Saturday, April 5th, Malcolm McLeod Memorial Field Trip Meeting to Shell Creek.. Meet at the SLO Vets Hall at 8:30am and Santa Margarita Park Ride area off Hwy 58 just east of Hwy 101 at 9:00am. This is our monthly meeting for April and will be led by David Chipping and Dirk Walters. The Annual Field Trip Meeting to Shell Creek is named in memory of our friend and fellow CNPS member, Malcolm McLeod, who passed away in April 2006. We will car caravan along Hwy 58 making frequent stops to look at wildflowers and significant plant communities. We will walk along Shell Creek Road looking at flowers and visiting spots with shell fossils that gives this area its name, Shell Creek. The morning part of the trip will end with lunch somewhere along Shell Creek Road. Bring water, lunch, dress in layers and don’t forget your “Wildflowers of Highway 58” plant guide by Dr. Malcolm McLeod or plan to purchase one on the trip. For more information call Lauren Brown at 570-7993 or Dirk Walters at 543-7051.

Sunday, April 6th, 2008, 8:30 am, A Horticulturist’s Walk in the Wild: Rinconada Trail. . Hike the Santa Lucia Wilderness Mountains on the western edge of the Santa Margarita valley with a gardener’s eye on native vegetation along the way. Meet at 8:30 am Vet’s Hall or 8:45 am Santa Margarita Park-and-Ride on Hwy 58 (101 N/ Santa Margarita Exit). From there we’ll go on to the Rinconada Trailhead which is located on Hwy 58 just 2.7 miles past the road to Santa Margarita Lake. We’ll hike up grassy slopes with abundant wildflowers, through blue oak woodlands and fragrant chaparral until we reach the summit after 2 miles. There we’ll enjoy spectacular views of surrounding mountains before heading back. It can get warm here, so wear layers, maybe a hat, and definitely sturdy shoes. Bring water and snacks. Rated easy to moderately strenuous, 4 hrs. Call hike Leader Dagmar Collins, 528-7533, for additional information.

April 11, 12, and 13 (Friday, Saturday and Sunday), Vegapalooza at Chimineas Ranch. . The Chimineas trip this year will be a week-end affair (a Vegepalooza) and will be held Friday night, Saturday and Sunday, April 11, 12, and 13. Explore the wilderness, find plants, share with other plant enthusiasts. There is a beautiful ranch house, spa, two kitchens, and showers. Camping is available, or there may be some beds open; this is yet to be worked out. A truck or 4-wheel is best. Additional details will be provided as the day approaches. To sign up for this trip call George Butterworth at 438-3641.

SUNDAY, APRIL 20,2008,California Native Plant Society Home Garden Tour featuring California native plants. . Tour contact person, Bill Shearer, will coordinate this tour through gardens on the Nipomo Mesa. Jeff Lenay and Laura and Jim Cornett have graciously offered their gardens to view a use of California native plants. Of particular interest at the Cornett's is what can be accomplished by a "community" of neighbors with a common vision. Our CNPS Horticulture Chair John Nowak will be on hand to provide his professional expertise. The tour will start at 9:30 a.m. in the Von's parking lot in Nipomo. Take the Tefft exit in Nipomo, continue right on Tefft and at the first stoplight turn right on Mary Ave. Go a short distance and take the first right into Von's parking lot and gather immediately to the left. Bring a picnic lunch to enjoy at the Cornett's. Dress as though working in the garden. Following lunch we will pot up some native plant seedlings for our fall plant sale. For additional information call Bill Shearer 481-2849 .

Past Field Trips

SLO Chapter - CNPS Field Trips 2007

Saturday, 20 October, 9:00 a.m. Fall Plant Walk, La Purisima Mission.Charlie Blair will be leading a tour of fall-blooming plants of the Burton Mesa Chaparral. Come and see what is out at this sometimes forgotten time of the year. Meet at 9:00 a.m., east end of Burton Mesa Blvd. (1550 E Burton Mesa Blvd.) in Mission Hills at the Community Service District Office. From the north, take the Constellation Rd. off-ramp from SR 1, heading left, then turn right on Burton Mesa Blvd. From the South, Burton Mesa Blvd. can be accessed from either Harris Grade Rd. or Rucker Rd.; again turn right. Call Charlie Blair, 733-3189, for details.

