California Fire Followers 2020's Journal

April 10, 2023

April Events

Save Mount Diablo Bioblitz
April 15 - 29

HAPPENING THIS WEEK! Check out the Diablo Range within the SCU Lightning Complex fire footprint.

Join Save Mount Diablo’s (SMD) largest BioBlitz! SMD will be covering the SCU Lightning Complex fire footprint throughout a two-week period. With your help, we can monitor the plants, animals, and fungi, popping up throughout the burned sites. We encourage everyone to go and explore the Diablo Range and participate in monitoring post fire recovery.

Check out their Bioblitz info/iNat training video here to help you get started on iNaturalist:




City Nature Challenge
Details:
Observations: April 28-May 1, 2024
Identifications: May2-May 7, 2023
The California Academy of Sciences' City Nature Challenge is a world-wide bioblitz. Support their goal to collect as many iNaturalist observations as possible in one weekend in participating cities and surrounding areas!
"Your participation makes an impact on understanding biodiversity and coexisting with nature, See the scientific research that has been made possible by City Nature Challenge participants"
https://www.citynaturechallenge.org/press-and-publications

Learn how to participate and check out the Bay Area CNC events near you:
https://www.calacademy.org/community-science/city-nature-challenge

Posted on April 10, 2023 07:33 PM by jaesparza11 jaesparza11 | 0 comments | Leave a comment

March 9, 2023

Spring into Spring

Hello everyone,

The California Fire Followers Project first began in March of 2021. During that time, we have accomplished so much together. It is difficult to believe that we are entering our third year already!

THANK YOU

With that said, thank you all for the overwhelming support these past few years and for continuing contributing to the project. We are excited for what will come next this season. We are almost at 140,000 observations and looking at last year's rate, I would not be surprised if we hit 200,000 by autumnal equinox in September! I would also like to take this time to thank and acknowledge some of the top contributors to the project:

Top Observer‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ Top Identifiers

We cannot emphasize it enough that the California Fire Followers Project would not be what is without YOU ALL.

Details

Lose an hour, win some merch!
With our 2nd Year Anniversary right around the corner, and Spring just on the horizon we are excited to see all the new observations as we “spring forward” to the arrival of Spring! As a quick reminder, daylight savings begins this Sunday 3/12! We encourage everyone who can access nature safely to make as many observations as possible starting this Friday (3/10) through the arrival of Spring on 3/20! We will be recognizing our top observer with a Fire Followers shirt and we will also award the first and second runners-up with a Fire Followers pin!


Resources:

As always, we want to provide you with some valuable resources to help you get started on iNaturalist.

The Real Spring [Plant Identification] Training
In case you missed our Spring Training early last Spring, check out the recordings here. Watch as our “coaching staff” for plant identification demonstrate how to sharpen your skills. boschniakia
rupertclayton

Wildflowers of the Bay Area - California Native Plant Society and POST
https://www.youtube.com/live/MRMmYmlO3lA?feature=share

Hey, Hey we’re the Monkees! We’re too busy evolving to put anybody down
Additionally, From Friends of the Chico State Herbarium, be sure not to miss out on this recording by Steve Schoening on Monkeyflowers!
https://cdnapisec.kaltura.com/html5/html5lib/v2.85/mwEmbedFrame.php/p/670832/uiconf_id/29182902/entry_id/1_0fx6lrq4?wid=1_kghtigge

AI: Andrea vs Identotron - Getting the most out of computer-aided plant ID
Check out this webinar by Andrea Williams, a botanist who can help you get the most out of iNaturalist’s suggestions! A lot of us simply accept without question the computer-aided suggestions in iNaturalist, but check again! Is the plant suggested even found in that region? Does it match the description in a flora? Check out the recorded webinar for the tips and tricks to get the best ID suggestion to your ability.

