**​A California Native Plant Society (CNPS) Sac Valley and Friends of Sailor Bar Event**

​Calling all nature lovers and native plant nerds! We need volunteers to help pull invasive weeds and tend to native plants at Sailor Bar Park along the American River. Come out for a fun day helping our local ecosystem!

8:30am-10:30am, Sailor Bar Park (8266 Olive Ave, Fair Oaks)

[**RSVP here!**](https://luma.com/zrnshz7t)

​We will meet Saturday, June 13, at 8:30am at the picnic tables by the Olive Avenue entrance and parking areas. After a brief introduction, we will walk together to a section by the river where we’ll get to work! We’ll be targeting yellow star-thistle.

​No experience? No problem! We’ll give you everything you need to get started.

​What to wear/bring: Sturdy shoes, long pants (recommended for the brush), water bottle, gloves and clippers/shears (if you have them), maybe a hat or sunglasses. Parking passes provided.

Research has shown that dense infestations of yellow star-thistle can draw so much moisture from the soil that nearby native plants experience drought conditions, even in years with normal rainfall. Unlike many of our native annuals that dry up in late spring, yellow star-thistle continues growing late into summer, putting out long, extensive roots that allow it to access deep moisture through the hottest months. By removing these dense stands now, before they set seed, we're helping reduce future infestations, while giving native plants- like our beach's beautiful *Quercus* species, *Madia elegans*, and *Clarkia unguiculata-* a better chance to compete for water, sunlight, and space.

Hope to see you there!

Native Plant Stewardship Event on the American River, this Saturday!