Chapter Events

Our San Joaquin Valley is arguably the most destroyed natural bioregion/ecoregion in California, with approximately 5% of natural riparian forests, grasslands, and seasonal wetlands remaining. But no worries, we can regenerate nature, and we will!

Conservation Committee

If you’re interested in helping protect natural spaces and our native biodiversity, this is where you belong!

Join us over Zoom to learn more about ongoing and future projects across our region (San Joaquin, Stanislaus, and Merced counties) and how you can make an impact in your community.

Current projects of interest include:

• Save Mount Diablo
• Del Puerto Reservoir Project
• Tesla Park
• Lathrop Ponds Project

The Conservation Committee will meet every other month on the 2nd Wednesday @ 7PM, starting July of 2026.

Join Meeting || Meeting ID: 899 1029 0832 Passcode: fremontia

Contact the Conservation Chair (LRAOAK@gmail.com) for more information.

Come join us for our 3rd Saturday Garden Work Parties!

The Oak Grove Nature Center’s docents and community volunteers will be meeting each month on the 3rd Saturday to work on the trail maintenance, preparing a native pollinator garden, and other Nature Center tasks. Minors must be accompanied.

Please reach out to us at oakgrovenaturecenter@gmail.com if this is your first time volunteering for more information and park entry instructions.

Stop by the Oak Grove Nature Center for a docent-led nature walk through the Native Plant Trail!

This walk will introduce visitors to the native plants along the trail and provide information ranging from their history, uses, and how to grow them in your own home. Minors must be accompanied by an adult and pets cannot be brought on the trails.

While this guided walk is free, the park charges a $6 (cash only) entrance fee.

Contact oakgrovenaturecenter@gmail.com for more information.

RESTORING THE WATER CYCLE

We can replenish groundwater, renew ecosystems, and cool the climate! 

Speaker: Christina Bertea

Monday, July 20th, 2026 7:00 – 8:30 p.m. via Zoom

Fires, floods, droughts, and rising temperatures are signs of a disrupted water cycle. We’ll review how the water cycle works, the role of plants in regulating climate, and how we can personally and collectively restore a healthy water cycle. Examples of successful restoration projects will be considered!

Sometimes described as a citizen scientist, Christina Bertea studies and lectures about water, soil, carbon, and the water cycle, primarily in permaculture contexts and as a Greywater Action rainwater and greywater systems installer & instructor. Also a plumbing contractor and eco-artist, she creates water features in community gardens and public spaces. She recently toured revived rivers and villages in Rajasthan, India with Zach Weiss and Rajendra Singh (Waterman of India),  viewing first-hand the impact of a healed water cycle!

Register for this presentation:

Use this link:  https://cnps-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/cUCla4aoQSS8iE-_f1zeTg

CNPS North San Joaquin Chapter Summer Potluck

Join us for an evening of good food, great company, and conversations about native plants at our annual CNPS potluck!

📆Date: Sunday, July 26, 2026

🕒Time: 4:00 PM

📍 Location: La Loma Native Garden

Bring a favorite dish, snack, dessert, or beverage to share as we gather to celebrate another year of connecting with nature and our community. This is a wonderful opportunity to meet fellow native plant enthusiasts, share gardening experiences, and enjoy the beautiful surroundings of the garden.

Please RSVP to CNPS.nsj@gmail.com and let us know what item you plan to bring so we can ensure a good variety of food for everyone.

Friends, family, and anyone interested in California native plants are welcome!

We look forward to seeing you there!

Come join us for our 3rd Saturday Garden Work Parties!

The Oak Grove Nature Center’s docents and community volunteers will be meeting each month on the 3rd Saturday to work on the trail maintenance, preparing a native pollinator garden, and other Nature Center tasks. Minors must be accompanied.

Please reach out to us at oakgrovenaturecenter@gmail.com if this is your first time volunteering for more information and park entry instructions.

Stop by the Oak Grove Nature Center for a docent-led nature walk through the Native Plant Trail!

This walk will introduce visitors to the native plants along the trail and provide information ranging from their history, uses, and how to grow them in your own home. Minors must be accompanied by an adult and pets cannot be brought on the trails.

While this guided walk is free, the park charges a $6 (cash only) entrance fee.

Contact oakgrovenaturecenter@gmail.com for more information.

Discover IPM!

Take care of pests without using pesticides!

Monday, August 17th, 2026, 7:00pm

CNPS NSJV is excited to welcome Julie Barbour from Our Water, Our World to speak about IPM.  What is IPM?  What can it do for us?  If you’ve ever been spraying chemicals in your yard to get rid of unwanted bugs and such and thought “There has to be a safer, more environmentally friendly, better way to do this”, then IPM is something you should know about.

The University of California, along with other land grant universities in the US, have made available a rich, vast array of sciences-based information for the public to access. In our area, it is called the University of California Integrated Pest Management (IPM).

More than just the well organized, detailed information, IPM provides a framework for identifying all manner of insects and mammals, soils, diseases, biotic and abiotic conditions and so much more, for those of us who have any issue or wish to do better in our yards, gardens, and homes.

The framework focus is on identifying the issue and finding out why it is an issue. Once that happens, we can stop the problem from happening again, or at least only have it happen on a tolerable basis. Some aphids are required, or beneficial predators starve. Ants are required to improve soil, but there is an acceptable level of very low tolerance for ants in the home.

Pesticides of all kinds, organic or not, are discouraged from use to prevent harm to other organisms. Julie’s work adds an extra layer of caution, to avoid harm to the water supply, bees and insects.

Feel free to bring your pictures and questions.

About the Presenter:

Julie Barbour has lived in Northern California since 1967, growing up in Davis California. She received her Bachelor’s degree from the University of California at Davis in 1991. She is a long time UC Master Gardener and Composter.  She has many years working in the retail nursery trade. In 2019, Julie became a Certified Integrated Pest Management Advocate with Our Water Our World. Her work brings university science to help people have healthier soils and plants, reducing the need for expensive and toxic chemicals.

Our Water Our World is an award-winning partnership between city- and county-based water pollution prevention agencies and garden centers and hardware stores that sell pest control products. We focus on less-toxic, eco-friendly products and techniques because many common pesticides are harmful to sensitive species and ecosystems when they reach local creeks, bays, and the ocean.

Registering for this presentation:

Use this link.  Be sure to choose the correct date: August 17th, 2026, as this is the same link for webinars all year!

https://cnps-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/cUCla4aoQSS8iE