This swallowtail was pollinating cardinal lobelia (Lobelia cardinalis pseudospectabalis) in a wetland along the Whitewater River, August 28 2015

Monkshood (Aconitum columbianum), photographed during a personal trip to the Golden Trout Wilderness in late August 2015

I will be transitioning to a Forest Service employee next week, and will continue the rewarding experience I’ve had as a CLM intern on the San Bernardino National Forest (SBNF) in southern California.  The SBNF is one of the nation’s “urban forests”, and is also incredibly diverse floristically.  I began my appointment as in intern working for our district botanist.  In January 2015, I was extended with funding from our Forest-wide restoration program, which is currently focused on restoring Forest lands damaged by Off-Highway Vehicles.

As a botanist, I’ve been excited about the opportunity to work in a region with such a unique and interesting flora.  Almost 2,000 plant taxa have been documented in the San Bernardino Mountains, which means that about 25% of the California flora occurs in this 1,061 square mile range.  Finding new occurrences of rare plants is always a bit of a rush, especially when those plants are federally threatened or endangered.  I’m especially proud of new finds of white bog adder’s mouth orchid (Malaxis monophyllos brachypoda), San Bernardino Mountains bladderpod (Physaria kingii bernardina), and Parish’s checkerbloom (Sidalcea hickmanii parishii).

The experience as an intern with our Forest-wide restoration program widened my focus immensely.  I realized that I had essentially no experience with plant propagation, and had fun learning my way around the greenhouse, researching propagation techniques, and keeping most things alive.  I began considering soils, hydrology, pollinators, plant physiology, and even sociology in ways that I hadn’t really thought about as a rare plant surveyor.  Restoration work involves more than the observation of plants and their habitats:  What soil treatments should we perform to repair compaction and control erosion?  How do we control OHV use in this area?  What native species are best suited to the site?  I also had the chance to help write grants, work with our Urban Conservation Corps, and manage our GIS database.

Many thanks to both my mentors for their guidance throughout my internship, and to CLM staff for their support.

Mountaintop Ranger District

San Bernardino National Forest

Hello World,

I have been woefully derelict in my blog-writing duties but have a little free time today, so here it goes. My interns have been here since the beginning of June (yes, I’m an intern with interns) and this is my first time collecting seeds. So here’s the gist of my experience so far: the natural world is uncooperative. In southern New Mexico, our usual rainfall pattern is that it is very dry (average monthly rainfall 0.25″ to 0.7″ in Las Cruces; driest month: March) February through June, wet during the monsoon season, July through September (1.4″ to 2.2″ per month; wettest month: August), and pretty dry October through January (0.5″ to 0.9″ per month). This year, here’s what we’ve got in Las Cruces: January 1.13″; February 0.04″; March 0.34″; April 0.44″; May 0.8″; June 0.71″; July 2.41″; August 0.96″. There’s been a lot of variation within the Las Cruces District, but most places have shown a similar pattern: wetter than average in June and/or July, drier and hotter than average in August. What this means for me is that the early summer rainfall got lots of plants going and then August, which is supposed to be wetter and a bit cooler, was instead abnormally hot and dry. So most of those plants that were happy in July are either maturing earlier than you’d expect or going crispy. Those that are maturing early and look like they have good mature infructescences that ought to have lots of seed are often proving to have just empty husks when you start cutting things open. Setaria leucopila, for instance, hasn’t had a single well-developed seed in any of the fertile florets I have checked from several populations. Pleuraphis jamesii and Panicum obtusum likewise haven’t yielded any seed, and seed set rates for Bouteloua eriopoda, Bouteloua curtipendula, and Bouteloua gracilis are, thus far, so low that they may not be collectable even in large, dense populations. The odd rainfall also changes plant community composition. A site dominated by Enneapogon desvauxii last year, for instance, is dominated by Gutierrezia sphaerocephala this year and there is hardly an Enneapogon there to be found. Machaeranthera tanacetifolia, which I didn’t include in our target list because I have never seen it in sufficient abundance for a seed collection, is the dominant plant over a few patches of several square miles each. We’ve also been having some problems with herbivores, both domesticated and wild. A lovely population of Ipomopsis longiflora from which we had hoped to collect was decimated by, I think, rabbits. Sporobolus flexuosus that looked great in late June was mowed down by cattle in July, although the 5% or so of plants that escaped grazing to produce seed were, hopefully at least, enough for a decent collection. Although some of this is rather obnoxious, there’s a good side, too. Due to early maturation, we’ve made more seed collections than I would have expected by now and are at something like 23 of our intended 36 collections. And, although the target species list I made back in March or so has suffered and is by now wildly inaccurate, other species that are desireable for restoration or reclamation seeding have stepped in to fill the gap. I didn’t think we would be able to collect Bahia pedata, Baileya multiradiata, or Machaeranthera tanacetifolia, but we’ve made two collections of each. Enough of that, here are some pictures:

