About Us
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Chapter Activities
The Santa Clara Valley Chapter of the California Native Plant Society covers Santa Clara County and southern San Mateo. Want to learn more about native plants? Support California's biodiversity? Join us! We welcome CNPS members and the public at our virtual and in-person activities.
- Seed and Cutting Exchanges are held bi-monthly.
- Restoration and native plant garden workdays provide opportunities to preserve and restore native plants
- Our Native Plant Talks cover a wide variety of topics with a native plant focus. They are offered at libraries and Zoom/YouTube. You can view many past talks on our YouTube channel.
- Native Plant ID (formerly Keying with Natives) usually meets on the fourth Tuesday of the month at the Peninsula Conservation Center in Palo Alto. Check Meetup or our website calendar for the next meeting date.
The Chapter's Online Nursery Store is a great place to buy plants and more (delivery and pickup available)
To receive weekly updates about our upcoming events, please join our Chapter News list. Subscribe by sending an e-mail to:
Santa Clara Valley Chapter of CNPS
The California Native Plant Society (CNPS) is a non-profit organization dedicated to the protection of California’s native plants and their natural habitats, today and into the future, through science, education, stewardship, gardening, and advocacy.
The Santa Clara Valley Chapter of CNPS covers Santa Clara County and southern San Mateo County. It offers activities focusing on the many aspects of native plants, from gardening, plant identification, and photography to conservation and rare plants. Activities include talks and lectures and workshops, field trips, native plant sales, wildflower show, restoration workdays, and more. The chapter was founded in 1972; more history can be found here.
Melanie Cross Public Pollinator Garden Grant
This grant program is provided by the California Native Plant Society, Santa Clara Valley Chapter (CNPS SCV). It is funded through a generous contribution from Peter Cross in memory of his wife, Melanie Cross. Melanie played a vital role in the Chapter's nursery and had a deep passion for pollinator gardens. She was a founding member and the guiding force behind the native plant pollinator garden located at Cornelis Bol Park in Palo Alto.
Grants between $500 to $1,500 are available for individuals or groups aiming to establish or enhance a public native plant garden within the CNPS SCV Chapter area, which encompasses Santa Clara County and Southern San Mateo County. Gardens that receive funding will be provided with a CNPS native plant sign for display. All plants acquired with grant funds must be native to California.
Recipients must submit a written report detailing the work completed with the grant funds, including a breakdown of expenditures, within four months of receiving the funds. If the project is not finished by then, a follow-up report is required within 30 days of project completion. Reports should include photos, video or other media that CNPS SCV can use to publicize this program.
The first award cycle will close on Sunday, August 9.
For any inquiries regarding the application process for this fund, please reach out to
Volunteer Opportunities
The Santa Clara Valley Chapter of the California Native Plant Society (CNPS SCV) is an all-volunteer organization - the organization and all our activities depend on volunteers. We hope that all members will join the volunteer team or a committee or activity they enjoy. There are many opportunities to work at home or volunteer in person, with a group. Some positions are weekly, some are monthly, and some are one-time. There really is something for everyone. If you are not currently helping out, here is a list of possible ways you could join the fun. For more information on these or to ask about other volunteer opportunities, contact the listed coordinator or Radhika Thekkath,
Current Needs
Hospitality Team Members
We are looking for people to join our Hospitality Team. The team handles the yearly hospitality tasks at different Chapter events. They mainly oversee food and beverage arrangements. Chapter events include the three larger events which are the Wildflower Show in April, the Fall Plant Sale in October and the potluck in November and some smaller events at other times. If you are interested in learning more about joining this team effort, please email Janet Hoffmann (
On-going Opportunities
Volunteer at an event
We hold a Wildflower Show in April, a spring native plant garden tour, a large fall plant sale, a members’ potluck in November, and other events throughout the year. Two big events are held in April:
Wildflower Show: This family-friendly event features hundreds of native wildflowers and plants on display as well as a variety of activities for all ages. The show is a major annual event and we need lots of volunteers to help make it successful. A signup with detailed descriptions about the various volunteer positions is available on the Chapter website in March or April.
Growing Natives Garden Tour: This is our annual, self-guided, and free tour of private and public gardens within the CNPS-SCV chapter area, where we promote biodiversity and emphasize the benefits of native plants for water and energy conservation. team to help make our annual garden tour a success. We are especially seeking assistance with publicity, both print and social media. Come to a committee meeting to get acquainted with all we do to find where you would like to contribute. For more information, please go to the GNGT website, or contact the committee chair, Madeline Morrow at
We need lots of volunteers for each event. Zoom training as needed is provided for large events. Most of our larger events are listed on our website and you can find a link to sign up on that page.
