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Prior presentation information
(topics that have either a link to a web site or where a copy of the  presentation has been made available)

 


 

     
 

Chapter Meetings
General Meeting Information

 

    (Please note location(s) of each meeting.  Directions to each location .)

 Wed Monday, February 8, 2010  (Olympia)   7PM
“Winter Twig Identification” - Erica Guttman

Brush up on your old skills or learn new skills at this session for newcomers and veteran twig lovers alike! Erica Guttman from WSU Extension’s Native Plant Salvage Project will introduce you to the secrets to easy twig identification, and then we’ll work in small groups to find the clues to identifying 25 common lowland deciduous woody plants. This is guaranteed to be a fun, hands-on workshop! Erica Guttman has been a hands-on environmental educator for 25 years, and has led the WSU Native Plant Salvage Project since 1997. She teaches about and has authored publications and videos on topics as diverse as sustainable landscaping, marine shoreline stewardship, low-impact development and rain gardens. But one of her favorite publications is her Winter in the Woods guidebook, and one of her favorite things to do is share her passion for winter twigs on chilly walks in the woods.
 

Wednesday, February 10, 2010  (Tacoma)   7PM
“Ecology of Black Lily (Fritillaria camschatcensis): a Washington State Sensitive Species” -  Holly Zox  

Black lily (Fritillaria camschatcensis), a k a “lady-on-the-pot,” is a bulbous perennial herb (Liliaceae) distributed along the northern Pacific Rim.  Black lily is state-listed as a sensitive species in Washington and Oregon, which represent the southern extent of its range in North America.  In Washington State, black lily is found in the northwest portion of the state across two disparate ecological habitat types: coastal high saltmarsh and montane to subalpine wetlands.  The rice-like bulblets were eaten by many Northwest Coast Peoples.  

With the support of WNPS, Holly Zox, Warren Gold, and Julia Gold began a study in 2004 on the basic biology, ecology, and population dynamics of black lily in two Snohomish County, Washington sites:

  • a high saltmarsh population in the Quilceda estuary, part of the Snohomish River estuary of Puget Sound, and

  • a subalpine population in a sphagnum fen in the North Cascades.

Holly will highlight some of the things learned during six field seasons of this study, and will discuss future directions of the study.  

Holly Zox is a Snohomish County Native Plant Steward and member of the Central Puget Sound Chapter of WNPS.  She has been a botanist consultant for the Tulalip Tribes since 2006.   She also operates a business specializing in sustainable landscaping practices.  Holly has taught community college students and citizen scientists alike.  An avid volunteer herself, Holly has more than 10 years experience working with both rare and invasive plant species.  

Monday, March 8, 2010  (Olympia)   7PM
“From the Secrets of Cottonwood to a Better Understanding of Trees and Forests” - Reini Stettler

Dr. Reini Stettler will give an illustrated talk on his recently published book, Cottonwood and the River of Time: On Trees, Evolution and Society. The story of the cottonwood, like all trees, whose life cycle is remarkably attuned to a river’s natural dynamics, is one of perpetual change. Through the long cycles, as rivers meander and glaciers advance and retreat, trees have adapted and persisted. How they do this, and how we can gain insights into the underlying processes through the lens of cottonwood, will be the focus of Reini’s presentation. He also will explain how a native cottonwood tree from the Nisqually River delta gained international fame and is now being studied by researchers worldwide.

Dr. Stettler is professor emeritus of forestry at the University of Washington. He has spent a lifetime studying plant growth and development and the diversity of forest trees. For more than thirty years he taught and conducted research at the Seattle campus, and traveled the world in pursuit of the genus Populus. His and his co-workers’ research has been published widely published. He has been a visiting lecturer at institutions in Europe and Asia and the recipient of several national and international awards. Dr. Stettler will have copies of his book for sale at the meeting.
 

