Maryland Native Plant Society Field Trips

MNPS Field Trip: Mountain Laurel and Other Heaths of Sugarloaf Mountain (02 Jun 2013)

Sun, 02 Jun 2013 14:00:00 GMT

Witness the blooming of the mountain laurel, the botanical event of the year at Sugarloaf Mountain, and see and learn about the mountain’s other heath family members. We will hike to the summit of Sugarloaf at a leisurely pace, stopping to identify and admire native plants in the heath family: blueberries, huckleberries, mountain laurel, pinxter, trailing arbutus and wintergreen. The heath family has been expanded to include striped or spotted wintergreen and Indian pipe, which we are also likely to see. Other woody plants along the trails and at the summit will be noted, including black jack oak and table mountain pine. We will also see some early summer wildflowers and ferns.

Field Trip Leader: Melanie Choukas-Bradley

Online Registration is required. Please register by May 31st. Trip limited to 25 participants.

Directions: Meet at the West View parking lot on Sugarloaf Mountain.

From the Washington Beltway (I495) Take 270 past Gaithersburg, Germantown, and Boyds/Clarksburg. Take the Route 109 exitundefinedBarnesville/Hyattstown (exit 22 but the numbering skips). Go south (right) on 109 for three miles to the intersection of Comus Road, just after the Comus Inn. Turn right on Comus Road (west) and drive just under 2 ½ miles to the base of Sugarloaf. Turn right at the mountain base (not the hard right down the dirt road), drive through the open mountain gate and up the winding mountain road past East View and all the way to the West View parking lot (the end of the road). There is a right-hand fork that you take toward the end of the road. We will meet at the wooden shelter near the portapotties.

Contact: Melanie Choukas-Bradley mcb@melaniechoukas-bradley.com. Cell: 301-502-7410

Bring: Light lunch/snack and water. Binoculars, hand lens, field guides, optional.

Notes: Dress for the weather keeping in mind that the summit of Sugarloaf is about 3 degrees cooler and often windier than Baltimore and Washington.

Cancellation Policy: We will go in light rain. We will cancel only if conditions are dangerous or miserable such as heavy steady rain or probability of thunderstorms.

MNPS Field Trip: Ferns on the Gunpowder (09 Jun 2013)

Sun, 09 Jun 2013 14:00:00 GMT

Sponsoring Organizations: MNPS, Natural History Society of Maryland

Title: MNPS Field Trip: Ferns on the Gunpowder

Leader: Dwight Johnson

Learn to identify some common and less common ferns along the Gunpowder River just north of Perry Hall. We should see close to twenty species. We will explore three different areas that are located along two paths that are about one mile each. Both paths are flat easy walking with a few small stream crossings but could be muddy if there was recent rain.

Directions: We will meet at the large parking lot on the east side of US Rt. 1 (Belair Rd) at the Gunpowder River 5.4 miles north of Interstate 695 (Baltimore Beltway) Exit 32.

Contact: Dwight Johnson 551- 486-8518 or dwightmjohnson at comcast.net.

Bring: Lunch, water, field guides and hand lenses if you have them. 'Key to the Ferns of Maryland' is on the MNPS website, http://www.mdflora.org/PlantInfo/fernkey.html

Registration: Not required but appreciated. Registrants will be notified in the event of cancellation.

Exploring the Heaths at Elk Ridge (15 Jun 2013)

Sat, 15 Jun 2013 13:00:00 GMT

Field Trip Leaders: Liz McDowell & Ron Boyer, Western Mountains Chapter of MNPS.

Please note that this field trip is reserved for MNPS members only.

We’ll take take a closer look at the various members of the heath family growing throughout this ~ 70 acre private native plant preserve. Naturally occurring populations of heaths as well as planted specimens will be examined.

Bring/Wear: Participants should wear trail shoes and carry their own water.

Note: Sorry, but no pets are allowed and no rest rooms available. In case of rain this field trip will be rescheduled.

RSVP required: To minimize impacts group size is limited, so please contact Liz to reserve a space.

Fall Conference Field Trip: Wolf Swamp (21 Sep 2013)

Sat, 21 Sep 2013 17:00:00 GMT

Wolf Swamp

Leaders: Kevin Dodge and Cris Fleming

This exemplary mountain peatland community is co-owned by Maryland Salem’s Children Trust and Savage River State Park. This conserved land provides habitat for many unique species.

Easy to moderate

Registration is restricted to the fall conference attendees. You can select this field trip when you register for the conference.

Fall Conference Registration

Fall Conference Field Trip: Elk Ridge Native Plant Preserve (21 Sep 2013)

Sat, 21 Sep 2013 17:00:00 GMT

Elk Ridge Native Plant Preserve

Leaders: Liz McDowell and Carole Bergmann

This forested ridge lies within the Mid-Atlantic Highlands, the largest interior hardwood forest in the world's temperate latitudes. Landowner efforts to preserve regional biodiversity have helped protect several uncommon plants and animals on this conserved land adjacent to the Savage River State Forest.

Easy to moderate walk

Registration is restricted to the fall conference attendees. You can select this field trip when you register for the conference.

