California Native Plant Society -- Marin Chapter Meetup

Join a group of enthusiastic volunteers for our monthly Tuesday morning at the Marin County Parks and Open Space District Nursery. Each month we help maintain the native plants that will be used in restoration projects across Marin, from intertidal marsh wetlands to redwood forest. No prior nursery experience is required; Nursery Manager Aja Wylder will demonstrate nursery methods, including pruning, potting seedlings, transplanting plants into larger pots, pot washing, and working in the native plant garden.

Volunteers should wear sturdy, closed-toed shoes and clothes they don't mind getting dirty. Please bring sun protection and a water bottle. Gloves and tools will be provided.

Limit: 14 Attendees

Heavy rain cancels, cancellation will be posted on Meetup.

Directions to the Marin County Native Plant Nursery:
From the south, drive north on Highway 101 to the San Pedro Rd. exit. Take the San Pedro Rd. exit and stay to the right. At the light, turn left onto Civic Center Drive. Turn right onto Matthew Hymel Drive, just before the Lagoon Park. This looks like a big parking lot, but you’re in the right spot. Follow the road to the end of the parking lot and park. There is a gate in the fence on the north, walk through the gate and the nursery will be on your right.

From the north, drive south on Highway 101 to the Manuel T. Freitas Parkway exit. Turn left onto Manuel T. Freitas Pkwy and follow it over the highway, then go left to stay on the Manuel T. Freitas Pkwy and make an immediate right onto Civic Center Drive. Follow Civic Center Drive past the Lagoon Park and then turn left onto Matthew Hymel Drive, just after Lagoon Park. This will look like a big parking lot. Follow the road to the end of the parking lot and park. There is a gate in the fence on the north, walk through the gate and the nursery will be on your right.

Transit: The Nursery is accessible by a short walk or bike ride from the Civic Center SMART station and Marin Transit buses #35 and #49.

Please:

• Sign the Waiver for Marin Chapter 2026, if you have not done so already.
• Email marinCNPSvolunteers@gmail.com with questions.
• Sorry, no dogs at the nursery.

Join CNPS and Friends to weed the Alder Creek Preserve restoration site in Inverness.
In 2023, the Inverness Association (IA), cleared the site of a large acacia forest. Since then, an enthusiastic group of IA members, neighbors, and SPAWN volunteers have planted a mix of native trees and shrubs and watered them throughout the summer.
Now the focus turns to tackling the weeds: acacia seedlings, poison hemlock, vinca, African veldt grass, and others. We'd love to have your help!
Location: The site is located about a 1/2 mile north of Inverness village, at the corner of Sir Francis Drake Blvd and Vision Rd. For more information, contact Carolyn Longstreth at cklongstreth@gmail.com.
If you have not done so already, please sign the Waiver for Marin Chapter 2026
Bring: gloves, kneeling pads, and your favorite weeding tool.
Late registrants and walk ins are welcome.

Join us for a special educational hike to Hidden Lake, a seasonal pond on the slopes of Mt. Burdell. The 1.2-mile hike winds through grassland and open oak savanna on the way to Hidden Lake. Greg will share details about the unique hydrology and geology at this spot, as well as the important wetland habitat that supports Pacific chorus frogs and other amphibians. Hidden Lake is also home to the rare (List 1B.1) plant Baker’s Navarretia (Navarretia leucocephala ssp. bakeri). It’s unlikely we will see this annual plant in November; we’ll need to return in spring!

After the talk, we’ll transition into work mode to remove pennyroyal (Mentha pulegium), an invasive plant in the mint family that threatens our native wetlands. We will use hand tools for this task, and it will involve some stooping, kneeling, or sitting. We’ll work for about one hour and then walk back to the trailhead together to enjoy refreshments.

This hike and volunteer day is part of an ongoing stewardship program at Mt. Burdell, supported by Marin CNPS in partnership with Marin County Open Space District. During volunteer workdays we remove invasive plant species, plant native species, and collect native plant seeds. The hike to Hidden Lake is an opportunity to combine everything we love about Mt. Burdell – hiking, learning about our native habitats, and helping to steward the land.

The hike to Hidden Lake is 1.2 miles each way, for a total distance of 2.4 miles. The trail is a wide fire-road with gentle elevation gain. Marin County staff will provide gloves, tools, and great snacks. Bring a reusable water bottle, sun and wind protection, long pants, and sturdy close-toed shoes.
Heavy rain cancels, cancellations will be posted on Meetup.

Directions: Meet at the San Andreas Drive entrance to Mt. Burdell. There is parking along San Andreas Drive. The trailhead where we’ll meet is on the right near the top of the hill.
Please:

• Sign the Waiver for Marin Chapter 2026, if you have not done so already.
• Practice clean trail etiquette. Pocket Guide – Every Step Counts and Cleanliness Tips for Hikers
• Email marinCNPSvolunteers@gmail.com with questions.
• Sorry, no dogs on this trip.

Waiver: If you have not done so already, please sign the CNPS Marin2026 Waiver

Practice clean trail etiquette: Pocket Guide - Every Step Counts and Cleanliness Tips for Hikers