Woolly Pocket

The Theodore Payne Foundation is well known for their efforts to promote the understanding and preservation of California native flora. Their newsletters are always full of great information and exciting events. I’ve only been there a few times, but they were unforgettable experiences. If you’re in the area, stop by their center to find amazing native plants for sale. Their latest newsletter had the most amazing story about a spider that I just had to share it with you all.

Words and Photo by Lisa Novick

Friend of Theodore Payne,

Green Lynx spiders are one of the few arachnids that display maternal care. For the hour that I watched her last Friday morning, this mama Green Lynx spider spent her time defending her spiderlings from ants. Perched at the top of my Fuyu persimmon tree, Mama patiently waited until an ant made a move on one of her babies, then picked up the ant and dropped it from the tree. Then, when one of her spiderlings started to drop away from the nest, Mama reached down and lifted the baby back into the protection of the web. This mama’s abdomen looks withered, and that is probably because this mama is not long for this world. The Green Lynx spider is an annual univoltine species, meaning that the species lives only one year and has only one brood or generation per year. After a reproductive season during the summer, oviposition of anywhere from 25 to 600 eggs in the autumn, and hatching and dispersal of juveniles by ballooning in winter, the juveniles grow to maturity during the spring, passing through four to ten instars before the cycle repeats. Mama even opens the egg case to help her young emerge — how sweet!

Lisa also adds:

90% of all insect species can eat only plants that are native to their region.  Insects are the basis of the food chain because they convert leaf matter to protein.  Most non-domesticated land animals depend upon insects in some way for their survival.  So, California native plants not only save water, they save wildlife as well.

The caterpillars of most butterflies and moths can eat only a few species of native plants.  Without native plants, most butterflies and moths go extinct.  This would be terrible because butterflies and moths are pollinators AND because caterpillars are the main food (think soft, squishy pure protein) of baby birds.  Everything is connected:  Without caterpillars, our bird populations crash.  And we would have so much less beauty in the world.

Thanks so much Lisa for letting us share you story with our readers and for all the amazing work Theodore Payne is doing to preserve native flora!

Theodore Payne Foundation for Wild Flowers & Native Plants, Inc.
10459 Tuxford Street, Sun Valley CA 91352
818/768-1802
Like Theodore Payne on Facebook
www.theodorepayne.org

It was a gorgeous summer night in Pasadena where we came to enjoy the opening night of the California Design Biennial:

an exhibition that highlights the most significant and innovative designs being created in California. Great works of art are often inspired by challenges and adversity; this exhibition will focus on how California’s established and emerging designers are responding to current economic, political, and environmental challenges.

The show was curated by experts in the fields of industrial design, fashion, graphic, transportation and architecture. Our Woolly friend Rose Apodaca of A+R curated the fashion portion of the exhibition!

Go Rose!

A Gregory Parkinson dress with necklaces by Annie Costello Brown

Toyota’s Ad Campaign featuring real life plants!

One of the many wheeled designs on display was this sleek and functional wheelchair.

How Woolly! Felted Metal Folding Chairs by Tanya Aguiñiga

The yet to be released 4 door sedan from Tesla Motors.

A perfect place to hang out under this paper sculpture.

A Jetski for the skies? The Icon A5.

In just about every city around the world, you can find a neglected park strewn with trash and weeds growing waist high. Making matters worse, these eyesores tend to concentrate in communities with limited access to green open spaces for children to play and families to relax and enjoy the outdoors. With city budgets straining, it is clear that assistance needs to come from somewhere.

In 1995, Grammy award winning singer and actress Bette Midler was fed up with the trash and neglect she saw throughout the ctiy that launched her career, and founded New York Restoration Project, a nonprofit dedicated to restoring and revitalizing parks and open spaces in New York City. Open green spaces

offer an abundant gift of health for individual body and spirit, bring the promise of local community and economic development, and help to make New York City and our planet more environmentally secure and sustainable.

Their first action was to cleanup a park with a group of volunteers helping out. Over the past 15 years, NYRP has expanded their mission beyond cleaning up parks to include many other missions:

• Native Plant Restoration
• Plant and Nature focused Celebrations
• Educational Programs exposing urban schoolchildren to the wonders of the natural environment, including Outdoor Classrooms
• Park Management
• Urban Garden Restoration, Preservation and Maintenance
• Art and Performance Programs in parks
• Nutrition Education
• Sustainable Initiatives including Rainwater Harvesting, Off Grid, Waste Reduction and Million Trees NYC

Last month, Woolly Pocket partnered with NYRP in creating a Living Wall in Union Square in honor of Earth Day. The wall, measuring 96′ x 8′, was built using 300 Woolly Wallys and was the gateway to the NYC Grows Festival held a few days later.

We’re extremely proud to have worked with such an amazing organization pursuing goals in line with our mission to help all people enjoy the beauty and benefits of growing plants. If you believe in their mission like we do, then consider becoming a member of NYRP!

Do you know of an organization doing good work in your town? Let us know, we’d love to profile them in future postings! Happy Gardening!