Interns, Jeanne Tenorio:

And David Morin:

Bahia pedata:

Baileya multiradiata:

Machaeranthera tanacetifolia:

And some insect friends encountered in the field; first, Odontoloxozus longicornis (a fly):

Murgantia histrionica (a bug):

Diabrotica undecimpunctata (a beetle):

Greetings from Lakeview! I write today in the midst of a town festival. Although Lakeview is small in size, it’s large in celebration. Today’s festival is called Occupy E Street. The entertainment list boasts a car show, BBQ, and several local vendor booths. The streets are buzzing with people and the music choices are an auditory delight. Today is a lovely day off, yet I find myself continuing to think about plants.

So far we have made 26 SOS collections. It has been a successful few months of SOS work as well as other tasks performed for the BLM office. Another one of my favorite collections has been of Eriogonum heracleoides (parsnipflower buckwheat).

A mix of Eriogonum species at Sagehen Butte. Heracleoides has an orange top in this photo at its current stage in the life cycle.

What makes this species differ from its counterparts is the whorle of oblanceolate leaves surrounding the middle part of the stem.

View from Sagehen

This is a photograph of another expanded view from Sagehen Butte. In the distance Camas Creek runs through the valley and Fish Creek rim is off in the far left center.

Next I would like to take you to one of my (and Kayla’s) favorite places in Lake County. Introducing:

The Devil’s Garden

The Devil’s Garden is an ominous basalt bed north of Lakeview. Here we collected Chamaebatiaria millefolium (desert sweet) aka fern bush.

We also spent two days here caving for signs of bats and potential bat habitat. An issue for bats in the northeast to central United States is called white-nose syndrome. This is a fungus responsible for impacting the lives of millions of hibernating bats in this country. Healthy potential bat habitats are pertinent to the livelihood of this species.

Here Kayla and another tech climb out of a cave that was surveyed on our first outing.

In other news, Crater Lake National Park is only 113 miles from Lakeview, so we took an impromptu trip a few weeks ago to visit beautiful Crater Lake.

A view of the lake and Wizard Island from the rim of Crater Lake.

Crater Lake formed from the eruption of Mount Mazama around 7,700 years ago and created this amazing caldera. Today it is filled with fresh rainwater and has no entry from any other water sources like creeks or streams. It is one of the freshest bodies of water in the world.

The excursion was an experience of a lifetime. I recommend this site to anyone who has the chance to visit.

This time, I leave you all with a cute photo of a horny toad that Kayla and I found in the field.

Until next time,

Erin

My internship is coming to a close, not because my hours have run out, but because I am getting on a plane to Scotland tomorrow to start my Master’s degree. Unfortunately I am departing when the weather is finally starting to cool down, but I wouldn’t trade my experience for anything.

The month of August I joined forces with Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden and was their eyes on the ground in the Palm Springs field office to scout populations for fall seed collections.  Based on herbarium vouchers and word of mouth I developed routes for the desired species, which were documented with GPS locations, pictures and a record of associated species. All this information was complied into a summary packet of pictures, maps generated from GIS and community descriptions.

