James Lendemer, Curator of Botany at the NY State Museum

Kyle J. Webster, Botanist at the NY Natural Heritage Program

Day 1: Friday, July 31, 2026 | 10am – 5pm

Day 2: Friday,  August 7, 2026 | 10am – 1pm

What: Preserved specimens in herbaria are used for a wide range of purposes and serve a primary basis for our understanding of plant diversity and distribution. Collecting and preserving specimens is an important aspect of many fields including natural history, conservation, taxonomy, and more. In this workshop you will learn techniques for collecting various types of vascular plants, bryophytes, and lichens in the field, how to prepare and preserve the specimens, and how to mount them for use in an herbarium.
(Day 1) The workshop will begin with a morning and early afternoon in the field where participants will collect plant, lichen, and bryophyte specimens (and do a little botanzing!).Participants will learn different techniques for maintaining viable specimens while doing field work, considerations when collecting specimens, and for recording collection data.
(Day 2) We will reconvene at the NY State Museum after the specimens have dried and are ready to be mounted or put in packets. Participants will learn mounting techniques, how to prepare lichen and bryophyte packets, create labels, and have the opportunity to repair and remount specimens.
Who: Dr. James Lendemer is Curator of Botany at the NY State Museum. His research focuses on the botanical diversity of land-based ecosystems in eastern North America, both in nature and in museum collections. Kyle J. Webster is a botanist at the NY Natural heritage program where he conducts botanical inventories to assess and map rare plant populations, document the flora of NY, and promote and advise on plant conservation.

When and Where:
Day 1 (July, 31) | 10am – 5pm: Field location TBD. After fieldwork we will caravan to the Kelly Adirondack Center in Schenectady, NY.
Day 2 (August, 7) |10am – 1pm: NYSM Museum, Albany NY.
The workshop fee is $100 for NYFA members and students; $130 for non-members. Participants are encouraged to become NYFA members. The cost for the workshop includes both instructional days, lab space, and plant, collecting, pressing, and mounting materials for use in the workshop. Other meals, housing, and parking fees are not included.

Inquiries: Any questions please email plantcollection@nyflora.org.

NYFA Cancellation Policy: The workshop fee, minus a $20 processing fee, is refundable up to four weeks prior to the start of the workshop. No refunds for cancellations within two weeks of the start of the workshop. Alternatively, the registrant may opt to apply 50% of the fee to a future NYFA workshop to be offered in the same or following year. There will be a full refund if NYFA needs to cancel the workshop.

To Pay By Check: Begin the registration process by clicking the “register” button below, then choose your registration type,  and add it to your cart.  Then choose “view cart”, make sure it is correct.  Next “proceed to checkout”, then fill out the form, and choose the “pay by check” option.  Checks must be received within 7 days of registration to confirm your place.

Limited Scholarships Are Available: To apply please complete the Scholarship Application and email it to events@nyflora.org. Then register for the workshop below by adding the member price to your cart and choosing the scholarship option during checkout. You will not be charged. Registration will hold your spot while we review the application but does not guarantee a scholarship award.

Steve Young, former chief botanist for the NY Natural Heritage Program who continues to study the state’s flora.

Saturday, August 1 | 10 am – 1 pm

We will take a walk from the parking lot of Whiteface Mountain, up the stairs to the top and then down the Wilmington Trail to the parking lot.  We will look at the wide diversity of rare and common alpine and krummholz plants and see if we can add to the extensive checklist of plants for the summit. This is a moderate hike and will involve a climb up the long (sometimes crowded) stairway from the castle to the top and a walk down a rocky, sometimes bouldery trail to the road. 

This is a joint trip with the Adirondack Botanical Society.

There is a limit of 10 people for the trip so please register early.

If you have any questions about the trip before registering, please email whiteface@nyflora.org.

All NYFA field trips are free and open to all.

NYFA relies on the generous support of its members to offer free Field Trips and Learn 10 workshops. If you are able, please consider a donation to help support these efforts. Suggested Donation is $10.

