2019 WNPS Study Weekend Field Trips – Bays, Bogs and Balds • for the Most Part Field Trips Will Be Limited to 12 Participants for Land Use and Group Management
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2019 WNPS Study Weekend Field Trips – Bays, Bogs and Balds • For the most part field trips will be limited to 12 participants for land use and group management. (exceptions are 102 (16), 103 (8), and 202 (10). • The need for a Washington State Parks Discover Pass is noted at the end of the trip description. All participants will meet at the Fidalgo Bay Resort to pick up lunches and arrange carpools except field trip 102 to Cypress Island. • Two trips will have charges, 102 to cover the cost of a chartered boat (pay at registration), and 202 to cover ferry fare to Guemes Island (pay at the dock). • Walking distances (length) are approximate roundtrip. Most descriptions were written by the trip leader. SATURDAY 101 Admiralty Inlet Natural Area and Smith Prairie, Whidbey Island. SOLD OUT Full The Admiralty Inlet Natural Area is administered by the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the Whidbey- Camano Land Trust. It is within the Ebey’s Landing National Historical Reserve and protects Golden paintbrush (Castilleja levisecta), a federally listed threatened species. There will be visits to two prairie remnants. Leader: Joe Arnett, retired rare plant botanist for the Washington Natural Heritage Program, DNR Duration: All day 102 Cypress Island Balds and Bays: SOLD OUT Full 6,000 acres of DNR Lands (by chartered boat). Cypress Island is the largest protected area of contiguous, undeveloped habitat in the San Juan Island archipelago, with nearly 18 miles of undeveloped marine shoreline and nearly 6,000 acres of forested uplands, balds, and wetlands. Natural Area lands, managed by the DNR, occupy >95% of the island and contain some of the highest quality occurrences of grassland balds and lowland forest in the state as well as unique and high-quality wetlands and shoreline habitats. This trip will explore the northern end of the island, beginning in a small bay with shoreline vegetation typical of the island. From there we’ll hike up to one of the island’s largest grassland balds, habitat for wildflowers such as Oregon sunshine, camas, death camas, chocolate lily, nodding onion, and sea-blush plus such native grasses as Roemer’s fescue. Along the trail to the balds are dry forest types of Douglas-fir, Pacific madrone, and juniper, and at the high point of the trip are panoramic views of Puget Sound, adjacent islands and (hopefully) Mt. Baker. Time permitting, we’ll also visit one of the many wetlands found on the island, likely seeing pond lily, mare’s tail, and bulrush, and offering the chance to puzzle over sedges. Leader: Dave Wilderman, Washington Natural Areas Program Ecologist Duration: All day Length: 4.5 miles Elevation gain: 1,000 ft Difficulty: Moderate. Poles could be helpful; some steep rocky areas off trail Other: Boat ride may be chilly even on a nice day; waterproof footwear not necessary but useful for wading in wetlands Notes: Requires an additional $75 charter boat fee (check the appropriate box on registration form). This group will meet at the dock in Skyline Marina, Anacortes, at 8 am to ensure an 8:30 departure (required because of a mid-day low tide). If you order lunch, it will be delivered to the dock. Limited to 16 participants, excluding leaders 103 Cranberry Lake Bog, Deception Pass State Park (DPSP). SOLD OUT Full Your trip leaders will ferry you by kayak to a bog in Cranberry Lake where you will learn about peatland ecology and whatflora somakes unusual the and rare. You will see a range of specialist species including bog cranberry (Vaccinium oxycoccos), Labrador tea (Rhododendron groenlandicum), bog laurel (Kalmia microphylla), peat mosses (Sphagnum spp.), the predatory roundleaf sundew (Drosera rotundifolia), and more. The bog also abuts a nice sand dune community for a nice contrast of habitats to explore. Co-leaders: Joe Rocchio, wetland ecologist, DNR Natural Heritage Program, and Vikki Jackson, retired wetland ecologist Duration: All day Length: 2 miles or less No elevation gain Difficulty: Participants should be comfortable getting in a kayak from uneven surfaces. There are no trails and the footing can be very uneven and wiggly, so good balance is required. Be prepared to get wet, knee boots are ideal but shoes that you don’t mind getting wet (e.g., tennis shoes) also work. Sandals are not recommended. Bring your PFD if you own one. Other: Due to the sensitive nature of the site and limited number of boats, the trip is limited to 8 (excluding leaders). Discover Pass required 104 Ebey's Bluff and Perego's Lagoon, Ebey’s Landing National Historial Reserve, west of Coupeville, Whidbey Island. This loop trail is unchallenged for sweeping views of Puget Sound and the Quimper