Exciting News!
Announcing the Sierra Nevada Yard and Garden Program
on Native Plant and Water-Wise Gardening
by Rosemary Carey, Program Manager
In October 2008, the El Dorado Chapter of the California Native Plant Society (CNPS) was awarded a grant to begin a free homeowner consultation service called the Sierra Nevada Yard and Garden Program on Native Plant and Water-Wise Gardening. It is open to all El Dorado County residents. This grant is one of only four grants awarded in the Sierra Nevada Conservancy Region, an area which stretches from Kern to Modoc Counties and includes the Sierra Nevada and southern Cascade Ranges in California. Funding for this project is provided by the Sierra Nevada Alliance through a grant from the Sierra Nevada Conservancy, a State agency.
Although California's budget shortfall forced a drastic cutback in the amount of the grant, the Sierra Nevada Yard and Garden Program on Native Plant and Water-Wise Gardening is now preparing to start homeowner consultations in July. The primary focus will be on recommending native plants and, to a lesser extent, water-wise (a.k.a. drought-adapted) introduced plants, for the various problem situations found in home landscapes. Other topics to be covered during the home consultation will include native plants and wildlife (both pest protection measures and plant species having high value for attracting wildlife), reducing storm runoff by constructing low-tech and low cost water infiltration systems, and appropriate methods of slope stabilization for moderate, steep and extremely steep slopes. (Other topics such as soil characteristics, drip irrigation basics with a diagram showing typical pieces, and wildfire defensible space guidelines are covered in accompanying literature). Homeowner consultation enrollment is now open at rosemarycarey@comcast.net: the subject header should read Sierra Nevada Yard and Garden consultation. Homeowners may also call 530.620.3631 9 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays to enroll.
Typical consultations will take from 2-4 hours; clients should be present for at least two hours. (The remainder of the time will be spent drawing a site map and photographing areas for site specific recommendations.)
Because our current funding level is only one-fifth of our original grant award, current CNPS members and those willing to join will be given preference. Regular memberships are $45; there is a limited income membership available for $25. Homeowners will receive a site plan with appropriate plant species recommendations shown which they will be able to plant in fall or winter 2009, the beautiful full color book Sierra Nevada Yard and Garden Guide produced by the Sierra Nevada Alliance, and an information booklet of local El Dorado County resources available for homeowners.
Rosemary Carey
Program Manager, Sierra Nevada Yard and Garden Program
on Native Plant and Water-Wise Gardening,
El Dorado Chapter of the California Native Plant Society