June has been filled with many learning experiences including plant ID, habitat assessments, surveys, and scouting. The first several weeks consisted of a crash course on Habitat Assessment Frameworks (HAFs). These are super interesting because they were originally used for surveying Sage Grouse habitat but have since been adapted to map out native species, invasive species (cheat grass), and sagebrush cover.

Our first pollinator survey, adoringly referred to as a “Bee Blitz”, occurred in the 3rd week of the month as we looked for the elusive B. morrisoni. The pollinator surveys definitely got a bit competitive as people split up to collect a variety of specimens.

Spending time in the Big Hole Battlefield was probably one of my favorite projects that we have worked on so far. Spending time and camping out in an area of historical significance while getting great views and surveying the rare Lemhi Penstemon is definitely a project to remember moving forward with this field season.