To have the sense of knowing when to make a seed collection after scouting a site can be somewhat difficult – to say the least.  We spend time keeping an eye on a certain species, becoming connected to the species and eager to see the fruits ripen so we can begin our collection.  I became very excited about our  long anticipated collection of Ribes cereum.  We traveled to the site ready to start a collection  and discovered the first cluster of shrubs were completely and entirely barren. I was in awe and disbelief that almost one week ago the shrubs were loaded with berries – in every direction we had looked there were berry filled shrubs.  Immediately, we searched the whole park in hopes of finding a few shrubs with enough fruits to still make a great collection.

Every single Ribes cereum shrub was without a single berry.  There are many deer, elk, bears, and other animals found throughout this park. Our thoughts are the animals must be eating these ripe red berries, which must be a nice change to their diet.  It’s good to know that even though it’s been a very hot and dry summer, the animals are finding enough to eat!

Although we missed this opportunity to make a collection of this species for this year, we are on a roll, increasing our number of collections for the year.  Berries are a favorite collection, not only for CLM interns, but for wildlife as well. Collecting berries for Seeds of Success is so much fun! I can’t wait until we find our next berry patch! Below are a few of my favorite collections so far this year.

Ribes cereum with fruits still present.

Ribes cereum fruits

These are the most “magical” of berries we have collected thus far. Common name for this plant species is roughfruit fairybells.

Surprisingly these fruits are so very light and airy….almost like a “fairy” 

Beautiful deer watching us very closely.

Deer in Strawberry Area near Fraser River — they were quite beautiful and did not seem too timid to pose for the camera.

Oh Happy Day!

Darnisha Coverson

BLM Colorado State Office

I am the new CLM intern in Lakewood, Colorado for the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) at the Colorado State Office. I started with the BLM on June 11th and so far it has been amazing. After only having a month to transition from recent college graduate in Georgia to new CLM intern in Colorado, I do believe that I have settled in quite nicely here. Everyone has been more than willing to help me smoothly adjust to my new community (if that be joining a local kickball league in Denver or planning trips to search for treasures at the local thrift store). This friendly and caring spirit is something I like to call “Western Hospitality.” I am grateful to have such wonderful coworkers, mentors, neighbors, and community members. I am really looking forward to enjoying my time here.

Over the next coming months of my internship, I will be scouting and monitoring new sites for populations of flowering and fruiting plants that can be used for Seeds of Success (S.O.S). Also, surveying and GPS/GIS mapping old locations by monitoring the conditions of past identified plant populations planned for seed collection, such as Thermopsis divaricarpa (my favorite plant species at the moment). Our SOS goal will be to identify about twenty-five plant species populations for seed collection, which we hope will not be too difficult – despite the forest fires.

Spending a week at the Chicago Botanic Garden for the CLM Workshop was an educational and fun experience. I met many interns that share my same passion for wildlife. I am sure that I will stay in contact with the friends that I have made even after the program.

It’s always a great feeling to be in the field identifying various flowers. In the distance, I notice hikers and bikers who probably had to take the day off from work to enjoy their own “backyard.” Then, I suddenly remember that I did not have to take a vacation day or a personal day to be out in the foothills. I’m enjoying what so many people wish they could experience on a daily basis rather than just on the occasionally family vacation. I feel very fortunate. Being able to travel to parks and forests to observe plants for SOS and take in the opulent magnificence of Colorado’s mountains is incredible – and to think I’m getting paid to do this!

It is hard to not be in awe by these beautiful mountains and hills surrounding Lakewood. Few plants can grow in such harsh, varying conditions of extreme, dry and hot summers to bitter, cold winters. These plants must be resilient in order to survive. At Mount Galbraith (~7,200 feet elevation!), we were scouting to identify new plant populations and came upon a small herd of deer with a fawn looking very curious. Closely, I noticed how frail one of deer appeared by the apparent outlining of its ribs. Looking around at the dry, black crackling ground and the thirsty brown grasses of the foothills (in a sudden sense of panic), I started to wonder how these animals and plants will survive such a harsh and almost unforgiving environment. As quickly as this thought began, I realized if these deer can endure and even thrive within the precarious ledges and cliffs stricken with its fair share of fires; then, I am sure wildlife throughout can survive as well. After all, its nature and nature has its ways of taking care of itself…

From the colorful mountains of Colorado, happy hiking folks…

Darnisha Coverson

Thermopsis divaricarpa seeds

Thermopsis divaricarpa (spreadfruit goldenbanner) Fabaceae family

Mount Galbraith (the view while eating our lunch...priceless)

Lathyrus sp. and unknown butterfly species