Dear John: Yes, it is protected. The Nature Conservancy bought about about 30 acres where the major display is. Grazing is still allowed, but the ranchers are supposed to remove their cows when the plants are in growth. I have seen them in there, however, with a lot of plants chewed down to the ground soon after they finished bloom. This Fritillaria used to be common, but grazing has devastated most populations, also true of other bulbs. Where grazing is intense, both on the eastern and the western sides of the Central Valley, there are few bulbs except in areas of scrub where the cows can't get at them. One saving grace for some of these areas is that the only water for the cattle is from streams that often dry up before the plants themselves have dried and scattered their seed, necessitating the removal of the herds. This is probably why Bear Valley, where F. pluriflora grows, still has magnificent displays of wild flowers, as does Table Mountain on the east side of the Central Valley. Diana Chapman ----- Original Message ----- From: "John Grimshaw" <j.grimshaw@virgin.net> To: "Pacific Bulb Society" <pbs@lists.ibiblio.org> Sent: Thursday, March 27, 2008 8:25 AM Subject: Re: [pbs] Wiki Additions -- Fritillaria, Diuris > The Fritillaria pluriflora diisplay is indeed magnificent. Is this area > protected in any way? > > John Grimshaw > > > Dr John M. Grimshaw > Sycamore Cottage > Colesbourne > Nr Cheltenham > Gloucestershire GL53 9NP > > Tel. 01242 870567 > > > > _______________________________________________ > pbs mailing list > pbs@lists.ibiblio.org > http://www.pacificbulbsociety.org/list.php > http://pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/