{"id":84515,"date":"2023-07-05T09:42:11","date_gmt":"2023-07-05T16:42:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.clminternship.org\/?p=84515"},"modified":"2023-07-05T09:42:11","modified_gmt":"2023-07-05T16:42:11","slug":"finding-the-rare-in-the-abundant","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.clminternship.org\/?p=84515","title":{"rendered":"Finding the Rare in the Abundant"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In southern Alaska, Colorado\u2019s aspens and canyons are replaced by yellow and red cedar, by spruce and vast ocean. Utah\u2019s diverse plant life \u2013 small geniuses in the art of conserving water \u2013 exchange places with green ferns and mossy forest floor, well-acquainted with rain and hungry for speckled light that dances slantways through dense canopy. Here, in southern Alaska, bald eagles attach to telephone wires, and locals are accustomed to the great bird\u2019s presence. Bears follow your scent and encourage you to maintain conversation between field partners, to keep your eyes alert and to pay attention. Boats are about as common as cars for transport, and the concept of vast and grand exceed their common definitions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Working on the Tongass National Forest this past month has meant a lot of different things. My field partner and I spent many days scouting and vouchering at potential seed collection sites, and there we collected data on the various native plant species in the area \u2013 their phenology, their population density, when we can anticipate they will go to seed. We helped out on a stream restoration crew, jamming logs into stream banks to restore meanders and a diversity of water-flow and attempt to build back habitat for spawning salmon. On one Saturday, I helped local kids paint imprints of salmon on blank T-shirts. On other days, we spent time training in safety protocols and herbicide use. We visited timber-harvest sale areas and while they looked at the trees, we looked at the understory with an eye out for anything rare, or lacking in abundance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Identifying grasses with the larger Tongass National Forest Botany crew.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Lunch with the stream restoration crew.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

While doing so, I have learned several things:<\/p>\n\n\n\n