Koma Kulshan chapter members will vote on proposed amendments to the chapter’s bylaws at the October 2022 meeting. The proposed update is below. Text with strikethrough will be removed and underlined text will be added.

Voting is open until November 30, 2022 via our online poll.

Interested in receiving modest funding for your native plant research? Help with the cost of attending events like the statewide WNPS Study Weekend or Botany Washington? The Koma Kulshan chapter has a small grants and scholarships program that might help you. You’ll find all the information on the Grants and Scholarships page.

Friday July 3rd
7:30am to 5pm or later

We will visit Kelcema Lake and an interesting mountain fen along with nearby areas if time permits, all in Snohomish County along the Mountain Loop Highway. This is a long drive, about ninety miles on pavement and four miles on gravel one way. Meet to carpool at the west side Fairhaven park and ride at the south end of 32nd Street at 7:30 AM. A Forest Service permit for parking will be necessary. The fen is small enough that a large group could easily overwhelm the site – so the group is limited to twelve people. To sign up contact Jim Duemmel at 360-733-3448 by phone or by email at JimDuemmel@q.com.

Fall is upon us and we have a new slate of meetings and field trips. Check out those pages to see what we are up to. Even if it is raining and wet there are lots of plants to explore and learn about!

Visit the Field Trips page for Koma Kulshan chapter field trips between July and September. Explore the Twin Sisters area, lava fields at Schreiber’s Meadow, Cutthroat Lake, Boulder Ridge, Yellow Aster Butte, and Damfino Lakes and learn about the plants that grow there.

Bernard Housen will discuss the use of tree leaves as pollution monitors as part of Western Washington University’s Huxley College of the Environment speaker series at 4 p.m. on Thursday, April 24 in the Environmental Studies building, room 100 on Western’s campus.
The presentation is free and open to the public.

Chapter members Fred Rhoades and Walt Lockwood, along with fellow Lichen expert Richard Droker, have completed a survey of the lichens of Lummi Island for the Lummi Heritage Trust. To read this account click on the link below to view this excellent report.

Lichens of Lummi Island Inventory Report to Lummi Heritage Trust

Our annual Native Plant Sale taking place at the Backyard Habitat and Flora Fair in Fairhaven Village Green on May 3rd. This sale is an important fund raiser for our chapter. The sale offers a wide range of native plants ranging from unusual little herbaceous finds to larger  shrubs and trees. If you want to make sure you get what you want and don’t want to risk something getting sold out you can pre-order your plants. You can find the pre-order form by clicking this link 2014 Plant Sale Pre Order Form. The deadline for pre-ordering plants is April 18th.

Join our fun, informal walks and get familiar with plants native to Whatcom County. Sponsored by the Koma Kulshan Chapter of the Washington Native Plant Society, these introductory plant identification walks feature an easy pace and will each last a couple of hours. The walks will focus on a variety of habitats, with your expert guide introducing you to common trees, shrubs and herbaceous plants native to our area. Tidbits on ethnobotany, wildlife use, gardening with natives, and other interesting plant related facts will be shared. People of all ages and experience levels are welcome. Dress for the weather and wear comfortable walking shoes that may get wet. Each walk stands alone, or attend them all to get a free mini-course on plant identification. You can find the complete list of walks under the Field Trip Tab. For more information contact: Vikki Jackson at 319-6988 or via email at vikki.jackson8@gmail.com.