Saturday, February 24, 10:00 a.m. Field Trip to Coon Creek in Montana de Oro State Park to see the Giant Trillium. Barb Renshaw and Mardi Niles will lead this trip. Those coming from the SLO area will meet at SLO Vets Hall at 9:00 a.m. To get to Coon Creek take the Los Osos Valley Road and travel through the town of Los Osos into Montana de Oro State Park. We will meet at the parking lot at the south end of Pecho Road. There are restroom facilities here. Wear sturdy shoes, dress in layers and bring water. You may want to bring a lunch to enjoy at the picnic tables at the parking lot when we return from Coon Creek. For additional information contact Barb Renshaw at 534-1865 or Mardi Niles at489-9274.

Saturday, March 3, 9 a.m., Late Winter Burton Mesa Chaparral Field Trip at the La Purisima Mission: The California Native Plant Society
CNPS) will hold its annual winter field trip to the Burton Mesa Chaparral (BMC) on the La Purisima Mission grounds Saturday the 3rd. Meet at the east end of Burton Mesa Blvd. in Mission Hills at 9 a.m. for a chance to see the early bloomers and interesting scenery. To reach Burton Mesa Blvd., get on Highway 1 north of Lompoc. At the signal where Highway 1 turns down hill towards Lompoc, take Harris Grade Road north to Burton Mesa Blvd., and turn right (east). For more information call Charlie Blair at 733-3189.

CNPS Desert Field Trip – March 11-16
Mark your calendars for the week after the CNPS Chapter Council meeting weekend (March 9-10) at Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Gardens. Steve Hartman will be leading a week-long trip to the far southern California deserts including Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, the Algodones (Imperial) Sand Dunes, and the Chocolate Mountains vicinity. While big annual wildflower displays are unlikely, the trip will take us to rare trees and shrubs and unusual habitats. Destinations Sunday-Wednesday are for all vehicles. Camping and travel on Wednesday night, Thursday and Friday require off-road 4-wd vehicles. Morning meeting points on Sunday through Wednesday will be established, so persons wishing to stay in hotels can do so. For those attending the Chapter Council meeting, a car caravan will leave RSABG at 10 a.m. on Sunday. Reservations required! Contact Steve by email at naturebase@aol.com or leave a message at (818) 881-3706. Additional details will be sent to you once you make your reservation.

Saturday, March 24, Coreopsis Hill led by Lauren Brown. Meet at 8:30 a.m. at the San Luis Obispo Vets Hall. Take Hwy 101 south from SLO. Turn right onto Hwy 1 at Pismo Beach. Continue south to Oso Flaco Lake Road, turn right and proceed to Guerra Road. Park along Oso Flaco Lake Road near the entry to the trail to Coreopsis Hill. We may have to shuttle from Oso Flaco Lake parking lot. At 9:30 a.m. we will hike to the top of Coreopsis Hill. This is a moderate hike. Try to have your “Dune Mother’s Wildflower Guide” by Dr. Malcolm McLeod for the trip. For more information call Lauren Brown at 438-4645 or Mardi Niles at 489-9274.

Saturday, March 31, Avenales Ranch Field Trip for CNPS members led by David Chipping. This will be a rare opportunity to see the spring bloom in this remote part of San Luis Obispo County. With special permission from the Sinton Family, David Chipping will lead us to the Avenales Ranch, on the west side of the La Panza Range and the Machesna Mountain Wilderness. This area is north of the Garcia Range and Garcia Wilderness and is the headwaters of the Salinas River. We will meet at the SLO Vets Hall at 8:30 a.m.and at the Santa Margarita Park and Ride on Hwy 58 east of Hwy 101 at 9:00 a.m. We will make one last stop at the Pozo Saloon at 9:30 a.m. From there we will car caravan to the Avenales Ranch. Because we will be going beyond locked gates we must stay together. Trucks, cars with high clearance or 4WD are recommended. Wear sturdy shoes, dress in layers and bring a lunch and plenty of water. For additional information call David Chipping at 528-0914 or Mardi Niles at 489-9274.

Saturday, March 31, 9:00 a.m., CNPS and Sierra Club Spring La Purisima Burton Mesa Wildflower Walk. Meet at the La Purisima Mission Parking Lot, corner of Purisima and Mission Gate Roads at 9:00 a.m. for this annual California Native Plant Society and Sierra Club spring tour of the beauties of the Burton Mesa Chaparral. Optional afternoon tour also. Sturdy shoes, lunch & liquids, camera and binoculars advised. For more information, call Charlie at 733-3189 or Connie 735-2292.