Wednesday, March 10, 2010  (Tacoma)   7PM
“Restoration of Pacific Northwest National Forests” - Dr. Jerry Franklin

The primary focus of the talk will be on development of a restoration strategy for the national forests of the Pacific Northwest that would not only restore more functional forest land and streamscapes but also improve their resiliency in the face of climate change. The strategy includes taking the endlessly controversial old-growth forests and trees and the roadless areas “off of the table” to allow us to focus on restoration activities for which we have a societal consensus. Old-growth issues have to be approached differently on “moist” habitats than on “dry” forest habitats, where 150 years of human activity, including fire suppression, have greatly modified forest conditions. Early successional ecosystems on forest sites are also a significant concern. Dr. Franklin received his bachelors and masters degrees in forest management from Oregon State University and a PhD in botany from Washington State University. Dr. Franklin has been widely recognized for his contributions to science and conservation. He has been a researcher for the U.S. Forest Service and at academic institutions including Oregon State University and UW, and has authored over 300 scientific articles and books.



Monday, April 12, 2010  (Olympia)   7PM
“A Journey in the Alps” - Kevin Head

Some of the richest flora of France and Switzerland are to be found in the Pennine Alps. This limestone, gneiss and schist mountain range caters to calcium loving plants. The Pennine Alps’ climate is similar to Colorado’s with afternoon thundershowers in summer bringing abundant rainfall and sometimes even snow in mid July. This moisture nourishes an abundance of diverse plants from gentians to edelweiss, alpenrose to crimson-red primroses. For five weeks Kevin, along with Julia Brayshaw, hiked in France and Switzerland through three national parks and along the demanding Haute Route from Chamonix to Zermatt as they explored many wildflower meadows. Join Kevin and sit back and enjoy an evening of beautiful mountain scenery and familiar plants from Europe, as he shows photographs and recounts his last summer’s journey to the high Alps. He will show the diversity of wildflowers and compare them to our native plants in Washington.

Kevin is a South Sound Native Plant enthusiast who has led trips for the chapter for nine years. He has hiked extensively through the mountain west and desert southwest and has explored wildflower meadows in Norway, the United Kingdom and Greece. He is a teacher for the North Thurston Public Schools. Kevin says he owes his love of plants to his beautiful wife who is the soul and queen of hiking through native wild lands.
 

Wednesday, April 14, 2010  (Tacoma)   7PM
“Wild Plants of the Olympic Peninsula: A Perspective from the Rain Shadow” - Fred Weinmann

The Olympic Peninsula, for its size, harbors more that its share of rare and/or endemic plants. While this remarkable flora is typically associated with Olympic National Park, there is another equally fascinating aspect of the Olympic Peninsula flora. This is provided by the rare western Washington climate that is endemic to the rain shadow of the Olympic Peninsula. Unusual opportunities for western Washington botanizing are found in the rain shadow, particularly in spring months when the sub-alpine and alpine areas of the Olympic Mountains are more white than green. This presentation will provide an overview of the phyto-geography of the Olympic Peninsula and then transition to a close up of the northeast corner of the peninsula where prairies, bogs, balds, beaches, and forests coexist.

Fred received a Master of Science degree in botany and Ph.D. in ecology from the University of Washington. He is the co-author of two books on wetland plants of the Pacific Northwest, and the author of many comprehensive plant checklists including for the King County, Washington and the Quimper Peninsula. He has been active in the Washington Native Plant Society since its formation in 1976, president of WNPS for two terms and chair of the Central Puget Sound Chapter. Fred has led over a hundred botany field trips in the Port Townsend area and in other regions of the state. In 2006, WNPS named Fred and his wife, Ann as Fellows of the Society (i.e. lifetime achievement award). Since retiring he has become an itinerant botanist conducting plant inventories, workshops and classes for a variety of state agencies and conservation organizations.