Also, check out what is happening with our California OakWatch Project!
If you have not heard of the project already, I invite you to join and help us reach our goal to protect young oaks by collecting data and mapping where they are and are not!
https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/california-oakwatch]

To help you get started with oak identifications, check out this identification guide:
https://usercontent.one/wp/www.globalconservationconsortia.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Identification-Guide-for-Priority-Threatened-California-Oaks.pdf

California OakWatch Training Webinar

Posted on March 9, 2023 06:23 PM by jaesparza11 jaesparza11 | 4 comments | Leave a comment

January 19, 2023

Lunar New Year

We started this year with heavy precipitation. Some places in California experienced severe weather events these past few weeks, so we hope that you are all well and safe!

Congratulations on another amazing year! It is now January 2023, almost 2 full years since the launch of the 2020 Fire Followers! Here is what we have accomplished together since:

California Fire Followers 2020

California Fire Followers 2021

We look forward to a new year with amazing opportunities for learning and discovering.

The Lunar New Year is fast approaching! Join us in celebrating the Lunar New Year with an identification challenge. Rabbits are thought to be vigilant, quick-witted and ingenious, so let’s bring that energy to the ~42k observations that need ID!

Details:
Starting Sunday 1/22, we encourage everyone to participate in identifying the observations on our California Fire Followers projects! We want everyone to have an opportunity to win, so anyone with 22 identifications by the of first Sunday of Feb 5 will be entered in a drawing for a Fire Followers shirt/pins!



Also, check out what is happening with our CA OakWatch Project!

If you have not heard of the project already, I invite you to join and help us reach our goal to protect young oaks by collecting data and mapping where they are and are not!

https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/california-oakwatch

Consider joining us for the one-hour event, "For the love of oaks", an identification party to help the iNaturalist California OakWatch project get as many Quercus observations to Research Grade as possible. This event is co-hosted by California Native Plant Society, the Global Conservation Consortium for Oak (GCCO), and San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance.

We will have a panel of experts to facilitate the conversation and we can work collaboratively to help identify any tricky observations. This online event is open to identifiers of all experience levels. We will have a live raffle throughout this event so everyone participating will have a chance to win an oak t-shirt and a California OakWatch Pin!

Posted on January 19, 2023 08:56 PM by jaesparza11 jaesparza11 | 0 comments | Leave a comment

October 1, 2022

31 days of Identification Challenge


Buffalo Gourd (Cucurbita foetidissima)
© @tbazzell, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/136377149

You have all been tremendously busy! Thank you to everyone who continues to contribute to the CA Fire Followers project by adding more observations! We are currently at a total of 124,000observations! With the end of Summer just last week, the start of fall has brought us the opportunity to shift our focus from observations to identifications. I also want to acknowledge all the tremendous contributions from the 3,700+ of you who have contributed to identifying observations on the project!

Left: © Boaz Benaiah Solorio, (CC-BY-NC) @boazsolorio https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/136832322
Right: © Stacie Wolny, (CC-BY-NC-SA) @newtpatrol https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/136773246

Details:
Halloween is just around the corner! Get in the spirit as we present you ~32,000 observations that still Need ID that will send a chill down your spine.
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?place_id=any&project_id=california-fire-followers-2020&quality_grade=needs_id&verifiable=any&iconic_taxa=Plantae

The start of October will provide us with 31 days to identify! Join us all month long in an attempt to get some of these observations to RG. At the end of October, we will be awarding the top identifier with a Fire Followers Shirt! In addition, on All Hallows’ Eve, I will be randomly selecting 3 participants with at least 31 identifications a Fire Followers Pin.



Resources:
As always, we want to provide you with some valuable resources to help you get started on identifying on iNaturalist.

AI: Andrea vs Identotron - Getting the most out of computer-aided plant ID
Check out this webinar by Andrea Williams, a botanist who can help you get the most out of iNaturalist’s suggestions! A lot of us simply accept without question the computer-aided suggestions in iNaturalist, but check again! Is the plant suggested even found in that region? Does it match the description in a flora? Check out the recorded webinar for the tips and tricks to get the best ID suggestion to your ability.