Alligator Rock looking to eat my Jeep during a survey in Desert Center

Bullet holes and giant cholla (Cylindropuntia munzii), perks of the Bradshaw Trail

Final Product!

I also got to participate in a rare plant survey of Monardella stoneana on Otay Mountain in San Diego County. Volunteers from California Native Plant Society and BLM employees used previously recorded locations of this species as a starting point and then we expanded our search from there. Afterwards I took the GPS coordinates recorded and plotted them on a map to see the land ownership where this population lives.

Monardella stoneana in the foreground and the wash I walked down looking for it.

This internship has been an great opportunity to work with a variety of scientists and understand the possibilities of my future career. I have learned a lot of applied skills, from recognizing desert species to making maps in sophisticated software. After being a lab rat (no pun intended) for so many years, it was a nice change to be out in the field even when it was 110 degrees. My mentor gave me substantial freedom to complete tasks I felt were necessary for future success of the field office, and this encouragement has allowed me to develop personal habits that will be essential in my future endeavors. I am known to be shy and follow whatever I am told, but during this internship I was encouraged to network with a wide group of people and take the initiative to accomplish important goals. I got to see a great deal of our massive field office and experience different ecosystems: the high, cool Mojave Desert, the valley inferno of the Sonoran Desert and the variety of coastal plant communities in San Diego County. I have learned tons and will take all of this new knowledge on my next adventure!

Tioraidh! (Bye in Scottish Gaelic)

Kelsey

BLM Palm Springs – South Coast Field Office

Hello again from Vernal!

The summer is already winding down, and we are well on our way to collecting 30 species, our end goal. Currently, we have five more plant species to go! I thought I’d dedicate this blog post to talking a bit about one of my favorite seed collections we have done so far, and our seed collecting process.

Lepidium alyssoides var. eastwoodiae (mesa pepperwort)

Before going out and collecting seed, it is important to key the plant, in order to make sure you are collecting the correct species. For example, last week we had the opportunity to collect Lepidium alyssoides, a native mustard that looks very similar to Lepidium latifolium, which is invasive in this area. However, by keying the plant using a plant identification book, we were able to discern several key differences between the two Brassicaceaes. Lepidium alyssoides is described as having some leaves which are deeply lobed to pinnatifid, whereas Lepidium latifolium has leaves which are either entire or serrate. In addition, L. alyssoides plants are mostly 60-120 cm tall, whereas L. latifolium plants are greater than 35 cm tall.

This was clearly a GREAT year for Lepidium alyssoides

At the beginning of my internship I was skeptical about being able to collect 20,000 seeds of each plant population, but for the majority of the mustards this collection goal has been easy to obtain. Lepidium alyssoides was our fastest collection to date, and we were able to complete the entire collection in about an hour.

After a long day of collecting seeds, Ashley demonstrates her superior technique for staying hydrated!

The cherry on top of the seed collection trip was discovering my FIRST antler shed! All in all, it was a great day. I am looking forward to collecting our remaining seeds and seeing the late-summer plants begin to bloom!

Selfie with a super cool antler shed!

Jinny Alexander

Vernal, Utah BLM

Time is flying by here in Idaho. I just entered by fifth and last full month of my internship at the BLM’s Jarbidge Field Office in Twin Falls. While the first few months were mostly consumed by plant identification while doing upland trend monitoring, the last month or so our crew has been able to do a variety of things such as conduct wetland inventories, monitor thermographs, help with riparian assessments, and conduct cattle compliance assessments. We even got the opportunity to put on hip boots and do some spotted frog monitoring.

Using a GPS to record qualitative information regarding the wetland.

Often times in order to reach a wetland site or a thermograph there is quite a bit of hiking involved. Last week I had the opportunity to travel to the farthest Southwestern portion of our field office to do wetland inventories, which required us to camp overnight. The hiking was strenuous for a flat-lander (Wisconsinite) like me but the views at the top of the canyons were absolutely worth it.

