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  • Members: 5
  • Category: Botany
  • Founded: Nov 7, 2004
  • Language: English
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#388 From: Kathy Bilton <kathy@...>
Date: Sun Sep 5, 2010 4:10 pm
Subject: (BSW) Meeting reminder - this coming Tuesday at 7 PM
pvasshep
Send Email Send Email
 
This coming Tuesday is the first Tuesday of the month and time for the
monthly BSW meetings to once again begin.



Date: Tuesday, September 7th 7:00 PM

Topic: Members' Night

Flyer for Posting:  Not yet available

The September meeting is Members' Night!

Several members will be giving 5-10 minute presentations on various
topics.

As in the past, our September "Members' Night" will provide an opportunity
for several members to share some of their botanical travel or research
slides, or to present other short subjects (10 minutes or less) to which
this format is especially suited. Members who plan to present slides
should send an email to Carol Spurrier at carol.spurrier@....

There will be a laptop available for powerpoint presentations or other
digital media that you bring on a CD or USB drive.


http://botsoc.org/

#389 From: Kathy Bilton <kathy@...>
Date: Tue Sep 7, 2010 5:03 pm
Subject: (BSW) Still slots available for tonight's Members' Night presentations
pvasshep
Send Email Send Email
 
Date: Tuesday, September 7th 7:00 PM

Topic: Members' Night

The September meeting is Members' Night!

Several members will be giving 5-10 minute presentations on various
topics.

As in the past, our September "Members' Night" will provide an opportunity
for several members to share some of their botanical travel or research
slides, or to present other short subjects (10 minutes or less) to which
this format is especially suited. Members who plan to present slides
should send an email to Carol Spurrier at carol.spurrier@....

There will be a laptop available for powerpoint presentations or other
digital media that you bring on a CD or USB drive.

#390 From: Scott Knudsen <sknudsen@...>
Date: Sat Sep 18, 2010 6:02 pm
Subject: Parkfairfax Native Plant Sale is Sept. 25!
tree_steward
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The Parkfairfax Native Plant Sale is NEXT Saturday, Sept. 25, from 9
a.m. to 2 p.m.  This is the 7th anniversary of the sale!  Thirteen
vendors from five states will be hosted, making this sale the biggest
it has ever been in the fall!

As always, a contact list for vendors is provided on the plant sale
website.  Feel free to call the vendors and ask about specific plants
they might bring for your purchase.

Whether you come to this sale every spring and fall or haven't come in
years, there are several GREAT NEW REASONS why you should come to THIS
sale on Sept. 25th!  I've listed them at
http://home.earthlink.net/~sknudsen/id10.html

Regards,

Scott Knudsen
organizer, Parkfairfax Native Plant Sale
website:  http://www.home.earthlink.net/~sknudsen/
my cell:  571-232-0375
sknudsen@...


-------------------------------------------------------
PARKFAIRFAX NATIVE PLANT SALE
September 25, 2010 -- 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
3601 Valley Drive, Alexandria, VA  22302

Thirteen vendors from five states (VA, MD, PA, WV, and SC) will be at
the 15th Parkfairfax Native Plant Sale, now the largest native plant
sale in the Washington D.C. area.  Several of the vendors carry native
trees and shrubs as well as perennials, and several specialize in an
aspect of native plants, such as fruiting shrubs, wetland plants,
ferns, carnivorous plants, or native azaleas.  Several don't come to
our area for any other plant sale.

For a list of vendors, and links to their websites, see the plant sale
website at http://www.home.earthlink.net/~sknudsen/ and click on the
"vendors" page.

The sale is organized and run by volunteers.  No one makes money from
it except the vendors.  Its purpose is to promote native plant
gardening in our region because gardening with natives helps our
watershed, woodlands, and wildlife!  Bringing together many growers
makes it easier for local gardeners to find quality plants and
encourages greater demand for natives in the nursery industry.

Directions:  Parkfairfax is located in the Washington DC metro area
within the I-495 Beltway, in northwest Alexandria directly across I-395
from Shirlington.  From I-395, exit Shirlington/Quaker onto Quaker
Lane.  At the first light on Quaker, turn left onto Preston.  Follow
Preston to Valley and turn left on Valley.  The sale will be just past
Gunston on your right.  Maps and directions are on the sale website.

Please pass this email along to your interested friends.  This sale
depends entirely on word-of-mouth support.  Thank you for helping to
spread the word!

#391 From: Kathy Bilton <kathy@...>
Date: Mon Sep 20, 2010 4:37 pm
Subject: (BSW) Next meeting + Sept. 24-25 Botanical Symposium
pvasshep
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The next BSW meeting will be on Tuesday, 5 October at 7 PM.

Don Hyatt will speak about The Azaleas of North America.


Coming up later in the week will be the Smithsonian Botanical Symposium
2010 — Presented by the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History
Department of Botany in collaboration with the United States Botanic
Garden with support from the Cuatrecasas Family Foundation:

"Food For Thought: 21st Century Perspectives on Plants and People"

Details at:
http://botany.si.edu/sbs/

#392 From: Kathy Bilton <kathy@...>
Date: Thu Sep 30, 2010 3:30 pm
Subject: (BSW) Meeting reminder - October 5 + Native plant sale this Saturday (VA)
pvasshep
Send Email Send Email
 
The next BSW meeting will take place this coming Tuesday, 5 October, 7 PM.

Speaker:  Don Hyatt
Topic:    The Azaleas of North America

A flyer for posting is now available at: http://botsoc.org/oct10.pdf

Dinner details, etc. on the website: http://botsoc.org

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

From vnps-pot email list:

The Potowmack Chapter's Fall Native Plant Sale will be held on Saturday,
October 2 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Green Spring Gardens. Over 1,000
native plants will be offered including ferns, shrubs, trees and
perennials for shady and sunny areas. Free brochures on gardening with
native plants will be available as well as help and advice from expert
gardeners. Plants will be sold from the chapter?s propagation area, which
is behind the horticulture center. All proceeds support the chapter?s
education and conservation efforts.

Fall Garden Day activities include live music, plant vendors, a bake sale, tea
tasting at the Historic House, and free activities for kids and families in the
garden. Sales of popcorn, cider and sandwiches will benefit the Friends of
Green
Spring. 

