It was a small but mighty group of Stewards who came out to help the first work day of 2015.  There were only 25 of us, but everyone worked really hard and we were able to plant 186 native grasses (Aristida purpurea- purple three-awn grass and Stipa pulchra- purple needle grass).

Aristida purpurea is a native bunch grass with graceful slender leaves and graceful delicate seed heads.  Their name comes from the seed head at the terminal bristles splitting into 3 ends like split ends on hair.

Stipa pulchra is another native bunch grass that is a perennial plant which means it lives for more than a year.  It is also the official state grass of California with deep green leaves wider than Aristida purpurea and long seeds heads that look purple.

We also had the water truck out to water all the native plants and the experimental green rectangle.  Hopefully the seeds we spread out in the green rectangle will sprout and we will have native wildflowers among the native grasses for a real meadow feel.

Near the snack table there was a Snowy Egret fishing near the edge of the water near the bluff.  One of our Jr. Stewards spotted it and was taking pictures.  I do not know how his pictures turned out, but here are two that I got while I was taking photos of the Stewards working hard.

~Erin