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NOTE FROM THE FIELD CHAIR
This year the
Torrey Botanical Society has scheduled 16 trips for the 2009 field season. Three of these are Bioblitz events that will
involve the greater community. Of the regular
field trips this year, 9 are in New Jersey and 7 in New York. This year the annual joint meeting of the
Torrey Botanical Society, the Philadelphia Botanical Club, and the north east
section of the Botanical Society of America will be held at the Pocono
Environmental Education Center (PEEC), located within the 67,000-acre Delaware
Water Gap National Recreation Area, Pike Co., PA.
THE FIELD TRIPS
Field trips are one of the most important
activities of the society. Some of the trips are for general study and
monitoring of the flora and ecology of an area. Other trips are led by
individuals who specialize in certain groups of plants and their trips are
planned accordingly. The location may be a city park or any place of botanic
interest which is usually within 50 miles of
We are not a hiking club and walking distances are usually not great. Frequent attendance on the field trips is one of the best ways to increase one's knowledge of local plants. Those who come on the field trips are urged to participate in the society's other activities as well.
The postal addresses, phone numbers, and e-mail addresses (when available) of each leader are given at the end of each trip description. Trips generally go rain or shine; if in doubt, call the leader. Some trips are reachable only by automobile. Those in need of rides and those who are offering rides should post and check for messages posted on the Torrey Botanical Society group page hosted by Yahoo Groups [http://groups.yahoo.com]. In addition, it would be helpful if those planning to drive who are willing to take extra passengers could let the leader know in advance. Bus and train schedules listed in trip descriptions are subject to change; those who use public transportation are advised to check updated schedules in advance. Trip participants are urged to confirm attendance with the leader. Interested guests and non-members are always welcome on field trips.
Field trip leaders are asked to send trip reports and
notes on any new or unusual plants or vegetation types to the field chair (Steve
Glenn, The Brooklyn Botanic Garden,
16 May (Saturday). BIOBLITZ, GREAT SWAMP, MORRIS CO., NJ. Meet at 9:00 AM
(Note earlier than usual starting time) at BioBlitz Central. Contact trip
leader for specific location to meet.
Lunch will be provided to Bioblitz participants. Bring plenty of
beverage, insect repellant, and sturdy footwear. Trip leader: Steve Glenn,
Brooklyn Botanic Garden, 1000 Washington Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11225;
718-623-7314; Email: steveglenn@bbg.org.
June
6 June (Saturday). FAHNESTOCK STATE FOREST, PUTNAM CO., NY. Meet at 10 AM on the grounds of the Glynwood
Center, by the big red barn to begin our hike into adjacent Fahnestock. By car only: the Glynwood Center is
located off Rte 301 a few miles north of Rte 9. Head east on 301 from the
junction of Rte 9 towards Canopus Lake and turn left onto driveway, approx one
mile from Rte 9. There is a small sign on 301 that’s says Glynwood Center.
Follow the driveway (dirt road) along the creek and onto Glynwood Property
until you see the red barn. Continue on the road and left up the hill for
parking. Trip Leader: Uli Lorimer, Brooklyn Botanic Garden, 1000 Washington
Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11225; 917-676-6991; Email: ulilorimer@bbg.org.
13 June (Saturday).
BIOBLITZ, BRYANT PARK, SUMMIT, UNION CO., NJ. Meet at 9:00 AM (Note earlier than usual
starting time) at BioBlitz Central. Contact trip leader for specific location
to meet. Lunch will be provided to
Bioblitz participants. Bring plenty of beverage, insect repellant, and sturdy
footwear. Trip leader: Steve Glenn, Brooklyn Botanic Garden, 1000 Washington
Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11225; 718-623-7314; Email: steveglenn@bbg.org.
