendar offers 13 months of terrific photos and a whole year of floral splendor. Buy one for yourself and some for those on your gift list. Calendars may be purchased at chapter meetings this fall and winter, or you may buy online with a credit card, or send in the order form at the end of the newsletter.
The Phlox Phlyer is the newsletter of the Columbia Basin Chapter, Tri-Cities and Walla Walla, Washington Native Plant Society. Chapter Officers Co-Presidents — Mickie Chamness, mickiec@charter.net & Janelle Downs, sagejld@aol.com Vice-President — Rik Smith, rsmith@columbiabasin.edu Secretary — Marilyn Lemar, dwlemar@hotmail.com Treasurer — Cheryl Smith cyankee@charter.net
Chapter Committees To buy online go to www.wnps.org. Each calendar is just $10.00, plus $2.00 for shipping (one flat rate of $2.00 shipping even for multiple calendar orders).
Program Chair — Kim Hamblin-Hart, kimhamblinhart@gmail.com
Support the conservation work of the Society and its efforts to educate others about the value of native plants.
Chapter Photo Contest – Deadline November 8, 2015. 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
WNPS Call for Education Grant Proposals – Due November 15, 2015
Field Trips — Ernie Crediford, ernest_crediford@live.com & Gretchen Graber gretchen.graber@gmail.com Restoration/Salvage — Bill Mast, bmast1@live.com Heritage Garden Program — Donna Lucas, donna_lucas@hotmail.com Education — Gretchen Graber, gretchen.graber@gmail.com Newsletter Editor — Mary Ann Simmons, msimmons_1@charter.net
Grants for WNPS members, funded by WNPS member dues, are available for education projects that further the goals of the Society. For additional information, please see:
Publicity — Mickie Chamness, mickiec@charter.net
http://www.wnps.org/education/education_grant.html
Books — Carmen Wooten, canoecarmen@yahoo.com
Tri-Cities
Web Site Editor — Mary Ann Simmons msimmons_1@charter.net
MEETINGS Wednesday, October 7, 2015, 7:00 pm at Columbia Basin College, Room TD 439 – Monthly Meeting: 5th Annual Native Plant Swap and Share. If you have them, bring native plants and seeds to share; otherwise come and select some natives for your yard. Maps and directions are available at: http://bit.ly/1L4etDu At 6:30 pm, we will continue with our “What is THAT Plant?” feature. Bring in your unknown plant (non-ornamental) and we will attempt to identify it. Plant identification occurs before the regular meeting.
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Walla Walla Subchapter Darcy Dauble, Walla Walla, dadauble@gmail.com
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VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES The Tri-City sub-chapter is going to photograph the WSU Tri-Cities herbarium collection of pressed plants in October and could use some help. If you’d be interested in helping, please contact Mickie Chamness or Gretchen Graber.
Walla Walla VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES Blue Mountain Humane Society Native Plant Demonstration Garden. Volunteers can join Sue, Betsy and Nancy on Fridays from 10 - 12 noon at 7 E. George, Walla Walla. Opportunities too for supervising student service groups who help with garden projects. Contact: Betsy Kaizer 509.240.7686 Walla Walla Subchapter Program Chair needed for 2015-2016 October, November, February, & March meetings. Contact: Darcy Dauble 509.525.1198
OTHER ITEMS OF INTEREST If you have yet to do so, please visit our recently reformatted website. Go to http://www.cbwnps.org/. From there you may enter either the website or our Facebook page (no need to join to view).
Butterfly Safari In concert with the Cowiche Canyon Butterfly Project, David James is asking hikers to photograph any fritillary butterflies they encounter in Cowiche Canyon and farther away in the Cascades and email the photos to the project website. More information is available at: http://www.cowichecanyon.org/programs-projects.html#ButterflySafari
WNPS Photo Calendar Order Form Please send me the 2016 WNPS Photo Calendar Name____________________________________________ Address _________________________________________ City______________ State________ Zip Code__________ # _____ X $10.00 = ______ Shipping costs $ 2.00* = ______ TOTAL ______ *Pay only one flat rate of $2.00 for shipping whether you buy one calendar or 10 calendars. MAIL ORDER FORM TO: Washington Native Plant Society 6310 NE 74th Street, Suite 215E Seattle, WA 98115 (Expect delivery within 2 weeks)
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Columbia Basin Chapter Washington Native Plant Society P.O. Box 221 Richland, Washington 99352
To receive the newsletter electronically – email msimmons_1@charter.net