Saturday, April 7, Malcolm McLeod Memorial Field Trip Meeting to Shell Creek. Meet at the SLO Vets Hall at 8:30 a.m. and at the Santa Margarita Park & Ride area off Hwy 58 just east of Hwy 101 at 9:00 a.m. This is our monthly meeting for April and will be led by David Chipping and Dirk Walters. This year and in future years the Annual Field Trip Meeting to Shell Creek will be named in memory of our friend and fellow CNPS member, Malcolm McLeod, who passed away one year ago to this date. We will car caravan along Hwy 58 making frequent stops to look at wildflowers and significant plant communities. We will walk along Shell Creek Road looking at flowers and visiting spots with shell fossils that gives this area its name, Shell Creek. The morning part of the trip will end with lunch somewhere along Shell Creek Road. Bring water, lunch, dress in layers and don’t forget your “Wildflowers of Highway 58” plant guide by Dr. Malcolm McLeod or plan to purchase one ($10) on the trip. For more information call Dirk Walters at 543-7051 or Mardi Niles at 489-927.

Saturday, April 14, 9:30 a.m., LPNF and CNPS Wildflower Weekend at Figueroa Mountain. The Santa Lucia District, Los Padres National Forest (LPNF), will hold one of its seventh annual Wildflower Weekends on Figueroa Mountain in conjunction with the California Native Plant Society (CNPS). Meet at 9 a.m. at the Fire Station on Figueroa Mountain Road. This will be a "drive and stroll" tour of this year’s display. Sturdy shoes, lunch and liquids, camera, and binoculars recommended. Call Helen Tarbet at 925-9538 ext. 246 or Charles Blair 733-3189 for details.

Saturday, April 21, Field Trip to Chimineas led by George Butterworth. We will explore the western region of oaks, chaparral, and ponds on this CNPS trip to Chimineas. Meet at SLO Vets Hall at 7:30 a.m. and at Santa Margarita Park & Ride on Hwy. 58 east of Hwy. 101 at 8:00 a.m. We will car caravan from there with one last stop at the Fire Station in California Valley at 9:00 a.m. Trucks or 4-wheel drive vehicles are necessary on this trip. Note: To get to the north entrance of the Chimineas, from Soda Lake Road on Carrizo Plain at 7 Mile Road, turn off to the south on San Diego Creek Road and go several miles to the locked gate. This will be an all day trip, beyond locked gates, so we’ll have to stay together. Rain cancels. Wet roads may mean that we meet on Hwy. 166 like last year, 37 miles east of 101, since the north road gets too muddy. A decision will be made 12 hours in advance, that’s Friday at 7:30 p.m., regarding north or south access or cancellation. For questions or information call George Butterworth at 438-3641 or Mardi Niles at 489-9274.

Saturday, April 28, Field Trip to Indians, Santa Lucia Memorial Park, Los Padres National Forest, Monterey County led by John Chestnut and Mardi Niles. Meet at SLO Vets Hall 8:00 a.m. and be sure to have a full tank of gas. We will meet again at the Entrance to Fort Hunter Liggett Military Reservation at 10:00 a.m. From here we will enter the Military Reservation and all drivers must have:

1) Valid Driver’s License
2) Proof of Car Registration
3) Proof of Automobile Insurance

We will drive to Mission San Antonio and plan to depart from there at 10:30 a.m. There are restroom facilities there. We will drive Del Venturi and Milpitas Road to Indians and park at Santa Lucia Memorial Park. Here we will see a Santa Lucia Fir, Abies bracteata. There are toilet facilities here. Our destination is the trail head to the Santa Lucia Trail. It is back up the road a short walking distance from the parking area. From here we will cross a very small seasonal creek and then go out into a meadow that is usually covered with sky lupine, Lupinus nanus, this time of year and surrounded by majestic valley oaks and picturesque rock outcroppings. Here we will explore this beautiful and interesting area with views of Junipero Serra Mountain and have lunch. Bring water, lunch, dress in layers and wear a hat. For additional information call John Chesnut at 528-0833 or Mardi Niles at 489-9274.

