Meeting Plants...and Remembering Them
By Haley Sutton, WSP Corpsmember
At the beginning of my Watershed Stewards Program (WSP) term, I was mentally prepared to memorize endless lists of locally native and non-native species. I quickly realized that the list-making and flash cards I relied on during my time as a student were not an effective method to actually learn plants. Instead, by simply getting to know them, I could confidently recognize more species than I thought possible.
For the past 10 months I’ve been serving as a WSP Corpsmember, placed at Grassroots Ecology. The California Conservation Corps Watershed Stewards Program in partnership with AmeriCorps has a mission to conserve, restore, and enhance anadromous watersheds for future generations by linking education with high quality scientific practices. Anadromous watersheds are habitat for fish, such as salmonids, which live most of their lives in the ocean and swim to freshwater to reproduce.
As a WSP Corpsmember serving at Grassroots Ecology, I have the opportunity to contribute to watershed health through native habitat restoration, creek water quality monitoring, and community engagement. I joined the program fueled by a desire to expand my knowledge of natural resource management and a passion for environmental education and science interpretation. When I started last October, I was met with a fall palette of familiar yet unrecognizable textures.
Witnessing seasonal plant transformation has been the biggest influence on my ability to recognize flora. By regularly walking around our restoration sites at McClellan Ranch Preserve and San Francisquito Creek, I noticed subtle changes of the same plants as they responded to the dynamic environment that might otherwise go unobserved. For me, the most obvious act of transformation has been of the California buckeye tree (Aesculus californica) (pictured below). I officially met the California buckeye in October when the trees were dropping giant buckeye seeds with five pointed or palmate-shaped leaves soon to follow. In January I noticed the first leaves expanding, then the conical inflorescences--cone shaped clusters of showy white flowers--were in full bloom, and now leaves are browning and beginning to drop once again. Suddenly, California buckeyes are everywhere.
Aside from observations, I am learning new species by diving beyond structure to understand its role in nature as well. Plants offer a variety of ecosystem services to a diversity of wildlife. When I gaze up at the magnificent coast live oak (Quercus agrifolia) I know there is more than twisting branches and cupped leaves. Coast live oaks host thousands of other species, including moths and butterflies that lay eggs on leaves, the woodpeckers and squirrels which feed on acorns, and bats seeking insect snacks in the canopy.
As I explore the stories of native flora, I seek to acknowledge the narratives of the Indigenous people who have stewarded the land for thousands of years and engage with plants that offer medicinal, ceremonial, and mechanical uses. Coyote mint (Monardella villosa) can treat respiratory problems among other uses, and the leaves of mugwort (Artemisia douglasiana) can treat poison oak, repel insects, and teas can create vivid dreams (1). I believe that understanding traditional uses of plants can add value to native landscapes.
A collage of pressed leaves belonging to native flora of South Bay Area watersheds.
There are still an endless number of plant species to meet and learn, but with a thoughtful approach I have gained a richer understanding of each new plant and how they blend within the ecosystem. Throughout my journey in environmental stewardship, I hope to encourage others to find unique and meaningful relationships with nature that inspire further preservation.
Sources:
State Indian Museum. State Indian Museum Plant Reference Guide. PDF File. December 2013. https://www.parks.ca.gov/pages/486/files/plantreferenceguide2014_03_03_14.pdf.