Come and experience the last piece of lowland vernal pool grassland in the South Bay. The Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge is inviting CNPS members to guided tours in the Warm Springs Unit, a site with limited public access. These tours are being offered at different times to capture the temporal and spatial diversity of this unique site, home to many listed, rare and unusual species.
At this time of year, the dry pools are dotted with saline tolerant, warm-season perennials such as alkali heliotrope (Heliotropium curassavicum), alkali mallow (Malvella leprosa) and alkali weed (Cressa truxillensis). Super bloomers like common spikeweed (Centromadia pungens) and alkali heath (Frankenia salina) display masses of flowers, providing important sources of nectar to pollinators. We’ll also seek out rare or unusual plants including Congdon's tarplant (Centromadia parryi ssp. congdonii), San Joaquin spearscale (Extriplex joaquinana) and Atriplex species.
If you are interested joining a tour, please contact Aidona Kakouros at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to register. Please indicate in your email 1) which of the tours you are interested in, 2) how many guests you are bringing, and 3) preferred email to send directions and any other notifications related to the event you are interested in. Directions to the meeting site will be provided nearer to the event date. Space is limited.
Sun Dec 22 @ 9:00AM - 12:00PM Bird and Plant ID Walk at Lake Cunningham Park (San Jose) |
Fri Dec 27 @ 9:00AM - Edgewood Restoration |
Sat Dec 28 @ 8:00AM - 10:00AM Lake Cunningham Native Garden |
Sat Dec 28 @ 9:00AM - 11:00AM Community Work Day at the Native Plant Garden in Kirk Park |
Sat Dec 28 @ 9:00AM - 11:00AM Cataldi Park Native Garden |
Wed Jan 01 @10:00AM - 02:00PM New Year’s walk to Franklin Point, part of Año Nuevo State Park (Hwy 1 coast, southern San Mateo County) |
Fri Jan 03 @ 9:00AM - Edgewood Restoration |
Sat Jan 04 @ 8:00AM - 10:00AM Lake Cunningham Native Garden |
Sat Jan 04 @ 9:00AM - 11:00AM Community Work Day at the Native Plant Garden in Kirk Park |
Sat Jan 04 @ 9:00AM - 11:00AM Cataldi Park Native Garden |