2026 Event Calendar
JANUARY 2026
1 Thursday
FYI: New Year’s Day (Federal Holiday)
8 Thursday
Board of Directors Meeting – CNPS OC
17 Saturday
Field Trip: Winter Meditation Hike INFO
18 Sunday
Field Trip: *IMPORTANT NOTICE* Mushrooming Trip Postponed until rain returns (and fungi)
19 Monday
FYI: Martin Luther King Jr Day (Federal Holiday)
22 Thursday
Chapter Public Meeting Jun Bando @ Norman P. Murray Community Center, Mission Viejo 7:00pm
26 Sunday
FYI: International Day of Clean Energy (United Nations Observance)
FEBRUARY 2026
2 Monday
FYI: World Wetlands Day (United Nations Observance)
5 Thursday – 7 Saturday
CNPS 2026 Conference
12 Thursday
Board of Directors Meeting – CNPS OC
13 Friday
The Charlie O’Neill Grant: Deadline to submit proposals. Grant info here
16 Monday
FYI: Presidents’ Day, Washington’s Birthday (Federal Holiday)
19 Thursday
Chapter Public Meeting –Impacts of Fire and Fire Ecology of the Santa Ana Mountains, Cleveland National Forest
20 Friday
Bob Allen Speaking at Lake Forest Garden Club
21 Saturday
Santa Margarita Water District Spring Pruning Workshop: Love Your Garden –9:30 am to 11:30 am. Wendy Proud – Horticultural Specialist talks about the best practices for seasonal pruning in the home garden. More info.
27 Friday
Conservation: Newport Beach City Council is considering a proposal to build a new police department headquarters on open space at Civic Center Park. Civic Center park is populated by native plants and serves as public open space supporting local biodiversity, passive recreation, and community engagement with nature. CNPS-OC sent a comment letter to the Newport Beach City Council in opposition to the project. Click here to read the letter.
MARCH 2026
3 Tuesday
FYI: World Wildlife Day (United Nations Observance)
5 Thursday
Board of Directors Meeting – CNPS OC
5 Thursday
Conservation: The City of Seal Beach is considering a proposed solar installation by the Hellman Group adjacent to the Los Cerritos Wetlands. The City has required a full Environmental Impact Report for the project. CNPS-OC submitted a comment letter requesting careful attention to proposed vegetation removal and subsequent habitat degradation. See our comment letter here.
6 Friday
Conservation: CNPS-OC signed onto a comment letter written by the Endangered Habitats League in support of limited visiting hours at the Dana Point Headlands to protect the endangered Pacific pocket mouse as well as rare coastal bluff vegetation. See the comment letter here.
7 Saturday
California In My Garden – Visit Vera’s Gardens: A Showcase for Native Plants More Info
8 Sunday
FYI: Daylight Saving Time Starts
10 Tuesday
Conservation: CNPS-OC Director Ron Vanderhoff provided public comments to the Newport Beach City Council, supporting protection of the native plants in Newport Beach’s Civic Center Park and in opposition to the proposed police station to be located in the Civic Center Park.
12 Thursday
Conservation: CNPS-OC Director Ron Vanderhoff provided public comments supporting the Center for Natural Lands Management at the Dana Point Headlands, regarding the research that advises reducing visitor hours to protect the endangered Pacific Pocket Mouse and rare coastal bluff native habitat.
17 Tuesday
Chapter Public Meeting -Toby Hammer and Kristal Watrous; Bumble Bee Surveying at Laguna Niguel Botanical Preserve (in-person, Duck Club) – Learn More
20 Friday
FYI: March-Spring-Vernal Equinox
28 Saturday
Field Trip: Spring Meditation Hike INFO
30 Monday
FYI: International Day of Zero Waste (United Nations Observance)
APRIL 2026
2 Thursday
Board of Directors Meeting – CNPS OC
4 Saturday
Partnering with Laguna Canyon Foundation nursery event
6 Friday
Conservation: CNPS-OC signed onto a comment letter written by the Endangered Habitats League in support of limited visiting hours at the Dana Point Headlands to protect the endangered Pacific pocket mouse as well as rare coastal bluff vegetation. See the comment letter here.
10 Friday
Conservation: CNPS-OC Director Ron Vanderhoff was appointed to the Advisory Committee for Fifth District Supervisor Katrina Foley, to advise on the proposed suspension of herbicide use in San Juan and Trabuco Creeks.
11 Saturday
Outreach: OCCNPS Tabling at UC Master Gardeners of Orange County Expo, Plant Giveaway, and Sale at Norman Murray
11 Saturday – 12 Sunday
FYI: Theodore Payne Native Plant Garden Tour
18 Saturday
California In My Garden -CNPS Annual Garden Tour
21 Tuesday
Conservation: CNPS-OC Director Ron Vanderhoff made public comments to the San Clemente City Council regarding illegally cleared vegetation at the site of the proposed Hansen Hotel.