Green Spring Gardens
4603 Green Spring Rd
Alexandria, VA 22312
703 642 5173
http://www.greenspring.org 

Directions: >From I- 395, exit at Route 236 West (Little River Turnpike) in
Alexandria; turn right at Braddock Road and go 1 block north to park entrance.


http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vnps-pot/

#393 From: Kathy Bilton <kathy@...>
Date: Wed Oct 27, 2010 2:20 am
Subject: (BSW) Next BSW meeting, Tuesday, 2 November 7 PM
pvasshep
Send Email Send Email
 
Next Meeting

Date: Tuesday, November 2nd 7:00 PM

Speakers:  Rod Simmons, Greg Zell and Mark Strong

Topic:  Unexplored Pine Barrens of Washington and Vicinity

Flyer for November meeting is at: http://botsoc.org/nov10.doc


The globally-rare Magnolia Bogs are a characteristic component of the pine
barrens communities (themselves globally-rare) that occur along the fall
line more or less from the Baltimore area southward to the Fredericksburg,
Virginia area, with the greatest concentration in the
Laurel-D.C.-Franconia area. They are considered ancient outliers of the
New Jersey Pine Barrens northern coastal plain pineland communities.


Meeting location: Cathy Kerby Room (Room CE-340), Smithsonian Institution,
National Museum of Natural History, 10th St. and Constitution Avenue NW,
Washington, DC. Use the Constitution Avenue entrance; wait to be escorted
up. All are welcome. As usual, light refreshments will be served prior to
and after the presentation.

Pre-meeting dinner: 5:30 P.M. at the Elephant & Castle Pub and Restaurant,
1201 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W., Washington. Phone 202-347-7707. The
restaurant is diagonally across from the Old Post Office Pavilion at 12th
and Pennsylvania, a few blocks from the Museum, with Federal Triangle the
nearest Metro station, and Metro Center also nearby.

#395 From: Kathy Bilton <kathy@...>
Date: Mon Nov 1, 2010 2:18 pm
Subject: (BSW) Meeting reminder - tomorrow - Nov. 2, 7pm
pvasshep
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Date: Tuesday, November 2nd 7:00 PM

Speakers: Rod Simmons, (and maybe) Greg Zell and Mark Strong

Topic: Unexplored Pine Barrens of Washington and Vicinity

Flyer for November meeting is at: http://botsoc.org/nov10.doc


The globally-rare Magnolia Bogs are a characteristic component of the pine
barrens communities (themselves globally-rare) that occur along the fall
line more or less from the Baltimore area southward to the Fredericksburg,
Virginia area, with the greatest concentration in the
Laurel-D.C.-Franconia area.  They are considered ancient outliers of the
New Jersey Pine Barrens northern coastal plain pineland communities.


Meeting location: Cathy Kerby Room (Room CE-340), Smithsonian Institution,
National Museum of Natural History, 10th St. and Constitution Avenue NW,
Washington, DC. Use the Constitution Avenue entrance; wait to be escorted
up. All are welcome. As usual, light refreshments will be served prior to
and after the presentation.

Pre-meeting dinner: 5:30 P.M. at the Elephant & Castle Pub and Restaurant,
1201 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W., Washington. Phone 202-347-7707. The
restaurant is diagonally across from the Old Post Office Pavilion at 12th
and Pennsylvania, a few blocks from the Museum, with Federal Triangle the
nearest Metro station, and Metro Center also nearby.

#396 From: Kathy Bilton <kathy@...>
Date: Thu Nov 11, 2010 5:05 am
Subject: (BSW) Holiday banquet - December 7 at the Aria Trattoria
pvasshep
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Larry Dorr has made arrangements for the annual banquet.  It will be held
at the Aria Trattoria where it has been held a couple of previous years,
close to the Smithsonian and easily accessible by Metro.  The invitation
(reproduced below) and a form for sending in your reservation are
attached.  It is asked that you let Paul Peterson know by December 2nd
that you plan to attend.

****************************************************************


It's time for the annual BSW holiday banquet. This year we will be holding
it at Aria Trattoria - http://www.ariatrattoria.com which is in the Ronald
Reagan Building and International Trade Center near the Federal Triangle
Metro.

Along with this invitation is a form to send in with your reservation. (Be
sure to write the names of those planning to be at the dinner.) Larry Dorr
will be giving the President's Address after dinner. Directions to the
restaurant can be found at the restaurant’s web site.

The Botanical Society of Washington
Annual Banquet Dinner
Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Aria Trattoria
1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20004
Web site: http://www.ariatrattoria.com

Parking is available below the Ronald Reagan Building, and garage
entrances are off 14th Street and Pennsylvania Ave. (parking will be
validated by the restaurant for those who enter the garage after 5 pm);
nearest Metro stop is Federal Triangle (just to the east of the building).

Arrival time is 6:00 pm with cash bar. Dinner served at 7:00 pm; departure
at 8:30 pm.
Dinner is $50.00 per person (includes DC tax and gratuity).

Please respond to this invitation by Thursday, December 2, 2010, which is
when the restaurant expects us to give them a head count. You may indicate
(on the attached form) your preference for a first course and an entrée
for the dinner. Also, you can renew your BSW membership for 2011 by adding
to $10.00 ($15.00 for two at same address). Please send form with check
(payable to Botanical Society of Washington) (or notify by Thursday,
December 2nd) to: Paul Peterson, Department of Botany MRC-166, Smithsonian
Institution, PO Box 37012, Washington, DC 20013-7012 (peterson@...).

Dinner menu

First course (choice of soup or salad)

Entrée choices (select one):

Slow-cooked Beef Bourguignon Sautéed with Orecchiette Pasta (Fall
Vegetables, Natural Jus)

Oven-Roasted Free Range Chicken (Celery Root Mousseline, Oyster Mushroom
Fricassee, Juniper Berry Sauce)

Vegetarian Option (not yet determined by the Chef)

Plated Desserts (various choices)

#397 From: Kathy Bilton <kathy@...>
Date: Mon Nov 29, 2010 8:27 pm
Subject: (BSW) Reminder - reservations need for holiday banquet by this Friday
pvasshep
Send Email Send Email
 
_/\_     __/\__
        )   (_  _) .' (
        `) '.( ) .'  (`
         `-._\()/__(~`
             ()()
            / |`\
            ) : (
            `)_/`


It's time for the annual BSW holiday banquet. This year we will be holding
it at on Tuesday, 7 December, at the Aria Trattoria -
http://www.ariatrattoria.com which is in the Ronald Reagan Building and
International Trade Center (1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW) near the Federal
Triangle Metro.

Larry Dorr will be giving the President's Address after dinner. Directions
to the restaurant can be found on the restaurant's web site.

Parking is available below the Ronald Reagan Building, and garage
entrances are off 14th Street and Pennsylvania Ave. (parking will be
validated by the restaurant for those who enter the garage after 5 pm);
nearest Metro stop is Federal Triangle (just to the east of the building).

Arrival time is 6:00 pm with cash bar. Dinner served at 7:00 pm; departure
at 8:30 pm. Dinner is $50.00 per person (includes DC tax and gratuity).

