Idaho  Native  Plant  Society

P.O. Box 9451 Boise, ID 83707

Pahove Chapter Movie Night

The films Gimme Green (USA:27 min) and The Story of Bitterroot (USA:64 min) will be shown at the November Pahove chapter meeting.

MK nature center 600 Walnut Avenue (behind IDFG headquarters)
November 20, 2008 @ 7:00 p.m. Board meeting @ 5:30 p.m.-Open to all.

On the horizon:

• November 15th Horticultural Symposium @ Boise Center on the Grove from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Topic: Rethinking Idaho Landscapes


• December 4th Annual Pahove Chapter Holiday Party @ the MK Nature Center


• January 15th Presentation on invasive aquatic species-more information to follow


• February 11th-12th Rare Plant Conference


• Dr. Jim Smith of BSU is hosting monthly, evening plant identification workshops from October through March. For more information please visit: http://www.boisestate.edu/biology/idahobotforaypost.shtml

24th Rare Plant Conference, February 2009

The 24th Rare Plant Conference will be Feb. 11 and 12, 2009, at Idaho Power, 1221 West Idaho Street, Boise. Our keynote speaker will be Del Wiens, who has conducted plant research in Sri Lanka, Madagascar, Honduras, and many other exotic places around the globe.

The Rare Plant Conference is always a great chance to meet with friends and colleagues, and to learn the latest on rare plants of Idaho. The schedule is:

• Tues, Feb 10: evening get-together
• Wed, Feb 11: daytime rare plant discussions, posters, evening banquet and keynote address
• Thur, Feb 12: daytime speakers & workshops, posters, evening Eriogonum workshop, Boise State University

Registration details will be posted on the INPS website in December. In the meantime, we need folks to plan conference speakers, workshops, food, and other events. If youd like to help, attend our next planning meeting Tuesday, Nov. 18, 6-8 p.m. at the MK Nature Center, or contact Lynn Kinter, conference chair, at lkinter at idfg dot idaho dot gov or 208-287-2734.

SHARE YOUR SUMMER & SEED EXCHANGE

If you have slides or digital images of your summer botany photos, please bring them to the next meeting. Don't be shy. All skill levels welcome! (Contact Susan @ 867-6188 to arrange to share your photos)
There will also be a seed exchange so please remember to bring those as well.

MK Nature Center
600 Walnut Avenue (behind F&G headquarters)
October 16, 2008 @ 7:00 p.m.

Board meeting @ 5:30 p.m. -- Open to all members

On the horizon -
• October 21st Rare Plant Conference Kick-off meeting @ MK Nature Center. 6-8 p.m., pizza provided, RSVP to Lynn Kinter at lkinter at dfg dot idaho dot gov or 287-2734.
• November 20th Pahove Chapter Movie Night: details to be announced
• December 4th Pahove Chapter Holiday Party: more information to follow
• Dr. Jim Smith of BSU is hosting monthly, evening plant identification workshops from October through March. For more information please visit: http://www.boisestate.edu/biology/idahobotforaypost.shtml

24th Rare Plant Conference, February 2009

The 24th Rare Plant Conference will be Feb. 11 and 12, 2009, at Idaho Power, 1221 West Idaho Street, Boise. Our keynote speaker will be Del Wiens, who has conducted plant research in Sri Lanka, Madagascar, Honduras, and many other exotic places around the globe.

The Rare Plant Conference is always a great chance to meet with friends and colleagues, and learn the latest on rare plants of Idaho. The tentative schedule is:

Tues, Feb 10: evening get-together
Wed, Feb 11: daytime events, evening banquet and keynote address
Thur, Feb 12: daytime events, adjourn to Eriogonum workshop, Boise State University

Karen Colson, Pahove Chapter president, has started the ball rolling for organizing the conference, and others are pitching in. We need folks to plan speakers, workshops, food, and other events. If you’d like to help, attend our planning kick-off Tuesday evening, Oct. 21, (time and location TBA) or contact Lynn Kinter, conference chair, at lkinter at idfg dot idaho dot gov or 208-287-2734.

BONNER COUNTY NATIVE PLANTS RECOMMENDED FOR LANDSCAPING

Bonner County Native Plant List

2008 State annual meeting at Lake Pend Oreille June 20-22

Sam Owen Campground is a game refuge and is located 17 miles east of Sandpoint on Highway 200. Turn right onto Peninsula Road just past mile marker 48. Go 0.9 mile; turn left on Sam Owen Park Road. We have reserved the covered picnic area and 10 campsites for Friday night and Saturday night. Campsites are nestled under the conifers with plenty of space to pitch tents. Facilities include: water, toilets, dump station, covered picnic area, beach, boat launch, trailer spaces up to 36 feet, no hookups. Each campsite will accommodate up to 8 people, so everyone will have to share the space. There are places for tents, no hook-ups, and a small fee for extra cars.

