Goldenrods demystified

Monday, October 1, 2018

An Aton Forest workshop led by Bill Moorhead

We will cover the identification and ecology the 28 southern New England species of goldenrods (genera Solidago, Oligoneuron, and Euthamia).  The workshop will begin with a lab session at Aton Forest, in which we will cover the basics of goldenrod identification and the species we will not see in the field.  We will then car-pool to several field sites in the vicinity of Aton Forest, where we will cover field identification of the species that occur in northwest Connecticut.  The discussions of species ecology will include wetland indicator value of each species.  This workshop will run, rain or shine.  If the weather is too bad for field work, we will extend the lab session, using fresh and pressed collected material.  Participants are encouraged to bring specimens.  This workshop is suitable for both goldenrod beginners and more experienced botanists to whom goldenrods are a challenge. 

Each participant should bring: a good quality hand lens with at least 10X magnification; fine-pointed forceps that can be carried in the field; hip waders or knee-high rubber boots, or shoes that can get wet; his/her choice of insect repellant, sun protection; field notebook; collecting bags; plant press and camera, if desired.

Lunch is not provided -- participants need to bring their own brown bag lunches and choice of drink.

BILL MOORHEAD is an independent consulting field botanist based in western Connecticut.  He has specialized for 29 years in the search for populations of rare plants and their habitats, and the study of plant communities and the factors determining their species composition and distribution.

Location: Aton Forest Headquarters, 270 North Colebrook Road, Norfolk CT

Date: Monday, October 1, 2018

Time: 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM (NOTE: the workshop will begin promptly at 9:00 AM, so please try to arrive earlier)

Tuition: $85 - we accept check by mail (Aton Forest, Inc., PO Box 509, Norfolk, CT 06058) or card via PayPal (see below)
SIGNUP FOR THIS WORKSHOP HAS PAST

This workshop is limited to 15 participants.  Registration and payment required in advance. Each participant must register seperately. If the workshop is cancelled by us for any reason, any advanced payments will refunded in full or may be used to attend another workshop or may considered a donation to Aton Forest. If a participant cancells without at least one weeks notice prior to the workshop date or does not attend the workshop, any advanced payment will be forfit and may considered a donation to Aton Forest.

COASTAL WETLANDS PLANTS

Thursday, August 16, 2018

An Aton Forest workshop led by Bill Moorhead

This workshop is aimed at professionals in the environmental field whose work includes delineation of Federal jurisdictional wetlands (“Corps wetlands”) in the coastal zone and State-of-Connecticut-jurisdictional tidal wetlands.  The workshop will emphasize field identification of the important Federal wetland indicator plants encountered in saline, brackish, and fresh tidal systems, as well as plants occurring in non-tidal wetlands of the coastal zone.  All of the Connecticut Tidal Wetland Act plants will be covered.  The workshop will be entirely in the field, visiting several representative sites in central coastal Connecticut.  This workshop will run, rain or shine, unless the forecast is for severe weather.  If the weather is bad enough, we will reschedule for the rain date, Tuesday Aug 21, 2018.

Itinerary:

Pratt Cove, Deep River

Ragged Rock Creek Marsh, Old Saybrook

Hammonasset Beach State Park, Madison/Clinton

Each participant should bring: a good quality hand lens with at least 10X magnification; fine-pointed forceps that can be carried in the field; hip waders, knee-high rubber boots, or shoes that can get wet; his/her choice of insect repellant, sun protection; field notebook; collecting bags; camera, if desired.  Though it is not essential, participants may want to bring a hard-copy of list of Connecticut plants with their NWI wetland indicator status codes.  

Lunch is not provided -- participants need to bring their own brown bag lunches and choice of drink. Coffee and donuts will be provided at the meeting location and water and ice will be available during the day.

BILL MOORHEAD is an independent consulting field botanist based in western Connecticut.  He has specialized for 29 years in the search for populations of rare plants and their habitats, and the study of plant communities and the factors determining their species composition and distribution.

Location: Meet at Dunkin' Donuts, 246 Main St. (Rte 154), Deep River, CT; additional parking on Union St. Coffee and donuts will be provided. This is at the junction of Union St. and Main St., south of the center of Deep River (junction of Rtes 80 and 154). From the north take Exit 5 on Rte 9; from the south take Exit 4 on Rte 9.

Date: Thursday, August 16, 2018 (Severe weather alternative date: Aug 21)

Time: 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM (NOTE: the workshop will begin promptly at 9:00 AM, so please try to arrive earlier)

Tuition: $85 - we accept check by mail (Aton Forest, Inc., PO Box 509, Norfolk, CT 06058) or card via PayPal (see below)
SIGNUP FOR THIS WORKSHOP HAS PAST

This workshop is limited to 15 participants.  Registration and payment required in advance. Each participant must register seperately. If the workshop is cancelled by us for any reason, any advanced payments will refunded in full or may be used to attend another workshop or may considered a donation to Aton Forest. If a participant cancells without at least one weeks notice prior to the workshop date or does not attend the workshop, any advanced payment will be forfit and may considered a donation to Aton Forest.

