Local Chapter Programs

Central Puget Sound

Alpine Wildflowers of Washington: Hikes and Hot Spots

by Richard Ramsden

Photographer and hiker, Richard Ramsden, will highlight twelve of his favorite mountain wildflower hikes in this special conclusion to our chapter’s spring programs. Flowers found in the Olympic, Wenatchee and Cascade mountains will be included and we’ll see a photo preview of each hike featuring some of the unique and interesting plant species found along the way. Richard has selected locations that include a range of hiking ability levels from easy to moderate to challenging. He’ll describe distance and difficulty for each hike, along with his beautiful images and information about the flowers to be seen there.

Following the presentation, those in attendance will have the opportunity to vote on their favorite spots. If there is sufficient interest, Richard has offered to lead field trips to one or two of the top locations.

Mr. Ramsden is a longtime member of the Central Puget Sound Chapter of WNPS. His photographs have appeared in multiple publications, including Field Guide to the Rare Plants of Washington and the forthcoming Field Guide to Alpine Plants by MacKinnon and Pojar.

If you enjoy our beautiful mountains and their wildflowers and want to learn more about them and where to find them, don’t miss this special program.

Plant Identification Workshop

The Central Puget sound Chapter offers regular plant identification workshops to help members improve plant ID skills.

While the Workshop is oriented primarily toward beginners, anyone who wants to work on improving keying skills or their familiarity with the northwest flora is welcome.  Our main objectives are practice with technical identification keys, familiarity with plant families, and recognition of common northwest species.  No prior experience is necessary; the only requirements are interest in the topic, patience with beginners if you are an old hand, and patience with old hands if you are a beginner.  If you have them, bring a hand lens and a copy of Hitchcock or another favorite plant book.  You are encouraged to bring unknown plants for identification. We will have plenty of material and tools if you come empty handed.  CPS botanists will be the instructors.

Center for Urban Horticulture - Main Hall

University of Washington Campus

3501 NE 41st Street

Seattle, WA 98195

Central Washington

To be announced.

Columbia Basin

Columbia Basin Programs

Koma Kulshan

The Wild Rice Enigma:  Exploring the Sto:lo Use of Zizania palustris on the Lower Fraser River, by Abe Lloyd

Wild rice isn't native to the pacific northwest, but by the 1920s it was being harvested near the Fraser and Pitt rivers.  Abe Lloyd uses linguistic, historical, and genetic tools to explore this mystery. 

Abe Lloyd was born and raised in Bellingham and has a masters degree in ethnoecology.  He is working on a book about wild edible foods and blogs about his wild food experiments. (http://www.arcadianabe.blogspot.com) arcadianabe@yahoo.com

ReStore, Sustainable Living Center education room

2309 Meridian St., Bellingham

Enter from the back alley and go upstairs.

The Restless Plant, by Elizabeth Van Volkenburgh

Elizabeth Van Volkenburgh, editor of the new book, The Restless Plant, will talk about how plants move.  We will explore mechanisms andphysiology that support those movements, and the intricacies and beauty of their responses. Copies of the book will be available.

Liz Van Volkenburgh has a PhD in plant physiology and has been a faculty member at the University of Washington since 1987. 206-543-6286, livanv@u.washington.edu

ReStore, Sustainable Living Center education room

2309 Meridian St., Bellingham

Enter from the back alley and go upstairs.

Northeast Washington

Okanogan

Olympic Peninsula

Salal

San Juan Islands

botanical-activites

South Sound

List of Chapter Programs

Suksdorfia

Wenatchee Valley

To be announced.