“The heat has come, the rains are gone. I begin to feel the wind rustling through my white hair. It is almost time to let it go, to let it succumb to the wind.  As grasses around tickle me and sprinkle me with bits of shade, I hold tight to the ground and stand strong.  Day after day I do this for it is all that I know. And yet there is a freedom in the life that I live, a freedom to just be in the open air. I often wonder what it would be like to stand a few centimeters to the south, but alas, I am rooted to my spot and so I hold onto it with pride. Occasionally my friends around me get trampled by large dark beasts; I am so grateful that it hasn’t happened yet to me.  Suddenly, something unusual appears, a dark shadow creeping over me, and I fruitlessly brace myself for the impact of one of the beasts. What happens, though, is unexpected; some force gently handles my body and plucks the hair, my offspring, away from me. ‘Bye bye babies!’  I think, then it’s back to bobbing in the breeze. “  –Antennaria microphylla (my first seed collection)

Antennaria microphylla

I am very thankful that this internship has given me the opportunity to spend my days searching for and studying plants (and spending time making up corny plant stories). Sometimes that involves ripping them apart and counting the number of segments into which a carpal is divided, or seeing the results of a sagebrush reseeding project, or eating a yucca bud and enjoying the spicy aftertaste. I still cannot believe that I am getting paid to do this.

Every day that goes by, I realize how important plants are to the world and to my interests. This past week we had a biologists’ tour at our office with folks from all over the state to get together and discuss the work we’ve been doing, problems that have arisen, and how different people have dealt with them. It was an excellent opportunity to meet a group of dedicated individuals who care deeply about biology and sharing their knowledge and also to have a bit of fun.

I was super excited to have the chance to meet our state bontanist (yay plant people), who is well versed in the Seeds of Success program and just about everything else. I learned about wasp larvae causing galls in sagebrush, possible genetic crossover between white bark and limber pines, and most importantly how to get rid of prickly pear (Opuntia spp.)bristles (glochids). I won’t keep it a secret, if you rub it against your hair, there is something about the oils that makes them disappear like magic (it really works, I tried it!). Most of the biologists at this meeting were wildlife people, though (not that I have anything against them), which made me realize how much the plant world is underrepresented.  Thankfully there was at least one plant person from whom I could glean a bit of plant information. I thought back to our class in Chicago with Peggy Olwell who stressed the same idea, that our government agencies often forget about the plants and focus mainly on the conservation of animals.

As much as animals are important, they couldn’t exist without their habitats, which are comprised mainly of plants. I think the wildlife biologists know that, too, since a lot of their work involves habitat restoration.  We visited a field near a critical sage grouse habitat that had been leased to a farmer to grow wheat for a few years. In return, the farmer was to use the native seeds that the BLM supplied and after spraying the invasive grasses on the land, reseed the next year.  Unfortunately, the farmer has yet to complete his end of the bargain and the field lies fallow with only crested wheat grass (Agropyron cristatum)and cheat grass (Bromus tectorum) dominating. Since cheat grass is an early annual, it will be difficult without more herbicide applications to get native plants re-established. This is one of the many stories of the trials and tribulations (or should I say challenges) of working for a multi-use land agency. But back to my point that wildlife need plants in order to be maintained.  I did learn that in Montana we have our own greenhouse (not technically, it’s contracted) near the state office in Billings growing thousands of native seedlings getting ready for restoration projects, yay! Some of the seed I that I collect will end up growing there; I feel like a plant mother whose children are going off to school (not yet, but at least by next year hopefully).

I also realized that I need a better camera for taking pictures and to remember to actually bring it.

So long for now.

One of the island mountain ranges, the Judiths.

It’s a bee’s heaven