Friday, May 11, Field Trip to San Carpoforo with John Chesnut. Starting at 9:00 a.m., Field Trip to the coastal bluffs between Arroyo de la Cruz and San Carpoforo Creeks, home to a suite of rare species, pocket dunes and unique wind-sculpted chaparral. Meet at the Elephant Seal overlook, south of the Piedras Blancas lighthouse at 9 a.m. First stop will be just south of Arroyo de la Cruz at 9:30.

Saturday, May 12, 2007, California Native Plant Society Home Garden Tour featuring California native plants. Tour contact person, Bill Shearer, will coordinate this tour through gardens in Atascadero. Bill Shepard and Alison Goers have graciously offered their gardens to view a use of California native plants. Our CNPS Horticulture Chair John Nowak will be on hand to provide his professional expertise. The tour will start at 9:00 a.m. in the entrance parking lot of the Atascadero Lake Pavilion (9315 Pismo Avenue, Atascadero). Bring a picnic lunch to enjoy upon our return to the pavilion. Dress as though working in the garden. Following lunch we will proceed to John Nowak’s to pot up some native plant seedlings for our fall plant sale. For additional information call Bill Shearer 481-2849.

Saturday, May 12, 9:30 a.m. Los Padres National Forest and the California Native Plant Society, Pozo Wildflower Weekend at the Pozo Fire Station. As part of its Seventh Annual Wildflower Weekend, the Santa Lucia District of the LPNF, will have a “drive and stroll” tour of wildflowers along Hi Mountain Road, including some serpentine areas, and the lookout station, now a focal point of the Condor Recovery Program. We will meet at the Pozo Fire Station on Pozo Road, south of SR 58 at 9:30 a.m. Sturdy shoes, lunch and liquids, and camera and binoculars recommended. Call Helen Tarbet at 925-9538 ext. 246 or Charles Blair 733-3189 for details.

SLO Chapter - CNPS Field Trips 2006

Sunday, March 5, Chocolate Lily Hunt led by Barb Renshaw. CNPS members will be special guests on this hike that is sponsored by the Central Coast Natural History Association. Meet at the end of the Chumash Trail on Turri Road about 1/3 mile east of South Bay Blvd at 2:00 PM. This is a moderate hike of 2 miles taking about 1.5 hours. We will hunt for Chocolate Lilies, Fritillaria biflora, along the trail that goes through granite rocks and serpentine as well as some shale with sweeping views of the Morro Bay sand spit, estuary and Pacific Ocean. For additional information call Barb Renshaw at 534-1865 or Mardi Niles at 489-9274.

Saturday, March 18, Horticulture Field Trip to Los Osos. This trip will be lead by Tour Coordinator Karen Wood and John Nowak, CNPS Horticulture Chair, who will be on hand to provide his professional expertise. We will visit three gardens and see the use of California native plants at the homes of Henry Ponterelli, Linda and David Chipping and Heather Johnson, where we will have lunch and pot some plants. The garden tour will then go to Sweet Springs Preserve where there will be a tree planted in memory of Malcolm McLeod’s wife, Sybil, at 1:00 PM followed by an update on the planting done there by John Nowak.  Dress as though working in the garden. If it rains bring an umbrella.The tour will start promptly at 9:00 AM in the Von’s parking lot on Los Osos Valley Road in Los Osos. For additional information call Mardi Niles 489-9274.

Sunday, March 19, Coreopsis Hill led by Jack Beigle, Malcolm McLeod and Dirk Walters. Meet at 8:30 AM at the SLO Vets Hall. Take Hwy 101 south from SLO. Turn right onto Hwy 1 at Pismo Beach. Continue southward to Oso Flaco Lake Road, turn right and proceed to Guerra Road. Park along Oso Flaco Lake Road near the entry to the trail to Coreopsis Hill. We may have to shuttle from Oso Flaco Lake parking lot. At 9:30 AM we will hike to the top of Coreopsis Hill. This is a moderate hike. Try to have your “Dune Mother’s Wildflower Guide” by Dr. Malcolm McLeod for the trip. For more information call Jack Beigle at 773-2147.