Monday, May 10, 2010  (Olympia)   7PM
“Traditional Gifts of Spring” - Warren Kinggeorge & Valerie Segrest

Warren Kinggeorge, born in Auburn, is a member of the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe, which is a combination of many villages once located on and near Elliot Bay and its many tributaries. In his role as tribal oral historian, Warren collects and records oral history from tribal elders and other community members. This oral history ranges from hunting, fishing and clamming stories on the Puget Sound to berry picking trips in the Cascade Mountains. Warren works with various government agencies to ensure Treaty Right access and to create management plans to maintain and enhance valuable cultural resources. He also works with museums, colleges and private collectors on repatriation of ancestral remains and artifacts.

Amy Segrest, a graduate of Bastyr University, is a passionate nutrition educator with an emphasis on local and wild foods. As an enrolled member of the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe she works as a community educator in basic nutrition and traditional foods. In their talk, “Traditional Gifts of Spring”, Warren and Amy will share stories about the traditional practices of local Native Americans in the collection and utilization of native plants. As part of his presentation, they will have on display various plant specimens.


Wednesday, May 12, 2010  (Tacoma)   7PM
“The Wild Olympics Campaign” - Ben Greuel

Ben Greuel is the Public Lands Organizer for the Northwest Office of the Sierra Club. Before joining the Sierra Club, he worked for the Alaska Wilderness League, organizing for the permanent protection of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. He also spent considerable time guiding fly-fishing trips for youth in Wyoming. His primary work focus is public land management in Western Washington. These duties include being the lead outreach coordinator for the Wild Olympics Campaign, a campaign consisting of nine organizations advocating for additional upper watershed protection on the Olympic Peninsula. His presentation will both detail the specifics of the Wild Olympics Campaign as well as the rationale behind the conservation vision embodied within the campaign. The presentation will also include a brief history of past conservation work on the Olympic Peninsula and information on how you can get involved with the current efforts to protect this special place.

Natural Haute Plateau by Grark in France, photo by Kevin Head


Meeting Locations:

OLYMPIA
Washington State Capitol Museum Coach House
211 West 21st Avenue
Olympia, WA 98501
360.753.2580

Directions to the Washington State Capital Museum: From Interstate 5 in Olympia, take Exit 105, following the "State Capital/City Center" route. Go through a tunnel, (get in the left hand lane) and turn left on Capital Way. Follow the brown and white "State Capital Museum" signs to 21st Avenue. Turn right on 21st Avenue and proceed two blocks. The museum is on the left in a stucco mansion.  We meet in the carriage house in back of the mansion.
 

TACOMA
Tacoma Nature Center
1919 South Tyler
Tacoma, WA  98405
253.591.6439

Directions to the Tacoma Nature Center: From Interstate 5, take State Highway 16 towards Gig Harbor. Look for the 19th Street EAST, exit and take it, which puts you onto South 19th Street. Travel to the first light, turn right on South Tyler, and then left into the first driveway at the Tacoma Nature Center.


General Meeting Information

South Sound Chapter presentations are held on the
second Monday and Wednesday of the month (October through May, in Olympia and Tacoma, respectively):

  • In Olympia, we typically gather at the Washington State Capitol Museum (211 21st Avenue SW; 360-753-2580).
  • In Tacoma, we typically gather at the Tacoma Nature Center (1919 South Tyler; 253-591-6439).
  • On occasion, however, our presentations are held at alternate facilities to accommodate larger audiences, so please be sure to note where each  meeting is held before you embark.

All meetings are open to the public and most are free of charge. Refreshments are typically provided by WNPS volunteers. We hope you'll join us for an evening of camaraderie and education about the world of native plants as well as the habitats that they create and sustain.

Outside of field trips and holiday gatherings, most meetings start at 7:00 pm. These "meetings" consist of a quick preview of activity announcements, but are mostly grounded in presentations that last 45 minutes to over an hour. Our topics are geared to attract and speak to neophytes and amateurs, as well as "dyed-in-the-wool" or otherwise committed botanists. We may be biased, but we think our presentations are top of the line!  

Members and the public are invited to attend all presentations.  For more information about our programs, please contact the Chapter Chair.

We hope to see all of you at the meetings!!!