The Real Spring [Plant Identification] Training
In case you missed our Spring Training early this Spring, check out the recordings here. Watch as our “coaching staff” for plant identification demonstrate how to sharpen your skills. @boschniakia
@rupertclayton


Hey, Hey we’re the Monkees! We’re too busy evolving to put anybody down
Additionally, From Friends of the Chico State Herbarium, be sure not to miss out on this recording by Steve Schoening on Monkeyflowers!
https://cdnapisec.kaltura.com/html5/html5lib/v2.85/mwEmbedFrame.php/p/670832/uiconf_id/29182902/entry_id/1_0fx6lrq4?wid=1_kghtigge

You’re tagged in this post because you were among some of the top identifiers this month. We hope you take part in helping identify some of the observations made so far!
@graysquirrel @tvl @oceanfleskes @akk2 @mossgeek @eriogonumla @tmessick @megachile @max_benningfield @lehacarpenter @jellyfishww @grnleaf @david99 @chyroptera @bezzopezzo @chestnut_pod @morganstickrod @acastelein @leviathian @nancyasquith @kvandevere @kwillott

Posted on October 1, 2022 12:04 AM by jaesparza11 jaesparza11 | 0 comments | Leave a comment

September 28, 2022

CA OakWatch Training Webinar


DATES: THURSDAY October 6; 12 PM PDT – 2 PM PDT
EVENT DETAILS |

Hello,

Please join us in an upcoming webinar hosted by California Native Plant Society, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance and the Global Conservation Consortium for Oak (GCCO), taking place on October 6th from 12-2 pm Pacific Daylight Time. This webinar will feature presentations from several expert botanists, detailing how to best identify priority, threatened oaks, native to California. This webinar is meant to serve as an educational resource and to encourage more people to contribute occurrence information to the iNaturalist California OakWatch Project.

The presentations will feature Quercus cedrosensis, Quercus dumosa, Quercus engelmannii, Quercus tomentella, Quercus pacifica and Quercus parvula, and other oak species.

You can register for the webinar through this link: https://bit.ly/3UoPGBW

We hope to see you there! Don’t forget to also check out the CA OakWatch Project here on iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/california-oakwatch

Posted on September 28, 2022 11:39 PM by jaesparza11 jaesparza11 | 2 comments | Leave a comment

September 2, 2022

CA Biodiversity Week

Sept 7 is #CABiodiversityDay!
To celebrate CA being a global #biodiversity hotspot, there are celebratory events planned for Sept 3-11.
Learn more: https://resources.ca.gov/biodiversityday2022/



While you are here, check out the events on iNaturalist and help document as many species as you can:

https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/california-biodiversity-day-2022-events



This year, we encourage anyone interested in taking part in Biodiversity Day 2022 to take part in the Find 30 Species for CA 30x30 challenge! During CA Biodiversity Week (Sep 3-11), find and photograph at least 30 wild species in California. Your observations will automatically end up in this project! Your observations of plants, animals, fungi, and other species in California will help inform the California 30x30 initiative, to conserve 30% of California's lands and coastal waters by 2030. Go out and explore your neighborhood or local park, take a hike or explore the coast, or join in one of the many CA Biodiversity Week events Learn more about how you can participate here:
https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/ca-biodiversity-week-2022-find-30-species-for-ca-30x30

Other ways to celebrate:
Check out these events that are also concurrent with CA Biodiversity Day!
Parks for Pollinators BioBlitz (September): https://www.nrpa.org/our-work/Three-Pillars/conservation/parks4pollinators/bioblitz/
Coastal Cleanup Day (September 17): https://www.coastal.ca.gov/publiced/ccd/ccd.html
International Vulture Awareness Day (September 3): https://www.vultureday.org/

Posted on September 2, 2022 11:49 PM by jaesparza11 jaesparza11 | 1 comment | Leave a comment

August 25, 2022

Back to School

Back-to-school season is officially here. As students return to the classroom, it’s also time for us to prepare! For the remainder of August throughLabor Day Weekend, we’ll host a variety of identification challenges to help us get observations to RG!