Please respond to this invitation by Friday, December 3, 2010, which is
when the restaurant expects us to give them a head count. You may indicate
(on the form available for download below) your preference for a first
course and an Entre for the dinner. Also, you can renew your BSW
membership for 2011 by adding to $10.00 ($15.00 for two at same address).

Please send form with check (payable to Botanical Society of Washington)
(or notify by Friday, December 3 - peterson@...) to: Paul Peterson,
Department of Botany MRC-166, Smithsonian Institution, PO Box 37012,
Washington, DC 20013-7012

Menus and forms can be found here:

http://botsoc.org/2010BSWdinner.doc
http://botsoc.org/2010banquetformand2011dues.doc

*****************************************************************

                  -*-
                 '/'\`
                 /`'o\
                /#,o'`\
               o/`"#,`\o
               /`o``"#,\
              o/#,`'o'`\o
              /o`"#,`',o\
             o`-._`"#_.-'o
                 _|"|_
                 \=%=/
                  """

#398 From: Kathy Bilton <kathy@...>
Date: Thu Dec 23, 2010 10:37 pm
Subject: (BSW) January 4 Meeting
pvasshep
Send Email Send Email
 
The 919th meeting of the BSW will take place on TUesday, January 4 2011 at
7 PM. The speaker will be Anne Frances who is the lead botanist of
NatureServe. Her topic will be:  Florida native wildflowers in the
landscape:  Methods for establishment and management on roadsides.

A flyer to print/post can be found here: http://botsoc.org/jan11.pdf


Location:  Cathy Kerby Room (Room CE-340)
Smithsonian Institution, National  Museum of Natural History

As usual, light refreshments will be served.

Pre-meeting dinner: 5:30 P.M. at the Elephant & Castle Pub and Restaurant,
1201 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W., Washington. Phone 202-347-7707. The
restaurant is diagonally across from the Old Post Office Pavilion at 12th
and Pennsylvania, a few blocks from the Museum, with Federal Triangle the
nearest Metro station, and Metro Center also nearby.

Let Larry Dorr know if you are coming to the meeting by December 31 so
that he can arrange for badges.  DORRL@...

Anne Frances is the Lead Botanist at NatureServe, where she coordinates efforts
to assess the conservation status of rare plants and the vulnerability of
native species to climate change.

A botanist, ecologist, and horticulturist by training, Anne is a Miami,
Florida, native who most recently worked for the U.S. Forest Service. Anne has
also worked at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, the Institute for Regional
Conservation, and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.

Anne’s interests lie in native plant conservation, ethnobotany, and
restoration
ecology. She first learned about native plant conservation at the University of
North Carolina Chapel Hill, where she completed a bachelor’s degree in
Biology.
Her interest in native plants led to an internship at the North Carolina
Botanical Garden. She completed an M.S. in Biology with a focus on ethnobotany
at Florida International University. As part of her thesis, Anne lived in
southern Costa Rica with an indigenous group called the Guaymí, collecting
plants and documenting plant uses. She earned her Ph.D. in Environmental
Horticulture from the University of Florida. Her dissertation focused on
establishing native wildflowers on roadsides and former pastures in Florida.

#399 From: Kathy Bilton <kathy@...>
Date: Thu Dec 23, 2010 10:39 pm
Subject: (BSW) From Rod Simmons: some good links/sites for posting
pvasshep
Send Email Send Email
 
Subject: some good links/sites for posting

Here is a link to Steve Young's excellent site on forest restoration and
invasive exotic plant removal at the local/county level:

http://plantwhacker.blogspot.com

And Meghan First's excellent store for quality bird seed and material for
birdwatching, nature, etc.:

http://www.polyxenes.com/



Thanks,

Rod

#400 From: Kathy Bilton <kathy@...>
Date: Mon Jan 3, 2011 3:35 pm
Subject: (BSW) Tomorrow, Tues. Jan. 4 - Florida Wildflowers + 2011 calendar
pvasshep
Send Email Send Email
 
FYI: The Alien Plant Working Group's Invasive Plant Calendar for 2011 is
now done and available online for you to download & print.  Take a look at
it at http://www.nps.gov/plants/alien/pubs/calendar.htm It highlights this
year's updated version of Plant Invaders of Mid-Atlantic Natural Areas.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The first meeting of 2011 will take place tomorrow, 4 January at 7 pm.

919th meeting of the Botanical Society of Washington

Speaker:  Anne Francis, NatureServe

Topic:  Florida native wildflowers in the landscape:
   Methods forestablishment and management on roadsides

Meeting location: Cathy Kerby Room (Room CE-340), Smithsonian Institution,
National Museum of Natural History, 10th St. and Constitution Avenue NW,
Washington, DC. Use the Constitution Avenue entrance; wait to be escorted
up. All are welcome. As usual, light refreshments will be served prior to
and after the presentation.

Pre-meeting dinner: 5:30 P.M. at the Elephant & Castle Pub and Restaurant,
1201 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W., Washington. Phone 202-347-7707. The
restaurant is diagonally across from the Old Post Office Pavilion at 12th
and Pennsylvania, a few blocks from the Museum, with Federal Triangle the
nearest Metro station, and Metro Center also nearby.

#401 From: Kathy Bilton <kathy@...>
Date: Sun Jan 9, 2011 11:31 pm
Subject: (BSW) Febrary 1 speaker + dues info
pvasshep
Send Email Send Email
 
Simone Cappelli will be speaking at the next meeting on February 1st.
The general topic is the Malpighiaceae.  A more specific title will be
provided at a later date.

Upcoming speakers and topics:

Joshua Bell 3/1 ethnobotany of New Guinean palms
Sara Tangren 4/5 MD wild ryes


You can check to see if you have paid your 2011 dues here:
http://www.botsoc.org/BSWASH DUES 2011_5jan.xls

If you need to pay dues, please send them to:

Paul Peterson
Department of Botany, MRC-166
National Museum of Natural History
Smithsonian Institution
P.O. Box 37012
Washington, DC 20013-7012

Dues are $10 for individuals or $15 for two at one address.

_______________________________________________

For any who may be curious, and whose email program does not strip off the
address, the reason the mails are sent to Botanical Society
<terr60@...> is that the person whose email address this is was unable
to receive the mails which are sent via BCC so I came up with this
solution so I wouldn't have to remember to send him a separate mail every
time I sent out a mail.

