Hello!

Everything is still going well in the Missoula, MT field office. I am wrapping up my final month here and time has been flying by! Our field crew is continuing forest inventories, seed collection and sensitive plant surveys! This week we have done all of the above.

We have recently been collecting for bitterbrush and serviceberry seeds, which are ecologically and culturally important to Montana. I must admit we have had quite a few trials and errors! We began by picking bitterbrush seeds individually, and quickly realized there has to be a more effective way. So today, we went out and brought a huge bucket and hit the bitterbrush branches and let the seeds fall into the bucket! We collected 10 fold more seeds today than before. Not to mention way more bugs than before! I must admit it has been a fun change of pace from forest inventory!

Unitl next time,
Cara