Kyle J. Webster, NY Natural Heritage Program Botanist

Ed McGowan, State Parks Biologist

Saturday August 1st, 2026 | 10 am – 3 pm

Join us as we explore Iona Island along the Hudson River. The last NYFA trip led to this unique island was on July 31st, 1993 where the group noted 85 species, including many sedges, grasses, interesting wildflowers, and some emerging non-native species at the time. On our return trip 33 years later we will retrace the foot steps of that trip, exploring the tidal marsh edges, rocky summits, and weedy areas around the old Navy building to see how many of the same species we can find, and how many news ones we can document on the island.

NYFA relies on the generous support of its members to offer free Field Trips and Learn 10 workshops. If you are able, please consider a donation to help support these efforts. Suggested Donation is $10.

Kyle J. Webster, NY Natural Heritage Program Botanist

Saturday, August 15th |10 am – 3 pm

Join us as well explore Island Pond, one of the few naturally occurring lakes in Harriman State Park. We will paddle the lake, perusing the aquatic plant diversity and occasionally stopping to disembark and explore the associated floating peat mats and dwarf shrub bog by foot. Highlights will include a stunning display of yellow-eyed grasses (Xyris spp.), sundews (Drosera spp.), Virginia meadow beauty (Rhexia virginica), St. Johnsworts (Hypericum spp.), dodders (Cuscuta spp.), white beak sedge (Rhynchospora alba), purple bladderwort (Utricularia purpurea), among many others!
Participants will need to bring their own boat, paddles, and PFDs. Lunch will be on the water. Parking is very limited, so we will need to caravan from adjacent parking lots.

NYFA relies on the generous support of its members to offer free Field Trips and Learn 10 workshops. If you are able, please consider a donation to help support these efforts. Suggested Donation is $10.

Erik Danielsen, Botanist studying old-growth forests with the Tree Ring Lab at Harvard Forest in MA

Friday, August 21st | 10 am – 3 pm

The skirt of talus at the base of the Cascade Slide developed over the course of multiple slides, most recently Hurricane Irene in 2011. An unusual and globally rare “dirty marble” outcrop higher up on the mountain provides a lot of the parent material for this talus, creating a calcium-rich environment that’s also unusually cool and moist due to the sheltering terrain. Abundant Braun’s Holly Fern is one of the first signs that this is a special environment. Participants will explore the lower elevation zone potentially up to the base of the falls. The area to be explored is off trail on bouldery, uneven terrain, but generally within a half mile of the parking area. The shorelines of the Cascade Lakes and their aquatic communities may also prove to be interesting, and if we’re very lucky, we may relocate historic collections of the globally rare Waterfan Lichen or state-endangered Large-Leaved Avens. 

This is an extremely popular area due to the lakes and nearby trailheads. If you can, carpool from nearby and/or arrive early to avoid any parking issues. There’s plenty to see, and you can even take a bracing dip in the lake!

If you have any questions about the trip before registering, please email cascade@nyflora.org.

Participation is limited – please sign up early.

All NYFA field trips are free and open to all.

NYFA relies on the generous support of its members to offer free Field Trips and Learn 10 workshops. If you are able, please consider a donation to help support these efforts. Suggested Donation is $10.

Maura Sullivan | Director of Muller Field Station/FLCC Professor

Bruce Gilman | Curator, Finger Lakes Herbarium

Kyle J. Webster | Botanist, NY Natural Heritage Program

Start: Friday, August 28th | 5 pm

End: Sunday, August 30th | 2 pm

Join us as we spend the weekend exploring the botanical treasures around Honeoye Lake. 

This will be a weekend long trip with camping on Friday and Saturday night at the Muller Field Station (more details below). Friday arrival is optional (but encouraged!). This will be a great opportunity to botanize and spend time with fellow botanical enthusiasts.

Friday evening we will gather at the Muller Field Station to settle in and do some botanizing nearby before gathering around for a fire.