First, I want to take a minute to thank everyone for all your contribution and support! So far this year, our Fire Followers project has added over 57,000 observations, which is approximately 10,000 observations more than the previous year. With the amount of observations we have been receiving, we currently have ~31,000 observations in the Needs ID category and we need your help again to help reach RG for some of these observations.

Before we get to the identification challenges, let's review some of the materials to help us get started!



AI: Andrea vs Identotron - Getting the most out of computer-aided plant ID
Check out this webinar by Andrea Williams, a botanist who can help you get the most out of iNaturalist’s suggestions! A lot of us simply accept without question the computer-aided suggestions in iNaturalist, but check again! Is the plant suggested even found in that region? Does it match the description in a flora? Check out the recorded webinar for the tips and tricks to get the best ID suggestion to your ability.


The Real Spring [Plant Identification] Training
In case you missed our Spring Training early this Spring, check out the recordings here. Watch as our “coaching staff” for plant identification demonstrate how to sharpen your skills. @boschniakia
@rupertclayton


Hey, Hey we’re the Monkees! We’re too busy evolving to put anybody down
Additionally, From Friends of the Chico State Herbarium, be sure not to miss out on this recording by Steve Schoening on Monkeyflowers!
https://cdnapisec.kaltura.com/html5/html5lib/v2.85/mwEmbedFrame.php/p/670832/uiconf_id/29182902/entry_id/1_0fx6lrq4?wid=1_kghtigge

Seep Monkeyflower (Erythranthe guttata)
© Evan Lipton, CC-BY-NC)



Challenge Details
Now for our identification challenge! We will host 10 different challenges over the span of 2 weeks. From now until Sep 6, 2022, we will have the opportunity to focus on the 10 plant families listed below. The top identifier of each of the 10 families will be added to a prize drawing for a Fire Followers t-shirt! A single participant can win multiple categories and increase their chances of winning!
Asteraceae
Fabaceae
Boraginaceae
Poaceae
Polemoniaceae
Phrymaceae
Plantaginaceae
Lamiaceae
Montiaceae
Rosaceae

Needs ID: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?place_id=14&project_id=california-fire-followers-2020&quality_grade=needs_id&taxon_ids=47604,47122,48150,47434,48932,64552,50638,48623,71417,47148&iconic_taxa=Plantae

Click on each link for a more in-depth description of each plant family from The Jepson Herbarium: University of California, Berkeley. For more information, feel free to check out the website here: https://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/jeps/



1) Asteraceae | Needs ID ~4,000
Description:
Little surprise this family has the most identifications needed; it’s one of the largest plant families in California and the world! Recognizable for its composite inflorescence, the family breaks into subfamilies and further into tribes:
The Chicory Subfamily
These are what we tend to think of as dandelions; they have strap-shaped flowers (“petals”), often yellow, white, or bluish/purple, and milky sap.
The Aster Subfamily
Plants you think of as daisies, sunflowers, cudweeds, goldenrods, tarplants, and yarrows; they usually have showy ray flowers and tubular disk flowers.
The Thistle Subfamily
Plants we call thistles are usually spiny in some way; flowers are often red to purple but can be yellow in non-native star-thistles.
The Other Ones
A few species don’t fit into these categories, but they aren’t too common.

