2018 - Robert's botantical adventures in Northern California

[Robert]

edit by maggi : Robert's first comments refer to questions asked re his final posting  from 2017 :
http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=15043.msg386011#msg386011

Arturo,

The irresponsible gun totting people are shooting on private land that is adjacent to the public Forest Service land. In the past there was mining activity on this property and the scares on the land might be very old. The laws and regulations regarding firearms apply to both public and private land; the only difference is the jurisdiction. The Forest Service has jurisdiction on Forest Service land while the El Dorado County Sherriff has jurisdiction on private land. The Forest Service has only one law enforcement officer for the Placerville district (where this is located). The gun totting people are not very bright because the last thing they would want to deal with is the El Dorado County Sherriff’s department, who when necessary can show up with numbers and force. They are a long distance away, but when they are called in, it is not pretty for the abusive gun totters.

Arturo and Ian,

As distressing as the garbage is, this activity is dwarfed by the destruction I am currently witnessing in the forest. Read the following report. This was a painful experience for me. I hope that I can get my point across despite my current feelings and distress.





Today, 5 January, I was able to spend a short time on Peavine Ridge. The weather was overcast with much needed rain showers building to the west. Only the highest peaks still have a light dusting of snow on them. Under “normal” conditions there should have been snow where I was standing. It has been far too warm and dry.



The temperatures have been extremely mild through the autumn then into the early winter. It was a balmy 54 F (12.2 C) at 4,570 feet (1,393 meters) where I took this photograph of Arctostaphylos mewukka ssp. mewukka in full bloom. The temperatures are so mild even the Bumble Bees, Subfamily Bombinae, were active on the blossoms.



I quickly checked on some important plants in this area before the rain started to fall.



I was stabbed in the heart when I saw the destruction that was occurring in the “forest”. This sort of ‘brush clearing – fire brakes’ was occurring for miles in every direction. It is just like the Amazonian rainforest – the biodiversity is being stripped from the region and is being replaced by a monoculture of highly uniform conifers. In Amazonia it is soybeans and cattle grazing land; here it is one species of genetically similar pine trees. The region is dying!



Last spring I found some highly unusual forms of Lathyrus lanszwertii var. aridus growing near this site. Now they have been completely destroyed. Other species have been highly impacted by this method of forestry. Viola lobata, low elevation forms of Calochortus minimus and Lilium washingtonianum ssp. washingtonianum are a few that come to my mind, but there are many others.

[Robert]

These are only two of the numerous machines that are being used to ‘clear the brush’ or ‘create a fire breaks’.



A close up of another machine that was parked a mile or two down the road.



The ‘box’ in the front of this tractor is full of herbicides. The red cylinder in the front is where the hose is coiled. The spray nozzle can be seen hanging in the front (yellow object). What survives the brush clearing machines is sprayed into oblivion. Nothing is meant to live in this environment except the designated conifers.

Sadly there is next to nothing I can do about this type of forestry. It is truly in “the hands of G_d”. I will continue to document the events, the outcome and the plants. There are already organizations involved in saving the rare and endemic plants in this area. Personally, I have many additional concerns regarding the fragmentation of plant populations, genetic isolation of populations and the various unique traits observed within many of the species that are not considered rare or endemic (to name only a few additional concerns). I hope that I can redouble my efforts the save those that I consider the most vulnerable and genetically significant, via cuttings or seed. This project is vastly beyond my means, but I will do what I can even if it is only emptying the ocean with a teaspoon.

[Hoy]

Robert,

this is a sad story but not unique I'm afraid. In Argentina I did see big pine plantations with nothing growing among the pine trees. The pines also spread by seed all around and outcompete native trees like Araucaria.

Here in Norway several foreign trees are used in plantations. Among them is Picea sitchensis which spread a lot at the west coast. The sitka spruce forests grow so dense that almost nothing, not even moss, grows there.

[ian mcdonald]

Unfortunately, profit comes first and last before any consideration of native diversity in any habitat that is used by man. It costs nothing to say no to destruction but the people making decisions are not interested in saving wildlife.