Restoration Work and Public Native Garden Maintenance
This is a great way to learn more about native plants. While volunteering to maintaining native gardens in parks, you work with knowledgable leaders who have a wealth of information about the plants growing in the garden. Every season, you learn about the activities needed to keep a native garden thriving. Working at a restoration site provides opportunities to see parts of parks that are off limits to the general public while learning about the plants that grow in the area. Help with planting, weeding, watering, and mulching, and see the results. Sign up to help at the Chapter's Meetup page. We currently have three native garden projects in San Jose: Lake Cunningham, Kirk, and Cataldi Parks, and restoration projects at: Edgewood County Park and Natural Preserve and Alum Rock Park
Help with field trips
We host field trips for a variety of reasons, such as introducing newcomers to wildflowers, exploring interesting habitats, or visiting unusual plants. You can help out by volunteering to act as a field trip leader or sweep. The sweep is the last person on the trail in the walk or hike. They assist the trip leader, ensuring that participants enjoy the trip, helping with any issues that arise, and signing out early departures. No prior experience is needed to be a sweep. Contact Field Trip Chair, Nabeel Al-Shamma at
Find Speakers for talks
We hold talks on Zoom and in-person on various topics. We need help looking for speakers who are experts in the fields of native plant gardening, plant science, restoration, conservation issues, climate change, biodiversity... you get the gist. Perhaps you know someone who is knowledgeable in one of these areas? Or you know of a topic that may be of interest to our members? Join our quarterly meetings on Zoom where we plan for talks for the upcoming months. For more information, please contact
Library Talk Greeters
We hold talks at libraries in Santa Clara and San Mateo counties. Several volunteers are needed for each talk to help with setup and check-ins. The greeters' responsibilities are to staff the welcome table and answer basic questions about CNPS if attendees have any. No native plant experience is necessary, but some knowledge about the Chapter will be helpful. Worry not if you are new to this! You will have an experienced volunteer with you to assist you. Sign up here to help with an upcoming talk. Questions? Contact
Conservation/advocacy of native plants
Attend a Conservation Committee meeting to learn where help is needed in our ongoing efforts to protect native plants and habitats. Committee meetings cover rare plants, conservation, legislation, invasive plants, and restoration. If you’re interested in issues in your area, or would just like to learn more, please join us. For more information, please contact the committee chair, Carolyn Dorsch at
Join the Wildflower Ambassadors Program
Encourage others to grow native plants in their gardens as a member of our chapter's outreach arm. Members of this group give away packets of free native seeds and resource handouts at events and library talks. The program is an easy entry point for those who are new to native gardening as you learn through participation and from more experienced team members. Sign up here.
We welcome your help to fill these important volunteer roles.
You can find information about many activities on our website cnps-scv.org. For more information on these or other volunteer opportunities, contact Radhika Thekkath,
Treasurer Needed
The Chapter is looking for a volunteer to take on the position of Treasurer. This important position is a key part of the leadership team within a vibrant, inclusive, and science-based non-profit organization. A dedication to the mission of the California Native Plant Society (CNPS) and the requisite skills for this position—like numerical proficiency, careful attention to detail, and reliability—are vital. Although prior financial experience is advantageous, it is not mandatory. The Treasurer serves as a member of the Chapter’s Board of Directors and Executive Committee, and is required to participate in Board meetings. Monthly meetings are held via Zoom, except for March, when an in-person meeting takes place to finalize the annual budget.
Wanda Broadie Alexander - In Memoriam
Wanda Broadie Alexander
Wanda Broadie Alexander began life in a small town in the great open spaces of Midwestern Kansas. Born of parents who had escaped farm life by means of college and career, she enjoyed yearly family camping adventures to the various National Parks (relatively new in those days) and felt the excitement of seeing her first bear. Her real and abiding passion for nature and all its creatures came later with a trip to the Galapagos after a series of personal losses of husband and parents culminated by the tragic and untimely death of her sister in an airplane crash in the early 70’s. The Galapagos experience brought an in-depth knowledge and appreciation for our shared life processes and the transforming nature of life and death. This led her to became actively engaged in environmental issues.
When she inherited 80 acres of unbroken prairie in the flint hills of Kansas, she donated it to Bethel College in Kansas where students learn to understand prairie ecosystems. The Broadie Habitat Preserve in Montana, which helps to preserve one of North America’s smallest, most vulnerable grizzly bear populations, is another result of her generosity and support. After purchasing 2.5 acres of hillside land on a dead-end road in Los Gatos, CA, Wanda wanted to be sure that the wildlife corridor on her property would be preserved, which led her to obtain a conservation easement on her land through the Wildlife Land Trust.
