Fwd: Gliders drop seeds from sky

This came from another of my lists - it is so amusing that I just had to share it.

BTW, Sylmar is a not terribly attractive neighborhood not far from Los Angeles, and about 5 miles from where I grew up. Certainly a place that will benefit from the effort!

Nan

Gliders drop seeds from sky

By Lisa Mascaro, Staff Writer
Los Angeles Daily News
February 15, 2005

SYLMAR -- In a high-flying Valentine to the San
Fernando Valley, hang gliders took to the skies Monday
and sprinkled poppy seeds over a hillside in hopes of
seeing more of the orange flowers this spring.

The drop was the brainchild of Rome Dodson, a
76-year-old hang glider who solicited donations and
recruited colleagues to make it happen.

"The plan is to turn Sylmar into the poppy capital of
the San Fernando Valley," said Dodson, a member of the
200-member Sylmar Hang Gliding Club.

"They're beautiful and they're a real attraction.
People come from 100 miles to see the poppy reserve in
the Antelope Valley.

"We could have it right here in our own back yard."

In all, seven gliders carried eight pounds of seeds
aloft and sprinkled them on private property on Kagel
Mountain above Sylmar.

Even though prime poppy-planting season is in the
fall, plant experts said the rains forecast for today
might help the seeds take root.

Some experts had raised concerns that the group was
introducing a nonnative species that could crowd out
native poppies, like those that bloom naturally at
Antelope Valley's California Poppy Reserve.

But Dodson used California poppy seeds, which he
bought from the Theodore Payne Foundation for
Wildflowers and Native Plants Inc. -- a Sun
Valley-based organization that promotes the
preservation of California's native flora.

Ray Smith, the deputy agricultural commissioner for
Los Angeles County, who specializes in invasive
plants, thought the stunt was benign.

"We don't care," he said, noting that he's more
concerned about keeping out state-classified noxious
weeds.

"Will they even survive, these seeds? It just doesn't
seem like a serious issue."

Dodson had gone on a one-man mission last year to
promote California's state flower and scattered some
seeds from his hang glider to see whether they would
take hold. When they did, he started organizing
Monday's event.

The Sylmar Chamber of Commerce donated $160 for four
pounds of seeds, he said, and he's collecting the
balance through donations to the Theodore Payne
Foundation.

Club member Lynn McLaughlin was thrilled at the chance
to scatter seeds as she flew tandem with her
instructor.

"When we were flying over the grassy (area), it was
incredible. It was perfect, it was lovely, it was
great.

"I realized it was really a romantic thing to do ...
For my mountain, for Sylmar, for the Valley.

"We're just really hoping this will take hold."

Lisa Mascaro, (818) 713-3761
lisa.mascaro@dailynews.com


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Nan Sterman			Plant Soup (TM)
PO Box 231034
Encinitas, CA 92023		760.634.2902 (voice)
Talkingpoints@PlantSoup.Com	760.634.2957 (fax)

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