Glacial Heritage County Park
Saturday, April 30, 2011
Join Kevin Head to see the early flowers in the prairies in
Thurston County. We will see the beginnings of a special place in south Thurston
County.
The early sightings bring us to peak of fawn lilies (Erythronium
oregonum), Henderson’s Shooting Stars (Dodecatheon hendersonii), and
a host of other prairie plants. This hike is a three-mile round trip through
prairie and oak habitats. We will meet in Olympia at 9 am and carpool to our
hike. Bring a lunch and rain gear plus sitting pad if you want. Contact Kevin
Head at khead@ekit.com
or 360.943.3752. This hike is open to the first twelve people to sign up.
Bresemann Forest Walk and Native Plant Survey
Sunday, May 1, 2011 1-3 PM
Come join Bill Brookreson, test your plant identification
skills, and open Native Plant Appreciation Week with a walk and native plant
survey of Pierce County’s Bresemann Forest. Bresemann Forest, a part of Pierce
County Parks, is located in Spanaway west of the Sprinkler Recreation Center.
Bresemann Forest is approximately 70 naturally wooded acres featuring a network
of pedestrian nature trails with a delightful native plant assembly (so far, we
have identified 43 native plant species as we have begun assembly of a plant
list for the park), and many bird species for the bird watcher. The park
features Morey Creek with its wetlands as well as the woodland species. There
are numerous plants of interest including a surprising number of Pacific yew (Taxis
brevifolia) and, in early summer, a glorious display of ocean spray (Holodiscus
discolor).
Our goal will be to see how many new plants, native and
non-native we can identify and add to our plant list. Prizes will be offered to
those finding the most new plant additions. Bring your favorite plant ID book.
Bresemann is a short drive from Tacoma. From I-5, take exit 27
(Highway 512) east. Take the second exit (Parkland/Spanaway-Pacific Avenue.)
Turn right on Pacific Avenue (SR 7).. Head south for 2.7 miles then turn right
on Military Road (152nd St.). Sprinker Recreation Center is 1 1/2 blocks
down on the right. We will assemble on the west side of the parking lot at 10
am. For more information or to sign up, contact Bill Brookreson at 253.564.1137
or
b.brookreson@comcast.net.
Columbia Coast Field Trips
In February, check
http://www.reachone.com/columbiacoastplants/, Kathleen Sayce’s
website, to learn about this year’s field trips on both sides of the Columbia
River near the coast.
Other Washington Native Plant Society Chapter Field Trips
Check the WNPS website,
http://www.wnps.org/chapter_info/chapter_trips.html, for field trips
scheduled by other chapters. The North Olympic Peninsula Chapter, in particular,
organizes field trips that are quite accessible to South Sound Chapter members,
on the south and east sides of the Olympic Peninsula.