There’s me looking rather sheepish and exhausted after a long day of hiking the canyons behind me.

Our awesome view at dusk over Deep Creek Canyon.

My supervisor and I came across the skeletal remains of an elk. She carried it all the way out of the canyon on her shoulders!

The information and skills that I have learned throughout my internship so far have been invaluable. Even though there were days that I tested my physical limits, I can still say that I have truly enjoyed this internship and that the days that felt like “work” were few and far between.  I am so appreciative for this opportunity and for the connections I have made here at the BLM.

Hola,

Living on the small town in Alturas, California has been a life changing experience. From the first day I got here until today, I have been constantly learning. At first, my plant taxonomy knowledge wasn’t that helpful (I come from a tropical island) but with time and field experience I have felt more comfortable with the plants that surround me. Even though my work has been focused mostly on seed collecting my mentor has given us the opportunity to work with a variety of different tasks. For example: Nate and I had the opportunity to help survey an archaeological site. We got to see rocks that were used for grinding seeds, lots of flakes and arrowheads. Pretty cool!

Arrowhead at the Ryegrass Swale allotment

Another task we have been working on is monitoring the degree of grazing on different allotments. Some areas needs to be rested for a year or more after grazing, we make sure there are no cows in the area and take notes on the level of grazing. This task by itself has greatly improved my identification of grasses. Also it has made me realize the big impact of over grazing.

Cow posing for the camera

Mike (my mentor) has also taking us to amazing sites with the interns from Cedarville to identify rare plants habitats. When rare plant population are found, we flag around the area to make sure no one parks their cars in it, and we create a polygon point on our GPS. Recently while working on the habitats, we had the opportunity to see a lot of the rare flora of the area. Here is one of my favorites.

Doublet

Last week we did an inventory flora on the Fitzhugh creek. We have been spending most of our time identifying the 3 bags of specimens we collected from this area. In my opinion, it has been an excellent plant taxonomy exercise.

We still have a lot of grazing monitoring and seed collecting to do. I am really excited for the upcoming Pika Blitz we are going to participate in. Other than the days at work, I’ve had the opportunity to spend time with other interns and explore some really cool areas around.

Lillie (intern at the Eagle Lake office) and I at the top of Brokeoff Mountain in Lassen Volcanic National Park

Marian (from the Cedarville office) and I entering a cave at the Lava Beds National Monument

Hope you’re all having as good of a time as I am,

Jaileen Merced

BLM Alturas Field Office

The New England SOS team has been so busy that I’ve barely had time to sit down and reflect on what I’ve learned about native plants (and invasives!), seed collection, and restoration practices.

Viburnum dentatum at Bluff Point State Park in CT

Hydnellum peckii found in Andover, MA.

Sarracenia purperea found in bog near Colby College in Waterville, ME.

View of bog in Maine

Nymphaea odorata in a pond in Andover, MA.

Eutrochium dubium in CT.

So far we have collected Juncus gerardii (Black Grass) the most. Out of the Big Four salt marsh species, J. gerardii is the first to go to seed. The three others: Spartina alterniflora, Spartina patens, and Distichlis spicata are all just starting to flower and will be going to seed later in September and into October. A few other species we’ve collected so far are: Triglochin maritima, Viburnum dentatum, Swida amomum, and Prunus martima.

We’ve been traveling throughout the eastern seaboard a lot in the past month: from southern Maine to Cape Cod to Connecticut, we’ve been surveying and collecting native seed in some of the most breathtaking landscapes found in New England. I have to remind myself that this opportunity is temporary though and have already begun thinking ahead about the future and where I will be come December.

I hope to continue to work with plants, but I have also been getting more and more fascinated with restoration work and would love to learn more either through another internship or possibly graduate studies. With these options floating around in my head I also feel the need to appreciate my work now and to be present. It’s hard to be perfectly balanced when so many important tasks are at hand. But regardless, I feel quite content with my situation and know that in the end everything will work out.