Saturday morning we will canoe/kayak along the edge of the lake looking at diverse aquatic macrophyte communities, then paddle up the inlet into one of the largest silver maple-ash swamp communities (>765 acres) in New York. The swamp contains many emergent plants, wetland shrubs, parasitic vines, ferns, and other treasures. Be prepared to disembark for beaver dams and get your feet wet as we set out on foot to explore this difficult to access (and under-surveyed) wetland. Total round trip paddle length is about 3 miles, plus any on foot exploration we do in the swamp. We will “raft together” for lunch. Bring binoculars for birding, bug nets for chasing dragonflies, and an adventurous spirit!

Sunday morning we will explore a rich hemlock-hardwood peat swamp perched on the ridge east of the Honeoye Valley.

Boats, paddles, and PFDs are available for use. If planning to bring your own boat, please practice Clean-Drain-Dry. 

Lodging is available at the FLCC Field Station, we encourage everyone to stay if you are able. The rates for lodging are $25/night for a bed and $20/night for camping on the grounds. We will reach out to coordinate lodging as the trip draws near. 

If you have any questions about the trip before registering, please email honeoye@nyflora.org.

All NYFA field trips are free and open to all.

NYFA relies on the generous support of its members to offer free Field Trips and Learn 10 workshops. If you are able, please consider a donation to help support these efforts. Suggested Donation is $10.

Michael Kudish, Forest Historian

Sunday, September 6th | 10 am – 4 pm

This trip will explore two areas in the Catskill Mountains that have different forest histories.  Dr. Kudish will explain the concept of the “burn index” and its potential use as a descriptor of forest history especially in the context of indigenous people’s land management practices.  In addition to the vascular plants, we will also be focusing on bryophytes and explore the possibility of using them as part of the burn index. Some driving will be required because the study sites are approximately 20 miles away from each other.

More details about the trip and the meeting place will be sent after completing registration. If you have any questions feel free to contact us at burn@nyflora.org.

All NYFA field trips are free and open to all.

NYFA relies on the generous support of its members to offer free Field Trips and Learn 10 workshops. If you are able, please consider a donation to help support these efforts. Suggested Donation is $10.

David DuBois, Director of Stewardship at Baltimore Woods Nature Center

Sunday, September 13th | 10 pm – 3 pm

Baltimore Woods is a 270 acre nature preserve in Marcellus NY. The preserve sits upon deep glacial gravel deposits and supports an diversity of high quality habitats. These habitats support more than 500 vascular plant species and include an occurrence of Rich Sloping Fen, an uncommon ecological community in New York State. We will spend some time in rich woods and rich sloping fens looking at the plants that grow in these communities including the State Threatened Ohio Goldenrod (Solidago ohioensis) as well as many other fen specialists. 

If you have any questions about the trip before registering,  please email baltimorewoods@nyflora.org.

All NYFA field trips are free and open to all.

NYFA relies on the generous support of its members to offer free Field Trips and Learn 10 workshops. If you are able, please consider a donation to help support these efforts. Suggested Donation is $10.

Steve Young and Laura Lehtonen, botanists studying the flora of the Capital District.

Saturday, September 26 | 9 am – 1 pm

We will be examining the flora along the new 2.6-mile Alfred Z. Solomon Grassland Bird Trail. The trail winds through the grasslands and along the Dead Creek with spectacular views of the surrounding fields and mountains. We will see a wide variety of late-summer, upland and wetland grasses and forbs and one of the largest populations of glossy-leaved aster and Georgia bulrush in New York. Bring your binoculars for the flora and the birds!

If you have any questions about the trip before registering,  please email grasslands@nyflora.org.

All NYFA field trips are free and open to all.

NYFA relies on the generous support of its members to offer free Field Trips and Learn 10 workshops. If you are able, please consider a donation to help support these efforts. Suggested Donation is $10.

