Don Rideout is a retired city planner for the City of Carlsbad, CA. He is currently working as a volunteer with the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park Botany Society where he serves as newsletter editor. The purpose of the ABDSP Botany Society is to study the native plants of the region, assist the park in conserving these plants in the wild, and interpret the botany of the region for visitors. He has been married to Sheila since 1971 and has two sons and six grandchildren. He enjoys gardening with California native plants in Encinitas and Borrego Springs.