This activist alert was to announce that the funds from the CPB were about to be released and instructed enviro activists on how to become members of the RAC. The point was that with enough effort the enviros could stack these committees and influence how this money would be spent. Possibly to the detriment of the County.
You should see how those bushes along the road on the south end are responding! It's amazing considering how much dirt I moved around their roots redoing the drainage into a sheet-wash, that I didn't water anything, and started late in a drought winter. All the iris planted last year took (which is what emboldedned me this time). That big (and old) adenostoma (chamise) started putting out some new shoots, but nothing came up from the seed I sowed (which was expected, I need to learn to do fire-scarification - the deer love the stuff). The pruned heteromeles (toyon) are both thickening and forcing up from the root crown per plan. Most didn't seem too affected by the grading, though we'll see. Some look a little unhappy due to fungus, lost one, but I'd hammered it. A couple of arctostaphylos (manzanita) started from exposed roots and put up branches! At least two of the air-layered branches I severed took, but the other four died (no water). I call it a good deal, and this year I have remote watering capability for the first time. All of the ceanothus thyrsiflorus (tick bush) made it though the sun shades for the sprouts left them looking a little peaked (the deer love that too, I'll have to cage them until they can take the browsing). I added a couple of toyons I got free from Native Revival. BTW, the folks at Native Revival fell all over themselves when they saw the book and said that it was likely that they would sell it there! Might reach a few RICOnuts that would be worth saving. We traded notes about weeds. They are as sick of the system as we are.
It appears that toyon responds to air-layering as several long and low branches that I had buried seem to be starting roots. Toyon roots also seem to sprout when exposed to light. I found a patch of what looks to be a local native fescue so I'm moving a few of those too. All the poison oak made it. That stuff is indestructable.
Speaking of which, I found a root in a mound along the road that looks like poison oak, but it is almost 2" in diameter about thirty feet from the nearest bush after running under a large oak! Stuff's amazing. I bet if I sever and expose it I'll get a nice bush. Maybe I'll name it George.