Left: Common Woolly Sunflower (Eriophyllum lanatum) © Damon Tighe(@damontighe), (CC-BY-NC) https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/74697559
Right:Cobwebby (Thistle Cirsium occidentale) © Jeff Bisbee(@jeffbisbee), (CC-BY-NC) https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/122160396

2) Fabaceae | Needs ID ~2,500
Description:
Often referred to as the pea family, this large and varied family can be subdivided into broad groups as well–but united by their fruits–legumes!
The Pea Subfamily
Most legumes are in this subfamily, what we usually think of as “typical” peas. Sweet peas and vetches have pinnately compound leaves ending in a bristle or tendril. Lupines, clovers, milkvetches, lotus, and indigo bush are each in their own tribe. Lupines and clovers have palmately compound leaves; others, pinnately compound.
The Mimosa Subfamily
Acacia, mesquite, mimosa: these woody plants have pom-pom flowers and pinnately compound leaves.
The Peacock Flower and Redbud Subfamily
Often thorny shrubs or trees, the former are usually desert plants such as senna and palo verde with “typical” pinnate leaves and radial yellow flowers while redbud have more “typical” pea family flowers but simple leaves.

Left: Miniature Lupine (Lupinus bicolor) © Aaron Echols(@aaron_echols), (CC-BY-NC) https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/74343278
Right: Pacific Pea (Lathyrus vestitus) © rosaleen(@rosaleen), (CC-BY-NC) https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/118405012

3) Boraginaceae | Needs ID ~2,200
Description:
Boraginaceae, the borage or forget-me-not family, includes about 2,000 species of shrubs, trees and herbs in 146 to 156 genera with a worldwide distribution. In California, these are usually herbs divisible into two groups which used to be separate families.
The “True” Borages
These plants usually have reproductive parts hidden within the flowers, which can be white, or yellow in fiddlenecks and blue in houndstongue and forget-me-nots. Fruits are nutlets, which are often needed to identify species.
The Former Hydrophylls
These plants used to comprise the waterleaf family, but fancy “scorpioid cyme” inflorescences put them with “traditional” borages. Phacelias, baby blue eyes and other nemophilas are typical of the group; flowers are usually white to blue or purple. Fruits are capsules.

Left: Mountain Phacelia (Phacelia imbricata) © Madeleine Claire(@madily), (CC-BY) https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/98262037
Right: Rancher's (Fiddleneck Amsinckia menziesii var. intermedia) © BJ Stacey(@finatic), (CC-BY-NC) https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/78747888

4) Poaceae | Needs ID ~1,000
Description:
They’re grasses! Like most large families, these are also divided into subfamilies based on the architecture of the inflorescence and arrangement of spikelets.
The “Typical” Grasses
Bluegrasses, bromes, fescues and melics usually have panicled inflorescences with multiple florets (flowers) in each spikelet.
The Panicgrasses
Panicgrass, bluestem, and dallis grass often have tufting hairs as a hallmark of their varied inflorescences and stems.
The Lovegrasses
Another varied subfamily with members such as bermuda grass, grama, and muhly
The Other Grasses
Bamboo, giant reed, rice, threeawn, and pampas grasses each comprise their own subfamilies

Left: Purple Needlegrass (Nassella pulchra) © Arvel Hernandez(@arvel), (CC-BY) https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/108566059
Right: Torrey's Melicgrass (Melica torreyana) © Jennifer Rycenga(@gyrrlfalcon), (CC-BY-NC) https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/111731928

5) Polemoniaceae | Needs ID ~1,000
Description:
Mostly annual or perennial herbs, this family is recognizable for having floral parts fused–the calyx lobes often with membranes connecting them, and corollas with long tubes. Some members of this family have bracted heads or glandular hairs; these and flower color, number, and arrangement–along with stamen placement–are important in identification.

Left: Bluehead Gilia (Gilia capitata) © Will Freyman(@willfreyman), (CC-BY-NC) https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/80250792
Right: Splendid Woodland-Gilia (Saltugilia splendens) ©William Mason(@ectothermist), (CC-BY-NC) https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/98518393

6) Phrymaceae | Needs ID ~750
Description
In our hearts they’re all still monkeyflowers! Also known as the lopseed family, this small family of flowering plants has a nearly cosmopolitan distribution, but is concentrated in two centers of diversity, one in Australia, the other in western North America.
Annuals to shrubs, most flowers are noticeably two-lipped and flower shape, size and color as well as calyx lobing are important in identification.