[Robert]

Ian, and Trond

I have been watching the plunder of the forest in El Dorado County since the 1960’s. Back in 1965 there was a section of Ice House road that was the “Tunnel of Trees”. The Sugar Pines, Pinus lambertiana, were huge and ancient (old growth) along this section of the road. They were all logged out between 1965 and 1975.  This was the first logging boom I witnessed in El Dorado County. During this same period of time the dirt road into my father’s cabin was realigned, paved, and extended to the canyon rim above the Rubicon River. A few campgrounds were put in, but the rest of the land was plundered for its lumber, sometimes even clear cut. The scares are everywhere and they are not healing.

Sometime in the 1980’s I started recording plants in the area. I was not intending to document anything, I just wanted to know where certain plants grew and write things down. This coincided with the timber operation in the vicinity of Long Meadow. Before the meadow was destroyed, I recorded Trillium albidum at Long Meadow. I know that Trillium albidum must still grow in El Dorado County, however I have not seen it since the 1980’s. I get out a lot these days. I speculate that their numbers must be very low and its distribution extremely fragmented.

Sadly through the 1990’s, my records started to show a pattern of widespread destruction of habitats (even wetlands), despite “words” to the contrary even from government officials. Since the new regime took power in the U.S.A. (2017) the destruction has accelerated to a level I have never seen before. Two known rare plants live on Peavine Ridge, Navarretia prolifera ssp. lutea and Calochortus clavatus var. avius. From what I am currently observing, it is my suspicion that the timber corporation is attempting to destroy all life on their land (except the pine trees) so their activities on the land will not be limited in some way by the presence of an endangered species. Their scorched earth policy certainly has the blessing of the current regime. Sadly, in some places I am currently witnessing the exact same destructive practices taking place on public land (unless there has been a land swap that I am not aware of).

What I find ironic is that if I was discovered harming (in their mind) even one tiny commonly found plant I might be arrested and/or fined; yet the widespread destruction of everything proceeds as though nothing is wrong at all. You are correct, it is just business as usual. It is all about maximizing profits at the expense and abuse of everything else. There is no desire to find common ground, make even make small concessions, or consider other ideas.

I know there is nothing I can do, however it might help myself feel better if I can save at least one or two tiny plants that might advance horticulture in some good way; wishful thinking on my part to ease the pain.

[Robert]

Yesterday, 6 December, I traveled to the Georgetown Divide in northern El Dorado County, California to check on several interesting sites. The Georgetown Divide runs east west and is bordered on the north by the canyon of the Rubicon River. The divide is bisected by a number of watercourses, the largest of which is Pilot Creek.

My first stop was habitat of Lilium parvum var. hollidayi (pictured).



Back in the 1990’s this habitat was reasonably healthy and the pink, El Dorado County endemic, Lilium parvum var. hollidayi was fairly abundant. During the early 2000’s several blunders were made in the management of this habitat that severely impacted the lily population. The problems were corrected and the lilies now have a better opportunity to survive.

Another irresponsible error was made when a person decided to use some of the existing lilies as a seed parent in situ (or at least this was their claim). Foreign pollen was introduced; the resulting seedpods were unlabeled and forgotten. The seed dispersed along the watercourse. To date, I have not been able to determine the impact, if any, on this site. Regardless, this action was high irresponsible and could have had a negative impact on this population.

It had been a little over a year since I last visited this site. I found only one standing dry lily stem, a vast reduction from my last visit. There are other nearby lily sites I can visit that are much more isolated. Hopefully, I will find many more plants at these sites.



My next stop was the site of the 2014 King Fire. This is a view of the Rubicon River canyon. This section of the canyon was severely damaged by the fire. In the foreground all the regrowth after the fire was sprayed with herbicides and is dead and brown.



A timber company privately owns major portions of the land in this area. Most of the standing timber on their properties has been removed, however there are still a few small sections where there are still standing dead burned-out snags.



Most of the private forestland looks like this. Not only were the dead trees removed, but in addition, herbicides were sprayed over the entire area.