Fall Conference Registration

Fall Conference Field Trip: Finzel Swamp (21 Sep 2013)

Sat, 21 Sep 2013 17:00:00 GMT

Finzel Swamp

Leaders: Rod Simmons and Local Guide TBD

The Nature Conservancy’s Finzel Swamp is a biodiversity treasure chest containing more than 30 rare and uncommon species, and five globally and locally significant wetland habitat types. This remnant boreal fen has been left behind from the Pleistocene Epoch and is one of the few remaining refuges in Maryland where boreal species have persisted since the last Ice Age.

Easy to moderate walk

Registration is restricted to the fall conference attendees. You can select this field trip when you register for the conference.

Fall Conference Registration

Fall Conference Field Trip: Fort Hill (21 Sep 2013)

Sat, 21 Sep 2013 17:00:00 GMT

Fort Hill

Leaders: Ed Thompson and Wes Knapp

This area in Allegany County is one of Maryland’s best remaining examples of limestone cliffs and barrens. This fragile habitat is owned and managed by The Nature Conservancy.

Moderate walk

Registration is restricted to the fall conference attendees. You can select this field trip when you register for the conference.

Fall Conference Registration

Fall Conference Field Trip: Mount Aetna Tract (21 Sep 2013)

Sat, 21 Sep 2013 17:00:00 GMT

Mount Aetna Tract

Leaders: Sunshine Brosi and Mitch Hall

Description to be provided

Easy to moderate walk

Registration is restricted to the fall conference attendees. You can select this field trip when you register for the conference.

Fall Conference Registration

Fall Conference Field Trip: New Germany State Park (21 Sep 2013)

Sat, 21 Sep 2013 17:00:00 GMT

New Germany State Park

Leaders: Christine Campe-Price and Kirsten & Dwight Johnson

This mountain gem lies along Meadow Mountain, the eastern Continental Divide. Its many trails pass through a variety of habitats: hemlock and mixed hardwood forests, rhododendron covered streams, old field, and lakeshore.

Easy to moderate walk

Registration is restricted to the fall conference attendees. You can select this field trip when you register for the conference.

Fall Conference Registration

Fall Conference Field Trip: Allegany College Arboretum (21 Sep 2013)

Sat, 21 Sep 2013 17:00:00 GMT

Allegany College Arboretum

Leaders: Jim Howell and Justin Bower

Description to be provided...

Easy walk

Registration is restricted to the fall conference attendees. You can select this field trip when you register for the conference.

Fall Conference Registration

Fall Conference Field Trip: Cranesville Swamp (22 Sep 2013)

Sun, 22 Sep 2013 13:00:00 GMT

Cranesville Swamp

Leaders: Sue Studlar and Sunshine Brosi

Cranesville Swamp is a boreal peat bog relic left behind from the Pleistocene Epoch. Nestled in a mountain valley bowl known as a frost pocket, colder conditions still prevail enough for boreal plants to survive. This Nature Conservancy gem is a National Natural Landmark.

Easy on boardwalk and short loop trails

Conference Registration is required. When you register for the conference you can select this trip.

Fall Conference Registration

Frostburg State University will provide vans which will depart at 9 am. Directions will be provided at the conference.

Fall Conference Field Trip: Fifteen Mile Creek (22 Sep 2013)

Sun, 22 Sep 2013 13:00:00 GMT

Fifteen Mile Creek

Jim Howell and Justin Bower

Description to come

Easy to moderate

Conference Registration is required. When you register for the conference you can select this trip.

Fall Conference Registration

Frostburg State University will provide vans which will depart at 9 am. Directions will be provided at the conference.

Fall Conference Field Trip: High Rock Wildland (22 Sep 2013)

Sun, 22 Sep 2013 13:00:00 GMT

High Rock Wildland

James Lendemer and Liz McDowell

High Rock is a designated Type 1 wildland on Savage Mountain. This protected 650 acre tract includes an exemplary ridge crest rock outcrop that provides habitat for many rare species.

Moderate to difficult walk due to steep hill and rocky terrain

Conference Registration is required. When you register for the conference you can select this trip.

Fall Conference Registration

Frostburg State University will provide vans which will depart at 9 am. Directions will be provided at the conference.

Fall Conference Field Trip: North Cherry Creek Bog (22 Sep 2013)

Sun, 22 Sep 2013 13:00:00 GMT

North Cherry Creek Bog

Kevin Dodge and Rod Simmons

This mile-long complex of seeps and wetlands contains excellent examples of mountain peatland vegetation communities, including oligotrophic peatland, minerotrophic acidic fen, forested acidic seep and acidic conifer swamp forest. The high quality open sphagnum bogs are significant plant communities.

Moderate

Conference Registration is required.

When you register for the conference you can select this trip.

Fall Conference Registration

Frostburg State University is providing vans, which will depart at 9 a.m. Directions will be provided at the conference.

Fall Conference Field Trip: Rock Lodge (22 Sep 2013)

Sun, 22 Sep 2013 13:00:00 GMT

Rock Lodge

Jessie Harris and Cris Fleming

Rock Lodge is a large, privately owned nature preserve containing extensive heath woodlands and acres of pristine bog habitats. Many northern species occur here, including species not found elsewhere in Maryland.

Easy to moderate

Conference Registration is required.

When you register for the conference you can select this trip.

Fall Conference Registration

Frostburg State University will provide vans that depart at 9 am.

Directions will be provided at the conference.