Left: Seep Monkeyflower (Erythranthe guttata) © Don Loarie(@dloarie), (CC-BY) https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/76412573
Right: Southern Bush Monkeyflower (Diplacus longiflorus) © velodrome (@velodrome), (CC-BY) https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/115997206

7) Plantaginaceae | Needs ID ~700
Description:
Maybe you don’t remember when Scrophulariaceae got blown up and a big chunk placed in with the formerly inconspicuously flowered plantain family, but this is now a large, diverse family of flowering plants that includes common flowers such as snapdragon and penstemon.
A lot of these are fire followers, with recognizably 2-lipped flowers on herbs or shrubs with simple leaves.

Left: Purple Chinese Houses (Collinsia heterophylla) © Stacie Wolny(@newtpatrol), (CC-BY-NC-SA) https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/79071480
Right: Right: Rydberg Penstemon (Penstemon rydbergii) © My-Lan Le (@mylan), (CC-BY) https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/70650194

8) Lamiaceae | Needs ID ~800
Description:
Most of us know the mint family, with square stems and strong scents and usually two-lipped flowers in heads or whorled or paired along stems–those arrangements can be important in identification.

Left: Coyote Mint (Monardella villosa) © Eric Koberle(@ekoberle), (CC-BY-NC) https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/86004078
Right: California Hedge (Nettle Stachys bullata) © edward_rooks(@edwardrooks), (CC-BY-NC) https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/130514428

9) Montiaceae | Needs ID ~750
Description:
Springbeauties, pussypaws and other members of this family usually have rosettes of fleshy leaves and the arrangements of flowers and bracts, as well as the shape of leaves, are important for identification.

Left: Streambank Springbeauty (Claytonia parviflora) © Tony Iwane (@tiwane), (CC-BY-NC) https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/69905520
Right: Miner's Lettuce (Claytonia perfoliata) © Lauren Glevanik(@lglevanik), (CC-BY-NC) https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/108566874

10) Rosaceae | Needs ID ~700
Description:
While rose family plants range from herbs to trees, their flowers tend to share a similar structure: 5 petals attached to a hypanthium (extension of the ovary), and numerous stamens. This family often has delicious fruits (peaches, apples, blackberries and strawberries to name a few) but fruits can also be dry as in bitterbrush and mountain mahogany.

Left: California Wild Rose (Rosa californica) © Kaija Gahm(@kaijabean), (CC-BY-NC) https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/121528431
Right: Chamise (Adenostoma fasciculatum) © Charlie Russell(@charlescrussell), (CC-BY-NC) https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/88887804

You’re tagged in this post because you are among some of the top identifiers this month. We hope you take part in helping identify some of the observations made so far!
@grnleaf @graysquirrel @kwillott @oceanfleskes @sgene @alex_wentworth @alan_rockefeller @morganstickrod @plantsoncolors @mikhael @choess @akk2 @lehacarpenter @catchang @adamschneider @rosacalifornica @domingozungri @poa @tchester @stomlins701 @sandor_in @devilsacmispon @plantperson7654 @aguilita @danieldas @gheaton @lilyboy

Posted on August 25, 2022 01:15 AM by jaesparza11 jaesparza11 | 0 comments | Leave a comment

June 28, 2022

Geophyte Club 2


Here we go again, BREAKING THE RULES!

Welcome to Geophyte Club
The first rule of Geophyte Club is: You DO NOT talk about Geophyte Club
The second rule of Geophyte Club is: You DO NOT talk about Geophyte Club…

First, what is a Geophyte?
Geophytes are perennial plants that store resources in underground organs: usually bulbs in a broad sense, but also tubers, corms or rhizomes. They can wait out drought or poor growing conditions underground and emerge when the time is right.