Saturday, May 6. We will be joining the Morro Coast Audubon Society for the first collaborative picnic of these two groups at the White Oak Flats Picnic Area, Santa Margarita Lake starting around 10:00 a.m. Please note: Daily use fees will be waived for event participants. Activities include informal and guided native plant and wildflower walks, bird walks, hikes, fishing, boating, canoeing, kayaking, biking, and activities and a playground for kids. Bring a picnic lunch and / or dinner (grills available for BBQs), kayaks, canoes, spotting scopes, bikes, etc. for enjoying the day at the lake. Santa Margarita Lake is San Luis Obispo’s largest regional park and boasts an 800 acre lake along with oak woodland, riparian, freshwater wetland, and chaparral habitats. Nesting Clark’s, western, and pied-billed grebes are likely sightings along with raptors including bald and golden eagles and peregrine falcons. Native plant inventory at the park includes various species of dudleya, phacelia, and lupine. Chia, wooly blue curls, larkspur and other showy spring wildflowers should be in bloom. For additional information call CNPS Field Trip Chair Mardi Niles at 489-9274.

Saturday, May 13, 9:30 a.m. LPNF Pozo Wildflower Weekend, Pozo Fire Station: As part of its seventh Annual Wildflower Weekends the Santa Lucia District, Los Padres National Forest (LPNF) will meet at the Pozo Fire Station on Pozo Road, south of SR 58 at 9:30 a.m. This will be a “drive & stroll” tour of wildflowers along Hi Mountain Road, including some serpentine areas, and the Lookout Station, now a focal point of the Condor Recovery Program. Sturdy shoes, lunch and liquids, and camera and binoculars recommended. Call Helen Tarbet at 925-9538 ext. 246 or Charles Blair 733-3189 for details.

Saturday, May 13, Return to Shell Creek with Dirk Walters. Meet at the SLO Vet’s Hall in San Luis Obispo at 8:30 a.m. and at the Santa Margarita turnoff from Hwy101 at 9:00a.m. Because the Annual Field Trip Meeting to Shell Creek on April 1 was so rewarding there is a second trip planned this year. There is a sense that with the late rains this year the fields may still be carpeted with gold fields, lupine, tidy tips, California poppies and many more spring wildflowers. The group will make several stops along Hwy 58. Bring your copy of “Wildflowers of Highway 58” plant guide by Dr. Malcolm McLeod or plan to purchase one on the trip. Bring lunch, water, a hat and dress in layers. For additional information call Dirk Walters at 543-7051 or Mardi Niles at 489-9274.

Saturday, May 20, a walk on the San Simeon Boardwalk Trail with Sarah Bull, Environmental Scientist, Coastal Sector, State Parks. Meet at the SLO Vet’s Hall at 9:00a.m. and at the parking lot to the ADA/Boardwalk Trail, San Simeon Day Use Area at 10:00a.m. Travel north on Hwy 1 and pass the town of Cambria and just north of Moon Stone Beach turn right at the San Simeon Day Use Area, San Simeon Sate Park. If you get to the San Simeon Creek bridge you have gone too far. Sarah will focus on edible, medicinal and folkloric plant uses on this approx. 3 mile hike through riparian areas, Monterey Pine forests and meadows with sweeping views of the Pacific Ocean and the Santa Lucia Mountains. Bring lunch, water, hat and dress in layers. For additional information call Sarah Bull at 235-6322 or Mardi Niles at 489-9274.

Saturday, December 16. Fungal Foray led by David Krause, Mark Brunschwiler and Dennis Sheridan. We will look for mushrooms growing in the Monterey pine forests of Cambria. Meet at the San Luis Obispo Vets Hall parking area on Grand Avenue at 8 a.m. If you plan to drive with someone else please park your car on the street, just outside the parking lot. Meet at the Cambria Vets Hall at 9 a.m. Bring field guides, mushroom basket (you may want to collect some edible types) and water. Dress appropriately for the weather. Be prepared for poison oak. The hike will be easy, about a 3 hour stroll through the woods. For additional information call Dave Krause at 927-5182 or Mardi Niles at 489-9274.

SLO Chapter - CNPS Field Trips 2005

Saturday, December 17, 9 a.m.

Mushroom Field Trip to the Monterey pine forests of Cambria with co-leaders David Krause, Mark Brunschwiler and Dennis Sheridan. Meet at the Cambria Vets Hall at 9 a.m. From San Luis Obispo meet at the Vets Hall on Grand Avenue at 8 a.m. Bring field guides, mushroom basket and water. Dress appropriately for the weather. Be prepared for Toxicodendron diversilobum. The hike will be easy, about a 3 hour stroll through the woods. Call Dave Krause at 927-5182 or Mardi Niles at 489-9274 for information.

Call Mardi Niles at (805) 489-9274 for the latest information.