Boston Flora

Tag: Bob Wernerehl

  • Saturday, August 21 (rain date August 22) – Wetland Wilderness Exploration

    Join the New England Botanical Club on August 21 for an exploration of the 1066-acre Savage Hill Wildlife Management Area, which abuts another 234-acre Savage Hill Wildlife Conservation Easement, in Princeton and Rutland, Massachusetts. The trip will traverse oak-pine dominated forest with pockets of hemlock and maple along wetlands associated with the East Branch Ware River. Narrow-leaved gentian (Gentiana linearis) is expected to be in full bloom along the wetlands, along with taxa yet to be documented in wetlands and the adjacent uplands. Those that are interested are encouraged to explore further into the wetland. Please come with a sense of adventure and bring attire that fits your wetness comfort level. Hiking boots will suffice for uplands and upper wetland edges, while knee boots are more appropriate for shallow marshy areas, and waders are recommended for deeper investigations. Matt Charpentier has graciously offered to host a potluck social time in Princeton nearby after the outing. Contact Brett Trowbridge (brettatrowbridge@gmail.com for more information and to register. Trip leaders include Bob Wernerehl and Matt Charpentier.

    We will follow COVID-19 Regulations & Guidance | Mass.gov as the minimum safety standard for our field trips. Attendees sharing a car with other participants as part of a field trip are expected to wear masks during the car ride, unless everyone is fully vaccinated. Anyone who is not vaccinated is requested to wear a mask, except while they are outdoors, and to maintain appropriate social distance from others on the trip.

    Summer day field trips are informal, small-group outings to explore interesting places and to see interesting plants, facilitated by knowledgeable and enthusiastic leaders. Bring your lunch, water, insect repellent, field guides, hand lens, and curiosity. Be prepared for the terrain and level of difficulty indicated for each trip. You should contact the trip leader at least 1 week in advance to register and to get time and directions. Trips will be limited to 10 participants.

  • Tuesday, March 10, 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm – Orchids of Massachusetts

    Orchids are a source of fascination for many, with their dramatic and unusual flowers, especially in the tropics. They are also important to a diverse suite of pollinators. Massachusetts has its own fair share of native orchid species, many of great beauty or unique in their own way. Two botanists with the Massachusetts Natural Heritage & Endangered Species Program work to protect our orchids species, all across the state, from Martha’s Vineyard to Williamstown to Gloucester. Some of these are very small and difficult to find, located deep in the swamp. Others have such bright flowers they can be seen from quite a distance. How many species are in the state, which ones are rare, where are they found, which are federally listed, which have disappeared, and what are the threats they face? The questions will be discussed as Bob Wernerehl (state botanist) and Karro Frost (Plant Restoration Biologist), and who will present examples of the state’s native species of orchids. The lecture will take place at Tower Hill Botanic Garden from 6 – 8 on March 10, and is $15 for THBG members, $20 for nonmembers. Register online at www.towerhillbg.org

  • Friday, February 2, 6:45 pm – Rare Vascular Plants in Massachusetts: Natural Heritage Maps the Mystery

    Dr. Bob Wernerehl, State Botanist, Massachusetts Natural Heritage & Endangered Species Program, Division of Fisheries & Wildlife, Westboro, Massachusetts, will speak to the New England Botanical Club on Friday, February 2 beginning at 6:45 in the Haller Lecture Hall, Room 102, Geological Museum, 24 Oxford Street in Cambridge, on the topic of Rare Vascular Plants in Massachusetts: Natural Heritage Maps the Mystery. Bob protects 300 rare plant species through conservation measures, ecological planning and inventory survey work, and lends support to many other conservation organizations in New England. The meeting is free and open to the public. For more information visit http://rhodora.org