#402 From: Kathy Bilton <kathy@...>
Date: Mon Jan 10, 2011 4:13 pm
Subject: (BSW) problem with dues file
pvasshep
Send Email Send Email
 
Jil brought to my attention that there was a problem with opening the dues
file using the URL provided.  I'd neglected to notice the spaces in the
original filename.  (There can't be spaces in a file for the web.)  So
anyway, I've fixed the problem and it should now be found without problem
at:

http://www.botsoc.org/BSWASH_DUES_2011_5jan.xls

#403 From: Kathy Bilton <kathy@...>
Date: Thu Jan 20, 2011 7:36 pm
Subject: (BSW) February 1 - Neotropical Malpighiaceae + New Pollinator Book
pvasshep
Send Email Send Email
 
920th Meeting

Tuesday, 1 February, 2011 at 7:00 P.M

Speaker: Ms. Simone Cappellari
of Smithsonian Institution and the University of  Texas

Topic: “Addicted to oil:  Pterandra pyroidea - a case of pollination shift
within Neotropical Malpighiaceae”

Flyer for posting is available at: http://www.botsoc.org/feb11.pdf

Neotropical Malpighiaceae are well know for their fairly specialized
pollination system, known as "Oil Flower Pollination Syndrome".
Pollination shifts away from this specialized system will be explored with
a species that occurs within the region considered a hotspot of
oil-collecting bee diversity in the Brazilian Cerrado!

Location:  Cathy Kerby Room (Room CE-340)
Smithsonian Institution, National  Museum of Natural History
All are Welcome.
As usual, light refreshments will be served.

Pre-meeting dinner: 5:30 P.M. at the Elephant & Castle Pub and Restaurant,
1201 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W., Washington. Phone 202-347-7707. The
restaurant is diagonally across from the Old Post Office Pavilion at 12th
and Pennsylvania, a few blocks from the Museum, with Federal Triangle the
nearest Metro station, and Metro Center also nearby.

Let Larry Dorr know if you are coming to the meeting by January 28 so that
he can arrange for badges.  DORRL@...

Website:  http://botsoc.org (where you can always find all these messages
archived)

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Xerces Society announces new publication:  

"Attracting Native Pollinators"

http://www.xerces.org/announcing-the-publication-of-attracting-native-pollinator\
s/

"The work of bees and other pollinators is something that touches us all
through the food we eat, the clothes we wear, and the landscapes we enjoy.
Attracting Native Pollinators offers a window onto the fascinating lives
of these insects and provides detailed information about how you can care
for these vital animals wherever you live. Whether you are an urban
gardener, a suburban park manager, a working farmer, or caring for a
nature reserve Attracting Native Pollinators has something for you."

#404 From: Kathy Bilton <kathy@...>
Date: Tue Feb 1, 2011 7:35 pm
Subject: (BSW) Tonight's meeting is a go + announcement from the SABC
pvasshep
Send Email Send Email
 
Since weather isn't as bad (at least until later tonight) as
it had looked like it might be - the meeting for tonight,
Tuesday, February 1, is on as scheduled.

7 PM in the Cathy Kerby Room, with dinner beforehand for
those who wish to go at the Elephant and Castle.  Details on
the webpage at http://botsoc.org

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Also, Rod Simmons just sent info about the 75th anniversary
of the Southern Appalachian Botanical Society.  See their
webpage:  http://www.sabs.appstate.edu/75thAnniv/Index75.htm

#405 From: Kathy Bilton <kathy@...>
Date: Fri Feb 4, 2011 11:37 pm
Subject: (BSW) Fw: Native Plants and Butterflies Talk + Next BSW meeting
pvasshep
Send Email Send Email
 
Note: The March speaker for the BSW meeting on the 1st is
scheduled to be Joshua Bell of the SI Dept. of Anthropology.
His topic is to be the  Ethnobotany of New Guinean palms.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Carol Spurrier asked that I send this out to the BSW list:


    The Potowmack Chapter of VNPS invites butterfly enthusiasts to join them
   for a lecture on using Native Plants and Butterflies on Thursday, February
   10th at Green Spring Gardens.

                          Native Plants For Butterflies
                       Thursday, February 10th, 7:30 pm at
                               Green Spring Gardens
                              4603 Green Spring Road
                               Alexandria, Virginia

     Everybody knows that monarch caterpillars must have milkweed leaves to
     eat, and some of us grow milkweed for them. But what about mourning
     cloaks? Eastern tiger swallowtails? Buckeyes? Red admirals?

     For anyone with a camera, 2010 was a very good year for chasing
     butterflies. Margaret Chatham is ready to share her pictures of
     butterflies from our watershed, their caterpillars, and the native
     plants they need, all in plenty of time for planning this spring's
     additions to your yard or garden.

     Margaret Chatham works with the VNPS Propagation Committee, the Potomac
     Gorge Weed Warriors and Fraser Preserve Visitation Committee. She is a
     Certified Virginia Master Naturalist, and leads an Early Detection/Rapid
     Response team for Fairfax County Park Authority.

#406 From: Kathy Bilton <kathy@...>
Date: Fri Feb 4, 2011 11:48 pm
Subject: (BSW) Sad news about Laurie Eyde's son, Doug
pvasshep
Send Email Send Email
 
BSW secretary Laurie Eyde, recently reported to the BSW that
her son, Doug, died in his sleep on the 10th of January. She
said that he used to sometimes come to BSW meetings with his
father.    (noted plant taxonomist, Richard Eyde)

In his honour, the BSW has made a donation to Martha's
Table.  (http://www.marthastable.org/)

#407 From: Kathy Bilton <kathy@...>
Date: Tue Feb 22, 2011 8:34 pm
Subject: (BSW) Next Tuesday + Burrowing Owl video
pvasshep
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A week from tonight is the next BSW meeting on Tuesday,
February 1.  Start time is 7 PM, though, if you wish to eat
with the group beforehand, you are invited to meet for
dinner at 5:30 at the Elephant and Castle, 1201 Pennsylvania
Ave., N.W., Washington. Phone 202-347-7707. The restaurant
is diagonally across from the Old Post Office Pavilion at
12th and Pennsylvania.

The March speaker will be Joshua Bell.
Curator of Globalization, Department of Anthropology
Smithsonian Institution
http://si.academia.edu/JoshuaABell

His topic: “ Weaving Worlds: Ethnobotany of Metroxylon sagu
and other palms in the Papuan Gulf of Papua New Guinea”

Let Larry Dorr know if you are coming to the meeting by
February 25 so that he can arrange for badges.
DORRL@...

