Chapter Meetings
Chapter meetings are held the third Thursday of every month except December, July, and August. Meetings are open to the public.
Meetings are from 6.00 pm to 8.30 pm.
6.00 pm to 7.00 pm Plant Identification and Gardening.
7.00 pm program followed by a short business meeting and wildflower report.
Location varies monthly. Most meetings are held at the Kern Superintendent of Schools facility. Check for the facility and room number.
Upcoming Meetings
18 January 2024, Annual potluck
In-Person Meeting Thursday, 18 January 2024; annual potluck 6:00 PM – 8:30 PM
Location: Kern Superintendent of Schools Larry E. Reider Education Center, 2000 K St. Bakersfield, CA 93301, Room TBD.
Please use the parking structure located east of the building and enter through the doors accessed from the parking structure. The front doors will lock at 5PM.
Bring dishes to share. Please bring your own service.
6.00-7.00 pm Plant Identification & Native Plant Gardening
This program is in-person only. There will be no Zoom connection.
There will be a business meeting after the program.
15 February 2024 In-Person Meeting with Tammie Meyers, California Water Service Co.
In-Person Meeting Thursday, 15 February 2024 with Tammie Meyers, California Water Service Co. on water-wise planting
6:00 PM – 8:30 PM
Location: Kern Superintendent of Schools Larry E. Reider Education Center, 2000 K St. Bakersfield, CA 93301, Room TBD.
Please use the parking structure located east of the building and enter through the doors accessed from the parking structure. The front doors will lock at 5PM.
Bring dishes to share. Please bring your own service.
6.00-7.00 pm Plant Identification & Native Plant Gardening
7.00 pm Program with with Tammie Meyers, California Water Service Co. on water-wise planting
This program is in-person only. There will be no Zoom connection.
There will be a business meeting after the program.
21 March 2024 In-Person Meeting with Maria Viteri, the Nature Conservancy on the Randall Preserve
In-Person Meeting Thursday, 21 March 2024; Maria Viteri, the Nature Conservancy on the Randall Preserve
6:00 PM – 8:30 PM
Location: Kern Superintendent of Schools Larry E. Reider Education Center, 2000 K St. Bakersfield, CA 93301, Room TBD.
Please use the parking structure located east of the building and enter through the doors accessed from the parking structure. The front doors will lock at 5PM.
Bring dishes to share. Please bring your own service.
6.00-7.00 pm Plant Identification & Native Plant Gardening
7.00 pm Program with with Tammie Meyers, California Water Service Co. on water-wise planting
This program is in-person only. There will be no Zoom connection.
There will be a business meeting after the program.
18 April 2024 In-Person Meeting with Greg Warrick, Center for Natural Lands Management on Sand Ridge
In-Person Meeting Thursday, 18 April 2024; Greg Warrick, Center for Natural Lands Management with an Update on Sand Ridge
6:00 PM – 8:30 PM
Location: Kern Superintendent of Schools Larry E. Reider Education Center, 2000 K St. Bakersfield, CA 93301, Room TBD.
Please use the parking structure located east of the building and enter through the doors accessed from the parking structure. The front doors will lock at 5PM.
Bring dishes to share. Please bring your own service.
6.00-7.00 pm Plant Identification & Native Plant Gardening
7.00 pm Program with Greg Warrick, Center for Natural Lands Management with an Update on Sand Ridge National Natural Landmark.
This program is in-person only. There will be no Zoom connection.
There will be a business meeting after the program.
Past Meetings
16 November 2023 In-Person Meeting
19 October 2023 In-Person Meeting with Rich Spjut on Flowers & Fruits
21 September 2023 In-Person Meeting with Katherine Winters on Camp Okihi
18 May In-Person Meeting with Brandon Dunn on the proposal for a Kern Gateway Trail
20 April 2023 In-Person Meeting with Peyton Ellas on the Blue Oak Nursery
16 March 2023 In-Person Meeting with Megan Means on Atwell Island
16 February 2023 In-Person Meeting with Dr Maynard Moe.
A presentation by Dr Maynard Moe on the Flower Formula. Dr Moe is the author of Kern County Flora: A Key to Vascular Plant Species of Kern County. His presentations are lively, entertaining, and always a hit. Dr Moe gave his presentation on the flower formula several years ago when we revived the Kern Chapter of CNPS and there were a lot people new to plant identification. Since the pandemic, there has been a new influx of members so we thought it would be good to offer Dr Moe’s introductory program again.
19 January 2023 In-Person Meeting: Annual Pot Luck and Show & Tell
Clyde Golden gave a wildflower photo quiz, we revealed the new web site, and had a bang-up potluck. Meghan and Jonathan even brought Emerald to lighten things up.
Thursday 17 November 2022 Program with Antje Lauer on BESA
Dr. Lauer described the Bakersfield Environmental Studies Area (BESA) and CSUB’s plans to restore the 400-acre floodplain along the Kern River across from the CSUB campus. The project is being supported by the City of Bakersfield’s Department of Recreation and Parks, the Sierra Club, Kern Audubon, the Kern River Parkway Foundation, Bring Back the Kern, and River Partners among others.
A plant list of the site can be found here: BESA plant list. To lean more about this riparian zone and to see images of the common plant species download this brochure: BESA brochure.
Horse Meadow Campout
Join us for a campout on the Kern Plateau at Horse Meadow campground in the Sequoia National Forest. Spend the day botanizing, hiking to the summit of Siretta Peak, or simply lounging in the Jeffrey Pine forest. At the headwaters of Salmon Creek, Horse Meadow is the home of the Salmon Creek paintbrush (Castilleja praeterita).
Field Trips
During the spring wildflower bloom, the chapter takes several field trips or hikes on local trails. These hikes are at a “botanical” pace so we can call out and identify the plants that we find in bloom. Bring a field guide, a plant list, a camera, and your curiosity.
