Genius

Some brilliant creative intervention into suburban sprawl in Santa Rosa:

Activists Suspected in Flower Plantings
June 07, 2005 7:14 AM EDT

SANTA ROSA, Calif. - Authorities are on the lookout for pistil-packing activists who apparently planted endangered wildflowers in order to block a housing development.

The state Department of Fish and Game has determined that Sebastopol meadowfoam discovered in the Laguna Vista subdivision in Sebastopol was deliberately transplanted from another location.

"This is a very unusual situation," said department botanist Gene Cooley.
"I've never known a rare plant to be introduced to a site to thwart development before."

The 145-unit Laguna Vista site, which borders a Fish and Game preserve, has been hotly contested by environmentalists concerned about nearby wetlands.

State officials launched a criminal investigation last week to determine who planted the wildflower, listed by the state and federal governments as endangered, which can present major obstacles to development.

So far, there aren't any suspects. And not everyone agrees with the state's finding.

Phil Northen, a Sonoma State University conservation biologist who first identified the 22 plants spotted on the 21-acre site, said he didn't believe they were transplants. Copyright 2005 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.