Monday, December 13, 2010

2010 Goldie Award

The Field Botanists of Ontario were pleased to present the 2010 John Goldie Award to Dr. Paul Maycock of the Department of Botany, University of Toronto Mississauga (AKA Erindale College) at the 2010 AGM held on September 11, 2010. The award was largely based on his significant long-term contributions involving studies of plant communities in Ontario.

Paul’s Ph.D. thesis at University of Wisconsin was on the phytosociology of Great Lakes forests and along the way, he published his first paper on plant communities in Ontario. Paul first accepted a position at McGill University but later moved to University of Toronto Mississauga where he remains as Professor Emeritus in Plant Ecology. Along with various students and collaborators, he built up an extensive database relating to plant community structure and distribution in Ontario Paul not only worked in Ontario forests but in the forests of Quebec and different regions of the world. He has documented the floral composition of 2704 sites covering 29 plant community types across Ontario and Quebec. This included 660 Boreal Forest sites and 540 Deciduous-Evergreen Coniferous Forest sites.

Paul was instrumental in preserving such notable botanical sites as the Ojibway Prairie in Windsor, as well as Cawthra Woods and the Creditview Bog, both in the City of Mississauga. The Field Botanists of Ontario are pleased to recognize the botanical contributions and conservation effort of this distinguished scientist.

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

RBG Asters and Goldenrods Workshop

Thursday and Friday, September 16 and 17; 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at RBG Centre

Join us for an intensive two-day, hands-on workshop led by Dr. Jim Pringle and Natalie Iwanycki. This workshop provides participants with a solid foundation in aster and goldenrod identification. Over the two days, the unique botanical morphology and associated terminology specific to the aster and goldenrod groups is introduced and illustrated in both a classroom lab setting and during field visits to RBG’s nature sanctuaries and nearby natural areas. In addition to learning key recognition traits, ecological niches, habitat specificity, population ranges and distribution is covered for a variety of aster and goldenrod species in southern Ontario. Be prepared to go out in all weather conditions. Lunch provided. Bring along your hand lenses, field guides or botanical keys, and even your mystery specimens!

Dr. Jim Pringle, RBG’s plant taxonomist, has close to 50 years of experience in the field identifying asters and goldenrods, and Natalie Iwanycki, RBG’s field botanist and herbarium curator, has been identifying this tricky group for twelve years.

MAXIMUM 20. PRE-REGISTER BY SEPTEMBER 7.
Call 905-527-1158, extension 270 for more registration information.

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

American Society of Plant Taxonomists

As part of the American Society of Plant Taxonomists' outreach efforts, the organization is now on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/pages/American-Society-of-Plant-Taxonomists/369127495877?ref=ts) and Twitter (http://twitter.com/amsocplanttaxon). Please become a Fan of ASPT on Facebook and encourage members of your local wildflower organizations to do the same!

Fabulous Fall Fungi

Oct 4-8, 2010
Discover the wonderful world of mushrooms and other fungi in this four-day workshop. All experience levels welcome. Hands-on identification, plus discussions on ecology, uses and etymology. Dates: Oct 4-8, 2010. Cost: $425 - covers four nights accommodation, all meals, tuition, and use of lab space & microscopes. Location: Queen’s University Biological Station. Details: www.queensu.ca/biology/qubs/events/workshops/fabulousfungi.html.
Instructor: Richard Aaron (natureteacher1@gmail.com).

BioBlitz Alert!

The Community Stewardship Council of Lanark County and the Centre for Sustainable Watersheds are putting on a BioBlitz (Volunteer-based biological inventory) August 13-14 on a 1000 acre private property near Pakenham. We will be documenting all forms of wildlife (plants and animals) on the property and submitting the information to the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources. We are currently looking for experts, nature enthusiasts and volunteers. All experience levels are welcome. If possible, please forward this invitation to your members as they may be interested in participating. Feel free to post my information on your website as well. Food, overnight camping, canoes, maps, etc. will be provided.

Two similar events are planned near Charleston Lake Provincial Park (between Brockville and Kingston) August 27-28 and September 10-11. I can forward information about these events as it becomes available if you would like. Anyone interested in coming out can contact me at the Lanark Stewardship Office (contact info below).

