…Appreciate, Conserve, and Study Our Native Plants and HabitatsWashington Native Plant Society

2018 ANNUAL REPORT

Golden yellow blooms of Balsamroots mixed with the violet-blue spires of Suksdorf’s Lupine cover the slopes of the Columbia Hills; Photo by Don Jacobson

Dear Reader,

I hope you enjoy this 2018 annual report of the Washington Native Plant Society (WNPS), a 501 (c) 3 organization with approximately 2,000 members.

Our mission is “to promote the appreciation and conservation of Washington's native plants and their habitats through study, education, and advocacy.” This report highlights the many ways WNPS and its 12 regional chapters accomplish that mission.

Examples include:• 86 field trips offered by WNPS chapters throughout Washington State• The annual WNPS Study Weekend held this year in the scenic Columbia Gorge• An updated, user-friendly database of WNPS’s plants lists that can help you identify plants while on your favorite

hiking trails • Supporting the publication of the 2nd edition of Flora of the Pacific Northwest—a much needed revision of this

premier reference for PNW botanists• The WNPS conservation grant to the Willow Creek Wetland Enhancement Project that engaged youth volunteers in

hands-on education about ecosystem restoration

Communications were a major focus of WNPS in 2018, driven by a high-priority communications strategy approved by the board of directors in 2016. Results were:

• The monthly WNPS eNews, Botanical Rambles• Increased use of the social media platforms Facebook and Instagram• A new and improved WNPS website

Now it’s time to become even more strategic. WNPS is embarking on a strategic planning process to chart the future of the organization. While the mission created by WNPS’s founders is as valid now as it was in 1976, the world has changed in 43 years—the threat of climate change, the rate of land conversion that destroys native plant habitats, the speed of species extinction, and the ways we communicate are all drastically different. We must explore new and innovative methods that more effectively “promote the appreciation and conservation of Washington’s native plants and their habitats.”

Stay tuned!

Don SchaechtelPresident, 2017-2018, on behalf of the Board of Directors

Van BobbittPresident, 2018-2019, on behalf

of the Board of Directors

Lewis’ Mock Orange (Philadelphus lewisii); Photo by Julie Kane

The fruits of Mountain Dandelions (Agoseris spp.); Photo by Sarah Gage

Rolling Out the New Website The WNPS website has been completely rebuilt in a new platform thanks to the expertise of board member and volunteer Sarah Verlinde. One of the new features is a WNPS-wide event calendar that shows events in every chapter, including mapped locations and event information. Drop-down menus and a search box are now available in the improved website interface. The website was launched at the end of 2018 and will be completed in 2019. The new Plant Gallery continues to be developed.

Plant List Database WNPS plant lists are now easier to use thanks to a grant from the Garneau Nicon Family Foundation of $5,000.00 and additional gifts from WNPS chapters totaling $7,500.00. The revised database, available at https://www.wnps.org/plant-lists allows for data queries, determining the location of native flora, and report- printing. Now anyone can search the database for a plant they wish to find and print lists of plants on their favorite trail. The plant list contains 726 plant lists that are provided and updated by 307 contributors. Special thanks to David Giblin and Ben Legler of the University of Washington Herbarium at the Burke Museum and to Ron Bockleman, volunteer WNPS Plant List Manager.

New Ways to Communicate Communications Strategy ad hoc Committee led initiatives to improve the flow of information to members. The monthly eNews, Botanical Rambles, launched in December 2017, includes featured articles, WNPS updates, and a calendar of events. The WNPS Facebook Page now has 4,579 followers (up from 3,852 in 2017). The Facebook Group and Instagram also grew substantially. Additionally, several chapters also maintain lively Facebook pages.

2018 HIGHLIGHTS

Chapter field trips86

Oceanspray (Holodiscus discolor); Photo by Rick Mattson

Research Grant: Flora of the Pacific Northwest Second edition Flora of the Pacific Northwest - Second Edition, is the premier taxonomic resource for Washington native plants. The University of Washington Herbarium at the Burke Museum sponsored the revision and WNPS contributed in both 2017 and 2018 for both revisions and illustrations. The book was released in late 2018.