20 June (Saturday)
SUSSEX BRANCH TRAIL, ANDOVER TOWNSHIP, SUSSEX CO., NJ. Meet at 10:00 AM in the parking lot of the
Twin Lakes Boat Launch. By car only. From Route 80, take Exit 25 to Route 206
north toward Newton. After passing
through Andover Borough (about 7.5 miles) look for Goodale Road on your right. Follow Goodale Road for about half a
mile. Twin Lakes Boat Launch is on the
left. This short section of the Sussex
Branch Trail passes through or near a variety of habitats from limestone
outcrops and woodlands to ponds and wetlands.
It is especially well-known as a great spot to find rare and uncommon
ferns, including Diplazium pycnocarpon,
Dryopteris goldiana. Dryopteris clintoniana, and Marsilea quadrifolia. Other species we will look for include Adlumisa fungosa, Melanthium latifolium, and
Ranunculus fiabellaris. Bring lunch,
beverage, and insect repellant. The
trail offers easy walking conditions, but for the many opportunities of explore
off-trail areas, sturdy footwear is recommended. Trip leader: David Austin, Email:
davidaustin@verizon.net.
21-25 June (Sunday to
Thursday). JOINT FIELD MEETING OF THE TORREY BOTANICAL SOCIETY, THE
PHILADELPHIA BOTANICAL CLUB, AND THE NORTHEAST SECTION OF THE BOTANICAL SOCIETY
OF AMERICA. DINGMANS FERRY, PIKE CO.,
PA. The 2009 Joint Field Meeting will
meet at the Pocono Environmental Education Center (PEEC), a private, non-profit
education facility located within the 67,000-acre Delaware Water Gap National
Recreation Area.
The program will include
three full days of field trips to nearby river shores, hemlock ravines,
waterfalls, limestone outcrops, wetlands, and forests. Beginning on Sunday, there will be programs
each evening, dealing with topics of botanical and ecological interest. Most housing will be in duplex (two-unit)
cabins, with six bunk beds and one bathroom per unit. The price for the field meeting will be
about $280.00 per person. This includes
housing for four nights, local van transportation, the evening programs, and
meals from Sunday dinner to Thursday breakfast, including our traditional Wednesday
night banquet at a nearby restaurant.
The commuter rate, for field trips and programs but no housing or meals,
will be about $80.00. For additional
information and a registration form please contact William Olson, Chairperson,
at 732-961-1946, or email
wolson3@optonline.net, or Karl Anderson, Treasurer, at 856-845-7075, or email karlanderson6@aol.com
July
11 July (Saturday). OCEAN BREEZE PARK, STATEN
ISLAND, NY. Meet at 10 AM at the
intersection of Quintard St. and Olympia Blvd (plenty of street parking
available). By car: From the Staten Island Expressway (north or south) Clove Rd
exit to Richmond Rd South/South east to Old Town Rd. Make a
left (south) on Old town. Old town Rd
becomes Quintard St. after Hylan Blvd (For more specific directions, please
contact trip leaders). Come explore this
interesting urban park (coastal shrubland and freshwater wetlands). Come prepared. Trip leaders: Tim Chambers and Heather
Liljengren, Greenbelt Native Plant Center, 3808 Victory Blvd, Staten Island,
NY. 718 370 9044; Email: Timothy.chambers@parks.nyc.gov and Heather.liljengren@parks.nyc.gov.
18
July (Saturday). MERESTEAD, MOUNT KISCO, WESTCHESTER CO., NY. Meet at 10 AM at
Merestead, a 130 acre former country estate overlooking the Byram Lake
Reservoir. The property has been
developed for use as a Westchester
County historic site. The 2.3 mile trail
system passes through woodlands, open fields and gardens. Some of the trails
follow old farm roads and pass over 100 year old farm bridges. The trails lead
upward to lovely vistas of the Hudson Highlands. By car only: Merestead is
located at 455 Byram Lake Road, Mt. Kisco. It can be reached via I-684, exit 4
(Mount Kisco-Route 172). Head west on
172 for 1-1/2 miles, turn left onto Sarles and follow to Byram Lake Road. Follow for 4/10th of a mile and turn right at
456 Byram Lake Road into the parking lot (across the street from the main
house.) Trip Leader: Carol Levine; 203-322-2051; Email: carolflora@optonline.net.