See the State Board page for complete information on the annual meeting.

Sah-Wah-Be Chapter Spring 2008 News

Please read the Sah-Wah-Be chapter section of this website for detailed write-ups on these topics and others.

New Officers: A slate of officers was unanimously elected at the annual meeting April 7, with Barbara Nicholls selected to be this year's president.

Death Valley: Eighteen Native Plant Society members and friends experienced a great week in Death Valley March 22-30, enjoying the plants, geology, history, museums, and tourist attractions of the area. Botanist Karl Holte was the group's guide.

Field Trip Schedule: A May 3 field trip in the Mink Creek area south of Pocatello to search for spring bloomers will kick off the Sah-Wah-Be chapter's Southeast Idaho May-September field trip season. Late snows and cold weather have delayed the appearance of spring flowers, but hopefully conditions will have improved by May. A potluck supper at Holtes' house will follow the field trip. For more information, call 208-241-6289. Eighteen Monday evening and weekend trips have been planned for 2008. Come join us!

Native Plant Awareness Week: As part of our observance of Earth Day (April 22) and Native Plant Awareness Week (April 28-May 3), Sah-Wah-Be chapter will once again set up an information table at the Pocatello Environmental Fair on Saturday, April 26. INPS brochures, information on native plants, free starts of plants, and soil and seeds for children to plant on site will be available to visitors to the fair.

2008 Plant Sale Species Information

When: Aprill 19, 2008 (10 am to 2 pm)
Where: Idaho Fish and Game MK Nature Center, 600 S. Walnut (behind Fish and Game Headquarters, Boise)

The partial list of plants is available. At this time we don't have a list for plants being brought in from the Native & Xeric nursery.

Plant Sale 2008 Species List

Tamarisk in Idaho -- PowerPoint lecture slides

We now have the excellent PowerPoint presentation from Lonnie Huter's talk at the last Pahove chapter meeting available online. Tamarisk is an invasive plant that crowds out native species, very tolerant of marginal (salty) soil conditions, and is difficut to control. It was added to the Idaho Noxious Weed List in 2007.

Tamarisk in Idaho PowerPoint presentation
(The file is 40 megabytes, so probably not suitable for dial-up connections.)

Tamarisk is widely distributed throughout the west including Idaho. Recent research indicates wildlife impacts are mixed, and that water use by tamarisk has been greatly exaggerated. Control options including mechanical, chemical and biological have been implemented with great success.

Boise Foothills Wildflower Walks

We have some dates for the Boise Foothills Wildflower Walks-

starting at 6:30 pm at the Foothills Learning Center --

May 1 and May 15.

PAHOVE CHAPTER PROGRAM SCHEDULE

March 20: Plant Identification Night!

Come join us at the Boise State University Herbarium with our local plant identification expert, Jim Smith, where we’ll learn how to identify some of your favorite native plants in the mustard family (Brassicaceae).

Time: 7:00pm

Location: BSU Science and Nursing, second floor room 248 (SN248).

If you can bring some plants from the mustard family to key that would be great! See you there!

April 17: Getting Native Plants Into Our Landscapes:

Steve Love from the University of Idaho will be traveling to Boise to give us an informative presentation on native plants.
Location: MK Nature Center Auditorium, Idaho Fish and Game

600 South Walnut Avenue (Behind Fish and Game Headquarters)

Time: 7:00pm

May: Foothills Wildflower Walks:

The very popular annual spring wildflower walks are returning this May as part of National Celebrating Wildflowers month. Walks are open to the public and admission is free. Details TBA.

OTHER ACTIVITIES

March 28-30: Boise Flower and Garden Show at Boise Centre on the Grove.

Pahove Chapter will host a booth at the 12th annual Spring Flower and Garden Show. Volunteers are needed to help with the booth! Please contact Chris Colson if you are interested (cgcols a msn dot com).

April 19: The Pahove Annual Native Plant Sale.

One of our most popular events, our annual native plant sale is a gardener’s delight. Details TBA. Volunteers are need so please contact Ann DeBolt if you are interested in helping (rosebolt at clearwire dot net).

May 17-18: Idaho Green Expo at Boise Centre on the Grove.