22 Wednesday
FYI: Earth Day
23 Thursday
Chapter Public Meeting -Will Gelnaw; Paleobotany of Southern California/OC (in-person, Duck Club)- Learn More
Plant Exchange and Potluck at ENC
Santa Rosa Plateau Ecological Reserve Field Trip
MAY 2026
7 Thursday
Outreach: CNPS-OC will be tabling at the Rally for Nature to defend the Roadless Rule
9 Saturday
California In My Garden Art Series- with Emyle Rogers
10 Sunday
FYI: Mother’s Day
14 Thursday
Board of Directors Meeting – CNPS OC
21 Thursday
Chapter Public Meeting – What is That Plant? Life as Field Botanists with CNPS with Sharon Estrada and Mike Heine — Zoom – Learn More
22 Friday
FYI: Biological Diversity Day (United Nations Observance)
23 Saturday
California In My Garden Art Series- Container Gardening for Butterflies with Patty Roess – 10am -12pm at ENC
25 Monday
FYI: Memorial Day (Federal Holiday)
JUNE 2026
4 Thursday
Board of Directors Meeting – CNPS OC
5 Friday
FYI: World Environment Day (United Nations Observance)
16 Tuesday
Chapter Public Meeting – Student Lightning Talks at the Duck Club- Learn More
19 Friday
FYI: Juneteenth (Federal Observance)
21 Sunday
FYI: Father’s Day
FYI: June-Summer Solstice
30 Tuesday
Conservation:: CNPS OC commented on the proposed Mitigated Negative Declaration for a new affordable housing project at 6146 E. Santiago Canyon Road in Orange. The project proposes the removal of 48 mature heritage Coast Live Oaks and replacing them with 79 mostly 15-gallon ornamental trees. CNPS OC objected to the proposed plan because CEQA requires the mitigation substantially lessen or compensate for biological impacts and ornamental trees cannot replace the ecological value of mature native oak trees. You can read the entire comment letter here.
JULY 2026
4 Saturday
FYI: Independence Day (Federal Holiday)
12 Sunday
Newport Beach Civic Center Private Garden Tour from 10am to 12pm with Laura Curran
16 Thursday
Summer Meditation Hike 6:15 PM – Strand Beach, Dana Point Register Here
AUGUST 2026
1 Saturday – 5 Wednesday
FYI: Botany 2026 Conference
3 Monday
Plant Science: If you are interested in invasive plant detections and related news, visit the CNPS OC Invasive Plant Update Report here. In this report, you can find new significant invasive plant detections in Orange County and other news.
4 Tuesday
Conservation: Ron Vanderhoff, CNPS OC Plant Science Chair and Director, and Laura Curran, CNPS OC member, entered public comments at the Newport Beach Parks Commission meeting in opposition to the police headquarters building proposed for the Newport Beach Civic Center Park. Vanderhoff reminded the Parks Commission of the original intent of the Civic Center Park: to maintain the park as a nature space with interpretive features and nature-based programs, and to preserve the area as a public park featuring local native plants that provide vital habitat supporting wildlife, local residents, and visitors.
Plant Science: CNPS OC received a renewal of the OC Parks botanical collections permit for all Regional and Wilderness Parks and other parklands in the county. This permit allows botanical work by a restricted group of CNPS OC-related botanists.
22 Saturday
Board of Directors Meeting – CNPS OC – In-person, 1:00 PM to ~4:00 PM at ENC.
Plant Science: CNPS OC has been assisting in plant surveys in Santiago Creek from the confluence with the Santa Ana River to Hart Park just past the 5 freeway. CNPS OC has documented hundreds of native, non-native, and invasive species along the waterway. CNPS OC is working with a citizen committee to enhance and restore these portions of the waterway. A significant invasive plan detection was made on August 23 when a small patch of Rhus typhina, Southern California’s only recorded occurrence, was found.
Conservation: Ron Vanderhoff, Plant Science Chair and CNPS OC Director, co-led a field visit to areas of San Juan Creek and Trabuco Creek in San Juan Capistrano. Participants included OC Public Works, Supervisor Katrina Foley’s office, CA State Parks, Laguna Canyon Foundation, Surfrider, and others. The issue is to find a balance between flood-control, habitat preservation, and pesticide and herbicide reduction in these managed waterways. Vanderhoff lead a discussion around invasive plant management, habitat protection, and discussed the distinction between native plants, non-native plants, and invasive plants.
Conservation: Ron Vanderhoff, Plant Science Chair and CNPS OC Director, drafted a letter from CNPS OC to the US Forest Service in opposition to the potential repeal of the USFS’s 25-year Roadless Rule. You can find the CNPS OC letter here. State CNPS is also submitting a full comment letter to USFS that includes the CNPS OC letter as well. Chapter members are encouraged to write their own comment letters here.
SEPTEMBER 2026
3 Thursday
Board of Directors Meeting – CNPS OC
7 Monday
FYI: Labor Day (Federal Holiday)
17 Thursday
Chapter Public Meeting – Cooking with Native Plants with Abe Sanchez at the Duck Club
20 Sunday
FYI: World Cleanup Day (United Nations Observance)
23 Wednesday
FYI: September-Autumn Equinox
OCTOBER 2026
1 Thursday
Board of Directors Meeting – CNPS OC
11 Sunday
California In My Garden – Nature Journaling with Deborah Shaw More Info
12 Monday
FYI: Indigenous Peoples’ Day (Majority of states. Columbus Day – Federal Holiday)
15 Thursday
Chapter Public Meeting- Native Plant Photography at the Duck Club with Bob Allen More Info
31 Saturday
FYI: Halloween
NOVEMBER 2026
1 Sunday
FYI: Daylight Saving Time Ends
5 Thursday
Board of Directors Meeting – CNPS OC
11 Wednesday
FYI: Veterans Day (Federal Holiday)
19 Thursday
Chapter Public Meeting- The History of Saving OC’s Open Spaces with Fred Roberts at the Duck Club
26 Thursday
FYI: Thanksgiving (Federal Holiday)
DECEMBER 2026
1 Tuesday
FYI: Giving Tuesday
3 Thursday
Board of Directors Meeting – CNPS OC
21 Monday
FYI: December-Winter Solstice