Of Interest

PROTECTING THE GREAT OUTDOORS

By Sara Hall

As more people head outdoors for recreation, nature lovers can better appreciate the environment if they understand the native habitat. Take the golden hills of wild mustard, for example: While it creates a pretty landscape, this invasive plant can wreak havoc on the natural ecosystem in Southern California. Native plants are the foundation of ecosystems, and it’s important to conserve them in their respective habitats, says Liv O’Keeffe, California Native Plant Society’s (CNPS) senior director of public affairs “When we remove those plants, we impact not just the plants but the wildlife and watersheds they support,” Liv explains. “When we save plants, we save everything else.”

Most experts agree that invasive organisms — primarily plants — are the second largest threat to biodiversity, second only to habitat loss from development and urbanization, notes Ron Vanderhoff, a CNPS Orange County chapter board member.

Invasive plants threaten endangered and sensitive species, interfere with recreation, and cause significant impacts to hydrology and water use, such as clogging waterways or sucking up the limited supply of water. They are a nuisance in other ways too, including on taxpayers’ wallets. According to the California Invasive Plant Council, it costs California an estimated $82 million annually for control, monitoring, and outreach, although the total expenditure of actual ecosystem impacts is difficult to quantify. This figure also doesn’t include efforts on federal, county, city, private, or other non-state-owned lands. It’s also a distressingly ironic circumstance that fuel breaks and “fire suppression” zones adjacent to housing are hot spots for invasive plants. These

fire-managed areas create an invitation for invasive plants to colonize them, which in turn increases the potential for fire ignition. It’s a challenging and complicated scenario, Ron says. Here in Southern California, outdoor enthusiasts have likely passed by some intrusive vegetation and not even known it. Ron explains they can be found at trailheads or adjacent parking areas, along roadway and railroad sidings adjacent to open space, near green waste facilities, and in and adjacent to freshwater waterways and flood control channels. “The reason for these locations is obvious: People, pets, vehicles, and equipment often are the vehicles for moving invasives plants into new areas and spreading them,” Ron says. “Seeds adhere to pant legs, socks and boots, as well as to animals, vehicles, and equipment. Seeds also are easily moved to new areas through soil that is moved.”

Restoration Across O.C.

There are several Orange County locations where invasive plants took over, but the natural habitat has since been restored or is in the process of restoration, says CNPS Orange County chapter board member Matthew Garrambone. He says that projects across the county are in various stages of implementation, from the planning phase to complete. “It’s worth noting that widespread weeds (non-native annual grasses, black mustard, et cetera) are rarely, if ever, eradicated from the site,” Matthew adds. “Instead, the focus is cover reduction.”

While focusing on the overall CNPS mission of conserving California native plants and their natural habitats, the local OC chapter also aims to protect local wildlands, build nature gardens, and have fun. On its website, a dynamic list of local invasive plants — from yellow star thistle to the aromatic stinkwort — can be viewed at any time for identification and reporting purposes. For nature lovers who want to see the restoration work in action, a handful of accessible project locations include: Crystal Cove State Park; Bolsa Chica bluffs adjacent to Harriett M. Wieder Park in Huntington Beach; Aliso Creek and Pectin Reef in Aliso Viejo; the Big Bend area in Laguna Beach; and Shady Canyon, Bommer Canyon, and Turtle Rock in Irvine. Ongoing projects also take place in Big Canyon along the Back Bay and Buck Gully in Newport Beach, Talbert Park in Costa Mesa, and Irvine Ranch Open Space.

Where Native Plants Thrive

From backcountry wilderness areas to the shores of south county, there are myriad spots across O.C. that CNPS board members recommend visiting if you want to see California native plants thriving. Laguna Coast Wilderness Park has quite a broad appeal for plant lovers, suggests Dan Songster. “Not quite as wild as some spots (it is almost right up against civilization), it does hold many species of wildflowers, some rare, some common, but all a delight in season,” he says. “Besides the lovely flowers, butterflies, and wildlife, one finds the only natural lake in our county and a hub of learning about Orange County’s plants and wildlife at the Nix Nature Center.”

Down the coast a bit, Elizabeth Wallace suggests the Dana Point Headlands. “I first visited about three years ago and was delighted to see a pristine native wild land,” she says. Brad Jenkins, CNPS Orange County’s chapter president, notes San Joaquin Marsh and Wildlife Sanctuary as a surprising place that most people might be unaware of (although bird photographers know this place well). Meandering trails, tall vegetation, and a couple of ponds help visitors feel far away from the surrounding city. “Native plants grow high and dense, completely obscuring apartment complexes to the west and north,” Brad says. “For immersion and relaxation in flourishing native greenery, walk the trails in the north section.”

Other nearby spots worth checking out include Ronald W. Caspers Wilderness Park in San Juan Capistrano, Santiago Oaks Regional Park in Orange, and Whiting Ranch Wilderness Park in Trabuco Canyon. Ron also suggested occasionally visiting these areas with an expert interpreter. “Having a native plant expert along to identify the various plants, talk about their interactions with other wildlife, their special features, and other details, and which are native and which are invasive, will make a huge impact,” he says. “It’s nice to just go for a walk and enjoy all the plants, but the real value is to learn a little bit about them at the same time.”

CNPS Orange County is a great place to look when seeking out this knowledge. The group offers more than a dozen field trips every year led by experts, often bringing visitors to the most interesting and beautiful native plant locations in the county. It’s also a great resource for gardeners. At home, Brad recommends California buckwheat as a great starter plant. It’s an evergreen shrub and features the perfect balance of garden-friendly aesthetics and high nature value. Its frilly clusters of small, white flowers are also a popular pollen choice for dozens of butterflies in the state.

“Our region has many more plants that fit just about every garden situation,” Brad says, and pointed budding gardeners to the CNPS website calscape. org for simple ways to search for plants and learn more.

Whether you’re a home gardener or a nature enthusiast, remember: The more you know about your natural environment, the more you can appreciate it. For more information, visit occnps.org.