California Native Plant Society Collection

Collection

Identifier: SPC-2011-001

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The California Native Plant Society Collection (1972-2014; undated) contains documents focusing on the work of the organization’s South Coast chapter. These documents pertain specifically to the chapter’s work in the Rancho Palos Verdes area, including their oversight of building projects, participation in legislation, and publication of guidelines and articles. Documents include environmental impact reports (EIRs), California Native Plant Society (CNPS) comments, articles, reports, memorandas, agendas, plant lists, landscaping plans, photographs, maps, and other material. Also included are maps of important sites in the area, newspaper clippings of notable ecological events, and brochures and newsletters from affiliated organizations. Many of the documents refer to specific projects of the CNPS, including the Machado Lake Ecosystem Rehabilitation Project, the development of the Natural Communities Conservation Plan, and the Marine Life Protection Act Initiative. Project areas include: Abalone Cove, Altimira Canyon, Belmont, Fred Hesse Trail, Friendship Park, Gardena Willows, Harbor Park, Hesse Park, Indian Ridgecrest Gardens, Indian Valley, Kajima, Madrona Marsh, Malaga Cove Park, Malaga Dune, Paseo Del Mar Harbor Walkway, Peck Park Canyon, Portuguese Canyon, Palos Verdes Peninsula Shoreline/Seawall, Torrance, and White Point Nature Preserve. The largest groups of documents refer to two major developemnt projects: Terranea Resort and the Ocean Trails Golf Club (now Trump National Golf Club Los Angeles). The collection is organized in to 20 series : Articles; Assesments; Brochures; CNPS Business; Correspondence; Court Cases and Legal Documents; Development Projects; Guidelines; Legislation and Policy; Magazines; Maps; Memoranda; Newsletters; Newspapers; Photographs; Projects; Proposals and Plans; Reports; Studies; and Surveys. The "Development" series is arranged into sub-series of Terranea Resort and Ocean Trails, while the "Reports" series is arranged into five sub-series of Environmental Impact Reports, Flora and Fauna, Los Angeles Area/South Bay, Plans, and Significant Ecological Areas. Series in this collection, and the subseries within them, are arranged alphabetically. Files within each series are sorted by date. Digital copies of some materials are available.

Dates

1972-2014

Creator

California Native Plant Society. Southern California Chapter (Organization)

Conditions Governing Use

All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Director of Archives and Special Collections. Permission for publication is given on behalf of Special Collections as the owner of the physical materials and not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained.

History

The California Native Plant Society (CNPS) was founded in 1965 in Berkeley, California, with the goal of protecting the biodiversity of the state of California. Since its inception, CNPS has worked to protect California's native plant heritage and preserve it for future generations. Today, CNPS continues to preserve the state’s wildlife by contributing to legislation, publishing informative articles and reports, fighting legal battles, hosting workshops, and managing databases. This volunteer-based organization has 35 chapters spanning the state. The South Coast chapter, the focus of this collection, oversees the LA and Long Beach area. This collection focuses on the chapter's work in the Rancho Palos Verdes area. The time period represented by these documents (1972-2014) was one of intense development pressure on local natural habitats and native flora and fauna of the area, and the chapter overcame many challenges in order to preserve the natural landscape.

Extent

12.67 Linear Feet

23 boxes

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

The California Native Plant Society (CNPS) is a non-profit organization dedicated to conserving California’s native plants and their habitats. Originally formed in 1965 in the East Bay region, the California Native Plant Society (CNPS) is a statewide non-profit organization of amateurs and professionals with a common interest in California's native plants. The organization's 10,000 members work to promote native plant appreciation, research, education, and conservation through 35 regional chapters throughout the state. This collection features documents from the organization’s South Coast Chapter, which oversees Los Angeles and Long Beach, focusing specifically on the chapter’s work in the Rancho Palos Verdes area. Documents refer to property development, legislation, planting guidelines, court cases, reports, studies, and surveys pertaining to Rancho Palos Verdes. Also included are photographs and maps of the area, as well as brochures from affiliated organizations and newspaper clippings.

Arrangement

Arranged in twenty series:

Series I: Articles (1982-2005, undated)
Series II: Assessments (1995-2006,undated)
Series III: Brochures (1993-2002)
Series IV: California Native Plant Society Business (1992-2004,undated)
Series V: Correspondence (1991-2011)
Series VI: Court Cases and Legal Documents (1992-2009)
Series VII: Development Projects (1990-2007)
Sub-series i: Terranea Resort (1990-2006, undated)
Sub-series ii: Ocean Trails Golf Club (1991-2007)
Series VIII: Guidelines (1989-2005,undated)
Series IX: Legislation and Policy (1990-2014,undated)
Series X: Magazines (1994-1996)
Series XI: Maps (1991-1999)
Series XII: Memoranda (1993-1998)
Series XIII: Newsletters (1982-1996)
Series XIV: Newspapers (1999-2005)
Series XV: Photographs (1993, undated)
Series XVI: Projects (1975-2001, undated)
Series XVII: Proposals and Plans (1975-2007, undated)
Series XVIII: Reports (1996)
Sub-series i: Environmental Impact Reports (1978-2010)
Sub-series ii: Flora and Fauna (1951-2003)
Sub-series iii: Los Angeles Area/South Bay (1972-2003, undated)
Sub-series iv: Plans (1991-2004)
Sub-series v: Significant Ecological Areas (SEA's) (1976-2000)
Series XIX: Studies (1994-1995)
Series XX : Surveys (1991-1996)

Processing Information

The South Coast Chapter Board recognized the importance of retaining Ms. Brinkmann-Busi’s documents as references for its ongoing conservation work; however the logistics of maintaining and accessing the many boxes was challenging. The Board opted to have the documents digitized for Chapter reference and to then house the original documents at the Archives and Special Collections Library of the California State University at Dominguez Hills. The documents were catalogued by Barbara Sattler with the generous assistance of Dr. Connie Vadheim. The collection was processed by Christina Delgadillo Palma in 2012 and was reprocessed by Allison Wall in 2022.