CNPS Tahoe & Sierra Valley Chapter

08/23/2026

What's your favorite native plant bee pollinator? 🐝

The California Native Bee Society is inviting Californians to vote for the species that should become California’s official State Bee!

California is home to more than 1,600 native bee species—from bumble bees and mining bees to leafcutter bees and mason bees. Each plays an important role in pollinating our native plants and supporting healthy ecosystems.

👉 Vote for your favorite and share the poll with your fellow native plant and bee enthusiasts!

Want to meet the rest of the candidates? Watch President Jess Mullins's introductory video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jpf6DwHdkYw

Voting is open! https://calnbs.org/state-bee/

07/21/2026

Documenting the Vegetation of the Northern Sierra Nevada: Advancing the Survey of California Vegetation

📅 Date: July 24
🕕 Time: 6:00 PM – 7:30 PM
📍Sierra Valley Preserve Nature Center
495 Beckwourth Road, Beckwourth CA

This presentation explores California's decades-long effort to classify, inventory, and map its diverse vegetation through the California Department of Fish and Wildlife's Vegetation Classification and Mapping Program (VegCAMP), in partnership with the California Native Plant Society.

Attendees will learn about:

🌿The statewide vegetation survey and mapping initiative, which has been underway for more than 30 years.
🌿How vegetation classifications and detailed maps support conservation, land management, and planning.
🌿The progress of the project, with more than 75% of California now mapped.
🌿The vegetation communities of the northern Sierra Nevada, including important and sensitive natural habitats.
🌿Examples of the vegetation data available and how it is used by scientists and land managers.

Speaker: Jaime Ratchford, Senior Vegetation Ecologist with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife's Vegetation Classification and Mapping Program (VegCAMP). She has over 12 years of experience studying California vegetation.

Partner Organization: Presented in partnership with the Feather River Land Trust.

07/19/2026

Can plants think? Communicate? Help solve the climate crisis? Scientists say: maybe.

Join CNPS Tahoe and Sierra Valley for Blow Your Mind Botany, a talk on how plants sense and respond to their world, with 35-year botany professor and former National Park Ranger Joe Medeiros. No registration needed—just bring your curiosity!

📆: Wednesday, July 22
⏰: 5 PM
📍: Tahoe National Forest Truckee Ranger District—10811 Stockrest Springs Road Truckee, CA

06/12/2026

🌿🐝 Join Us at the Wild Tahoe Festival! 🐝🌿

The California Native Plant Society, Tahoe & Sierra Valley Chapter invites you to visit our booth at the Wild Tahoe Festival at the Taylor Creek Visitor Center!

Come explore the beauty and diversity of Tahoe's native plants. We will have locally addapted native plants for sale. We'd love to connect with you.

🌼 Native Plants for Sale
🌿 Learn about upcoming Native Plant Events
🦋 Pollinator-Friendly Gardening Tips

Stop by to chat, ask questions, learn something new, and find the perfect native plants for your home or garden. We look forward to seeing you there!

Please stop by and say hello! 🌸

California Native Plant Society – Tahoe & Sierra Valley Chapter 🌿

The Wild Tahoe Festival returns to Taylor Creek Visitor Center tomorrow, June 13, 2026, from 9:30AM to 3:30PM. Activities include guided bird/nature walks, educational exhibits, hands-on activities, learning opportunities for all ages and more! Links:⬇️

Great Basin Institute Tahoe Institute for Natural Science Taylor Creek Visitor Center

06/03/2026

Molly Ferry is leading a walk at Washoe Meadows State Park this Saturday (6/6/26) - click through the link to find out more information.

Meet at  9:00 AM  at  Mountain Meadow Drive  (park on road at trail to gate), South Lake Tahoe, CA Parking is limited. Carpooling encouraged. Dust off your botanical cobwebs and join Molly for a 3 mile, mostly flat loop through Washoe Meadow State P

06/02/2026

🌿🦅 VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR WILD TAHOE EVENT! 🦋🌲

The California Native Plant Society – Tahoe & Sierra Valley Chapter is looking for friendly volunteers to help staff our outreach table, in short shifts, at the 15th Annual Wild Tahoe Festival!

This fun, family-friendly event celebrates the birds, native plants, and wildlife that make the Lake Tahoe Basin such a special place. It's a wonderful opportunity to connect with the community, share your love of native plants, and inspire others to learn about and protect our local ecosystems.

📅 Saturday, June 13, 2026
⏰ 9:30 AM – 3:30 PM
📍 Taylor Creek Visitor Center
1 Visitor Center Road, South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150

🌼 Volunteer opportunities include:
• Greeting visitors
• Sharing information about native plants and CNPS programs
• Helping with educational displays and activities
• Talking with fellow nature lovers about gardening with California natives

Whether you're a long-time CNPS member or simply passionate about native plants, we'd love to have your help!

💚 Interested in volunteering?
Email: [email protected]

📍 Location & Directions:
Taylor Creek Visitor Center Visitor

We hope you'll join us for a day of birds, blooms, and community at Wild Tahoe! 🌿🐦🦋

05/24/2026

🌿 Volunteer Opportunity at Taylor Creek Visitor Center 🌿

Join the California Native Plant Society Tahoe & Sierra Valley Chapter for a hands-on volunteer day in the Forest Service Taylor Creek Native Plant Pollinator Garden on Tuesday, May 26th at 10:00 AM!

Whether you’re an experienced gardener or simply love nature and want to give back to the community, we’d love to have you join us. No prior gardening experience is necessary — just a willingness to learn and spend time outdoors with fellow native plant enthusiasts.

📍 Location: Taylor Creek Visitor Center
🕙 Time: May 26th at 10:00 AM

For more information or to sign up, please email: [email protected]

We hope to see you there! 🐝🦋🌸

05/03/2026

Tahoe Native Plant and Pollinator Garden

The Tahoe & Sierra Valley Chapter of CNPS has received grant money from the National Forest Foundation to revitalize the native pant garden at the U.S. Forest Service Taylor Creek Visitor Center. The Chapter will work closely with the USFS to design a native plant and pollinator garden for the public to enjoy. Educational signs will showcase native plants that support local pollinators, wildlife, and overall ecosystem health.

This project is just getting started, and volunteers are needed! The Chapter will be coordinating work-days to clean the existing garden, plant new plants and maintain the garden during establishment. This is an exciting project and your help will keep the garden thriving and accessible for the community to enjoy and learn from.

Location: Taylor Creek Visitor Center

Date: All season. Starting next weekend!

Interested? For more information email: [email protected]

The National Forest Foundation connects people to National Forests and leads conservation and recreation efforts through public and private support. Each year, it restores habitats, plants trees after fires and disease, and improves outdoor access—helping protect these forests as vital community resources.