California Native Plant Society facts for kids
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| Founded | 1965 |
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| Type | Non-profit organization |
| Focus | Preservation and education |
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Area served
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California |
The California Native Plant Society (CNPS) is a special group in California. It's a non-profit organization that helps people learn about and protect California's amazing native plants. Their main goal is to save these plants and their natural homes for everyone, now and in the future. They also encourage people to use native plants in their gardens.
Contents
How CNPS Started
The California Native Plant Society began in 1965. It was started by plant experts and local activists. They were inspired after saving an important native plant garden. This garden was located in Berkeley's Tilden Regional Park. They wanted to create a lasting organization. Its mission would be to save and promote California's native plants.
How CNPS Works
For over 50 years, CNPS staff and volunteers have worked hard. They team up with scientists and government officials. Their goal is to protect plant homes and species. They also support good environmental rules and practices.
The organization works in two main ways:
- Local Chapters: These are groups in different parts of California.
- State Level: This includes five main programs and a state office.
CNPS is a grassroots organization. This means it's powered by many local people. Nearly 10,000 members and volunteers help out. They are part of 35 chapters across California. These chapters also cover northwest Baja California.
Chapter volunteers help protect native plants. They also encourage using native plants in gardens. Anyone can join CNPS. Many chapter activities are open to the public. These include:
- Field trips to see plants
- Restoring natural areas
- Meetings and talks
- Plant sales
- Taking care of public gardens
At the state level, CNPS has five key programs. These are:
- Conservation (protecting nature)
- Rare Plant Science (studying rare plants)
- Vegetation Science (studying plant communities)
- Education (teaching people)
- Horticulture (gardening with native plants)
Each program has dedicated staff. Volunteers also help these programs. These volunteers include plant experts, educators, and community members.
What CNPS Does
CNPS chapters organize many local events. These events help teach people about native plants. They are usually free and open to everyone.
Here are some common activities:
- Wildflower shows
- Tours of native plant gardens
- Native plant sales in spring and fall
- Public meetings with speakers
- Lectures, talks, and workshops
- Public demonstration gardens
- Local projects to restore nature
- Field trips to see plants in nature
- Local publications (books or newsletters)
Online Resources
CNPS keeps an online list called the Inventory of Rare and Endangered Plants. This Inventory lists California's rare plants. It also uses a ranking system for them. This system is the most trusted source of information. Scientists and land planners use it daily.
CNPS also created A Manual of California Vegetation. This is a book and online database. It's the main guide for understanding California's plant communities. State and federal agencies rely on it. Both the Inventory and the Manual are key tools. They help identify and manage important plant habitats.
Rare Plant Treasure Hunt
A popular project is the "Rare Plant Treasure Hunt" (RPTH). This project combines education and science. Volunteers and staff work together. They update information on rare, threatened, and endangered plants.
Between 2010 and 2014, they updated over 2,500 plant records. More than 1,000 of these were new discoveries! A new part of RPTH is the California Rare Plant Seed Rescue Project. Volunteers collect seeds and plant tissue. They gather them from every rare plant group in California. These are then stored in special facilities. This helps protect them from extinction.
California Native Plant Week
In 2010, CNPS helped make something special happen. The state legislature named the third week of April as "California Native Plant Week." This week celebrates native plants. The legislature noted that native plants are perfect for California's climate. They need less fertilizer, soil changes, or pesticides. They also use 60 to 90 percent less water than regular garden plants.
CNPS also holds a big conservation conference every three years. Over 1,000 people attend from California and beyond. They also have an annual conservation symposium every September.
Publications
Besides books and posters, CNPS publishes a journal. It's called Artemisia (formerly Fremontia). This journal comes out three times a year. It covers topics like botany, gardening, and land management. CNPS also publishes the CNPS Bulletin. This is a newsletter that comes out every three months.
See also
- Native plant gardening
