Manahuu and Welcome to the Conservation Open Space Area

Freemont Cottonwood and Woods' Rose

Stop for a minute under the tall Fremont cottonwoods to the south of the path here. Red shouldered hawks nest in these trees in the spring and migrating warblers stop on their migration to rest and eat insects off of the branches. The Bishop Paiute name for this tree is sungabü or sagabi.

Take a look to the north of the path and note the rose bushes in front of you. Closely related to roses in a yard, this is the Woods' rose or wild rose. If it's blooming, you are lucky- lean in and smell the sweet fragrance of the wild rose, but watch out for thorns! This plant, called tsiubu, gives gifts in all seasons. If it's late summer, fall, or winter, look for small red "berries" on the plant. These are rose hips, and are packed with vitimin C. We eat them raw as well as dry them to make tea. The straight woody branches are used for baskets as well as shafts for arrows.

West Pond- Pupfish and Sunflower

You have arrived at the COSA's West Pond. This pond was originally dug out for the purpose of becoming a safe harbor site for the highly endangered Owens Pupfish. This small fish is endemic to the Owens Valley, can tolerate water temperatures from just above freezing up to 91 degrees Fahrenheit, and the males turn a bright iridescent blue color during mating season. The Bishop Paiute Tribe's Environmental Management Office is involved in ongoing efforts to bring the pupfish to this pond through revisiting agreements with the United States Fish and Wildlife Service and through digging the pond deeper to ensure it is a suitable habitat for the pupfish.

There are many plants that grow around the perimeter of this pond, in late summer, the bright sunflower provides beautiful blooms and seeds for goldfinches and people to eat in the fall. When it's not in bloom identify it by broad heart shaped leaves. Our name for this plant is paakü. This is also the name of one of the roadways adjacent to the COSA in the Bishop Paiute Commercial Park, these roads are named Pace and Siebu.

This pond supports many types of wildlife, including Mallard Ducks and Redwing Blackbirds. If it's summer, look for the flame skimmer, a bright orange dragonfly. If you are lucky, you may even see the wagigo (Pacific tree frog), searching for insects to eat.

Creeping Wild Rye and Saltgrass

Just to the north of the path here, there are two types of native grasses. See if you can tell them apart. Creeping Wild Rye is a tall bluish green grass that bears seeds on the end of a long stalk. Our name for this grass is wayabi.

The other grass is saltgrass, which grows low to the ground and occasionally produces small thick seed heads. Take a close look at the leaves of the saltgrass which we call tonabü. Can you see the small salt crystals on the surface? The salt is collected and made into candy by Tribes who live in the valley.

Polly's Pollinator Garden- Owens Valley Checkerbloom, Yerba Mansa, Narrow-leaf Milkweed, and Showy Milkweed

You have arrived at Polly's Pollinator Garden, protected by a low willow fence on the north side of the trail. This garden was created in memorial of staff member of the Bishop Paiute Tribe named Polly who loved walking in the COSA.

In late spring you may see delicate pink blossoms just inside the fence, this is the Owens Valley checkerbloom which is a state endangered wildflower. Staff of the Bishop Paiute Tribe's Environmental Management Office have been carefully propagating the Owens Valley Checkerbloom and transplanting it to sites like this in the COSA in order to support the health of its population.

Behind the Owens Valley Checkerbloom, look for the broad leaves, showy white flowers, and spreading shape of yerba mansa. If there is a dead leaf, crush it and see how good it smells. We call this medicinal plant nupitchi and use the roots for tea. The tea helps build the immune system, fights infection and colds, and helps the blood.

Here in the garden there is also plenty of narrow-leaf milkweed, umpü in Bishop Paiute. This relative of dogbane has fibrous stems that are also used to make cordage. Look for the thin green leaves, small white flowers, and thin seed pods in late summer and fall when identifying this plant.

Finally, see if you can find any of the broad leaved showy milkweed, called whishibü'üp or kutusihuubü. This type of milkweed is the only plant upon which the endangered Monarch butterfly lays her eggs. The caterpillar then hatches and eats from the leaves of the plant. The well-being of showy milkweed is essential for the well-being of the Monarch butterfly. Other species of butterfly, such as the swallowtail feed on the nectar from this plant as well.

East Pond- Cattail and Tule

Here at the COSA's East Pond you will notice many tall reeds growing around the perimeter of the pond and to the south of the path. These are a combination of cattails and tule reeds. You can tell them apart because the cattails have flat leaves and tules are round and spongy. Cattails have the "hotdog shaped" seed heads. These plants grow in very wet places and provide food in many seasons. The young shoots, the tubers, and the seed pollen are all eaten at different times of year. We call the cattail toiba.

The tall thin plant with round stalks that you see here is tule. This is a very useful plant and we call it saibü. The seeds and roots of this plant are eaten. It has a spongy inside that makes it float in water, so bunches of tules are tied together to make boats and twisted into the shape of ducks for hunting decoys. A toni (house) is made from tying bundles of tules to a willow frame.