Although CNPS encourages sharing rides, we cannot arrange carpools. On any trip, be prepared! Bring plenty of water, food, hat, sunscreen, and emergency supplies, and be sure to dress for any type of unpredictable Mojave Desert weather. Contact trip leaders for more information.

Sunday April 9, 2006.   12:00 to 4:00 p.m. Wild Food Walk w/ Christopher Nyerges,  author of numerous books on nature, plant ID and survival skills (FOJF sponsored).  Place: Old Paths Assembly, 32670 Laramie Rd, Lucerne Valley, CA. Cost:  $20 in advance. $25 on day of event. Family discounts apply.  Contact: Lisa (760) 248-2331, or livefoodlifeforlisa@yahoo.com or Roberta at O.P.A. at (760) 248-6838

Tuesday, April 11, 2006  San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors/OHV Ordinance:  It is important for people to show their support for this ordinance and possibly give testimony as to how OHV abuses have affected your quality of life in the desert.  Check the Board’s website at http://www.co.san-bernardino.ca.us/sbco/cob/

Saturday, April 15 - East Mojave Field Trip to Thorne’s Buckwheat/Hackberry Burn: Though the east Mojave is looking rather bleak, the site of the 2005 Hackberry Burn (70,000 ac) in Mojave National Preserve remains an odd exception.  Abundant summer and early fall rains has kicked off a surprising post-fire germination in areas within the burn.  This field trip will explore the ecological effects of fire on desert floristics and also guarantees to showcase several CNPS listed species, including Thorne’s Buckwheat (Eriogonum thornei), one of the poster-child rare plants of the Mojave Chapter.  4WD or a high-clearance vehicle is REQUIRED.  Expect moderate hiking (2-3 miles over rocky terrain), bring lunch and plenty of water, and be prepared for temperatures that may range from 45 F (Mid Hills/NY Mtns) to 85 F (lower elevations).  Meet at 9 am at Essex Rd exit off I-40 (approx 105 mi. east of Barstow).  Group departs no later than 9:15 am.  Trip Leader: Jim Andre.

April 21-24. Desert Symposium at Zzyzx,: The symposium will feature current research on archaeology, anthropology, paleontology, geology, ecology, biological sciences, and environmental issues. Abstracts of the proceedings and a field trip guide will be published. For more information contact Dr. William Presch, Director Desert Studies, Department Biological Sciences, California State University, Fullerton, California 92834, 714-278 2215, wpresch@fullerton.edu

Friday, April 21. Plant Sale at Victor Valley College Agriculture and Natural Resources Department. (Lower campus/Fish Hatchery Rd). Desert friendly plants will be on sale Friday, April 21 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and again on Saturday, April 22, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. 

Sunday, April 30.  Training for Monitoring Springs and Seeps. Mojave Chapter CNPS Conservation Chair Tom Egan will be demonstrating a riparian/wetland ecological health inventory/monitoring technique previously developed by the Bureau of Land Management.  The technique is called the Proper Functioning Condition Assessment.  Participants will be shown how to use this technique in desert riparian, wetland and spring-fed plant communities at select points in the Arrastre Creek watershed of the San Bernardino Mountains.   Be prepared for hiking and bring water, lunch and writing materials. Meet at the Victor Valley Museum on Apple Valley Road at 11:15am or at the BLM kiosk  (Coxey Truck trail and Bowen Ranch Road intersection) at 12:00; or at the San Bernardino National Forest/California Desert Conservation Area cattleguard boundary on Coxey Truck Trail at 12:30 p.m. Registration: contact FOJF2@yahoo.com or call Jenny at (760) 220-0730

Saturday, April 22, Earth Day Celebration at Victor Valley College, Agriculture and Natural Resources Department. The Earth Day Celebration will feature the Mojave Conservation Workshops. These workshops are free and include alternative energy, recycling and vegetable bio-diesel, organic gardening,  reducing water in the landscape, solar power, and using straw bales for construction.  There will also be a free raffle and fun stuff for the kids.

Saturday, May 6.  Clean Air Fair:  10-3pm at Victor Valley College on the lower campus. The fair is held to introduce and showcase the companies and products that protect and enhance air quality. The Fair is always free to the public and has many special activities, including a Kids Activity Booth, continuous "theme" entertainment, and lots of exhibitors. The American Lung Association of Inland Counties sponsors "Flight For Life" participating youth recieve a free kite. Manufacturers and sponsors of alternative fuel vehicles bring their newest cars and trucks, Victorville Transportation Authority (VVTA) gives away a free bike and displays their new compressed natural gas (CNG) busses. Local businesses and industry are there too, demonstrating how they meet and/or exceed air quality permitting requirements. The Fair is lots of fun, is informative, and it's FREE. The Fair is held in the lower campus gym on the Victor Valley College (VVC) campus, and runs in conjuction with VVC's Cinco De Mayo Celebration and Tech X. Don't miss this fun, one-day-a-year event! For more information contact the District's Community Relations Office at (760) 245-1661 - ext. 6717. vroberts@mdaqmd.ca.gov

http://www.mdaqmd.ca.gov/cre/cre.htm

May 19-21.  San Bernardino Mountains Wildflower Weekend: Blue Sky Meadow Science Camp at Cienega Seca, high in the San Bernardino Mountains above Big Bear, will be the setting for the first wildflower weekend workshop sponsored by the Mojave

Desert Chapter of CNPS and the Blue Sky Meadow Science Institute. The San Bernardinos are renowned for their plant diversity in that they have the highest mainland rare plant concentration in the United States. Field trips will be held on Friday evening, all day Saturday and half day on Sunday. The $80 fee includes two nights in dorm style cabins (similar to the Bristlecone sojourn). Meals are included. Make checks out to L.A. County Education Foundation/Blue Sky Meadow, Box 2860 Big Bear City, CA 92314. Please email your reservations to rth00@yahoo.com

June 17-27 - Victor Valley College trip to Peru: Once again, VVC is offering an international natural history course (Biology 98 for non-credit, Biology 250 for biology transfer credit), this time to Peru. Accompany professional botanists, ornithologists, and zoologists in exploring the upper Amazon Basin by boat in search of plants, primates, birds, and other wildlife, then travel on to Machu Picchu to marvel at the Incan Ruins. After that, onto Paracas and a journey through the northern Atacama Desert to board boats for an island where penguins dwell. The cost of the trip is approximately $3100, which includes airfare, lodging, food, and on-the-ground transportation. There are four Tuesday evening pre-trip lectures (non-mandatory if you take the non-credit option), and the trip is slated for June 17-27. Contact Pam MacKay for a complete itinerary and to register: pjmackay@verizon.net or mackayp@vvc.edu