For more information, please contact instructor at whmoorhead@optonline.net, (860) 543-1786; or 
Aton Forest at contact@atonforest.org, (860) 542-5125.

Continuing Education Units may be available.  Please contact us in advance for more information.

INSCRUTABLE GRAMINIODs: 

Field Identification of Grass-like Plants in Late June

Tuesday, June 26, 2018

An Aton Forest workshop led by Bill Moorhead

This plant identification workshop focuses on field identification and ecology of important grasses, sedges, and rushes (collectively, “graminoids”, or grass-like plants) that are commonly encountered in Connecticut during the first part of summer.  We will cover upland grassland bird habitats, wet meadows and other graminoid-dominated wetlands, dry grasslands, and some forested habitats.  We will cover the basic features that distinguish the major graminoid groups, the terminology used in graminoid identification, distinguishing invasive and other non-native species from native species, wetland indicator values and other ecological affinities of various species.

BILL MOORHEAD is an independent consulting field botanist based in western Connecticut.  He has specialized for 29 years in the search for populations of rare plants and their habitats, and the study of plant communities and the factors determining their species composition and distribution.

Location: Topsmead State Forest, Chase Road (first right off Buell Road from the north), Litchfield, CT

Date: Tuesday, June 26, 2018

Time: 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM (NOTE: the workshop will begin promptly at 9:00 AM, so please try to arrive earlier)

Tuition: $85 - we accept check by mail (Aton Forest, Inc., PO Box 509, Norfolk, CT 06058) or card via PayPal (see below)
SIGNUP FOR THIS WORKSHOP HAS PAST

This workshop is limited to 15 participants.  Registration and payment required in advance. Each participant must register seperately. If the workshop is cancelled by us for any reason, any advanced payments will refunded in full or may be used to attend another workshop or may considered a donation to Aton Forest.If a participant cancells without at least one weeks notice prior to the workshop date or does not attend the workshop, any advanced payment will be forfit and may considered a donation to Aton Forest.

For more information, please contact instructor at whmoorhead@optonline.net, (860) 543-1786; or 
Aton Forest at contact@atonforest.org, (860) 542-5125.

Continuing Education Units may be available.  Please contact us in advance for more information.

Things you will need to bring: a brown bag lunch and choice of drink; a good quality hand lens/loupe with at least 10X magnification; a field notebook and writing implement[s]; bags for collecting specimens; choice of sun and insect/tick protection; appropriate footwear for both upland and ankle-deep wetland sites; rain gear (the workshop runs rain or shine).

Lunch is not provided -- participants need to bring their own brown bag lunches and choice of drink.

Willows Demystified Thursday, May 24, 2018 A workshop led by Bill Moorhead We will cover the identification and ecology of the 21 southern New England Salix species and several of the hybrids of this troublesome genus. The workshop will begin with a lab session at Aton Forest, and then we will hit the field, visiting several sites in the vicinity of Aton Forest. This workshop will run, rain or shine.  If the weather is bad enough, we will extend the lab session, using fresh and pressed material. Participants are encouraged to bring specimens. Each participant should bring: a good quality hand lens with at least 10X magnification; fine-pointed forceps that can be carried in the field; hip waders, knee-high rubber boots, or shoes that can get wet; his/her choice of insect repellant, sun protection; field notebook; collecting bags; camera, if desired. Lunch is not provided -- participants need to bring their own brown bag lunches.  Coffee and other beverages and some pastries will be provided in the morning. BILL MOORHEAD is an independent consulting field botanist based in western Connecticut.  He has specialized for 28 years in the search for populations of rare plants and their habitats, and the study of plant communities and the factors determining their species composition and distribution. Location: Aton Forest Headquarters, 270 North Colebrook Rd., Norfolk, CT 06058 Date: Thursday, May 24, 2017 Time: 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM (NOTE: the workshop will begin promptly at 9:00 AM, so please try to arrive earlier); we will carpool to the various field locations from Aton Forest Headquarters. Tuition: $85 - we accept check by mail (Aton Forest, Inc., PO Box 509, Norfolk, CT 06058) or card via PayPal (see below); please bring a lunch; beverages will be provided. SIGNUP FOR THIS WORKSHOP HAS PAST Workshops limited to 15 participants.  Registration and payment required in advance. Each participant must register seperately. If the workshop is cancelled by us for any reason, any advanced payments will refunded in full or may be used to attend another workshop or may considered a donation to Aton Forest.If a participant cancells without at least one weeks notice prior to the workshop date or does not attend the workshop, any advanced payment will be forfit and may considered a donation to Aton Forest. For more information, please contact instructor at whmoorhead@optonline.net, (860) 543-1786; or  Aton Forest at contact@atonforest.org, (860) 542-5125. Continuing Education Units are available.  Please contact us for more information.