We’ve made 42\u00a0voucher collections and 37 seed collections so far. While many of the grasses and forbs of lower elevations have come and gone, we’ve moved up in elevation to montane communities. And,\u00a0Bouteloua gracilis<\/em> has finally arrived after seeing only skeletons for the first few months. I’m learning new plants everyday and have enjoyed seeing new plants bloom and thrive as the seasons progressed.<\/p>\n Soil color testing (with our field Jeep) in western Utah<\/p><\/div>\n Mounting voucher specimens in lab<\/p><\/div>\n Earlier this year our team toured recent treatments done to several areas around Kanab, Panguitch, and Cedar City. Pinyon pine and juniper has been\u00a0rapidly encroaching on sagebrush and grasslands. Not many plants survive under the canopy and sagebrush almost if not completely disappears. A few target areas were bullhogged and seeded, and we went to check them out. The amount of diversity from treated to non-treated is amazing; non-seeded natives have emerged and thrived so much that they comprise many of our collections. I’d agree that the treatments were very successful, as we saw eight sage grouse utilizing the area near Panguitch. We’ve also seen countless pronghorn, deer, and elk in addition to many passerines. It’s exciting to see such areas succeed, it is definitely one of the most memorable experiences thus far.<\/p>\n Seed collecting Penstemon pachyphyllus<\/em> in the House Mountain Range in western Utah<\/p><\/div>\n Our Buckhorn Wash site is so beautiful, it’s also just around the corner from the Buckhorn Draw Pictograph Panel<\/p><\/div>\n We hiked up to Bullion Falls after eradicating some spotted knapweed<\/p><\/div>\n Outside of work I have done quite a bit of traveling. In July I went to Yellowstone, and this month I’ve camped on Boulder Mountain and explored Grand Staircase. Pictures below!<\/p>\n My family came to visit and we went to Coral Pink Sand Dunes, our dog loved it! (picture just outside of the State Park on BLM)<\/p><\/div>\n The start to the Spooky Slot in Grand Staircase<\/p><\/div>\n Bristlecone pine pinecones are bright purple! Such cool trees<\/p><\/div>\n The Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone – amazing<\/p><\/div>\n Until next time,<\/p>\n Ellie Becklund<\/p>\n Richfield, UT<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Hi everyone, The wildflowers continue to still bloom in mid-August, and with rains bringing more moisture, new buds are still forming. It’s been a fantastic year in terms of rain, the forage is amazing and the pronghorns, deer, and elk … Continue reading ![\"\"](\"https:\/\/dev-clm-blog.pantheonsite.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/08\/RIMG0488.jpg\")
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