January 14, 2027- Celebration of Spring Wildflowers with Professor Shawna Martinez

Thursday, January 14, 2027, 5 p.m., with plant sale at 4 p.m. (wildflowers!)
Location: General Gomez Arts, 808 Lincoln Way, Auburn

Come explore the wonder of spring wildflowers and learn about their life cycles and wonderful interactions with native pollinators. On Thursday, January 14, at 5 p.m. at General Gomez Art Center in Auburn, Shawna Martinez will explore why wildflowers matter.

Why Spring Wildflowers Matter

Not only do wildflowers enchant us on the trail, they are the first food for early-spring insects such as bumblebees, and they provide essential nectar to many species when little else is available. Their root systems help stabilize moist soils from heavy spring rains and prevent erosion as winter snow melts.  They also have mutually beneficial relationships with ants.

Our Presenter

Shawna Martinez is a Professor Emeritus in Botany from Sierra College, where she spent 33 years teaching Forestry, Biology, Botany and Environmental Science. In the early part of her career, she worked for the US Forest Service as a rare-plant botanist. She has led many ecology-based field trips for CNPS over the years and is a beloved educator and mentor.