Grants from the WNPS Endowment

Grants are funded by the WNPS Endowment Fund interest and dividends annually, and additionally funded from the WNPS General Fund when designated by the board.

There were so many applications for deserving grants that WNPS increased the awards budget in 2018 including $7,000 from the Endowment and $6,000 from the WNPS General Fund. Grant awards included seven conservation grants totaling $4,000, six education grants totaling $4,000 and four research & plant inventory grants totaling $5,000.

Education Grant: Wildflowers to Wenatchee Foothills Education and outreach are central to the WNPS mission. This grant allowed the Chelan-Douglas Land Trust (CDLT) to produce 500 wildflower brochures to provide for the public visiting trailheads on lands managed by the Trust. CDLT distributes wildflower brochures at five trailhead kiosks and annually co-sponsor six or more wildflower walks with WNPS.

Conservation Grant: Willow Creek Wetland Enhancement In an inspirational project at Willow Creek in Edmonds, Sound Salmon Solutions and Eagle Scout candidate Luke Backlund used a $500 WNPS grant to provide a diversity of native wetland plants along degraded areas of the reserve. In addition to rehabilitating valuable ecosystem functions, the project engaged youth volunteers with hands-on education about restoration and ecosystems.

Meetings with speakerprograms52

Susan Ballinger holding a Wenatchee Foothills Wildflowers brochure

Sarah Verlinde and Ashley Shattuck Flora Book release party Photo by Denise Mahnke

Two youth volunteers installing native plants

Bright yellow tones of Cottonwood (Populus trichocarpa) leaves next to the russet foliage of Wood’s Rose (Rosa woodsii); Photo by David Hagen

Mentzelia Award Recipient: Bill Brookreson The Mentzelia Award is presented to a WNPS individual member who has made a significant contribution to native plant conservation, research, or education in Washington.

Bill Brookreson was honored as the Mentzelia Award recipient in 2018 for his many decades of commitment to WNPS including service as the South Sound Chapter chair, Stewardship Standing Committee chair, and countless hours of volunteer contributions to the organization. He led WNPS and brought support to the growth of the stewardship program, the cornerstone of WNPS education, restoration, and volunteerism programs.

Chapterplant sales6

Outstanding Partner Award Recipient: Sarah Reichard The Outstanding Partner Award is given to the agency, organization, or individual which has made significant contributions to native plant conservation, research or education in Washington.

Sarah Reichard was posthumously granted the Outstanding Partner Award for her lifelong contributions in the field of plant conservation and invasive ecology. A long-time WNPS member, she also made significant contributions to the cause of native plants through her work at the University of Washington (UW). Having earned her Bachelors, Masters, and PhD from UW, Sarah was a professor, research scientist, author, and director of the UW Botanic Gardens. The award was accepted by her husband, Brian Reichard.

Photo by Barry Latter

Photo by C. Hovanic

Awards

The dazzling blue of Mountain Bog Gentian (Gentiana calycosa) flowers reward the effort made to reach subalpine and alpine meadows; Photo by Ted Alway

Native Plant Appreciation Week: Explore Washington’s Treasurers, April 22-28, 2019Native Plant Appreciation Day at McNary Wildlife Refuge Held in partnership with WNPS Columbia Basin Chapter and the Friends of Mid-Columbia River Wildlife Refuges, Native Plant Appreciation Day in Burbank Washington was held at McNary National Wildlife Refuge. Over 80 attendees enjoyed interactive activities, presentations, field trips, and button making.

Study Weekend: Celebrating the Diversity of the Columbia Gorge The Suksdorfia Chapter hosted Study Weekend for the first time in 2018, with the theme ‘Rainbows of Wildflowers.’ The event included over 31 field trips and sold out more quickly than any other prior Study Weekend. Two keynote speakers shared their work including DNR’s Natural Areas Manager, Carlos Abbruzzese, who presented on preserved natural areas in Washington, and Dr. Susan Kephart on deciphering species in botanical hotspots, and Camassia research. The event was hosted at the Best Western in Hood River, Oregon, just over the bridge from Bingen, WA. 200 members were in attendance.