A flyer for posting is available at:
http://botsoc.org/mar11.pdf

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Some may be interested in videos from last Friday's Science
Friday -  Jumping Fleas, Burrowing Owls -
http://www.sciencefriday.com/program/archives/201102182

#408 From: Kathy Bilton <kathy@...>
Date: Tue Mar 1, 2011 1:39 am
Subject: (BSW) Reminder - BSW meeting tomorrow - Tues. March 1 - 7 PM
pvasshep
Send Email Send Email
 
Date: Tuesday, March 1st 7:00 PM

Speaker:  Joshua Bell

Topic:  Ethnobotany of New Guinean palms

Meeting location: Cathy Kerby Room (Room CE-340), Smithsonian Institution,
National Museum of Natural History, 10th St. and Constitution Avenue NW,
Washington, DC. Use the Constitution Avenue entrance; wait to be escorted
up. All are welcome. As usual, light refreshments will be served prior to
and after the presentation.

Pre-meeting dinner: 5:30 P.M. at the Elephant & Castle Pub and Restaurant,
1201 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W., Washington. Phone 202-347-7707. The
restaurant is diagonally across from the Old Post Office Pavilion at 12th
and Pennsylvania, a few blocks from the Museum, with Federal Triangle the
nearest Metro station, and Metro Center also nearby.

#409 From: Kathy Bilton <kathy@...>
Date: Mon Mar 7, 2011 2:34 pm
Subject: (BSW) Rye on April 5 + 3 April fieldtrips + Claytonia study
pvasshep
Send Email Send Email
 
The next BSW meeting will be on April 5. The speaker will be Sara Tangren
of Chesapeake Natives - http://www.chesapeakenatives.org - who will speak
about Elymus. (Specific title to be announced.)

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Upcoming fieldtrips:

April 2, Saturday - Across from Angler's Inn  - C and O Canal - Mile 10.5
(Maryland) -
9:00 AM.

April 9, Saturday - Across from Angler's In - C and O Canal - Mile 10.5
(Maryland) - 9:00 AM.

April 16, Saturday - Turkey Run Park, Virginia - 9:30 a.m. (approx. time -
specific time will be provided later)

Here is a list of spring-blooming species for the area of the park we will
be visiting. It's based on Dan Nicolson's list, with some additions by
Alan Whittemore.
http://botsoc.org/fieldtrips/Bear_Island_list_March_2010.pdf

And here is a key to the species.
http://botsoc.org/fieldtrips/Bear_Island_key_March_2010.pdf

The not-yet-updated fieldtrips page is here:
http://botsoc.org/bswfieldtrips.html

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Alison Parker,Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology,
University of Toronto, is looking for help in a project regarding
pollinators of Spring Beauties.

See this page for full details:

http://springbeauties.wordpress.com/

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


Facebook page for Spring Flowers of The Washington-Baltimore Area.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Spring-Flowers-of-The-Washington-Baltimore-Area/14\
8838098493628#!/pages/Spring-Flowers-of-The-Washington-Baltimore-Area/1488380984\
93628?v=info
(or http://tinyurl.com/5tucyrc )

I think you can see it even if you don't have a Facebook account, but
you'd only be able to post with an account.

#410 From: Kathy Bilton <kathy@...>
Date: Sat Mar 12, 2011 2:28 am
Subject: (BSW) 2011 Joint Field Meeting - June 19-23 - Ithaca
pvasshep
Send Email Send Email
 
Invitation to the 2011 Joint Field Meeting of the Botanical Society of
America - Northeastern Section, Torrey Botanical Society, and Philadelphia
Botanical Club


The 2011 Field Meeting will examine the flora of Tompkins County and
vicinity in upstate New York. Housing will be on the campus of Ithaca
College, at the southern edge of the city of Ithaca. Located at the
southern end of Lake Cayuga, Ithaca is in the heart of the extremely
scenic Finger Lakes region. The city is home to the campus of Cornell
University, including the Cornell Plantations, a remarkable botanical
garden and arboretum as well as owner of numerous natural areas. Tompkins
County also is renowned for three state parks with magnificent gorges and
waterfalls, plus many additional designated natural areas that are open to
the public.

You can find full details and reservatation form here:

http://plant-biology.net/news/pdfs/NE_Section-Invitation_2011JointFieldMeeting.p\
df

#411 From: Kathy Bilton <kathy@...>
Date: Sat Mar 26, 2011 1:41 am
Subject: (BSW) Upcoming fieldtrips + April 5 meeting + Maryland invasive plant legislation
pvasshep
Send Email Send Email
 
There are 3 fieldtrips coming up on the first 3 Saturdays in April. See
http://botsoc.org/bswfieldtrips.html for some further information.  I
believe Edd Barrows will be providing some more documentation for the
turkey Run trip when it gets closer to April 16.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

At the next BSW meeting on April 5, Sara Tangren will be speaking about 5
species of Elymus. A flyer is available for download here:
http://botsoc.org/apr11.pdf

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Jil sent a report about some recent legislation in MAryland:

Hi,

I just wanted to inform you that something good happened in Maryland this
week! The Maryland House passed HB 831. Here's a link for more
information:
http://mlis.state.md.us/2011rs/billfile/HB0831.htm

The following description (slightly edited) was exerpted from an earlier
message sent by Kerrie Kyde, Invasive Plant Ecologist for the Maryland
DNR/Wildlife and Heritage Service. She was instrumental in developing and
pushing this legislation along.

"The bill (authorizes) the creation of an Invasive Plant Advisory
Committee, which would assist the Secretary of Agriculture in adopting a
risk-assessment protocol and using it to rank invasive plants into either
Tier I or Tier II risks.  Tier I plants would ultimately be phased out of
production and commerce altogether; Tier II plants would still be
permitted but only with accompanying signage that they were invasive.
Landscaping firms similarly would have to notify their clients if Tier II
plants were included in a plan or planting.  The intention of the bill is
to remove certain invasive species from use in the state in order to
reduce or eliminate their negative impacts on Maryland natural areas."

"This is not a departmental bill, meaning it is not being presented by
MDA, but by a collection of interested parties, of which two are state
agencies MDA and DNR."


Thank you,

Jil
________________
JIL SWEARINGEN
IPM & Invasive Species Coordinator
National Capital Region
Center for Urban Ecology
4598 MacArthur Blvd. NW

#412 From: Kathy Bilton <kathy@...>
Date: Thu Mar 31, 2011 11:16 pm
Subject: (BSW) May 12 Banquet invitation + April 2 fieldtrip reminder
pvasshep
Send Email Send Email
 
You are invited to the May 12 Annual Banquet of the Washington Academy of
Sciences to be held in Arlington.  The speaker will be: Sam Kean, a
science writer of note and the author of The Disappearing Spoon and Other
True Tales of Madness, Love, and the History of the World From the
Periodic Table of Elements..  See this page for detils:

http://www.washacadsci.org/Banquet/Index.htm

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

This Saturday will be a BSW field trip to the Angler's Inn area along the
C and O Canal.

