Keystone Plants with Golden State Naturalist’s Michelle Fullner

Come hear about the basics of native plants and then dive into the keystone species that are doing the most work for our local ecosystems on September 20, 2025 at the Regional Park Lakeside Room in Auburn. This way, we can all integrate these plants into our home gardens and increase our impact with just a few scoops of the shovel.

It’s a story we hear more often all the time: Growing native plants brings the butterflies to the yard. And the bees. And the birds. Plant enough natives, the story goes, and you’ll soon find yourself standing in a backyard oasis buzzing with life. (And, yes, front and side yards can also do the job!)

And this is true. Native plants support a wider variety of life than non-native species.

But did you know that an overwhelming majority of caterpillar species are supported by just a small percentage of the native plants we can grow at home?

These ecological superstars are called keystone plants, and they’re more important now than ever.

While we should keep planting a wide variety of native plants, which play many roles in our local ecosystems, there are a few that can deliver the highest bang for our buck in terms of biodiversity and energy transfer through local food webs.

These plants should be present in everyone’s home habitat, and they’re even a great starting place for those of us who are new to native gardening.

Location and Registration

This program, sponsored by the California Native Plant Society’s local Redbud Chapter, will be Saturday, September 20, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. at the Regional Park Lakeside Room, 3770 Richardson Dr., Auburn, Ca. The room is next to the Regional Gym.

We’re taking donations of any and all amounts at event registration. Thank you for supporting our wide-ranging, environmental endeavors!

About the Presenter

Michelle Fullner is an educator, California Naturalist, parent of two woodland sprite daughters, and host of the Golden State Naturalist podcast, which is now ranked in the top 1% of podcasts globally. Michelle holds a bachelor’s degree in English and Comparative Literature from San Jose State University and a Master’s in English: Composition and Rhetoric, from California State University, Sacramento. As an educator, she taught middle and high school English in California public schools for ten years before transitioning to her life as a full-time admirer of acorns, California newts, redwood sorrel, and tide pools. NOTE from your organizers: If you haven’t experienced Ms. Fullner’s podcast, you’re in for a treat! Access to the Golden State Naturalist podcast on your favorite listening platform (and more) is available on her website at https://www.goldenstatenaturalist.com.

Host or Publisher Monica Finn & Chris Catlin, CNPS Redbud Chapter