Feb 2014 Muhlenberg Newsletter
Below is the Feb newsletter for 2014, The first meeting is thurs Feb. 20th
c/o Joan King, 205 Fox Hollow Rd. Pequea, Pa. 17565
www.muhlenbergbotanic.org
Presiesident: Officers: Board Members:
President: Joan King (717-284-5239) jsking121@gmail.com
Vice Pres.: Mike Slater (610-775-3757) mslater@voicenet.com Tim Draude
Recording Secretary: John Ambler (717-394-1121) Ray Uhlig
Newsletter Editor: Ruthann Richards (717-872-7574) Kevin Weir
Treasurer: Matt Dilley (717-871-6279)
Our vice-president, Mike Slater, would like to relinquish his post due to a conflicting work schedule. Step forward and take a greater role in our club or nominate someone.
The president's post is also up for grabs, along with its high pay, corner office, etc.
Ruthann has been doing the newsletter for over twenty years and would like to find someone to take over those duties.
So think spring and bring someone new to a meeting or on a walk.
Joan King, President
If bad weather is predicted, meetings will be canceled 48 hours in advance, as per our agreement with the North Museum. Please check the web site or call an officer if you are unsure whether a meeting is canceled.
March 20: Christopher R. Hardy, "The Use of the Undergraduate Classroom to Advance an Emerging Paradigm in the Study and Conservation of Plant Diversity."
The emerging new paradigm in the study and conservation of biodiversity is one in which the analytical skills of professional scientists are integrated with the observational power of amateur citizen scientists in the important task of documenting our changing biota. Since 2010 we have employed a Web 2.0-enabled digital atlas to enhance a traditional collection project in an undergraduate course. Over the span of four semesters, 89 undergraduates amassed 906 records for 211 species in the region surrounding the university. Of these, 24 were new species records for seven counties, with three being new records for Endangered species or Noxious Weed species. Most students indicated they would use or contribute data to the atlas in the future. Accuracy checks revealed that 94% of the records were geospatially accurate and that most plants were accurately identified as to species, genus, and family. The conclusion: the undergraduate classroom is a premier place to engage the next generation of professional and citizen biodiversity scientists in the important task of documenting and conserving our natural heritage.
For the plant exchange, please bring well-potted plants other members might like to adopt. Although our focus is on native plants, others are fine, too. Members who don't have plants to share are welcome—actually encouraged—to take plants home. We must continue to keep the meeting room clean, so please BRING PLANTS IN FAIRLY CLEAN POTS AND MAKE SURE THERE ARE NO INSECTS ON THEM. If you spill dirt/plants, etc., please clean up the mess. We need to leave the Kinsey room as clean or cleaner than we found it so we can continue these exchanges.
If you would like to be contacted by e-mail for occasional spontaneous work days or field trips, plant rescues, or similar events, please include your e-mail address. At the bottom of the form, please include comments or suggestions for field trips and meetings, or topics you might like to see added to the newsletters or the website. Bring dues with this form to the February meeting or mail them to
Matt Dilley 20 Greythorne Rd. Lancaster, PA 17603-7403
Name:
Address:
City: State: Zip:
Phone: E-mail address:
Would you like to receive the newsletter only by e-mail? ____ yes _____ no
Muhlenberg Bulletin
Volume 33 1/31/ 2014 Number 2
MUHLENBERG BOTANICAL SOCIETYc/o Joan King, 205 Fox Hollow Rd. Pequea, Pa. 17565
www.muhlenbergbotanic.org
Presiesident: Officers: Board Members:
President: Joan King (717-284-5239) jsking121@gmail.com
Vice Pres.: Mike Slater (610-775-3757) mslater@voicenet.com Tim Draude
Recording Secretary: John Ambler (717-394-1121) Ray Uhlig
Newsletter Editor: Ruthann Richards (717-872-7574) Kevin Weir
Treasurer: Matt Dilley (717-871-6279)
PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
Winter's harsh grip is on us again, and it's time to think ahead to spring and summer. Give me ideas of places you would like to walk, habitat you want to see, and speakers you want to hear.Our vice-president, Mike Slater, would like to relinquish his post due to a conflicting work schedule. Step forward and take a greater role in our club or nominate someone.