Annual Events

Work Parties63

Photo by Denise Mahnke

Botany WashingtonEighty-five participants attended the 2018 Botany Washington in Ocean Park, WA on the Long Beach Peninsula. The keynote speakers were Dr. Robert Michael Pyle, lepidopterist and founder of the Xerces Society and Dr. Linda Hardison, Senior Research Professor and Director of the Oregon Flora Project. Workshops included taxonomy sessions, ‘Grasses with Clay Antieau,’ ‘Ferns with Ben Legler,’ and ‘Asteraceae family with David Giblin,’ ‘Keying with draft versions of the Flora of the Pacific Northwest with David Giblin and Alex Wright,’ and ‘Field trips to Cape Disappointment State Park with local experts Carla Cole, Cathy Maxwell, and Jeff Walker,’ and ‘Leadbetter Point State Park with William Ritchie, Kathleen Sayce and Ben Legler.’

Photo by Don Jacobsen

Three volunteers sporting their new wildflower buttons on Native Plant Appreciation Day

Koma Kulshan Chapter Led in Number of Field Trips Koma Kulshan organized more excursions than any other chapter with 21 field trips and 5 introductory plant walks in 2018. Introductory plant walks provide opportunity for community members, families, and new WNPS members to learn native plant identification and connect with fellow WNPS members. These walks are offered in a series and connect with city parks and trails. In total, WNPS organized 86 field trips amongst all chapters.

Western Oak Fern (Gymnocarpium disjunctum) and Foamflower (Tiarella trifoliata); Photo by Wendy Feltham

Chapter Plant Sale Six WNPS chapters held plant sales during 2018: Central Puget Sound, Columbia Basin, Koma Kulshan, Olympic Peninsula, Salal, and South Sound. Dozens of volunteers are recruited for the many tasks involved in conducting a sale. Plant sales are important fundraisers for each chapter and are also an opportunity for plant lovers and novices alike to learn from each other. Rain or shine, experts are on hand to answer questions, and hundreds of plants leave each sale to enrich neighborhoods in every chapter.

Classes15

Photo by Annie Prevost

Native Plant Stewardship Program Now Supported by a WNPS Board Standing Committee The Stewardship Program educates community volunteers in botany, restoration and project management. The membership voted in 2018 to approve a by-law change making the Stewardship Committee a Standing Committee of the Board.

In 2018, the Stewardship Program included a course with the Green Seattle Partnership and the service leadership with the City of Shoreline. Park service continues in Shoreline with citizen work parties monthly, led by the stewards, and the service with the Green Seattle Partnership in Seattle area parks. The program educates community volunteers that give back through service at local native plant restoration projects or provide native plant education.

2018 Chapter Program Highlights

City of Shoreline WNPS Steward work party

Botanizing in an alpine meadow

Photo by Joy Wood

CPS members hosting Spring Plant Sale

$137,013$7,411

$140,025$43,019$63,228$36,683$16,855

$3,607$447,841

$217,416$59,337$17,763

$294,516

$567,731$153,325

2018 Revenue & Other Support

2018 Program & Administrative Expenses

The statement of activities, financial position and pie charts represent the Society's 2018 fiscal year (January 1, 2018 through December 31, 2018). Fiscal year 2017 results are provided for comparative purposes. These statements include all chapter as well as state level financial activity. The financial statements show significantly less total revenue in 2018 compared to 2017. This is because 2017 revenue included the generous bequest from Joseph and Margaret Miller. However, in 2018, contributions from individuals and organizations set a new record for the Society. Overall, net assets increased compared to 2017 despite a downturn in financial markets at year-end, which is indicated in the financial statement as an unrealized investment loss. The WNPS Endowment Fund (included in the total organization assets) had $162,048 at year end. In 2018, new contributions of $9,126 were received and $5,163 was released as grants to support the research, education and conservation activities of the Society.