Meaghan McDonald
BioBlitz Intern
Community Stewardship Council of Lanark County/ Centre for Sustainable Watersheds
99 Christie Lake Rd.
Perth Ontario
T: (613) 267-4200 ext. 3194
Email: BioBlitzIntern@gmail.com

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Wetland Plant Identification Course 2010

Classroom study: July 12 & 13
Field study: July 19 & 20

Beacon Environmental is pleased to be offering a Wetland Plant Identification Course.
With the use of the Ontario Wetland Evaluation System (OWES) and the Ecological Land Classification (ELC) for Southern Ontario as key land use and natural heritage planning tools, this course has been specifically designed to enhance field skills for the application of OWES, ELC, and related plant surveys. This course will be useful for terrestrial and aquatic ecologists, biologists, planners, geographers, and foresters required to apply OWES and/or ELC (in wetlands), and will also be useful for those with novice and intermediate to upper level skills
in botany who wish to strengthen their wetland plant identification skills.

The course will consist of two days in the classroom and two days in the field. The classroom portion will be in a formal lab with the use of dissecting microscopes, herbarium specimens, and a range of reference materials. The field study portion will consist of visits to marsh, swamp, fen, and poor fen or bog wetland communities for plant collection followed by identification in a wet lab. A minimum of two seasoned field botanists with expertise in wetland flora will be available for instruction and to assist participants throughout the course.

The course objectives are to:
1. Provide the skills to identify a target of 100 wetland plant species in marsh, shallow aquatic, swamp, fen, and poor fen or bog wetland communities through classroom and field study.
2. Increase proficiency at using plant taxonomy identification keys and interpreting terminology to enhance botany skills as they apply to wetland plants.
3. Provide key references in the applied use of botany field skills in Ontario for natural heritage and environmental planning (for ELC and wetland evaluations).

For details contact Judy Hardie, Beacon Environmental,
905-201-0639, jhardie@beaconenviro.com. For additional inquiries regarding the course or
payment details please contact Dirk Janas at 705-645-1050, or Judy Hardie at 905-201-7622
x221, or check www.beaconenviro.com

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Botanists wanted for plant surveys

St. Lawrence Islands National Park welcomes botanists to a "working holiday" in May. Join us to survey herbaceous and woody plants in open and fenced plots on Hill Island. About 80% of 4 km^2 Hill island is undeveloped and diverse and harbours several animal and plant species at risk. Forest communities are varied, typified by low wet areas between well-forested ridges. Low wet areas support Acer spp, Juniperus virginiana, Populus spp. and Ulmus americana as well as a wide abundance of herbaceous plants. High dry areas support Fagus grandifolia, Pinus strobus, Tsuga canadensis and Quercus alba. The backbone of the Island supports one of the largest stands of Pinus rigida (pitch pine) in Canada. For decades, hyperabundant deer have overbrowsed this beautiful, diverse landscape but deer management is allowing plants to recover.
Be a part of this recovery by helping survey some of the 40 open and fenced plots distributed on the island. Surveys will take place May 24-28.
If you are able to contribute 1 full day or more, we will take a boat tour of the Thousand Islands to visit sites with rare plants.

Please indicate your interest before March 31, 2010:
Emily Gonzales, PhD
Ecosystem Scientist
Email: Emily.Gonzales@pc.gc.ca
Phone: 613-923-1044
Cell: 613-802-8270

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Newsletter Editor needed

We are losing our newletter editor this year and we would like any interested parties to step forward. Technical editing and some experience would be helpful but is not required. Please send inquiries about the position to plantgirl2002@hotmail.com

Saturday, January 16, 2010

Adventurous field botanists wanted!

Please join us on a botanical trip to the fantastically rich deciduous forests of East Asia. An expedition to the Korean Peninsula (South Korea) is taking final shape and is planned for the second and third week of May 2010, in time for the spring flora in in its glorious bloom. For details, please contact Chris Zoladeski at erm@lara.on.ca.

FBO Blog

Here we can share items of interest, field trip reports, and anything else worth discussing!