Meet at 9:00 a.m. at the parking area across from Old Angler's Inn. Here's
a tinyurlified google map for the location: http://tinyurl.com/4jy5wwv
(Do not park in the private lot at the Inn itself!)


At this time, the weather doesn't look too bad.  Possibility of showers,
and high around 55F.

Things to think about bringing: handlens, books, lunch, water, umbrella,
raingear, sturdy footware, checklist and key (see below), unbridled
enthusiasm.

This trip includes rugged, uneven terrain and occasional rock-scrambling.
No facilities are available beyond the parking area.


http://botsoc.org/fieldtrips/Bear_Island_list_March_2010.pdf
http://botsoc.org/fieldtrips/Bear_Island_key_March_2010.pdf


Lots of things are out up here in the Shepherdstown area, so I'd think
even more will be out at Great Falls.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

And remember that the next BSW meeting is coming up soon - next Tuesday,
April 5.  Sara Tangren will be speaking about Ryes.

#413 From: Kathy Bilton <kathy@...>
Date: Fri Apr 1, 2011 2:10 pm
Subject: (BSW) April 16 Turkey Run Trip has been moved to the next day, April 17
pvasshep
Send Email Send Email
 
The trip to Turkey Run which will be led by Edd Barrows has had a date
change.  It will now be happening on Sunday, April 17 starting at 10 a.m.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

And remember, there will be two Saturday morning trips to the Old Agler's
Inn area tomorrow, April 2 and the following week on April 9.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

For details:
http://botsoc.org/bswfieldtrips.html

#414 From: Kathy Bilton <kathy@...>
Date: Thu Apr 7, 2011 3:35 am
Subject: (BSW) Fieldtrip this Saturday + BSW member in the NYT + Miscanthus from Jil
pvasshep
Send Email Send Email
 
Reminder, the 2nd fieldtrip to the Old ANgler's Inn area is coming up this
Saturday.  See http://www.botsoc.org/bswfieldtrips.html for further
information.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Rod Simmons pointed out this article in the New York Times:

The Curious Case of the Washington Elms That Are Unlike Any Other
Published: April 4, 2011
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/05/science/05obtree.html

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Jil Swearingen sent this email about Miscanthus:


Hi,

Please read Dr. Quinn's message below and contact her if you'd like to
participate in her project. The more input she receives, the better the
results. Miscanthus is known to be invasive in natural areas in the
eastern U.S. with most reported occurrences coming from northern New
Jersey and the Appalachian region of North Carolina and Tennessee,
sporadically elsewhere (see link below). It may be underreported in the
mid-Atlantic.

http://www.eddmaps.org/midatlantic/distribution/viewmap.cfm?sub=3052

Thank you,

Jil
________________
JiL SWEARINGEN
IPM & Invasive Species Specialist
NCR Center for Urban Ecology
Washington, DC 20007
202-342-1443, ex 218

www.nps.gov/cue | www.nps.gov/plants/alien
www.invasiveplantatlas.org | www.maipc.org

----- Forwarded by Jil Swearingen/NCR/NPS on 04/06/2011 12:22 PM -----

From: Lauren Quinn [mailto:lauren.quinn@...]
Sent: Thursday, March 24, 2011 1:34 PM

Hello,

First of all, apologies for cross- and duplicate postings. This message
seems to have been going around fast and furious in the last couple of
days! Thanks to any of you who have already responded.

I am a researcher at the University of Illinois, and I'm looking for help
to locate escaped individuals or whole populations of Miscanthus sinensis
and/or M. sacchariflorus in natural areas in your state. As you may know,
these are large ornamental grasses commonly planted in gardens and used in
landscaping. Unfortunately, many varieties of Miscanthus have the capacity
to produce copious viable seeds which can establish in "natural" areas
(e.g. roadsides, pastures, forest openings) to become invasive. As part of
a large study aimed at describing the current distribution of naturalized
Miscanthus populations, I am planning to visit as many of these
populations as possible this summer and next.

If your membership can help me out with specific locations and other
information (see below), I'd very much appreciate it! Also, feel free to
forward this message to any other knowledgeable parties. I am not
restricting my search to the Southeast, so if you've got weedy friends in
other parts of the country, feel free to send it along.

More specifics on what I'm looking for...

- The species: Miscanthus sinensis and Miscanthus sacchariflorus
General info on M. sinensis:
http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=MISI
General info on M. sacchariflorus:
http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=MISA
Current known distribution of naturalized/escaped/invasive M. sinensis:
http://www.eddmaps.org/google/index.cfm?sub=3052
A side-by-side comparison of M. sinesis and M. sacchariflorus:
http://miscanthus.cfans.umn.edu/identification.html

- The environmental context: any Miscanthus individuals in "natural"
areas.
That is, plants that have established independently away from intentional
cultivation. "Natural areas" can be roadsides, forest openings, pastures,
etc. I am not as interested in instances of "volunteer" plants growing in
the same yard where they were planted in the first place. Ideally, I'm
looking for plants that have moved themselves (via seed dispersal or
rarely
rhizome dispersal) some substantial distance away from plantings (perhaps
across some natural boundary) to establish healthy self-sustaining
populations.
Examples of such populations for M. sinensis:
https://picasaweb.google.com/lauren.quinn/MiscanthusSinensisUSAPopulations?authk\
ey=Gv1sRgCLejucuBiq7GAg#


- The info I'd like (I'll take whatever I can get):
Location (GPS coordinates, if possible. If not, then an intersection, or
other landmark)
Description of environmental context (e.g. roadside, pasture, etc)
Population size (a rough estimate of the number of plants. E.g. one, a
handful, a dozen, hundreds, etc)
If on private property, names/contact info of property owners if possible
If possible, an estimate of the history of the population (how long it has
been there, where the nearest planting is and when it was planted)
A photo of the population
Your contact info

- An additional useful step:

If possible, folks could add their sightings to the map of naturalized
populations of M. sinensis and M. sacchariflorus on EDDMaps. I suppose I
don't have to tell the folks on this list about this service (!), but the
fairly painless process is described here:
http://www.eddmaps.org/report/index2.cfm
Otherwise, folks can send their sightings directly to me at this email
address: ldquinn@...

Thank you so much!

Lauren Quinn


Lauren D. Quinn, Ph.D.
Post Doctoral Researcher
Energy Biosciences Institute
University of Illinois
Urbana, IL 61801
ldquinn@...
708-753-3709

#415 From: Scott Knudsen <sknudsen@...>
Date: Fri Apr 8, 2011 11:37 am
Subject: Save the date! Saturday, April 30
tree_steward
Send Email Send Email
 
The Parkfairfax Native Plant Sale is three weeks away, on Saturday, April 30,
from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.  The website is www.ParkfairfaxNativePlantSale.org.

