Atwell Adventure

David Werier and Kyle Webster, Botanists

Saturday, August 10th, 9am – Sunday, August 11th, 4pm

Join us for a weekend camping adventure as we botanize in the footsteps of local botanist Joseph Haberer (1855-1925) and try to rediscover the state historical Juncus stygius.

This will be a weekend trip with primitive car camping on Saturday night. Participants have the option to arrive in the evening to camp on Friday night as well. The campsite has an outhouse but no other facilities or picnic tables. There is no cell phone reception. A great opportunity to botanize and spend time with fellow botanical enthusiasts.

Juncus stygius is a circumboreal rush that reaches the southern edge of its range in NY but has not been seen in the state since Haberer collected it from the area in 1902.  Other interesting plants we may see include coastal disjuncts such as Massachusetts fern (Coryphopteris simulata), green screwstem (Bartonia paniculata), and Gilman’s bog clubmoss (Lycopodiella ×gilmanii). Other plants of interest in the area include woodland arctic cudweed (Omalotheca sylvatica), Pickering’s reed grass (Calamagrostis pickeringii), beak sedges (Rhynchospora spp.), Farwell’s water milfoil (Myriophyllum farwellii), alga pondweed (Potamogeton confervoides),Oakes’s pondweed (P. oakesianus), bur-reeds (Sparganium spp.), hidden-fruited bladderwort (Utricularia geminiscapa) and of course lot of sedges, rushes, and grasses.

The area is the southern foothills of the Adirondacks with rolling topography, a big lake (reservoir), small ponds, and peatlands all embedded within a forested landscape. We will be exploring areas with terrain that will be rugged in places, including unstable peatlands and other wetlands with standing water. Please be prepared. We will also be spending a little time paddling on a lake. You will need to bring a boat (kayak or canoe; either a rental or your own).

If you have any questions about the trip before registering, please email atwelladventure@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.