Description
Get a useful introduction into what a bryophyte is and what makes them different than the typical land plant. We’ll learn about some common species that grow throughout California so you can see some familiar friends on your next hike. We’ll also cover basic bryo morphology and some important dissection techniques necessary for proper identification of specimens. We’ll end with a group keying session with mosses provided (or any mystery moss you bring in from your adventures!).

Description
This workshop will teach basic plant morphology with a focus on the structures necessary for plant identification. Participants will learn the specialized terminology necessary to identify plants in several common California plant families. This workshop is beginner level and open to anyone interested in learning about or improving their knowledge of plant terminology and the characteristics of common plant families.

Description
With nearly 80 kinds of clovers in California, there's so much diversity to explore! Clovers (Trifolium species) are common in most areas, have features that mostly don't need magnification for identification, and are lovely and important members of many plant communities. This workshop will cover anatomy and terminology, groupings, and the Jepson eFlora key for the top 50–60 clovers (native and non-native) in California. A feature-based comparative table will be given to participants for their future use.

Description
This workshop gives participants an overview of A Manual of California Vegetation, along with examples of vegetation types (alliances and associations) deemed as sensitive natural communities using a conservation status ranking system. We will provide an overview in the field of both common and sensitive vegetation types of the Inland Empire, focused in Riverside County, and discuss the fine-scale classification and mapping efforts in the region, including applications to land management and conservation.

Description
Visit the Riverside-Corona Resource Conservation District’s accredited nursery! In this workshop, you’ll learn about the best management practices and pathogen monitoring techniques they use to prevent plant pathogen introduction and spread. Instructor Johanna Del Castillo will share approaches to prevent soilborne pathogens, demonstrate scouting, and provide tips for early pathogen detection. Dean Watson will share techniques such as leachate baiting with pears, and both instructors will provide a special opportunity for Q&A.

Description
The Hands-On Learning Lab (HOLL) is a dedicated space to take lessons on a variety of GIS and ArcGIS topics. Join this workshop’s morning or afternoon session (or both!) to complete the lessons of your choice at your own pace. Each self-paced lesson takes about 1 hour to complete and includes conceptual information and step-by-step software exercises. Laptops and ArcGIS software needed to complete each lesson are provided. Esri instructors are available to assist with lesson selection and answer any questions you may have.

Description
Despite the region hosting a human population of over two million, western Riverside County offers a significant diversity of rare plants in habitats that vary from vernal pools and seasonally flooded alkali floodplain to grasslands, chaparral, oak woodland, and a touch of conifer forest. The alkali wetlands are similar to the alkali wetlands of the Central Valley and, not surprisingly, host some of the same species. The region we will be covering is dominated by the Perris Basin and Santa Ana River Valley and fringed with the Santa Ana, Palomar, and San Jacinto Mountains. The Santa Rosa Plateau and San Jacinto Valley are especially notable for rare plants.

The workshop will introduce participants to many of the 80+ rare plant species found in this region (nearly 100 if you consider locally rare species). Participants will learn about the distribution of and status of species through a lecture and presentation that will include the status of individual species, their ecology, and how to identify these species, including a look at similar species that may be confused with them.

Description
Get started on your path to designing and installing resilient landscapes that are fire-wise, biodiverse, water saving and beautiful! Learn how to navigate defensible space, provide waystations for hungry pollinators, understand California's drought cycles, and design a garden with year-round interest. Whether you are a landscape professional or a homeowner/renter wanting to transform your garden, this workshop will give actionable design and installation advice, including suggestions tailored to your projects. Presenters April Owens, executive director of Habitat Corridor Project; Alejandro Lemus, horticultural educator at the Santa Barbara Botanical Garden; and Eric Blank, horticultural educator at Theodore Payne Foundation will bring statewide experience and knowledge from design and installation to science-based research-driven data. Join us for this exciting collaborative workshop opportunity!

Description
This workshop proposes a unique, introductory exploration for individuals interested in deepening their relationship with California native plants through the lens of Ecological Psychology. Designed for beginners, the session aims to foster a foundational understanding of our interconnectedness with the natural world, specifically focusing on the essential co-living between us and native plants.

Description
Join CNPS Conservation program staff for an introductory workshop on the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), where we will share strategies for engaging in the CEQA process and tools for project-level advocacy. CEQA is an essential tool for protecting the places we care about most, but in recent years, it has been under attack. Understanding how to effectively engage in the CEQA process not only protects important natural communities but also strengthens our ability to advocate for the regulation itself and communicate what we stand to lose with increasing threats of deregulation. In this timely workshop, you will learn the essentials for navigating California's bedrock environmental regulation, tips for writing effective comment letters, and tools for advocating for cherished places close to home.

No prerequisite knowledge is required. Some material may be review for participants with experience writing comment letters or engaging with CEQA. However, the workshop will provide practical tools for all participants to enhance their advocacy impact, including more seasoned advocates.

Description
What does it take to prepare a beautiful and useful herbarium specimen? Or a specimen label that captures and preserves valuable data? In this hands-on workshop held at the UC Riverside Herbarium, herbarium and CNPS staff will share the ins and outs of specimen preparation from the field to the cabinet. You'll learn efficient collecting procedures; note recording techniques that reduce effort in the field and lab; best practices for collecting, handling, and protecting high-quality specimens; and the efficient mounting methods that allow the UC Riverside herbarium to process 7,000 specimens annually, on average. Join us for an afternoon cultivating these valuable skills, essential for any collecting field botanist and/or herbarium professional.

Description
Interested in photographing native plants, but need inspiration & information? Then this workshop is for you. Join Bob Allen as he shows images of plants & associated insects, with emphasis on gear, techniques, and a full reveal of behind-the-scenes.

Just as we don't use outdated taxonomy or reference books, everything will be up to date. To keep it fresh & current, only gear released in the last five years will be shown & discussed. We'll dive into some of the latest mirrorless digital camera bodies, lenses, flashes, & diffusers. Why mirrorless? In short, mirrorless gear is smaller, lighter, and quieter than prior technologies (DSLR, SLR, film, glass plate). While gear is important, techniques are vital to success & quality of images. Before recording images, we need to slow down, consider the subject, and determine what we want from an image. Do we want a broad habitat, an individual plant, a close-up of its parts, or a macro image of its small details? This thoughtful approach leads to more keepers & fewer weepers.

Recommended experience level: Intermediate-advanced. All participants should already understand basic camera operation, including ISO, shutter speed, aperture, & depth of field. Content will be tailored to the use of modern mirrorless digital camera bodies, lenses, & flash. Participants are encouraged to bring their own mirrorless rig. (Note that we won’t have time to tutor each person on how to use their individual camera.)

Description
Learn how to multiply your favorite native plants using simple, effective propagation techniques. This hands-on class will cover how to grow new plants from cuttings, divisions, seeds. We will get our hands dirty learning new techniques with your own propagation starting kit. Whether you're new to propagation or looking to enhance your skills, this workshop will empower you with the knowledge and confidence to grow natives and contribute to restoration and resilience in your own landscape.