Chapter Meeting – 13 February, 2023

by Bonnie Gosliner | Jan 7, 2023 | 2023 Chapter Meetings

“Prioritizing California Native Plants for Butterfly and Moth Conservation” Guest Speaker: Christopher Cosma, PhD candidate UCR and developer of web app The_Butterfly_Net

7:30 p.m. – Online Zoom Presentation preregister HERE

The migratory monarch butterfly was recently declared endangered by the IUCN. Conservation efforts reveal that planting milkweed—the monarch’s obligate host plant—is critical to protect the species from extinction in the face of climate change and other threats. However, hundreds of other Western US butterfly species are declining, including some even more at risk of extinction than the monarch. Although butterflies get most of the attention, moths—which are ten times more diverse than butterflies—are also at risk. Like the monarch, each threatened butterfly and moth species depends on specific native plant species throughout its life cycle: host plants for caterpillars, and nectar plants for adults. While we may not be able to provide every single insect species with its specific host and nectar plants, I’ve found that some “keystone” plant species can stabilize entire insect communities. However, I’ve also found that the identity of those keystone plant species varies across California, complicating the selection of native plants for insect conservation. To simplify things, I’ve built a web application called The Butterfly Net: just plug in your address, and the tool will show you which native plant species best support butterfly and moth populations in your area. Under the hood, the tool analyzes the complex networks of interactions between native plants and insects at each location to identify local keystone plant species. In this talk, I’ll explain the science behind The Butterfly Net, and how to use the tool to help protect butterflies, moths, and the important services they provide.

Chris is a PhD candidate in Dr. Nicole Rafferty’s lab in the Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology Department at UC Riverside. His research focuses on how climate change is affecting moths and their interactions with native plants in California. Alongside his research, Chris has developed a web application called The Butterfly Net that helps people find the best native host and nectar plants for butterflies and moths anywhere in California. Before arriving at UC Riverside, Chris received his Bachelor’s degree in Ecology and Evolution from UC Santa Barbara, and worked with The Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute in Front Royal, Virginia. When he’s not out surveying moths, Chris enjoys pyrography and practicing home-scale permaculture.

Chapter Meeting – 12 December, 2022

by Bonnie Gosliner | Nov 16, 2022 | 2022 Chapter Meetings

Our December meeting is also our official Annual Meeting to elect a slate of officers for the 2023 Marin Chapter Board of Directors. Following the brief business meeting enjoy this month’s presentation, “Pinnacles Jewelflower”.

We have space on the board and call for additional nominations. If you are interested in serving, please contact Kristin Jakob at 650-608-1274.

The proposed slate for 2023 is as follows:

Co-President: David Long
Co-President: Kristin Jakob
Treasurer: Kate Wing
Recording Secretary: Woody Elliott
Eva Buxton
Paul da Silva
Ann Elliott
Carolyn Longstreth
Laura Lovett
Eddie Robertson

We need a quorum of 10% of Chapter members voting at the meeting, please attend and vote.

“Pinnacles Jewelflower” – an undescribed species – and other botanical rarities of Pinnacles Guest Speaker: Amelia Ryan

7:30 p.m. – Online Zoom Presentation preregister HERE

Though identified nearly 20 years ago as a probable new species, the “Pinnacles Jewelflower” has languished undescribed. At last, this species is in the process of being described. As an extremely rare endemic species, describing it is the first step to making sure it is preserved. Pinnacles has also been allocated funding to begin systematic surveys of this rare species. As of yet, however, we have only casual observations about the species and no idea of the sizes, number, and extent of populations. In this “preview” talk, we will look at what we know so far about this species, its characteristics, and its preferred habitat, and discuss the distribution and status of other similar species in the area. We will also cover some other interesting and unusual plants found at Pinnacles.

Amelia Ryan is a Vegetation Ecologist at the Pinnacles National Park.  She developed a love of plants growing up on 40 acres in western Sonoma County. This led her to study botany at UC Davis and later acquire a MS in Ecology from San Francisco State. She has been working in habitat restoration and resource management for over 20 years, having started at Armstrong Redwoods in the late 90s, then worked at Point Reyes National Seashore on several restoration and endangered plant projects for nearly 14 years before moving to Pinnacles National Park where she has been the Vegetation Ecologist for 5 years. She is a long-time member of CNPS and served on the Marin Chapter Board for 6 years.

Chapter Meeting – 10 October 2022

by Bonnie Gosliner | Sep 24, 2022 | 2022 Chapter Meetings

The Insects, Birds, and Other Animals that Keep Your Garden Beautiful and Thriving

Guest Speaker: Frédérique Lavoipierre, Author of Garden Allies

7:30 p.m. – Online Zoom Presentation preregister HERE

The birds, mammals, reptiles, and insects that inhabit our yards and gardens are overwhelmingly on our side—they are not our enemies, but instead our allies. They pollinate our flowers and vegetable crops, and they keep pests in check. These creatures are the key to keeping our garden’s ecology in balance. Frédérique will show us how to nurture and welcome these valuable creatures into our gardens.

Frédérique Lavoipierre was the director of education at the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, where she shared her enthusiasm for native plants and insects. Before that she was the founding director of the Sustainable Landscape Professional Certificate Program at Sonoma State University, where she revived the Garden Classroom program and established an entomology outreach program. Frédérique holds a Masters in biology, with an emphasis on ecological principles of sustainable landscapes. Prior to her graduate work which focused on plant/insect interactions, she founded and operated an organic nursery specializing in heirloom vegetables and culinary herbs from around the world. Currently she lectures, teaches, consults, and served on the editorial advisory group for the American Public Gardens Association magazine, Public Gardens, and is on the board of the Pacific Horticulture Society. Frédérique authored a ten-year long series, Garden Allies, for Pacific Horticulture magazine.