By Alison Shilling

This CNPS conference, titled 'Creating Funding Partnerships for California Native Plant Projects,' was co-sponsored by diverse public, private and non-profit organizations in the Bay area. For the hundred-plus representatives of water and utility districts, federal and state agencies, landscapers and volunteer conservationist groups, probably the most valuable aspect of the meeting was the contacts made and recognition of the many similarities in viewpoint, objectives and concerns.

On the first day there was a field trip to a restoration project - Sausal Creek. It was inspiring, and at the same time instructive, to see first-hand the amount of effort and resources needed to restore a few miles of habitat once it had been destroyed. For me, it stiffened my resolve to do anything I can to conserve what we in the Inland Empire still have! I wish that the people in the meetings of the Habitat Conservation Plan committee who have calmly suggested that a certain area could be restored to achieve connectivity could have been there to appreciate the problems!

The next day began with a plenary session, with invited speakers from Federal, State, regional and local agencies, giving details of the scope of their work, the place of native plants within it and the use of available funds. We then went into breakout sessions, which were useful since the groups were small enough to have good discussion. Although on different aspects of native plant growing, there were many similarities in the concerns and needs expressed.

The consensus was that CNPS should form and facilitate the formation of partnerships with agencies, nurseries and the general public, fostering the creation and publicizing of demonstration gardens, and acting as a source of information on scientific and logistical aspects. The public will benefit from education about the benefits of natives, from water conservation to wildlife habitat, showing that keeping natives looking presentable is no more formidable than with non-natives. Incentives and education for nurseries also would help, to increase the supply of reasonably priced natives, and local governments could on the one hand set an example by using native landscapes, and on the other cooperate to write ordinances encouraging their use.  CNPS can perform a vital role in helping develop palettes of plants that would more easily fill the horticultural requirements of cities and counties, while making these larger-scale users aware of the benefits of local plant materials in interface zones.

None of this is necessarily new, but it was encouraging to see such ideas being addressed by a diverse audience, many of whom can help, with money and expertise, to expand the ecologically sound use of native plants in our landscaping.