Kern Chapter CNPS

…supporting appreciation, education, and protection for our native plants  

 California poppies & spider lupine — photo: Nancy Nies
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Join the Kern Chapter of CNPS for monthly informational meetings, seasonal field trips, and annual plant sales. Some of us focus on gardening with natives; some of us are all about finding and learning to identify the over 1700 native flora found in Kern. Others focus on conservation efforts. You can dive as deep (or not) as you like . . . we support all of it.

Check out State CNPS new 2023 California Wildflower page.

Our 2017 plant sale at Cal State Bakesfield. Plant sales have been moved online post pandemic.
Our 2017 plant sale at Cal State Bakesfield. Plant sales have been moved online post pandemic.

Gardening

Field trips to local native plant gardens, annual plant sales, and monthly meetings where we share our garden experience.

Bill Nelson and Fred Chynoweth checking Moe's Flora of Kern County for the occurrence of Helianthus annuus on a field trip with Calfora's Cynthia Powell to Lake Ming.
Bill Nelson and Fred Chynoweth checking Moe’s Flora of Kern County for the occurrence of Helianthus annuus on a field trip with Calfora’s Cynthia Powell to Lake Ming.

Learning

Monthly meetings, plant ID practice, quarterly newsletters, field trips, plant lists . . . all here for the learning.

Bakersfield cactus (Opuntia basilaris treleasei)
Bakersfield cactus (Opuntia basilaris treleasei)

Conservation

Join us in our local conservation project — we are reintroducing the rare  Bakersfield Cactus (Opuntia basilaris treleasei) to Nature Conservancy properties near Caliente.

How to Get Involved

General Meetings

General meetings are held on the third Thursday of every month from 6.00 pm to 8.30 pm. There is no meeting in December, or in July and August. Meetings are open to the public. There is a gardening discussion and plant identification at each meeting from 6.00 pm to 7.00 pm. If there’s a program, the program begins at 7.00 pm.

See our Events page for details of both upcoming and recent general meetings.

Field Trips

During the spring and early summer we often offer field trips and outings to explore the native plants in local natural areas. Most of these are open to both members and non-members. See our field trips page for details of upcoming field trips. These are not hikes as such and conducted at a CNPS pace with time to examine and identify plants that we find.

Stewardship

We participate in work parties on the Nature Conservancy Properties near Bakersfield. We plant, water, and maintain cacti and oaks under the supervision of the Nature Conservancy’s preserve manager. Work parties occur throughout the year. If you’re interested in participating, sign up with a Kern Chapter member.

Gardening with Natives

Several chapter members grow natives. See our Gardening with Natives page for more information.