Wanda was the CEO of ACT for Mental Health, a small mental health agency in downtown San Jose. She fostered this agency for many years with the mission of providing quality mental health care to folks who otherwise would not be able to afford it. She received a Jefferson Award in 2013 for her decades of leadership in offering mental health services. Throughout her professional life as therapist and mental health clinician, she sought to find ways to help clients and patients connect with nature as part of healing. She spent many holidays on eco travel, which spanned every continent, including the Antarctic. She was an avid photographer, capturing gorgeous images of animals, plants, people and landscapes.
Wanda was a frequent volunteer for our Chapter, and especially enjoyed helping with book and poster sales. She generously left her property to CNPS for an Environmental Education Center.
Brenda Butner - In Memoriam
Brenda Butner
May 5, 1939 – October 1, 1995
Brenda Butner was a key figure in the history of the Santa Clara Valley Chapter of the California Native Plant Society. She began her horticultural work at Foothill College, where she, botanist and author Tony Corelli, and Mary Kay of Western Horticulture Society were students together. Brenda developed a major interest in native plants and was our Chapter President from 1989 to 1991.
Brenda was always interested in new developments in the native plant field. Whenever there was a field trip, large or small, she would be on it. An avid student, stimulating speaker, and very well organized, Brenda then became the Field Trip Chair; her tenure is recalled by others as one of the best field trip seasons ever. She also worked at Yerba Buena Nursery under Bart O’Brien where all became close friends. Brenda developed the student program at Yerba Buena Nursery.
Brenda’s involvement at Edgewood Park brought her in contact with politics. She was instrumental in helping to defeat the golf course project and saving the park from development. She also developed the Docent Program at Edgewood Park which continues to this day.
Whenever she traveled, botany and native plants were her prime motivating interests, whether it was in Australia, Himalaya, or Costa Rica.
After her death, the Brenda Butner Memorial Lecture was endowed by her husband, Al Butner, who continued to be a chapter member and native plant enthusiast until his passing in 2013. The endowment makes it possible for the chapter members to hear speakers of great accomplishment in the fields of California native plant horticulture, science, and conservation.
Remembering Brenda
By Jean Struthers (Blazing Star, Nov-Dec 1995)
Brenda was the first CNPS member I met. I volunteered to sell books and posters and took over that job from her. She assured me that it wasn’t too difficult, but what she did not tell me was that it would lead to total commitment to CNPS. Brenda's commitment was very contagious and inspiring.
From that small involvement and from my eagerness to grow native plants came the opportunity to work at Yerba Buena Nursery with Brenda. There she was instructive and patient with my learning. She even taught me to say “no” sometimes. She knew her own limits and how to manage her time. Together we chaired the Wildflower Show to a great financial and floristic success, largely due to Brenda's organizational ability.
Brenda became Chapter President and drew many new people to the Board. She followed that position with Field Trip Chair. I will always remember our first trip to the desert and how well it was organized. She keyed many plants that were new to the group, helped with the camping and photography efforts, and above all, ensured the enjoyment of every participant. She was particularly good about finding and making available information about our destinations. Brenda instituted the informal Friday plant walks in local parks and open space lands.
Brenda joined me on a Los Altos Hills town committee for Environmental Protection. She wrote guidelines for using native plants in town landscaping, and wrote the town's first Heritage Tree Protection Ordinance. … We planted a valley oak (Quercus lobata) for Arbor Day, and buckeye seeds on road edges.
Brenda was a docent at both the Jasper Ridge Biological Preserve and Edgewood Park Preserve. She worked three days a week at Yerba Buena Nursery. She became particularly skilled at propagation techniques, and was responsible for the manzanita cuttings. She started the Chapter's Gardening With Natives group, a very successful gathering which met once a month.
When Brenda got cancer she did not stop her numerous activities unless her treatments really disabled her. She still put in time at Yerba Buena Nursery, attended meetings, and took as many field trips as she had strength for. She organized the botanists for our 1995 Wildflower Show and spent hours helping identify our specimens.
Brenda was so very considerate of all the people around her. She kept us all informed and enthusiastic, and always thanked all the people who helped her. Did we ever thank her enough? I really miss her.
Alfred Butner
August 8, 1937 - November 27, 2013
Alfred was a general surgeon with El Camino Hospital, Stanford Hospital, and the VA Hospital until he retired in 2012. Al was a long-time chapter member and supported all of Brenda’s CNPS activities. Al was chapter Publicity Chair, a Going Native Garden Tour garden owner, and joined many chapter field trips and activities. He donated a used surgical table from El Camino Hospital to the chapter nursery, which was still in use over 20 years later. After Brenda’s passing, Al funded the Brenda Butner Memorial Fund in her memory.
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