Second, what makes some geophytes fire followers?
Geophytes survive burning because the storage organs are below ground protected from burning, but they also emerge en masse after fire from chemical or light cues, particularly in chaparral. It’s been an amazing year for mariposa lilies(Calochortus), and we’ve seen amazing displays of geophytes of all types through this whole year. 4 of the top observations are actually geophytes! It is also good to note that the top species observation is Blue Dicks (Dipterostemon capitatus)! With 750 observations since August of 2020, that is an 86% increase in observations in the last 5 years prior to the 2020 wildfires.



Check out some of the amazing (Calochortus) observed this year within the 2020 fire perimeters!

Left | Mariposa Lilies (Genus Calochortus)
© Chris Shuck (@cjs041) , some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/110552109
Left-center | Tolmie's Pussy Ears (Calochortus tolmiei)
© Lisette Arellano (@ten_salamanders), some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC-SA)
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/113278076
Right-center | Palmer's Mariposa Lily (Calochortus palmeri var. palmeri)
© Keir Morse (@keirmorse), some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC-ND)
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/118523284
Right | Shirley Meadows Star-Tulip (Calochortus westonii)
© Jacob Smith(@plantsarecool), some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC-ND)
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/116360966


Challenge Details:
Starting this week on Thursday June 30, 2022 we will be holding our Geophyte Club challenge! As always, we strongly encourage you all to go out and make observations, however, this week we will be focusing on identifications! You will have until July 7th to make as many identifications as possible! We will be focusing specifically the following:
1) Asparagales (Agaves, Orchids, Irises, and Allies)
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?place_id=any&project_id=california-fire-followers-2020&quality_grade=needs_id&taxon_id=47218&verifiable=any
2) Manroots (Marah)
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?place_id=any&project_id=california-fire-followers-2020&quality_grade=needs_id&taxon_id=53145&verifiable=any
3) Liliaceae (Lilies)
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?place_id=any&project_id=california-fire-followers-2020&quality_grade=needs_id&subview=table&taxon_id=47328&verifiable=any

The search links above will direct you to a list of those specific plants. Here are is the links on the identification page as well:
1) https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/identify?iconic_taxa=Plantae&project_id=98056&taxon_ids=47218%2C53145&taxon_id=47218
2) https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/identify?iconic_taxa=Plantae&project_id=98056&taxon_ids=47218%2C53145&taxon_id=53145
3) https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/identify?iconic_taxa=Plantae&project_id=98056&taxon_ids=47218%2C53145&taxon_id=47328

The top identifier of the listed plants above will be rewarded with a Fire Followers Shirt!
Additionally, 2nd and 3rd place will also receive Fire Followers Sticker and Pins!





1) As a reminder, even if you do not know the species, you can help by identifying the observation to a finer level such as identifying the family, which is extremely helpful for others. Also, feel free to use the comment section to let others know what you're thinking! There are also approximately 30,000 observations that need an ID! Out of those 30k observations, ~250 liliaceae need ID, ~120 Marah need ID, ~1000 are Asparagales of which we are considering Agaves, Orchids, Irises, and Allies.

2)You can help by confirming IDs that have already been made, refining IDs from general to more specific and correcting mis-identifications. The Suggestions tab will offer similar plants seen in the area--make sure you check it’s a good match.

3) To find likely mis-identifications, look at the Species tab of one of the fire areas you know pretty well. Scroll down to the bottom and look at the plants that only have one or two observations. Check on any out of range observations or plants you know are ornamental.

4) Check out this amazing video from our Spring Training by Ruper Clayton and learn about the "tips and tricks" as well as what to look for that's not included in the key for the Brodiaea subfamily.