Victoria Bustamante

Saturday, September 26th | 10 am – 3 pm

Explore a botanical odyssey in some of Montauk’s lesser known and rare maritime communities—an otherworldly landscape of stunted, wind-shaped, salt-sprayed plants. We’ll be trekking off-trail through a richly woven mosaic of maritime heathlands, grasslands, shrublands, forests, and dunes.  These include the following ecological plant communities: Maritime heathland (S1), Maritime dunes (S3), Maritime shrubland (S4), Coastal oak-heath forest (S3). Some expected plant highlights are Schizachyrium littorale, Aristida tuberculosa, Mononeuria caroliniana, Artemisia campestris ssp. caudata, Dichanthelium commonsianum, Pityopsis falcata, Hudsonia tometosa, Carex tonsa, Viburnum dentatum var. venosum, Lechea maritima, Cyperus grayi, knitted through with reindeer lichen, Cladonia rangiferina. 

Bring water, lunch and/or snacks, and sunscreen. Ticks are a special concern, come prepared – boots, tick spray, tick clothing, gators. 

This is a joint trip with the Long Island Botanical Society. If you have any questions about the trip before registering, please email montauk@nyflora.org. 

All NYFA Field Trips are free and open to all.

NYFA relies on the generous support of its members to offer free Field Trips and Learn 10 workshops. If you are able, please consider a donation to help support these efforts. Suggested Donation is $10.

Tomás Todisco, NHP Botanist

Sunday, September 27th | 10 am – 1 pm

Come and experience GRAMINOID MANIA on a visit to the coastal plain ponds of Sears Bellows County Park. Be sure to bring your hand lens because it’s Tubercle Time in the Cyperaceae Smackdown of the Century!  We will first visit Grass Pond, which will have taxa such as: Rhynchospora inundata, R. macrostachya, R. scirpoides, Carex striata, Scleria reticularis, and Fuirena pumila. Be sure to stick around for the Bladderwort Bludgeoning in the adjacent House Pond, where things are sure to get Hot AND Hydric!  

Bring water, lunch, sunscreen, and personal protective equipment against ticks. Wear footwear that you don’t mind getting wet and muddy, and please clean gear before arrival to stop the spread of invasive species. Together, we’ll be sure to tread lightly through this incredible ecosystem.

We will meet at 10:00am at a location that will be communicated to those who register. 

If you have any questions about the trip before registering,  please email searsbellows@nyflora.org.

All NYFA field trips are free and open to all.

NYFA relies on the generous support of its members to offer free Field Trips and Learn 10 workshops. If you are able, please consider a donation to help support these efforts. Suggested Donation is $10.

Jillian Harris | NYS Parks Biologist

Saturday, October 3rd | 10 am – 3 pm

Join us as we explore the late season plant diversity at Whirlpool State Park. We will explore a savanna type habitat around the rim of the Niagara River Gorge where we will see a diversity of asters including sky-blue aster (Symphyotrichum oolentangiense), New York aster (Symphyotrichum novi-belgii), and New England aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae), among others. From there, we will stop at the overlook along the Rim Trail until we reach the stairs that lead down into the Niagara Gorge. There are 429 steps that will lead us into the talus slope and talus woodlands that make up the Gorge. 

We will aim to stop for lunch at the base of the stairs where there are some picnic tables in a wooded area with sarsaparilla (Aralia spp.), raspberries (Rubus spp.), dogwoods (Cornus spp.), and elderberry (Sambucus spp.), before continuing on towards the infamous Niagara River Whirlpool and the Whirlpool Flats. 

The hike will start at the Whirlpool State Park parking lot where bathrooms are available. The trail on the Gorge Rim is asphalt and relatively flat, but the terrain of the talus slopes and gorge will be uneven. Please come prepared. 

If you have any questions about the trip before registering, please email whirlpool@nyflora.org. 

All NYFA field trips are free and open to all.

NYFA relies on the generous support of its members to offer free Field Trips and Learn 10 workshops. If you are able, please consider a donation to help support these efforts. Suggested Donation is $10.