[Robert]

New conifer seedlings have been planted on the private forestland. Where I checked, only one species had been planted, most likely Ponderosa Pine, Pinus ponderosa.



All other growth is being completely suppressed by herbicides. After the King Fire I visited a site where Viola lobata was still growing abundantly. This population has been sprayed into oblivion and no longer exists.



Another view of the private timberland. Scenes like this go on for miles in every direction.



The native vegetation did resprout after the fire, but this regrowth was sprayed with herbicides. Some of the plants, in this case Arctostaphylos patula, still have some signs of life after the herbicide applications.



The Ceanothus cordulatus in the foreground is an evergreen species. Here the herbicide application was highly effective. Unfortunately, many non-native invasive species are recovering quickly after the herbicide applications and propagating rapidly.

[Robert]

Despite the fact that the timber company is attempting to suppress all new growth on their lands, except the conifer seedlings, there is hope. The U.S. Forest Service manages the public lands in a variety of ways. Here on this Forest Service plot you can see the regenerative power of nature. Arctostaphylos patula, Ceanothus cordulatus and Prunus emarginata have all regrown and are thriving on this site. There are many other native species growing on this plot too. As I can, I hope to return to observe more precisely the natural regenerative process. It will be interesting to see the make up of the plant communities after the fire and how they evolve over time if left undisturbed.

[Robert]

Yesterday, I traveled into the Sierra Nevada in the southern portion of El Dorado County, California to see where the snowline was located. December 2017 was extremely dry and unseasonably warm. In addition, the storms that have impacted our region have been very warm with very high snow levels. In this photograph the snowline can be seen across the Crystal Range at about 7,500 to 8,000 feet (2,286 to 2,438 meters).

At the El Dorado County farm, the precipitation to date is 9.50 inches (241 mm). Average precipitation to date is 14.21 inches (361 mm) so we well below average to date. As I write an intense storm is starting to impact our region. Heavy precipitation is forecast, but unfortunately snow levels are still expected to be very high.



I encountered the first traces of snow at 6,100 feet (1,859 meters). As I continued up the road there were only scattered sites with traces of snow. Finally at 6,850 feet (2,088 meters) I encountered a bit more snow on the roadway, however there was no snow in the forest (pictured).



At 6,950 feet (2,118 meters) there was a little more snow on the road. I decided to stop and check on the vegetation at this site.



The flower buds on the nascent inflorescences of Greenleaf Manzanita, Arctostaphylos patula, were still tight. As I reported last week, some of the Manzanita species at approximately 5,000 feet (1,525 meters) are in full bloom. Manzanitas bloom early in the season, but this is still an unusual situation.



All of the “alpine” species I observed at this site were still dormant despite having no snow cover and the warm daytime temperatures. This Eriogonum umbellatum var. polyanthum (pictured) is looking distressed, however this is typical for this species during the winter.

[Robert]

Eriophyllum lanatum var. integrifolium was growing abundantly on south facing road cuts.



Penstemon roezlii is a commonly seen species at this elevation.



Many of the Lupinus grayi I saw looked ready for spring.



Many seedlings were seen and appeared to be actively growing - slowly. The little seedlings are very tough. If the snow returns this season they will be quite fine until it melts in the spring.

[Robert]

When the opportunity arises, I will share some of the highlights from a few of my past outings, well before I started this botanical diary.

California has been thoroughly explored, and continues to be explored, by many talented plant explorers, botanist, and other skilled, adventuresome, professional individuals. Fortunately, when one gets down to the fine details, there is plenty “left on the table” to interest someone fascinated by our native plant species.

Below are some of the highlights from my 29 March 2004 outing to the Middle Fork of the Feather River in Butte and Plumas Counties, California.



The Middle Fork of the Feather River cuts through the northern end of the Sierra Nevada Mountains where the Sierra Nevada transition to the southern Cascade Range. It is a beautiful picturesque region with many outstanding and fascinating native plant species. Unlike the Middle Fork of the Feather River and portions of the West Branch of the Feather River, access to this region is easy as a major highway follows the course of the river through the mountains.



