BISHOP, Calif., Apr 15, 2014 – Come celebrate the Fourth Annual Native Plant Week learning about the diversity of wildflowers on the Inyo National Forest. Wildflowers are blooming in the Owens Valley and will continue through the upcoming months with the flower bloom slowly marching uphill as the season progresses. The Wildflower Hot Spots of the Eastern Sierra is an excellent guide that is available for download online at http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5335777.pdf. It can also be purchased at visitor centers for $2.00. This guide will help visitors and residents identify and learn about the flowers they see on their travels.

The California State Assembly and Senate established the third week of April as California Native Plant Week to encourage community groups, schools, and citizens to undertake activities to promote the conservation, restoration, and appreciation of California's native plants. This week was set aside to recognize the vital historic, artistic, and economic contributions California’s native plants have made to the state. California native plant gardening and landscaping have tremendous positive impacts to watersheds, to habitat recovery, and to curbing catastrophic wildfires.