Until next time!

Anna

Trail to the beach in Canada

Last we spoke I was on my way to the Compassionate Conservation Conference in Canada. This conference was very inspirational. It was amazing to see people so involved and interested in animal welfare in conservation. The University of British Columbia was huge and surrounded by beautiful forests. All in all, Canada was awesome.

A canal flume.

Sucker holding tanks.

VIE tagging fish!

Suckers in hoop net pens.

Lost River Suckers

This past month I have been mostly working with BOR at the A canal fish evaluation station (FES). We are taking measurements on all of the suckers that come through the flume. Each shift (Mon-Thurs) we get to hold 50% of suckers that are caught, up to 25 in total per night. We hold them in tanks with closely monitored water quality. We then transport them into Upper Klamath Lake at the end of the week, so they can be reared in pens that are in natural waters. I have been taking weights, measurements, and visual implant elastomer (VIE) tagging chubs and sculpin by-catch. VIE tagging is done to see how long tag retention is and if there is any recirculation of fish through the canal. There are also control tanks of tagged and untagged chubs and sculpin so we can get a better idea of exactly how long the tags are retained. If the tags are successful they may be used for future studies.

The shifts at FES are at night, which takes a little getting used to. I work Mon-Thurs 4pm-2:30 am. I get Fridays off which is really nice. Last week I had a normal schedule and was with Nicki at the LKNWR ponds. We set minnow traps to see what fish are in the pond. We caught and VIE tagged Sacramento Perch. We were hoping to see if there were any suckers from previous studies still in the large pond. Alia and Nicki caught one the week before! Unfortunately, we didn’t have the same luck that week. We did receive the suckers for the ponds and set their hoop net pens up. These are Lost River Suckers (Deltistes luxatus) that have been reared specifically for a scientific study. They will be observed and studied in 30 and 60-day periods.

Juvenile sucker transported to pens.

Last Friday I helped Julie transport the suckers from FES to Upper Klamath Lake where we have our net pens from June. We set up floating pens to put the FES held suckers in. We had 100% survival for the week but two fish did not make it through the transportation process. I am back at FES this week. The amount of suckers caught and held this week has really declined.

Till next time,

Erica

Awesome Bee fly. Bombyliidae

Back in the scorching days of summer, when the afternoons reached 105 degrees (instead of the current, cool, low 90’s), our team ventured out on an overnight trip to Sand Mountain. We made several seed and voucher collections to the west of this “mountain”, then drove across winding, sandy roads around to the northeast. By this time it was noon, and after pulling my lunch from the cooler of rapidly melting ice, I pulled open the truck door and scrunched myself into the small shadow it cast. I fondly recalled winters in Wisconsin.

We continued our trajectory on foot, the road being too laden with deep sand for safe driving. Dousing ourselves in water to stay cool, we set out, and ten minutes later we were completely dry. Our team of four split up to cover more ground, and soon radioed back to each other with promising sights of seed-laden plants.

By quitting time we had a dozen bags of seeds, labeled and safely tucked away. Though by this time it was well into the evening hours, the sun was still glaring at us from above the mountains, and the heat did not seem to lessen. We drove back along the road, found a simple but flat camping spot, and set up our tents. Well, two of us set up our tents, and this we soon regretted. Those dark clouds moving in from the southeast (that we had hoped and hoped would cover the sun while we’d been working) were brought by a strong, strong wind storm. And windy it did get. So windy that one tent was soon flattened like a crepe (flatter than a pancake, you see), and the other survived only by a desperate and constant support from the inside.

The next 30 minutes passed slowly…

All of a sudden the wind died down, and, crawling out from our shelters, we saw the clouds turn bright salmon-pink from the setting sun (amplified by the massive amount of dust and wildfire smoke in the air). A bright rainbow appeared, and a second faint one next to it. A calm settled in, and the whole day seemed worth it.

orps

Carson City, NV BLM

(I would have posted pictures, but they would not load!)