Inscrutable Graminoids: Field Identification of Late-season Coastal & Tidal Grass-like Plants

An Aton Forest workshop led by Bill Moorhead

Date and time: Tuesday, September 27, 2016, 9:00AM – 3:00PM

Meeting and ending location: Saybrook Point Pavillion

155 College Street, Old Saybrook, CT.

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 coastal and tidal areas during early fall.  We will cover estuarine tidal, saltmarsh, and near coastal uplands. 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.

Tuition: $75.  Registration and payment required in advance. Enrollment will be on a first-come-first-served basis, and is limited to 15 participants. Any advanced payments will be refunded in full if the workshop is cancelled by us, for any reason.

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

For more information, contact Bill Moorhead (860-543-1786, whmoorhead@optonline.net) or John Anderson, Executive Director, Aton Forest, Inc. (office phone: 860-542-5125; email:contact@atonforest.org).

Unmistaken Identity:
Distinguishing Invasive Plants from Native Look-A-Likes in Summer
Thursday, August 11, 2016
9 AM to 3 PM
River Walk Pavilion, 10 School Street, Washington, CT

Learn to identify pesky invasive plants in the field. With the help of botanist Bill Moorhead you will learn to identify invasive plants in both terrestrial and wetland ecosystems, as well as become familiar with native plants that may potentially be confused.

A brief introductory classroom session at River Walk Pavilion will be followed by visits to a number of field sites. In the event of weather too severe for field work, the workshop may be changed into a lab/classroom session using fresh collected specimens. Continuing Education Units available for various programs.

BILL MOORHEAD is an independent consulting field botanist based in western Connecticut. He has specialized for 27 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. He leads plant and plant community identification walks and "eco-tours", teaches plant identification of difficult plant groups, such as sedges, grasses, asters, and goldenrods, as well as invasive species and their native look-a-likes.

Workshop limited to 15 participants, pre-registration required
Registration Fee $75

Summer Wildflowers & Ferns Workshop for Norfolk Days

2016 Workshop

SIGNUP FOR THIS WORKSHOP HAS PAST

Inscrutable Graminoids: Field Identification of Grass-like Plants in Late June

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.

Date and time: Thursday, June 30, 2016, 9:00AM – 3:00PM

Meeting and ending location: municipal parking lot behind 25 West St, Litchfield, CT

Tuition: $75.  Registration and payment required in advance.  Enrollment will be on a first-come-first-served basis, and is limited to 15.  Any advanced payments will refunded in full if the workshop is cancelled by us, for any reason. 

Things you will need to bring: a brown bag lunch and choice of drink if other than water (Aton will supply bottled water); 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 footware for both upland and ankle-deep wetland sites; rain

gear (the workshop runs rain or shine).

For more information, contact Bill Moorhead (860-543-1786, whmoorhead@optonline.net) or John Anderson, Executive Director, Aton Forest, Inc. (office phone: 860-542-5125; email:contact@atonforest.org)

Graminiod Workshop 6/30