In Person Events sponsored by the Dorothhy Kiing Young Chapter are retuning. As spring beckons us, Field Trips come to mind and there are several listed in the Field Trip Heading below. Designed to entice you out into nature, discovering Native Plants in a variety of coastal ecologies. Thanks Rhiannon for jump starting the return to In Person Events with this wonderfully diverse selection of Field Trips.

Come observe the amazing resilience of nature where habitats of coastal scrub and Bishop pine and Douglas fir, and redwood/alder floodplain forest are regenerating after historic logging disturbance at Mill Bend.
We'll be observing wildflowers, shrubs, and other native plants that survived or returned in spite of the disturbance to their landscape.

Mill Bend Preserve, located along the Gualala River estuary, was acquired by the Redwood Coast Land Conservancy in 2021 after a long and ultimately successful campaign to protect Mill Bend's environmentally valuable estuarine and floodplain forest habitats.

Hike Level: Easy to moderate.

Leaders: Julia Larke and Mary Hunter
Contact: Cheryl Harris, charSupport CNPS Plant NativesrisSupport CNPS Plant Natives* aSupport CNPS Plant Nativest *rcSupport CNPS Plant Nativeslc.oSupport CNPS Plant Nativesrg

RSVP HereIf the weather is too wet or cold for us to not have fun, the hike will be cancelled.

Local botanist Rhiannon Korhummel will show you the native shrubbery diversity. So many are in bloom at this time and the types of flowers are numerous!
Hike Location: Old Smith Ranch Trail, easy 2 mile out and back.

The Old Smith Ranch property protects a significant portion of the Ten Mile River and estuary, which is host to coniferous forests, riparian woodlands, shrublands, sand dunes and brackish marsh. All of these habitats provide safe harbor to endangered and threatened wildlife and plant species, including tidewater goby, coho salmon, steelhead trout, Point Reyes horkelia, and Howell's spineflower. An offshoot of the trail threads under the Ten Mile bridge - where hundreds of swallows nest in spring and summer - and connects to the Ten Mile Dunes Natural Preserve. With existing parklands just to the west, the property serves as a critical open space buffer for wildlife. In order to protect the federally endangered western snowy plovers that nest in the Ten Mile Dunes, dogs are not allowed on the trail.

Contact: Field trip coordinator Rhiannon at rkSupport CNPS Plant NativesbotaSupport CNPS Plant NativesnistSupport CNPS Plant Natives*aSupport CNPS Plant Nativest*Support CNPS Plant NativesgmSupport CNPS Plant Nativesail.cSupport CNPS Plant Nativesom

RSVP Here If the weather is too wet or cold for us to not have fun, the hike will be cancelled.

Local botanist Alison Gardner will lead folks along the MacKerricher State Park Glass Beach Headlands to show the amazing coastal prairie plants and wildflowers that grow in this treasure of land, including the rare Pt. Reyes blennosperma that grows only here and in Pt. Reyes National Park!

Hike Level: Easy walk less than 1-mile.

Contact: Field trip coordinator Rhiannon at rkSupport CNPS Plant NativesbotaSupport CNPS Plant NativesnistSupport CNPS Plant Natives*aSupport CNPS Plant Nativest*Support CNPS Plant NativesgmSupport CNPS Plant Nativesail.cSupport CNPS Plant Nativesom

RSVP Here Heavy rain or strong winds will cancel.

UC Berekely Lichen Curator Klara Scharnagl will lead a walk through our coastal conifer forests teaching about lichen ecology and identification. The diversity of trees and shrubs at VanDamme (along with many fallen trees) provides various habitats for many lichen species.
Contact: Field trip coordinator Rhiannon at rkSupport CNPS Plant NativesbotaSupport CNPS Plant NativesnistSupport CNPS Plant Natives*aSupport CNPS Plant Nativest*Support CNPS Plant NativesgmSupport CNPS Plant Nativesail.cSupport CNPS Plant Nativesom

Hike Level: Moderate 5-mile loop with a stream crossing (no bridge).

