Golden Opportunists

The field at San Buenaventura State Park may be lovely to look at, a dappled Yellow Brick Road of golden daisies and sunny European chrysanthemums.

But make no mistake: Experts consider these golden blooms to be weeds. And they will get no mercy.

The opportunistic plants, whose seeds tumbled down from the mountains during El Nino’s heavy rains last year, have been crowding out the natives, stealing moisture and sunlight. So Trisha Munro, a resource ecologist from the state parks department, enlisted a crew of farm workers from the Center for Employment Training in Oxnard. The crew is plucking the unwelcome newcomers.

Munro will plant native lupine, a spiky, purple flower; and sand verbena, a pinkish-flowered plant that holds dunes solid.