Field Studies Committee |
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Objectives:
The Colorado Native Plant Society annually collaborates with various agencies, academic institutions, and other partners in research to promote the conservation and management of Colorado’s rare plants and communities. You are invited to participate in conducting field research, such as plant inventories, monitoring rare plants, or assisting Master’s or PhD students in collecting field data about plants they study. Field studies are a rewarding and hands-on way to view Colorado’s rare plants in their habitats, and your help contributes to the understanding of their ecology, distribution, and conservation needs. Field trips are lead by a CoNPS coordinator or person conducting the study. Trips are typically one or two days in length and may require overnight stays. There are a limited number of openings (usually 5-15) for each trip and you must contact the trip leader to participate. Accommodations and food typically are not provided for participants; you will get details about these when you inquire. For information about the Field Studies Committee, please contact Steve Popovich, stevepopovich@hotmail.com, 970-295-6641. 2011 Field Study Trips Plant Surveys of Corral Bluffs Open Space Moonwort Monitoring at Bonny Prairie Natural Area Picket Wire Canyon Bioblitz Join a team of biologists to survey Picket Wire Canyon to document plants and animals. The canyon is along the Purgatoire River on the Comanche National Grassland, about 25 miles south of LaJunta in Las Animas County. Cretaceous to Permian rock outcrops, juniper woodlands, and shortgrass prairie abound. Several state-tracked ferns and flowering plants are known in the area. It's the only site in the National Forest System with a mandate to protect and conserve paleontological resources (including a world-class dinosaur track site). The Forest Service is working on an update of the Management Plan, and we don't have a lot of information on the plants and critters in the neighborhood. This may be our best opportunity to find out something new. We'd be camping in the vicinity of the Rourke Ranch (a site on the National Register of Historic Places), but would have access to running water. Mileage may or may not be arranged for volunteers. Be prepared for hot dry conditions, long days in rough terrain, and plenty of opportunities for scenic photos. For more information, contact Steven Olson, solson01@fs.fed.us, or call 719-553-1519. Survey and Monitoring of Skiff Milkvetch The Colorado Natural Areas Program may be surveying for and possibly conducting counts of skiff milkvetch (Astragalus microcymbus), a Candidate species in lower-elevation sagebrush areas of the Gunnison Basin. Contact: Brian Kurzel, Natural Areas Coordinator, brian.kurzel@state.co.us, or call 303-866-3203 ext. 4301. High Elevation Fen Reconnaissance near Boulder Join Colorado’s own fen authority Dr. David Cooper and Roosevelt National Forest Botanist Steve Popovich in exploring a subalpine fen (10,600 feet elevation) with incredible views of the surrounding mountains near Brainard Lake west of Boulder. We will be deriving baseline lists of vascular plant species and perhaps mosses. Fens are specialized wetlands that are fascinating to visit. The one-day trip includes a flat 3/4-mile walk-in and driving on graded dirt roads, and is limited to 6 people (avid Botanists and novice plant enthusiasts welcome). Rubber boots are required. Contact: Steve Popovich, stevepopovich@hotmail.com, or call 970-295-6641.
For information about the Field Studies Committee, please contact Steve Popovich.
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