You’re tagged in this post because you are among some of the top identifiers for Asparagales and liliaceae. We hope you take part in helping identify some of the observations made so far!
@rupertclayton @jrebman @graysquirrel @catchang @cwbarrows @grnleaf @rynxs @arethusa @catullus @chestnut_pod @matt_g @arboretum_amy @afid @kueda @oxalismtp @alexiz @lallen @yuriydanilevsky @yuri_pirogov @sganley @velodrome @jlmartin @finatic @danieldas @ronvanderhoff @smfang @susanbar @snakeinmypocket @glmory @cedric_lee @efmer @sahodges @heatherstevens @lenaz @hikingsandiego @morganstickrod @alanhorstmann @laurence @charlescrussell @helianthelsa @lilyboy @passiflora4 @garcia-martinez_m_a @eralverson @birdgal5 @serpophaga

Posted on June 28, 2022 08:57 PM by jaesparza11 jaesparza11 | 0 comments | Leave a comment

June 20, 2022

Pollinator Week Challenge


Bernardino Blue (Euphilotes bernardino)
© Olivia Miseroy, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)

Beginning on June 20, National Pollinator Week honors the all the pollinators that are critical to our ecosystem. Pollinators perform a valuable ecosystem service and are critical to the success of plants after fires. Some pollinators may be more abundant after fire, following the flush of flowers. Pollinators may be flies, bees, butterflies, wasps, beetles, moths, ants, birds, bats, mice...wind and water don’t count for our challenge though.

This week is the start of Pollinator Week! Pollinator week is a way to learn, celebrate, and protect pollinators. This year, or CA Fire Followers Project will be doing another challenge to promote and celebrate Pollinator Week 2022.

Challenge Details:
Starting June 20-26, we encourage you all to go out and make as many observations as possible in any of the burn sites. Keep a close eye out for flowers being pollinated along your hike! This week, there will be an opportunity for 3 individuals to win a Fire Followers Pin! Here are the categories:

Most observations total:
Most observations of pollinators:
Most identifications of pollinators:

Thank you all for your continued support of our Fire Followers Project and be sure to check out other ways in which you can celebrate Pollinator Week this year!


From Pollinator Partnership, check out their website and their official resources to help you celebrate and promote your involvement in this year’s #PollinatorWeek!

https://www.pollinator.org/pollinator-week/pollinator-week-resources

Posted on June 20, 2022 08:02 PM by jaesparza11 jaesparza11 | 0 comments | Leave a comment

June 6, 2022

Monkeyflowers - from Friends of The Chico State Herbarium

Details|
HEY, HEY WE’RE THE MONKEES! WE’RE TOO BUSY EVOLVING TO PUT ANYBODY DOWN
June 16, 2022
7:00 – 8:00 PM (Via Zoom)
By Steve Schoenig

Hello everyone,

From Friends of the Chico State Herbarium --
the Next Presentation in "All Things Botanically Related"
Every third Thursday.
www.friendsofthechicostateherbarium.com/

"California botanists are becoming more comfortable with the new family for monkeyflowers (Phrymaceae) and the "new" genera (Diplacus, Erythranthe, Mimetanthe) but there may be low awareness that the subgenus Simiolus within Erythranthe that includes the diversity of the old name Mimulus guttatus has grown from 5 species (in The Jepson Manual II) to 20 named and recognized species in California currently. Identification of these species is tricky, although half are restricted to very localized regions (like Butte County!).

The "common yellow monkey" has gone from one of the easiest identifications to one that I think most botanists are now ignoring because of unfamiliarity and the trickiness of the characters used in identification. The group is still not fully understood and may be genetically messy, but I encourage people to become more familiar with the new species recognized in this group and provide some advice on using many of the new names, especially in professionally prepared reports and lists. My talk will emphasize both the common and rare species found in the northern portion of California. If you like the color yellow, this talk is for you!"

Be sure not to miss out on this presentation by Steve Schoening on Monkey Flowers! For more details about the talk and the link to connect, please follow the links at the Friends of the Herbarium web site:
http://www.friendsofthechicostateherbarium.com/eventsviewcalendar/monkeyflowers

Posted on June 6, 2022 07:58 PM by jaesparza11 jaesparza11 | 0 comments | Leave a comment