Peninsula. The leader will not only point out plants but look into the history of the area (steeped in agriculture and—murder!) There will be dramatic surprises, including Western Washington’s only native cactus and one of the world’s most endangered plant species. Afterward, we’ll head to Coupeville for some “cold ones” and a look at the local drought-tolerant demonstration garden. Topics of the day will include plant identification, ecology and impact of weeds, species extinctions, and ecological restoration. Leader: Clay Antieau, botanist, horticulturist, environmental educator; WNPS Fellow Duration: All day Length: 5 miles per Washington Trails Association Elevation gain: 364 feet Difficulty: Mostly level trail; half the trip is a beach walk Other: All-weather event, dress to stay warm, dry, and comfortable; bring lunch, water, 10× hand lens, and money for ice cream. More information, https://www.seattletimes.com/life/travel/worth-the-trip- soul-nourishing-vistas-at-ebeys-landing/ For a plant list, go to https://www.researchgate.net/publication/325094178_Vascular_Plant_Inventory_of_Ebey's_La nding_National_Historical_Reserve_Vascular_Plant_Inventory_of_Ebey's_Landing_National_His torical_Reserve Discover Pass required 105 Private Garry Oak Woodland on Samish Island. The group will examine the plants on an unusual Garry Oak colony on the south end of Samish Island, where the oaks are approaching the northern limit of their range. Open areas should have a variety of spring wildflowers. This is private land, not generally accessible to the public. The Skagit Land Trust holds an easement on the property. The owner will accompany us and describe the management techniques he is using to maintain the oaks. Leader: Jim Duemmel, long-time WNPS members and plant list contributor Duration: 6 hours Length: 1.5 miles Elevation gain: 170 feet Difficulty: Generally easy, some minor scrambling 106 Sugarloaf Mountain Wildflowers to Heart Lake Forest. The group will explore the heart of the Anacortes Community Forest Lands, a 3,000 acre preserve owned and managed by the City of Anacortes. In the morning, we will hike the southern flank trail of Sugarloaf Mountain through multiple rocky bald meadows in bloom. This portion of our trail is often steep and rocky, but the overall distance is just over a mile roundtrip. We will take the time to savor all of the delicate species in the meadows; blue larkspur, purple sanicle, blue camas, death camas, red Indian paintbrush, and many more. The summit is just over 1,000 ft, providing amazing views of the region. After lunch and a bathroom break at Heart Lake parking lot, we will spend the afternoon exploring the best remaining stand of Puget trough lowland old growth forest. Native orchids and other woodland wildflowers, blooming native shrubs, and ancient trees will be our companions on this gentler route of just over 2 miles. Leader: Denise Crowe, a naturalist and community environmental education, lives on Fidalgo Island. She has a passion for native plants and habitats that support specialized plant communities. Duration: 6 hours Length: 3 miles Difficulty: moderate, bring poles for the mountain 107 Introduction to Revised Flora of the Pacific Northwest and Practical Applications. Sold Out Full This group will meet at the Fidalgo Bay Resort, and focus on using the new Flora of the Pacific Northwest, 2nd edition. We’ll start by discussing briefly the major changes at the family level (e.g., Ferns, Scrophulariaceae, and Liliaceae) and how to navigate these changes in the new book. We will then take a hike in Washington Park (Anacortes) to identify plants in the field, with an emphasis on selecting genera (plural of genus) and families that have undergone name changes. If time allows, we will also take a walk around the Fidalgo Bay Resort shoreline to gain exposure to some of the maritime species. Leader: David Giblin, University of Washington Herbarium, Burke Museum Duration: 6 hours Elevation gain: 200 feet Difficulty: Moderate 108 Prairie and Savanna Restoration at the Pacific Rim Institute plus a Visit to a Private 10-Acre Habitat Restoration on Whidbey Island. We’ll visit the PRI Native Plant Center (greenhouse, shade house, nursery beds …), the seed processing and storage facility, and a good bit of the 175 acres of forest, savanna, and glacial out-wash prairie. The site has a remnant (old-growth) prairie of about 4.5 acres that has never been disturbed by modern agriculture. The site was used as a “garden” by the Salish people who regularly burned the prairie/savanna and harvested over 100 species of plants for food, medicine, charms, clothing, and shelter. Most of the species will be in bloom or near bloom. These include camas (Camassia quamash), chocolate lily (Fritillaria affinis), bare-stemmed desert parsley (Lomatium nudicaule), woolly sunflower/Oregon sunshine (Eriophyllum lanatum),