25
July (Saturday). LIBERTY STATE PARK,
HUDSON CO., NJ. Meet at 10:00 AM at the parking area opposite the Nature
Interpretive Center at Freedom Drive. By car: Liberty State Park is at the New
Jersey Turnpike Exit 14b, follow the signs to the park and turn left on Freedom
Way, the Center is about 0.5 on the right, the parking area is opposite. By
public transportation: the NJ Light
Rail has a station "Liberty State Park" (if you choose to come that
way call me before, so I can arrange pickup). We will explore a true
"urban wilderness", the normally off-limits, intensively studied 102
ha interior, a former rail yard that underwent natural succession for more than
40 years. Expect to see species rich,
unique plant communities formed by the fusion of non-native and native species. We will also try to relocate formerly
reported rarities (e.g. Carex torreyi). If time permits, we will visit a recent
up-land restorations site that had in summer 2008 more than 100 species within
a 20x50m plot. We need not to enter
swampy areas (but can) but expect to encounter some very heavy vegetation (it's
a jungle out there!) and some ticks (no deer ticks though). Bring plenty of
beverage, lunch, insect repellant, and sturdy footwear. Trip leader: Claus Holzapfel, Rutgers
University Biology, 195 University Ave, Newark. NJ 07102-1811; 732-501-9235; Email:
holzapfe@andromeda.rutgers.edu.
August
8 August (Saturday).
Manumuskin River, Manantico Creek, Muskee Creek watersheds, cumberland co., NJ. JOINT TRIP WITH THE PHILADELPHIA BOTANICAL
CLUB. By car only: Meet at 10 AM at Cumberland Pond near the intersection
of Rt. 49 and Union Rd (County Rt. 671) in eastern Millville. Habitats
to be visited in these three watersheds will include Atlantic white cedar (Chamaecyparis thyoides) swamps and
bogs, intermittent ponds, freshwater tidal marshes, and abandoned furnace
sites. Rare species we have a chance to see include sensitive joint vetch (Aeschynomene virginica),Elliott’s
beardgrass (Andropogon gyrans), bur marigold (Biden bidentoides), fringe tree (Chionanthus virginicus), rose coreopsis (Coreopsis rosea), elliptical rushfoil (Croton willdenowii), smooth tick trefoil (Desmodium laevigatum), pineland trefoil (Desmodium strictum), velvety-leaved trefoil (Desmodium viridiflorum), American waterwort (Elatine americana), Parker’s pipewort (Eriocaulon parkeri; see cover), resinous boneset (Eupatorium resinosum), Virginia
hedge-hyssop (Gratiola virginiana), bearded
skeleton grass (Gymnopogon ambiguus), riverbank
quillwort (Isoëtes riparia), tall
bush clover (lespedeza stuevei), Canby’s
lobelia (Lobelia canbyi), Wright’s
panic grass (Panicum wrightianum), inundated
beaked-rush (Rhynchospora inundata), late
goldenrod (Solidago tarda), and poison
oak (Toxicodendron pubescens). We may
also be able to see in bloom the showy non-native standing cypress (Ipomopsis rubra) at a station near the
railroad that has been known for over 120 years. Prepare for extensive walking,
some of it exceptionally wet and muddy. Trip Leaders: Gerry Moore, Brooklyn
Botanic Garden, 1000 Washington Avenue, Brooklyn, New York 11225; 718-623-7332
(work), 609-432-8012 (cell); Email: gerrymoore@bbg.org. Renee Brecht, Citizens United to Protect the
Maurice River and Its Tributaries, PO Box 474, Millville, New Jersey 08332;
Email: rbrecht.cumaurice@yahoo.com.
