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Leaders: Thayer Young and Judy Fulton Co-sponsoring organization: Friends of Gwynns Falls/Leakin Park
Location: Gwynns Falls/Leakin Park, Baltimore, Maryland
Description: Spend the first day of summer getting to know the oldest plant species in the park. Bring your father to this walk to celebrate Father's Day on a relaxing botanizing pace! On most walks, we admire the flowering plants that arose in the age of the dinosaurs; ferns go back much further. The first ferns appeared in the Devonian and Carboniferous periods, when plants ruled the world, and the great coal beds were being laid down. Join us to meet the living descendants of Earth's earliest vascular plants.
We expect to check out 11 of the 13 fern species that Thayer Young has documented in the park, along with other plants. Check on the following hand out to learn how to tell them apart: Dwight Johnson’s key to common ferns of Maryland. https://mdflora.org/PlantInfo/fernkey.html(downloadable in pdf). Judy has also produced a table of fern characteristics that will be handed out.
Difficulty Level and/or Mileage: _1.6 mi_230 feet of elevation gain
Leader bios: Thayer Young is the Friends of Gwynns/Falls Leakin Park's resident naturalist. His day job is making maps and databases for small nonprofits, but he also loves to identify plants.
Judy Fulton is the founder of EcoPlant Consulting, President of the Maryland Native Plant Society, and a member of the Board of the Mid-Atlantic Invasive Plant Council. She co-authored the widely recognized Plant Invaders of Mid-Atlantic Natural Areas, Field Guide and the prize-winning Maryland Native Plant Guide, Piedmont Region. She also helped create the Mid-Atlantic Invaders Tool website
For additional information: thayeray@yahoo.com, 443-934-2119
ONLINE REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED. Limited to 20 people. Directions will be included in registration confirmation.
Bring: We will mostly stay on trails, with a few short ventures off-trail to reach the ferns. One stretch is steep and rocky; plus there will be some poison ivy. So please wear sturdy closed shoes with good ankle support. Ticks and biting insects are active this time of year, so dress accordingly. Portable toilets are available at the parking lot, and the flush restrooms at the Carrie Murray Nature Center may be open during our walk.
Additional Information: There is an ADA-size porta potty at the parking lot. Carrie Murray Nature Center may be open, and it has flush toilet. Submission of photos and plant lists after walks or workshops are welcome.
Weather Cancellation Policy: Event will proceed in drizzle but be cancelled if heavy rain or thunderstorm. Cancellation will be emailed at least 2 hours before meeting time
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©Maryland Native Plant Society PO Box 4877, Silver Spring, MD 20914MNPS is a registered 501(c)(3) charitable organization incorporated in Maryland.
