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The September 24 members meeting of the East Bay Chapter of the California Native Plant Sociey will vote on new bylaws for the Chapter. See the July-August issue of the Bay Leaf for more about the bylaws revision and a copy of the proposed text. For a pdf file of the draft bylaws click here. Send your comments to webmaster@ebcnps.org. If you give your permission your comments will be posted on this web site.

Horticulture program planning meeting 8/17

In March, we invited chapter members to participate in developing a strategic plan for the future of our chapter’s horticulture program (our annual all-California plant sale and Native Here Nursery). Since then, about 40 people have offered their ideas by completing a questionnaire.

The next step is to gather everyone who would like to participate further at a half-day workshop to discuss the options and set our future direction. We have scheduled that meeting for Sunday, August 17, 2008, 10 am-3 pm, at the Environmental Education Center in Tilden Park. All interested Chapter members are invited to attend (whether or not they have answered a questionnaire). If you are interested, RSVP to Sue Rosenthal (rosacalifornica@earthlink.net or 510-496-6016) by Friday, August 1. Bring your ideas and your lunch to the workshop; we’ll provide an open and welcoming forum, beverages, and dessert. We’ll also send background materials and directions to the meeting place to all who register.

Sue Rosenthal

Conservation analyst campaign

East Bay Chapter members have responded to the Conservation Analyst’s fund appeal with a generous outpouring of support. Thus far we have received donations totaling $16,880. We have not yet reached our goal but are well on our way. Many thanks to the following donors for digging deep. (The next Bay Leaf will list more donors.) If you have not yet donated to our fund, please consider doing so. We count on your help to keep the program alive and well.

John Alcorn, John K. Anderson, Martha B. Baker, Ronald Barklow & Viola W. Saima-Barklow, Linda Beidleman, Peter Boffey, Carla Bossard, Michael and Patricia Boyland, Carmen Castain, Robert & Frances Connick, Charlice & John Danielsen, Mary M. Davis, Sally de Becker, John T. & Lisa Doyen, Frances Du Pont, Catherine C. Dunlap, Jane and John Edginton, Sam Foushee, Norman C. Frank, Christa Goldblatt, Sara Goolsby, Paul Grunland, Mary Ann Hannon, Elsa A. Hooper, Justine Hume, Diane Ichiyasu, Meredith Kaplan, Tim S. Kask, Monica Kagdis & Andrew Lehman, Carolyn Kolka, David & Evelyne Lennette, Sylvia C. McLaughlin, Shirley M. McPheeters, Harriet Nye, Jessica Olson, Esther Oswalt, Peter Rauch, Doris Sloan, Lincoln Smith, Bob Sorenson, Donald J. Stang, Christopher Tarp, Delia & John Taylor, Miriam E. Taylor, Liz Varnhagen, Susan Watson, Phoebe Watts, Celia Zavatsky, and the California Oak Foundation.

Laura Baker, Conservation Committee Chair

A San Francisco Chronicle article on the efforts of the East Bay Chapter of the California Native Plant Society to save one of the few remaining populations of the rare and endangered Presidio Clarkia. The plants in question are in Oakland.

East Bay Chapter President WIns Award

EBCNPS Chapter President Charli Danielsen has been selected as a winner of the Jefferson Award for Public Service.

Click here for a video from KPIX, CBS 5 in San Francisco with an extensive interview with Charli about the work of Native Here.

Congratulations to Charli!

The San Francisco Chronicle of Sunday, March 18, 2007 has an article about Charli and her contributions to native plant conservation.

Red Alert

Dittrichia graveolens, aka stinkweed, is a California Invasive Council "red alert"--explosively invasive weed. It first appeared in the South Bay about 10 years ago and is spreading like wildfire along the highways. Many of us only recognized it in the East Bay this fall. Now we are trying to limit its spread by cutting and removing plants. We have been working east of the Caldecott Tunnel because of the roadwork there.

For more information, contact Barbara Leitner 925-253-8300, bleitner@pacbell.net. Here is a document with some information about stinkweed.