“I thought I saw a lake -- it was a field of lupine!” Tim Nosal Apri 27, 2008
By Peter Hayes
With a Powerpoint program of dazzling color photographs, plant scientist Tim Nosal advised an ARNHA Forum audience on where to find the best wildflower shows in the Sacramento Valley from Bear Valley west of Williams south to Jepson Prairie near Dixon.
But you can find plenty of floral displays closer to home on the upper American River Parkway, the state Department of Fish & Game scientist said March 27 in the program at the Effie Yeaw Nature Center.At various times between March and June near Sunrise Boulevard, Hazel Avenue and Lake Natomas you can see blooming California poppies, Miner’s lettuce, interior live oak, maidenhair fern, and the Dutchman’s pipevine that hosts the beautiful pipevine swallowtail butterfly.
Nosal waxed rhapsodic over the vernal pools on lands of former Mather Air Force Base in Rancho Cordova, and at Jepson Prairie. There in late March and April, as rain water-filled depressions in the land dry out, downingia, butter and eggs, and brodiaea bloom successively.
“I thought I saw a lake -- it was a field of lupine!” Nosal said of Bear Valley, located west of Williams on Interstate 5. Goldfields and poppies are other highlights of this destination which is best enjoyed from the vehicle because the flower-filled valley is closed to the public.
Table Mountain, a state Department of Fish and Game preserve in Butte County, is home to a vast panoply of flowers in late March, including shooting stars, lewisia, woodland star and what Nosal called DYCs or “darn yellow composites.” (a huge botanical family that includes daisies, dandelions and asters).
The Pine Hill Ecological Preserve in Western Eldorado County has unusual growing conditions and is noted for milkweed, lemon ceanothus and Pine Hill flannelbush.
Directions to Wildflower Hot Spots:
Jepson Prairie: West on I-80 from Sacramento about 20 miles. South on Highway 113 through Dixon about 15 miles to signs warning of sharp turn in road. Slow down and continue straight ahead, do not follow main road. Follow dirt road to signs announcing your arrival. (Ownership: The Nature Conservancy, managed by Solano Land Trust.)
Bear Valley: North on I-5 from Sacramento about 60 miles, then west on Highway 20 at Williams for about 20 miles then north on Bear Valley Road, a maintained dirt road just west of Highway 16.
TableMountain: North on I-5 from Sacramento about 7 miles to Highway 99/70 split. North on Highway 99/70 about 13 miles until Highway 70 splits from Highway 99. North on Highway 70 about 50 miles to Oroville. East on Grand Avenue (just north of bridge over Feather River) about for 1 mile. Left on Table Mountain Road about 0.25 mile. Right on Cherokee Road about 5 miles to parking area. (Caution: Cherokee Road is a narrow, winding road. The speed limit is 25 mph and is to be strictly observed.) Note: the parking area is on the left side of the road and is recognizable by a large metal cattle loading ramp and a Department of Fish and Game informational sign. (Ownership: Department of Fish and Game)
Pine Hill Ecological Reserve: Highway 50 from Sacramento east to Cameron Park Road (about 30 miles). Cameron Park Road north to Green Valley Road (about 3 miles). Green Valley Road east to Ullenkamp Road (about 1 mile). Ullenkamp Road north to gate (about 1 mile).
Mather Field Vernal Pools, Rancho Cordova: From Highway 50 – south on Mather Field Road, which becomes Karman upon entering Mather Field. Left on Norden. Left on Feymoyer. Right on Mather Blvd. Left on Douglas road. Right on Eagles Nest Road. South past picnic area and golf course to where pavement becomes gravel road, with kiosks on both sides.Alternate route from Highway 50: South on Sunrise Boulevard to right on Douglas Road, then left on Eagle’s Nest Road and follow directions above.
By Bill Dillinger ARNHA Associate Board Member, Retired Public Information Chief, California State Parks
The County’s Environmental Impact Report on the Parkway Plan Update was approved by the CountyPolicy and Planning Commission at its April 22 meeting, subject to some minor clarifications requested by the Commission.
The plan goes next to the Board of Supervisors, probably in July.
The EIR, as approved, found little to quarrel with in the proposed update, pronouncing as “less than significant” most impacts of the plan, including the provisions regarding the Rancho Cordova area, temporary parking at Cal Expo during the State Fair, and even the off-pavement bicycle use in the Woodlake and Cal Expo areas.
". . . totally overlooked was what should have been the most significant consideration . . . that it’s much easier to keep a potential damaging use out of a park than it is to get it out, once it’s been established."
The EIR did acknowledge a few “potentially significant impacts” but offered options to mitigate them.
The most controversial issue from an environmental point of view was allowing “off-pavement bicycles” to use dirt roads in the Woodlake and Cal Expo areas. The EIR, while admitting that problems may occur, tended to brush off concerns about the possible effects on wildlife, and felt that damage to roads and habitat could be prevented by education and signing.
It conceded that mountain bikes might startle wildlife and even drive them off during periods of peak bicycle use, but would not have serious effect, as the habitat would still be usable by wildlife on many weekdays and at least from dusk to dawn, when wildlife was most active.
It did concede that there could be negligent users who would ride at unsafe speeds and damage the environment. But since such users “would do it anyway”, officially permitting off-pavement bike use would have no additional “significant impact.”
It does seem, however, that allowing bikers to use the dirt roads is going to bring more mountain bikes into the Parkway, and the more bikes, the more scofflaws.
And totally overlooked was what should have been the most significant consideration – already well-demonstrated in the Parkway and in parks everywhere – that it’s much easier to keep a potential damaging use out of a park than it is to get it out, once it’s been established.
Background: A group of Sacrament Citizens in fall 2007 requested the County to change Goethe Park's name. Although the park was named for Goethe, a renowned Sacramento area philanthropist and naturalist, more is now known about his promotion of a social movement called eugenics.
Revelation of Goethe's involvement in eugenics prompted the County Recreation and Parks Commission to rescind the Goethe Park name. The Board of Supervisors agreed that the name should be changed and initiated a community outreach process to determine a new one.
Recreation & Park Commission conducted a community wide survey gathering ideas for renaming this park located along the southern bend of the American River. Names considered represented wild life or plants or memoralize historical events. Most of all, the new park name should provide a sense of place for the park user.
An appointed Park Naming Committee is expected to recommend a new name to the American River Parkway Advsiory Committee and Recreation & Park Commission in April. Board ratification is expected in May.