The Pahove Chapter is hosting a booth this year at the first annual Idaho Green Expo, which is a free, two day event that will showcase environmentally friendly products and services and provide information that will help people to lead healthier and more sustainable lives. The Expo will feature over 150 exhibitors and more than 60 workshops and seminars on a variety of green-living topics. Attractions will also include music, speakers, art, food, demonstrations and activities for children. Pahove Chapter will host a native plants and native gardening exhibit. Volunteers are needed to help with the booth! Please contact Chris Colson if you are interested (cgcols at msn dot com).

Volunteer Needed! The Pahove Chapter would like to develop a local chapter website and we are seeking a volunteer to help with website maintenance. Please contact Karen Colson at trilliumkc at msn dot com if you are interested.

Spring Sage Notes Now Available

Sage Notes Spring 2008

Spring Break Trip to Death Valley!

SPECIAL TO ALL INPS MEMBERS AND FRIENDS

An Invitation to a Spring Break Trip to Death Valley! (March 22-30, 2008)

Several Sah-Wah-Be chapter members from Pocatello have decided to go to Death Valley during the week of Idaho State University's Spring Break (March 22-30) to enjoy the flowers and DV's unique and varied habitat. An invitation is extended to any others, INPS members or not, who are tired of winter cold and snow to join us on this adventure to one of Earth's natural wonders.

Although this year may not be as good as the "Big Bloom of 2005," purported to have been the best DV flower display in 100 years, there are apt to be a great many flowers because of this winter's abundant rainfall in southern California. Karl Holte, who enjoyed DV twice in 2005 and a number of times in years past when he took his classes there during ISU's Spring Break, has agreed to be a "flower guide" for anyone who wishes to accompany him throughout the area for a week of botanizing and touristy sight-seeing of the natural areas and the historical sites, including the Devil's Golf Course, Scotty's Castle, borax mining sites, charcoal kilns, Zabriski Point, Golden Canyon, Artist's Drive, Badwater, and Titus Canyon...weather, time, and roads permitting, plus interest shown. During March, the National Park Service also provides daily field trips plus nightly lectures at the Visitors Center.

Most of us plan to arrive in DV on Monday, March 24, and some of us will likely stay through Sunday, March 30. We propose that our group all be based in the Furnace Creek Area, if possible, which includes the National Park Visitors Center and various types of accommodations for camping, RVs, and hotel rooms. Barbara Nicholls has been gathering information for this trip by phone and on the Web. Please refer to the Sah-Wah-Be section on this website for a more elaborate report of this proposal and the very detailed information she has gathered on accommodations, including suggestions and reservation phone numbers. Barbara adds, "Time is of the essence for making your reservations, as March 22-30 is not only Spring Break for many but also Easter week....and I had much better luck getting information by phoning rather than relying on the internet."

Come join us! Whenever you can arrive, however much you care to participate with the group, or however long you can stay, we will welcome your company! But please let us know your plans. Again, refer to the Sah-Wah-Be page for details.

SAH-WAH-BE CHAPTER NEWS AND UPCOMING EVENTS

February 4, 2008

Our next first-Monday-of-the month meeting will feature Robert Pittman, local botanist and tree specialist, who will discuss landscaping our yards and gardens with native trees, shrubs, and plants. Robert is employed by Town and Country Gardens in Pocatello and thus is aware of availability of native plants there and what will flourish in our area. Join us in the Idaho Museum of Natural History (IMNH) classroom on the ISU campus for this informative meeting, 7:00 pm.

March 3, 2008

This month’s meeting will be the annual showing of members’ photos and memories from past years’ trips. All forms of media will be available in the IMNH classroom for anyone who wishes to use them. Informal as the presentations may be, they are always enjoyable and all are encouraged to participate! Contact Barbara Nicholls if you have questions.

April 7, 2008

Our Sah-Wah-Be chapter annual planning and election meeting will be at The Mandarin House, 675 Yellowstone Ave., Pocatello, and will commence at 6:00 pm for those who wish to order dinner, and 7:00 pm for the meeting. A nominating committee chaired by Cathy Frischmann is currently seeking nominees for the elective offices. Please contact her to volunteer or to offer suggestions. By-Law updates and chapter policy clarifications will be discussed. An important part of the meeting will be members’ suggestions for and planning of field trip dates and locations for 2008. Contact President Janet Bala for more information (208-235-1352).

The December edition of our Sah-Wah-Be chapter's Sagebrush News, including pictures, was incorporated in the Winter edition of the state newsletter, Sage Notes. Please enjoy a recap of our 2007 field trips and activities by referring to page 14 of the Winter Sage Notes publication.