The president's post is also up for grabs, along with its high pay, corner office, etc.
Ruthann has been doing the newsletter for over twenty years and would like to find someone to take over those duties.
So think spring and bring someone new to a meeting or on a walk.
Joan King, President
SPRING MEETINGS
Meetings are held from 7:00 to 9:00 on the third Thursday of the month in the Fred Kinsey Room, North Museum (College and Buchanan Aves.). Enter through the back door in the parking lot; ring the bell if the door is locked. Meetings are open to the public, so please invite guests!If bad weather is predicted, meetings will be canceled 48 hours in advance, as per our agreement with the North Museum. Please check the web site or call an officer if you are unsure whether a meeting is canceled.
February 20: Joan King and Tim Draude, "A Remnant Prairie Habitat in Southern Ohio."
Long-time members and officers Joan King and Tim Draude visited a remnant prairie habitat in southern Ohio last August. In the dolomite habitat, they saw Buchnera americana (blue hearts), Hexalextris spicata (crested coral root), and four species of Liatris, along with many other plants.March 20: Christopher R. Hardy, "The Use of the Undergraduate Classroom to Advance an Emerging Paradigm in the Study and Conservation of Plant Diversity."
The emerging new paradigm in the study and conservation of biodiversity is one in which the analytical skills of professional scientists are integrated with the observational power of amateur citizen scientists in the important task of documenting our changing biota. Since 2010 we have employed a Web 2.0-enabled digital atlas to enhance a traditional collection project in an undergraduate course. Over the span of four semesters, 89 undergraduates amassed 906 records for 211 species in the region surrounding the university. Of these, 24 were new species records for seven counties, with three being new records for Endangered species or Noxious Weed species. Most students indicated they would use or contribute data to the atlas in the future. Accuracy checks revealed that 94% of the records were geospatially accurate and that most plants were accurately identified as to species, genus, and family. The conclusion: the undergraduate classroom is a premier place to engage the next generation of professional and citizen biodiversity scientists in the important task of documenting and conserving our natural heritage.
April 17: Michael McCampbell, "The History and Restoration of the American Chestnut."
Michael McCampbell is a graduate student in the Applied Ecology & Conservation Biology program at Frostburg State University in Frostburg, MD. He will be speaking about the history of the American chestnut and the progress of restoring this iconic tree species which has been nearly wiped out by a fungal blight that was introduced in the early 1900s. Although much is being done to develop blight-resistant chestnuts, little is still known about how seedling quality affects the growth and survival of chestnuts planted in the wild. Michael's research focuses on how initial seedling height, diameter and root system size affect the establishment of American chestnut seedlings planted at different sites throughout PA..May 15: Members' Night Photos and Plant Exchange.
Bring a show and tell item, old copies of nature magazines, slides, or a digital show to share. A laptop and digital projector setup will be available. Anyone with film slides to share should let John Wolff know so he can bring a traditional projector.For the plant exchange, please bring well-potted plants other members might like to adopt. Although our focus is on native plants, others are fine, too. Members who don't have plants to share are welcome—actually encouraged—to take plants home. We must continue to keep the meeting room clean, so please BRING PLANTS IN FAIRLY CLEAN POTS AND MAKE SURE THERE ARE NO INSECTS ON THEM. If you spill dirt/plants, etc., please clean up the mess. We need to leave the Kinsey room as clean or cleaner than we found it so we can continue these exchanges.
MEMBERSHIP DUES were payable in September for the 2013-2014 year; they are $10.00 per household. Extra contributions are always welcome. If you are including an extra contribution, please designate it as such so our treasurer doesn't think you are paying for two or three years at a time!
If you would like to be contacted by e-mail for occasional spontaneous work days or field trips, plant rescues, or similar events, please include your e-mail address. At the bottom of the form, please include comments or suggestions for field trips and meetings, or topics you might like to see added to the newsletters or the website. Bring dues with this form to the February meeting or mail them to
Matt Dilley 20 Greythorne Rd. Lancaster, PA 17603-7403
Name:
Address:
City: State: Zip:
Phone: E-mail address:
Would you like to receive the newsletter only by e-mail? ____ yes _____ no
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