Volume 21, Number 8 May 2016
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
COMPOSITAE Gaillardia aristata Congratulations Grand Prize Photo Contest Winner: Ted Alway, Derby Canyon Natives, Peshastin
Election of Officers Our chapter is run by volunteers in all that we do. We could do more and we could do better if we had YOU to help with your ideas, your extra pair of hands, and your enthusiasm and passion for native plants and the ecology they’re a part of. Carol Coker and Marita Lih are serving as the nominating committee for the chapter’s upcoming election of Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary and Treasurer in June. If you or are interested in serving in one of these positions or in helping on a committee, please contact them at mplih@charter.net or carolpascoc@outlook.com. Our committees currently have but a single member and they would love some help. Committee’s and their duties are:
Programs – arranging for speakers at our monthly meetings Field Trips – organizing wild flower hikes, leading hikes, helping with hikes Restoration/Salvage – being the point of contact for salvage and restoration opportunities Heritage Garden Program – coordinating with the Benton & Franklin Conservation Districts to help people create water-wise landscapes with native gardens and assist with workshops and special events Education – looking for ways to educate children and/or adults about native plants through schools or other venues Books – bringing books and other materials to monthly meetings Communication –publishing the Phlox Phlyer (newsletter), updating the webpage, posting to Facebook, and working on displays showcasing native plants
In addition, we would like to have a Conservation committee, if anyone is interested in keeping up with local and state activities related to native plants and ecological issues and providing input to the newsletter and Facebook , please contact Marita or Carol.
The Soil Microbiota It’s so easy for us to think no further than what we see in front of us – something thriving or something dying from disease or unknown causes. But what causes one to be healthy and the other unhealthy? There’s been a lot of news stories recently about the “flora” or gut microbiota in humans and the good or bad impacts those microbes can have on our health. A story in the current edition 1