29 August
(Saturday). FLOYD BENNETT FIELD, KINGS CO., NY, JOINT TRIP WITH THE LONG
ISLAND BOTANICAL SOCIETY. Meet at 10:00
AM at the parking lot on the right, immediately past the entrance booth. By car:
from the Belt Parkway, take Flatbush Avenue south. Turn left to
enter at the traffic light which is just in front of the bridge toll
booths. This site has a wide variety of interesting escaped weed species,
combined with local native coastal species. A hat, water, suntan lotion,
and insect repellent are all recommended. We will never be very far from
the cars, so you will not need to carry your lunch. Trip Leader: Rich
Kelly; 516-509-1094; vze2dxmi1@verizon.net.
September
26 September (Saturday).
RAMAPO MOUNTAINS, BERGEN CO., NJ. Meet at 10:00 AM. By car only: contact
the leader to register for the field trip and receive meeting place
information. This is a repeat of the trip held in July, 2008. Botanize some of
the most remote areas in northeastern New Jersey in the Ramapo Mountains.
Numerous habitats will be visited, including some unusual forested wetland
communities. We should be able to see excellent populations of the rare and
unusual lesser floating bladderwort (Utricularia
radiata). Be prepared for extensive walking, some of it on steep terrain.
Bring plenty of beverage, lunch, insect repellant, and sturdy footwear.
Trip leader: Gerry Moore, Brooklyn Botanic Garden, 1000 Washington Ave.,
Brooklyn, NY 11225-1008; 718-623-7332 (work), 609-432-8012 (cell); Email:
gerrymoore@bbg.org.
October
24 October (Saturday). WC
BRYANT PRESERVE, ROSLYN, NASSAU CO., NY. JOINT TRIP WITH THE LONG ISLAND
BOTANICAL SOCIETY. Meet at 10 AM on the
steps of the Frick mansion. Come explore late season flora as well as escaping
conifers. Bring lunch, liquid, hiking
boots, conifer guide, and dress for the weather, etc. Trip Leader: Andy
Greller; 516-721-4447, 516-364-9377; Email: agreller2@optonline.net.
TRIP LOCAL
New Jersey
BRYANT PARK, UNION CO., NJ.
(13 June).
GREAT SWAMP, MORRIS CO., NJ.
(16 May).
LIBERTY STATE PARK, HUDSON
CO., NJ. (25 July).
Manumuskin River, Manantico Creek, Muskee Creek
watersheds, cumberland co., NJ. JOINT TRIP WITH THE PHILADELPHIA BOTANICAL
CLUB. (8 August).
MORRIS CANAL PARK AND NATURE
PRESERVE, CLIFTON, PASSAIC CO., NJ. (22 August).
RAMAPO MOUNTAINS, BERGEN
COUNTY, NJ. (26 September).
SANDY HOOK NATIONAL
RECREATION AREA, MONMOUTH CO., NJ. (15 August).
SCHIFF NATURE PRESERVE,
MORRIS CO., NJ (27 JUNE)
SUSSEX BRANCH
TRAIL, ANDOVER TOWNSHIP, SUSSEX CO., NJ. (20 June).
New York
FLOYD BENNETT
FIELD, KINGS CO., NY, JOINT TRIP WITH THE LONG ISLAND BOTANICAL SOCIETY. (29
August).
FAHNESTOCK STATE FOREST,
PUTNAM CO., NY. (6 June).
MERESTEAD, MOUNT KISCO,
WESTCHESTER CO., NY. (18 July).
OCEAN BREEZE PARK, STATEN
ISLAND, NY. (11 July).
WC BRYANT PRESERVE, ROSLYN,
NASSAU CO., NY. JOINT TRIP WITH THE LONG ISLAND BOTANICAL SOCIETY. (24
October).
WESTCHESTER WILDERNESS WALK,
POUND RIDGE, WESTCHESTER CO., NY. (9 May).
Pennsylvania
(21-25 June).