#416 From: Kathy Bilton <kathy@...>
Date: Fri Apr 15, 2011 3:16 am
Subject: (BSW) Note from Edd Barrows: Hi All: Turkey Run, Sunday 17 April 2011
pvasshep
Send Email Send Email
 
(Here is a note from Edd.  Some items pertain to his students at
Georgetown.)

April 14, 2011

Hi All: Turkey Run, Sunday 17 April 2011

1.  You are all welcome to come.  Because some people who did not RSVP will
come, I don’t know how close to 25 we are.  

2.  Be sure to read the info below carefully.

3.  See you all soon.

Edd Barrows


Turkey Run, Generic Information

1. The 2011 hike is on SUNDAY 17 April in Turkey Run Park, info below.

2. Directions: Take Key Bridge over the Potomac River.  Turn right onto the
George Washington Memorial Parkway.  Take the GWMP northbound. Take a
right-hand exit at the Turkey Run Park sign just AFTER the Parkway
Headquarters/U.S. Park Police Substation. Make first right turn into the
park.  The park is about 10 miles from GU.

3.  Meet at 10 a.m. in parking lot C-1, map:
http://botsoc.org/fieldtrips/turkeyrunmap.jpg
Note Well:  You will need a printed copy of this map.  A cab driver might
have no idea how to find C-1.
A general map is at:  http://www.nps.gov/gwmp/turkey-run-park.htm .  Also
take a copy of the directions in item 2, above.  

4.  The Center for the Environment will pay your cab fare, if you carpool
and give your ***original receipt to Ms. Leslie Byers,
byersl@....  Other trip attendees might be able to drop you off
at GU after the event.  You should contact each other and organize your car
pools.  There should be at least 3 attendees in a cab to get reimbursed.  

5.  So far (15 April, 7:30 p.m.), possible car poolers are

Danielle Llanos (Michele’s friend)
Michele Jaeger
maj56@...
Megan Griffin
mag293@...
Jacquelyn Fritz and friend
jj.a.fritz@...
Stephanie Welsh
sew72@...
Krista Pontzer
kcp27@...
Chelsea Lauber
cal227@...


6.  The NEW workbook and biota list should be at the Botany site by Friday,
midnight.
http://www.botsoc.org/bswfieldtrips.html
I have not sent them to Kathy of the BSW yet.  

Note: The old 2010 workbook is still online at the BSW site.  I am upgrading
the old workbook.
I’ll be using nonscientific names based on rules in my new book (Barrows
2011). 

The plant-community map is at
https://gushare.georgetown.edu/xythoswfs/webui/_xy-5698701_1-t_QZ6qxgZ4

2010 pics are at:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/37133157@N05/sets/72157616647357397/
http://picasaweb.google.com/nwgrasses/Name?authkey=Gv1sRgCOuhw4Pcv83iRw&fea
t=email#

7.  You should be there on time for our orientation in the parking lot, 10
a.m..  In case you are late, take the Zig-zag path down to the River bank,
turn left (west), and catch up with us.  My cell phone is 301-928-8584 in
case of emergency. If I am talking with our group when (if) you call, I’ll
call you back.  

Onward for biodiversity, Edd Barrows

What:  Biodiversity walk at Turkey Run Park, VA
Who: Led by Edd Barrows, Director of the GU Center for the Environment
When: Sunday, 17 April, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Where:  Turkey Run Park, VA

Notes: The walk is limited to 25 people. We will be in a national park where
it is illegal to disturb or collect anything. The hike is of medium rigor
since we will walk down the zig-zag steps down a steep valleyside, walk up a
hill, and cross 1–2 large rocky streams.  Be prepared for different weather
from light rain through a sunny day.  Wear layers if needed, and bring a
backpack to carry your lunch and extra clothes.  We are likely to cancel our
trip due to medium through heavy rain.  There is a restroom in the park at
the beginning and end of our walk.  For forging the stream, you might find a
walking stick useful.  BYO lunch.  At about noon, we will have lunch on the
shore of the Potomac River across from Plummers Island, MD.  Things to see,
hear, or both, include Andrena bees, American Cancer-root, American Robins,
Bladdernuts, Blue Cohosh, Canada Geese, Carolina Wren, Carrionflower,
Chesternut Oak, craneflies, Dancing Whites, Eastern Sycamore, Eastern Tiger
Swallowtail, invasive species, Great Blue Herons, Green Ash, Mallards,
Nomada bees, Pawpaws, Northern Red Oak, River Birch, Spring Azures, sweat
bees, Toad Trillium, Tuliptree, Twinleaf, views of the Potomac River,
Troutlilies, Virginia Bluebells, Western Honey Bees, and Woodland Geranium. 
This trip might occur at the height to the flowering of spring ephemerals,
or later, depending on weather.  An excellent field guide for our hike is
Alden et al. (2008), National Audubon Society, Field Guide to the
Mid-Atlantic States.  

Cost: Free, open to the public.
Contact: barrowse@..., RSVP.  
More information:  For details and downloads, see
http://www.botsoc.org/bswfieldtrips.html. We plan to meet in parking lot C1
at 9:50 a.m. A map of the Park, a vegetation map, and trip handout will be
available through http://www.botsoc.org/bswfieldtrips.html.

#417 From: Kathy Bilton <kathy@...>
Date: Tue Apr 19, 2011 3:56 pm
Subject: (BSW) Next Program - May 3 - Free the Natives! + May 8 Plummers Island + Misc.
pvasshep
Send Email Send Email
 
The May speaker will be Julie Myers who will speak about Invasive Species
in the Washington, DC, Area.

On the following Sunday you are invited to participate in a volunteer weed
pull on Plummers Island, Sunday, May 8 from 10am-1pm. The event will be
led by Mary Travaglini, Potomac Gorge Habitat Restoration Manager from The
Nature Conservancy of MD/DC.  Details will follow when they become
available.

Flyer for posting available at: http://botsoc.org/may11.pdf

Date: Tuesday, May 3rd 7:00 PM
Where: Cathy Kerby Room, National Museum of Natural History
Speaker:  Julie Myers
Topic:  Invasive Species in the Washington, DC, Area

Free the Natives!
Giving Back to the Most Studied Island in North America

Plummers Island, a 12-acre island lying just south of the American Legion
Bridge in the Potomac River, is the “most studied island in North
America.” Just google its name (or talk to one of the botanists at NMNH),
to discover that there is a DNA bar code for every plant species on the
island, that many Smithsonian scientists have studied its flora and fauna,
and that the exclusive Washington Biologists’ Field Club, which used to
own the island, still maintains their club house there and uses the island
for research. However, non-native, invasive species threaten the
biodiversity of this little island that has given science so much. This
presentation will identify many of these alien invaders, how they threaten
the biodiversity on Plummers Island and in our local area, and what can be
done about it. This presentation is a prelude to a weed pull on May 8th at
Plummers Island in which volunteers will pull and cut invasives such as
garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata), oriental bittersweet (Celastrus
orbiculatus), and bush honeysuckle (Lonicera maackii).

