California Native Plant Society -- Marin Chapter Meetup

Join Marin Audubon Society to protect native saltmarsh habitat along the beautiful Sausalito shoreline. We will be using hand tools to remove two species of the non-native, invasive sea lavender (Limonium ramosissimum and Limonium duriusculum) from a protected cove on Richardson Bay. This on-going stewardship effort is a collaboration between Marin Audubon Society, the California Invasive Plant Council (Cal-IPC) and land management agencies such as Marin County Parks to manage invasive sea lavender at sites around Richardson Bay. This coordinated process has been successful in keeping sea lavender infestations at a manageable level and allowing native wetland plants to thrive.

Wear layers and closed-toed shoes or boots that can get dirty and bring water and sun protection. Snacks, gloves, tools, kneeling pads, and instruction will be provided. We will also provide brushes and alcohol to sanitize boots and tools before and after use.

There is a short, level walk from the parking area to the work area. Removing invasive sea lavender will involve kneeling or bending to reach the plant. This stewardship day is appropriate for adults and older kids (over 14 years old) who are able to carefully follow instructions.

Under-18 Waiver: For minors, under 18 years old, a parent or guardians must sign a waiver in advance and the participant must bring the signed waiver to the work day. Contact Jude Stalker at judestalker@gmail.com for the under-18 waiver.

Location: Meet at Marina Plaza Harbor, 2320 Marinship Way in Sausalito. In Sausalito, from Bridgeway, turn onto Harbor Drive (where Mollie Stone’s is located) and make an immediate right onto Marinship Way. Follow Marinship Way south to Testa St., then follow Testa St. until it dead ends at Marina Plaza. Park in the large lot to the north.

Marin Audubon Society works on private property, such as the Marina Plaza site, to make sure that invasive sea lavender is controlled across Richardson Bay. Marin Audubon Society is in communication with the property owner, who signs a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to allow the work to occur.

6 people max.

If you have not done so already, please sign the Waiver for Marin Chapter 2025

Note: Destructive invasive plant pathogens and weed seeds can be transported to sensitive plant habitats when contaminated soil or plant material is shed from footwear, equipment (such as hiking poles), and other personal items. See these 2 brochures for how you can minimize your impact. Pocket Guide – Every Step Counts and Cleanliness Tips for Hikers

How to Identify Dandelions in Marin
Saturday, June 28, 2025 at 2 pm
Speaker/Facilitator: Bruce Homer-Smith
Location: Edgewater Room at Sausalito Library, 420 Litho St, Sausalito Ground Floor. Enter from Bee St.

Dandelions brighten our world spring through fall and delight us with their showy seed heads in a wide variety of beautiful patterns. At this workshop Bruce Homer-Smith will take you deep into the gorgeous and underappreciated world of the Marin dandelion tribe of the Asteraceae plant family. You will become familiar with dandelion flower parts and learn to identify the 29 species of dandelions in Marin County.

Bruce’s goal: to get you to come to a screeching halt every time you encounter a member of the dandelion tribe. Once you get acquainted with these beauties, you will keep learning more, as you encounter them in different seasons and settings. You will be digging into nature instead of passing it by.

Agenda:
- How Bruce came to fall in love with the dandelions.

• An introduction to Bruce’s website, PlantID.net.
  - Slides showing what to look for when you meet a member of the Asteraceae in the field.
• How to use Bruce’s “Field Key to the Marin Dandelion Tribe.” It is picture-based and uses easily observable field characteristics. We will have lots of copies on hand ($10 if you want to take one home).
• As a group, we will look at slides and use the key to identify species, then you will look at specimens and identify species on your own or in a small group.

Speaker/Facilitator: Bruce Homer-Smith is the author of PlantID.net, a non-commercial, educational website designed for people curious about California’s wild plants. He has been adding to it for 14 years, ever since he retired as a database developer. He uses pictures and short descriptions to tell stories about the plants in our local parks. His goal is to show you enough so that you can recognize and make friends with the plants you encounter.

Bring:
- Dandelions (flowers and leaves) or what you think might be members of the Dandelion Tribe. Look for plants with big heads, different kinds of leaves, flowers along the stem, etc in your neighborhood or alongside roads. We will use Bruce’s key to identify them.
- A hand lens or magnifying glass if you have one to see the beauty of the flowers up close. (You can use the dandelion key without any flower magnification.)

Transportation and Parking: Traffic can be heavy during Sausalito’s summer weekends. Limited parking is available at the Sausalito Library and the surrounding streets. Consider carpooling and transit. Golden Gate Transit Route 130 stops nearby, traveling between San Rafael & San Francisco.

Bay Model Combination Adventure: The Bay Model Visitor Center with ample parking is a 15-minute walk away. On Saturdays, it is open from 9 to 4, with a guided tour at 11 am. Be sure to enjoy the Bay Model Pollinator Garden installed and maintained by Marin Chapter.