Statement of Financial Position (Year end)

Current AssetsCashInvestmentsAccounts ReceivablePrepaid Expenses

$359,964$224,033

$4,595$2,873

Current LiabilitiesAccounts PayablePayroll Taxes Payable

$13,356$6,832

Total Current Assets $591,465

Property & Equipment $58

Total Current Liabilities $20,188

Total Liabilities & Net Assets $591,523

Net Assets $571,335

Total Assets $591,523

$274,934$164,117$147,363

$1,305

$19,609$1,736

$587,719

$1,357

$21,345

$589,076

$567,731

$589,076

2018 2017

Statement of Activities

Revenue and Other Support$157,398

$5,408$0

$39,407$49,915$50,000

($14,525)$6,846

$294,449

Contributions & GrantsIn-Kind ContributionsBequestsGovernment GrantsInventory SalesEvent IncomeInvestment Gain (Loss)Interest & Dividends

Operating ExpensesProgram ServicesAdministrative & GeneralFundraising

Total Operating Expenses

Total Revenue & Support

$219,755$48,300$22,790

$290,845

Net Assets, End of Year $571,335Change to Net Assets $3,604

2018 2017

Contributions & Grants In-Kind Contributions Bequests 0% Government Grants Inventory Sales Event Income Gain on Investment Interest & Dividends

Program Services Administrative & General Fundraising

2018 FINANCIAL REPORT

49%

2%12%

15%

15%2%3%

75%17%

8%

WNPS STATE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

President Van Bobbitt

Immediate Past President Don Schaechtel

Secretary Sam Payne

Treasurer Don Schaechtel

Directors at Large Keyna Bugner Gretchen Graber Lori Jirak Mary Kiesau Mark Turner Sarah Verlinde

STANDING COMMITTEE CHAIRS

Conservation Becky Chaney

Editorial Celeste Botha

Research and Plant Inventory Pam Camp

Fundraising Don Schaechtel

Education Mary Kiseau

Stewardship Bill Brookreson

CHAPTER CHAIRS

Central Puget Sound Chapter Dan Paquette

Central Washington Chapter Cathy Reed

Columbia Basin Chapter Steven Link

Koma Kulshan Chapter Allan Richardson

Northeast Chapter Suzanne Schwab

Okanogan Chapter Therese Ohlson

Olympic Peninsula Chapter Fayla Schwartz and Katherine Darrow, Co-Chairs

Creamy clusters of Beargrass (Xerophyllum tenax) flowers carpet an open slope on Tolmie Peak in Mt. Rainier National Park; Photo by Mary Ingels

Stewardship service hours recorded2,375

Salal Chapter Brenda Cunningham

San Juan Chapter Del Guenther

South Sound Chapter Bill Brookreson

Suksdorfia Chapter Susan Kusch

Wenatchee Valley Chapter Emily Orling

Active members2,021

DONATE NOWThere are many ways to contribute to Washington Native Plant Society, including membership. Your contributions help preserve Washington’s remarkable native plants and support outstanding educational and outreach programs. We save what we love. Please visit www.wnps.org to learn more.

GIVE TOMORROWWashington Native Plant Society can be a part of your estate planning, as you bequeath a legacy of beautiful and fascinating Washington native habitats to future generations. WNPS can also can now accept your gift of securities. Please contact wnps@wnps.org for more information.

THANK YOU to our Supporters and Donors!Your financial support to Washington Native Plant Society keeps our organization alive and thriving as an effective voice for native plants. WNPS volunteers and donors are essential for our success. The 2018 WNPS Donor list was published in the Spring 2019 issue of Douglasia, including Honorary Patrons, Patrons, Sustaining Members and so many Friends. More than 300 members and 55 organizations go above and beyond the annual membership dues. WNPS is so grateful for your support. Thank you!

HOW CAN YOU HELP?

JOIN or RENEW!Washington Native Plant Society now has celebrated an annual membership of over 2000 members for three years consecutively. Receive the benefits of membership and help us plan for the future. Please visit www.wnps.org to join or renew on-line.

VOLUNTEER!Enjoy good company, share your professional expertise, and learn more about native plants and their habitats as you volunteer. Leadership in programs, operations and activities is needed around the state to keep chapters and committees actively reaching new goals. Contact your local chapter or the WNPS office for more information on how you can be involved. wnps@wnps.org

6310 NE 74th St., Ste. 215E, Seattle, Washington 98115206-527-3210; www.wnps.org

https://wnps@wnps.org

Washington Native Plant SocietyAppreciate, Conserve, and Study Our Native Flora

The rare Snowball Cactus (Pediocactus nigrispinus) grows in the thin-soiled type of shrub-steppe in Central Washington; Photo by Ernest Crediford