What:  Data Collection of the Pumice grape-fern (Botrychium pumicola).   Two to four volunteers are requested for this project.  The work involves assisting Forest Service employees with data collection at two sites located about one hour southeast of Bend, several miles southeast of Pine Mountain.  This will be the second year of full data collection at these sites.  The objective of this ten-year monitoring project is to determine if cattle are having an impact on this sensitive plant.  The monitoring was initiated after discovering that roughly 1/5 of the world’s population of this species occurs in one cattle pasture. 

 

In a nutshell, the actual monitoring involves searching for previously located and numbered plants along already-established transects within fenced and unfenced plots, measuring them, determining fertility (by presence or absence of the spore-bearing stalk) and placing numbered tags next to those that are new to the monitoring.  This information is then recorded on a pre-made data sheet.

 

When:  The work will most likely occur the week of June 29 and will take at least the first four days of the work week.  Because of the distance from town, the work days will be 10 hours’ length (this includes driving time to and from the sites).  Volunteers will be able to ride along in Forest Service vehicles. 

 

Working conditions:  Pleasant co-workers; warm to uncomfortably hot weather, with potential for thunderstorms; white, highly reflective, sandy pumice soils; no shade; flat  topography; no hiking is necessary; pleasing vistas of Pine Mountain, Mahogany Butte, northeast rim of Newberry Crater.  No previous experience is necessary to help—just a good attitude, careful attention to detail, and willingness to look for and record relatively inconspicuous plants!

 

What to bring:  Lunch, snacks, and plenty of water– there is no water or toilet facilities available on site.  Please wear shade hats and sunscreen. Consider wearing sturdy tennis shoes or other comfortable walking shoe.  Boots are not recommended since they tend to churn this delicate soil that the grape-fern lives in. 

 

Age considerations: High school students and older are welcome on this volunteer project.  While children are welcome on almost all NPSO events, please do not bring younger children for this event.  Thank you.

 

Reservations: Required a minimum of 2 weeks in advance.

 

Contact: 

Charmane Powers
Botanist, Bend/Ft. Rock Ranger District
Deschutes National Forest
e-mail:  cpowers@fs.fed.us
541-383-4730