The geology of the region is quite varied and interesting. East of Jarbo Gap the highway descends steeply into the canyon of the Middle Fork of the Feather River. Here among the layers of slates and schists are large sections of serpentinite.



Many interesting plants species can be found growing on serpentinite and serpentiniate derived soils and here there is no exception. If one knows where to look among the rocky outcrops, Erythronium multiscapideum ‘Cliftonii’ and Calochortus tolmiei can be found. In addition, this portion of the Western Jurassic Terrane extends northward into the region of the West Branch of the Feather River where additional noteworthy species can be found (another outing).



This territory may be “tame” compared to the Middle Fork of the Feather River, however the terrain still deserves respect. There are plenty of cliff faces and treacherous areas to negotiate while exploring the canyon slopes.



I discovered this area quite by accident. During the 1970’s and early 1980’s my fishing pal George and I would travel this route in search of the ultimate trout fishing hole. On one early season trip, I noticed some out-of-place looking plants blooming on the canyon slopes. This stuck in my mind until I eventually returned to the site during the spring to see what plant species produced these flowers. They turned out to be Rhododendron occidentale. On the 15 April 2002, I stopped at this site to explore the area thoroughly. There was much that interested me, however it was not until 29 March 2004 that I was able to return and work out more of the details.

[Robert]

I ended up making a number of selections of the best Western Azaleas, Rhododendron occidentale, from this site. This one I call ‘First Contact’ as it was the first superior azalea that I encountered after I scaled a cliff.



‘Cream-pink’ was another selection.



This selection, named ‘Cliff White’, grew on the upper edge of a cliff face. It was a beautiful plant that I did not want to miss. I had to carefully lower myself down the face of a steep, semi-crumbling rock sheet to reach this plant. Fortunately there were some strong branches to hang on to and I could use the base of the azalea to prevent myself from sliding off the cliff into thin air. A photograph from this position was impossible, so I took a few samples with blossoms for photography and used the parts as cuttings, which easily rooted.



The last selection I named ‘Early Bird’, as all the clones bloom 6 to 8 weeks before Rhododendron occidentale normally blooms in this region. All the clones have been tested both at our Sacramento home as well as at the Placerville farm. They all thrive in 40 C weather, have brilliant scarlet autumn color if given adequate sunlight, and consistently bloom 6 weeks before our other forms of Rhododendron occidentale in our gardens.

Over the decades I have been able to explore many selection of this vast territory. Along other portions of the canyon species such as Fritillaria recurva, Lilium humdoldtii, Arctostaphylos muwukka ssp. truei, interesting forms of the Lilium pardalinum complex, and many other choice species can be found.

Given my current situation I can only return to this region occasionally. With the help of G_d, things will change, as there is a tremendous amount of good work that could be done in this area. My current preference is to return to the West Branch of the Feather River. Access is limited, the terrain is extremely difficult, and there are very few visitors to the West Branch, which makes it perfect territory for me to explore in detail. In addition, George (when he was alive) and I explored this area thoroughly during the 1970’s and early 1980’s.

There are other early adventures I would like to share and there is a great deal of follow up work for me to do in this region as well as right here in El Dorado County.

Until then……

[GordonT]

Robert, your photos of Rhododendron occidentale brought to mind an article I read last year about the diversity of plants located at Stagecoach Hill (near Big Lagoon off of Hwy 101). Have you visited there? I've developed an interest in the deciduous Rhodos lately, and found the article in the Journal of the American Rhododendron Society, quite fascinating. I wonder if there are other sites in the state that display as much genetic diversity. Of course the other question I have in the back of my head is if any clone of R. occidentale could survive here when our temps plunge to -16C for a week or two at a time.

[fermi de Sousa]

...Rhododendron occidentale ..... Of course the other question I have in the back of my head is if any clone of R. occidentale could survive here when our temps plunge to -16C for a week or two at a time.

Funnily enough I was wondering if any of them would survive the heat here
cheers
fermi

[GordonT]

Fermi, between the heat of Australia, and the winter cold here, if we mashed them together, we might come up with a perfect environment!