Julie Myers, MSOD, is a “Weed Warrior” for the National Park Service in
Rock Creek Park, a Stream Team Leader for F.O.R.C.E. (Friends of Rock
Creek’s Environment), and a Watershed Steward with the National Capital
Region-Watershed Stewards Academy. Learning about the native flora of
where she lives has inspired her to understand the systemic effects of
small changes in the environment and to become an active steward in
preserving and remediating her local ecosystem.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Botany: Shootingstars Provide Clues to Likely Response of Plants to Global
Warming

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/04/110411152631.htm

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Foraging The Weeds For Wild, Healthy Greens
http://www.npr.org/2011/04/18/135412640/foraging-the-weeds-for-wild-healthy-gree\
ns

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


Repelling Bugs With The Essence Of Grapefruit
http://www.npr.org/2011/04/18/135468567/repelling-bugs-with-the-essence-of-grape\
fruit

#418 From: Kathy Bilton <kathy@...>
Date: Wed Apr 20, 2011 2:58 am
Subject: (BSW) May 7, 2011 Statewide Invasive Exotic Plant Removal Day - Garlic Mustard Pull in the City of Alexandria, Virginia
pvasshep
Send Email Send Email
 
Date: Tue, 19 Apr 2011 14:48:58 -0700
From: Rod Simmons <Rod.Simmons@...>
Subject: May 7,
      2011 Statewide Invasive Exotic Plant Removal Day - Garlic Mustard Pull in
      the City of Alexandria, Virginia


In the City of Alexandria, the Dept. Recreation, Parks, and Cultural
Activities (RPCA), Horticulture and Natural Resources Section; Dept. T&ES,
Office of Environmental Quality; and Ford Nature Center have partnered
together to maximize the City’s efforts in eradicating invasive exotic
species.  The ongoing restoration work at the following sites are some of
many ongoing invasive exotic plant removal and stream clean-up efforts in
Alexandria

sponsored by the City and its partners, including the Northern Virginia
Conservation Trust; Arlington Regional Master Naturalists; National Park
Service; T.C. Williams High School; Episcopal High School; various civic
groups, neighborhood associations, and residents; and others.  Through
this collaborative effort, the City typically hosts 4 large-scale,
volunteer invasive exotic plant removal workdays each year, with the
Statewide Invasives Day being one.  Our March 26 effort was the first such
workday of this year and mainly focused on continuing with removing
English Ivy from Chinquapin Park, as well as other invasive exotic plants.

 

For the May 7, 2011 Statewide Invasives Day, we are again focusing on
hand-pulling Garlic Mustard (Alliaria petiolata) at a number of City parks
because it is a serious problem weed throughout our parks and natural
areas; it is easily recognizable; it is easily pulled and therefore
appropriate for a variety of volunteers and ages; and a lot can be
accomplished in the way of removing it because it is so easy to pull (each
plant pulled and bagged prevents hundreds to thousands of seeds from
germinating into future years’ crops).

 

We welcome volunteers!  For those interested in participating in this
event, please contact the Ford Nature Center at (703) 746-5559 to sign up
for one of the parks below.  Site leaders will oversee activities at each
park.  Rod Simmons, RPCA Natural Resource Specialist, will travel from
site to site assisting with efforts and site orientation.  The largest
number of volunteers are needed for Chinquapin Park and Dora Kelley Nature
Park.  Bags will be provided.  Please bring gloves and wear sturdy shoes. 
Sandals, shorts, and short-sleeved shirts are not recommended.

   

Timber Branch Park – a linear seepage stream valley park along Timber
Branch, just off W. Braddock Road.  Fairly easy site to work in.  Site
leader TBA.

 

Chinquapin Park – another linear seepage stream valley park along Taylor
Run.  The City, NVCT, ARMN, and others sponsored an English Ivy pull here
in March, with some Garlic Mustard pulled.  However, this site is a high
priority this spring for Garlic Mustard removal, where the Garlic Mustard
is concentrated on one hillside at the far eastern end of the main trail. 
This site is a little more challenging because of the steep slope of the
hillside.  Site leaders ARMN and NVCT.

 

Dora Kelley Nature Park - a large City park that stretches along Holmes
Run at the eastern end of the Holmes Run Gorge.  We also want to be sure
to include the section of the park between Beauregard Street and the
Shirley Highway (395) bike path tunnels.  Fairly easy site to work in. 
Site leaders City naturalists and NVCT.

 

Holmes Run Park/All Veterans Park – the section of City parkland on both
sides of Holmes Run between N. Van Dorn St. and the Duke Street (Rt. 236)
bridge crossing.  Fairly easy site to work in.  Site leaders members of
the Alexandria Tree Stewards, Wakefield-Tarleton Civic Association, and
the Holmes Run Park Committee.

For further information, please contact:

 

Rod Simmons

Natural Resource Specialist / Plant Ecologist

Horticulture and Natural Resources Section

Department of Recreation, Parks & Cultural Activities

City of Alexandria, Virginia

2900 Business Center Drive

Alexandria, VA   22314

Rod.Simmons@...

 

Claudia Hamblin-Katnik, Ph.D.
Watershed Program Administrator
Office of Environmental Quality

Department Transportation and Environmental Services

City of Alexandria, Virginia
301 King Street, Room 3000
Alexandria, VA  22314
Claudia.Hamblin-Katnik@...

 

Mark S. Kelly

Director / City Naturalist

Ford Nature Center

5750 Sanger Avenue

Alexandria, VA 22311

(703) 746-5559

Mark.Kelly@... 

A tale of two mustards: Money Plant (Lunaria annua) [left] and Garlic
Mustard (Alliaria petiolata) [right and bottom center].  Both are invasive
exotic, spring-blooming biennials of the Brassicaceae (Lunaria rarely an
annual), though Garlic Mustard is much more widespread and populous. 
However, Money Plant is turning up more and more as an escape from
ornamental plantings throughout our area.  In the City of Alexandria,
we’ll be pulling and bagging it along Holmes Run near the Ben Brenman Park
bridge and Tarleton Park, as well as other sites.  Photo by R.H. Simmons
of infestation near Burgundy Farm opposite Alexandria in Fairfax County,
Virginia.


See also: http://www.virginiamasternaturalist.org/invasives/        

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