RSVP Here If the weather is too wet or cold for us to not have fun, the hike will be cancelled.

Locally renowned State Park Interpreter Steve Jahelka will show you the incredible world of redwood forest ecology. Steve has worked at Hendy Woods for many years and knows the place better than most!

Hike Level: Hendy Woods XX Loop. Moderate 5-mile loop with obstructions to navigate.

Contact: Field trip coordinator Rhiannon at rkSupport CNPS Plant NativesbotaSupport CNPS Plant NativesnistSupport CNPS Plant Natives*aSupport CNPS Plant Nativest*Support CNPS Plant NativesgmSupport CNPS Plant Nativesail.cSupport CNPS Plant Nativesom

RSVP Here If the weather is too wet or cold for us to not have fun, the hike will be cancelled.

Plans are in progress. There will be a DKY display table at Point Arena City Hall and a Native Plant hike at 10 AM from City Hall to the Mendocino College Field Station with Julia Larke and others. At the Point Arena Lighthouse, Nancy Morin will have a station at the native plant display garden with plans to explore the bluff area near the lighthouse. There will also be a walk along the bluffs overlooking the pda'ha? estuary of the Garcia River with speakers from The Nature Conservancy to view and discuss the recent logjam habitat installations as well as observing wildflowers along the way with DKY members. Other activities include whale, sea mammal, and bird watching stations, and food stations! Shuttles will be available.

Walk approximately 1.5 hours over moderate terrain. We will observe coastal scrub, coastal prairie wildflowers and shrubs.

For more information or if you would like to participate, contact Julia Larke, coaSupport CNPS Plant NativesstlSupport CNPS Plant NativesarkSupport CNPS Plant Natives*aSupport CNPS Plant Nativest*Support CNPS Plant NativesgmaSupport CNPS Plant Nativesil.coSupport CNPS Plant Nativesm

Come discover the fascinating ecosystem of the Ten Mile Dunes with its native plants that include several rare species that inhabit this dune system. Jim Gibson will be leading the walk; Jim has been exploring, learning, and teaching about the plants of the Ten Mile Dunes for more than a decade.

Medium strenuous hike in sand along the dune bluffs then out into the dunes and a return along the beach. Bring sunscreen, water, snack, or lunch.

Contact: Field trip coordinator Rhiannon at rkSupport CNPS Plant NativesbotaSupport CNPS Plant NativesnistSupport CNPS Plant Natives*aSupport CNPS Plant Nativest*Support CNPS Plant NativesgmSupport CNPS Plant Nativesail.cSupport CNPS Plant Nativesom

RSVP Here If the weather is too wet or cold for us to not have fun, the hike will be cancelled.

Come learn native coastal prairie and coastal scrub plant species along with some of their pollinators with local nature author Katy Pye.

Easy walk on flat trails.

Contact: Field trip coordinator Rhiannon at rkSupport CNPS Plant NativesbotaSupport CNPS Plant NativesnistSupport CNPS Plant Natives*aSupport CNPS Plant Nativest*Support CNPS Plant NativesgmSupport CNPS Plant Nativesail.cSupport CNPS Plant Nativesom

RSVP Here If the weather is too wet or cold for us to not have fun, the hike will be cancelled.

We will travel along the Peter Douglas trail exploring the plants of the many habitats that are along the trail, including mixed evergreen forest, redwood forest, and coastal scrub. Portions of the trail burned in 2019; wildfires can stimulate a wide array of interesting plant species from the disturbance it causes.

Hike: Length and description TBD

Contact: Field trip coordinator Rhiannon at rkSupport CNPS Plant NativesbotaSupport CNPS Plant NativesnistSupport CNPS Plant Natives*aSupport CNPS Plant Nativest*Support CNPS Plant NativesgmSupport CNPS Plant Nativesail.cSupport CNPS Plant Nativesom

RSVP Here If the weather is too wet or cold for us to not have fun, the hike will be cancelled.