Table Of Content

26 v.,/ Promoting interest in Idaho's nativeflora In this issue Bitterroot’s wet forests p.1 Dates to remember INPS News p.3 Fortynine Meadows project p.6 2011INPSERIG Botanist’s Bookshelf p. 10 Proposalsdeadline March31 (p.15) INPS Chapter News p.1 INPS Annual Meeting p.1 CelebrateNativePlant Appreciation Week, April24-30 Wet forests on the west slope of the Bitterroots AmericanPenstemon Societyproposalsdue of global significance May31 (p.14) by Paul Alaback, Professor Emeritus of Forest Ecology, University of Montana INPS2011Annual Driving along the sinuous route of have spent much of my career study- MeetingJune24-26 I CastleRocksState Highway 12 towards Montana it is easy ing the ecology of temperate rainfor- ParkandCityofRocks to take for granted the seemingly end- ests, mostly in coastal Alaska, British NationalReserve (p.16) less dense, dark forest of red cedar and Columbia, the Pacific Northwest, and grand fir along the Lochsa River corridor. in southern Chile and Argentina. After 2012INPSCalendar Proposals for expanding the highway or moving to Montana in the early 1990s, I Photo Contestentry for allowing larger trucks to haul hazard- was struck by how similar the forests in deadlineJuly31 (p.3) ous loads along this narrow road have the Lochsa were to the forests studied I been in the news lately. In discussions in the Pacific Northwest, especially in related to these proposals, what is often contrast to the ponderosa and lodgepole overlooked is that this forest has many pine forests that dominate so much ofthe historical and botanical attributes which Northern Rockies. After studying the dis- make it one of the more unique and sci- turbance ecology of forests on the north entifically valuable forests in the entire fork of the Clearwater River, and taking Rocky Mountain region. many students to the Lochsa drainage, A series of scientific studies going all witebreecqaumietecflaesacrintoatmineg tahnadt tdheesseervfionrgestosf the way back to Rexford Daubenmire’s further study. classic work, starting in the 1940s, have IDAHO NATIVE shown that many vascular plant species This ecosystem is what ecologists and PLANT SOCIETY here appearto have close connections to biogeographers call an “interior rainfor- coastal temperate rainforests of Oregon est,” a global oddity. Idaho has the larg- February 2011 and Washington. More recent studies est and most unique interior rainforest in Volume 33 (1) have shown that moss and lichen spe- the world. While moist forests similar to cies have even closerties to coastal rain- the temperate rainforests of the Pacific Articlescontributedto forests than the vascular plants, espe- Northwest coast were once common SageNotesreflectthe viewsoftheauthorsand cially to forests in British Columbia where in our region, the forests of the upper arenotanofficialposi- oceanic lichens are well represented. Lochsa River and the north fork of the tionoftheIdahoNative Continuedonp.4 PlantSociety. Photoabove: WaterfallonacreekontheNorthForkoftheClearwaterRiver,Aquarius RNA.Noticethelargeanddiversecarpetofmossesandlichens. Thesemicrositesoften harborarichassortmentofrelictcoastalplantspecies.Photo:PaulAlaback , Idaho Native Plant Society Address:P.0. Box9451, Boise, ID83707 IagreedtomeetafriendatthePahove Chapter’spizzapicnicin Septemberthinking Email:info3atidahonativeplantsdotorq it would be nice to check outa new organization. By the end ofthe evening / had Website:www.idahonativeDlants.ora joinedINPS andoffered to be the neweditorofSage Notes. I’m excited to have the opportunityto workwith INPS andto meetmembers across the state. INPSBOARDMEMBERS President: Vacant By profession, I am a natural and cultural history interpreter. The seeds of my Vice-president: Vacant “career” were planted when I was in high school—aftermy first wilderness canoe STerceraesutraerry::JNoadnycyHuMlilller trip in Quetico ProvincialParkin Ontario (1969) andmyexperience as an organizer Past-president:JanetBenoit ofthe first Earth Day event at my school in a suburb of Chicago. At that time my Member-at-Large:MelNicholls artisticinterests focusedin on naturephotography, which remains apassion anda ChapterPresidentsarealsomembers toolformywork. oftheINPS Board. IgraduatedfromSouthernIllinoisUniversityinCarbondalewithaBSinEnvironmental Sage Notes, thenewsletterofthe Interpretation (1978), earned through a special major program combining natural IdahoNativePlantSociety, ispublished inFebruary, May, September, and sciences (ecology, botany, zoology, andgeology) with photography, art, interpreta- December. Currentandrecentpastissues tion, outdoorandenvironmentaleducation. ofSageNotesareavailableinfullcolor ontheSageNotespageoftheINPSweb After college, I first worked as a naturalist with the Tennessee Valley Authority at site:www.idahonativeDlants.ora/news/ LandBetween the Lakes in western Kentuckyand Tennessee. From there I moved Newsletters.asox. alongwithasearchable to Raleigh then Chapel Hill, North Carolina where Ispent eightyears as a regional indexofissuesfrom2006-2010. Older conservation information/educationrepresentative with theN.C. Wildlife Resources issuesarebeingscannedandaddedas Commission. My next move was to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service position as timeallows. the SoutheastRegion’s interpretive specialistbasedin Atlanta, Georgia. Iprovided Submissions: Membersandnon- interpretive assistance and coordinatedproduction ofbrochures fornational wild- membersareinvitedtosubmitmaterial life refuges andfish hatcheries in the 10-state region. forpublication. Relevantarticles, essays, poetry, newsandannouncements, Imoved to Clarkston, Washington in 1992 fora position with the Wallowa-Whitman photographsandartworkarewelcome. National Forest as the interpretive planner/designer for Hells Canyon National Authors, artists, andphotographers retaincopyrighttotheirworkandare Recreation Area. In 1995, 1moved to the Hells Canyon office in Enterprise, Oregon creditedin SageNotes. Sendallsubmis- and added managing the Wallowa Mountains Visitor Center to my duties. I reluc- sionselectronicallytotheeditorattheemail tantlyleftHells Canyon in 2000 andrelocated to Boise (Eagle) to manage the U.S. addressbelow.Submissionguidelinesare ForestService Fire andAviation website atthe NationalInteragencyFire Center. In postedontheINPSwebsite:www.idaho- 2002, joined the Forest Service Enterprise Team Interpretive Arts Unlimited! and nativeDlants.org/news/Newsletters.asDX 1 . worked on Forest Service interpretive projects in North Dakota, Arizona, Oregon, Pleaseprovideaphonenumberand/oremail addresswithyoursubmission.Submission California, Nevada, andNewMexico. In October, 2007, after28years ofgovernment deadlinesareJanuary8,April1,August1, work, I launched my free-lance interpretive consulting, planning and design busi- andNovember1. ness, Jane Rohling CommunicationArts. Advertising: Advertisementshelpsup- Examples ofprojectsI’ve workedon canbeseenatPittsburgLanding, GrannyView portSageNotes.Ifyouwouldliketoreach and Hat Point, Cache Creek, or Hells Canyon Creek in Hells Canyon NRA, and on environmentally-minded,native-plant-lov- ingcustomers,pleaseconsidertakingout alpine trails on Mt. Howard near Wallowa Lake in Oregon. In the Boise area, I was anadinournextissue. Pricesare:$5for instrumentalin developing the Idaho Black History Museum exhibits, producedan 1/8page,$8for1/4page,$15for1/2page, interpretive sign for Blacks’ Creek Reservoir for Golden Eagle Audubon Society, and$25forfullpage. Personaladsare and designed exhibits on watershed, snow science, wildlife, and recreation at $2.Adsshouldbeelectronic(JPEG, TIFF, Bogus Basin for the Boise National Forest. I am currently working on signs for PSD,PDF)andsenttotheeditor.Payment the StarRiver Walk (on the Boise Riverin Star, ID) and the Oregon Trail-BearLake shouldbesentseparatelytoSageNotes Ads,P.0.Box9451,BoiseID, 83707 Scenic Bywayin southeastIdaho. SageNotesEditor:JaneRohling I look forward to participating in field trips and meeting INPS members. Don’t sage editoratidahonativeplantsdotora hesitate to contact me with ideas for Sage Notes or questions about submission Phone: (208) 938-3529 guidelines. Yourcomments andfeedback willbe appreciated! NEWS INPS Announcing the 2012 INPS Calendar Photo Contest The Idaho Native Plant Society is pleased to announce our right-clicking on the image and then going to the properties 2011 Photo Contest. Society members are encouraged to option. The actual file name ofthe photo should not include submit photographs of plants native of Idaho for use in the any identifying photographer information to preserve ano- 2012 INPS calendar as well as other Society publications. nymity during judging. We are looking for photos thatwill help the Society promote native plants and habitats and bring greater public aware- How do I submit a photo entry? Submit digital images by ness of the special flora of Idaho. Photographers will be email preferably, or by U.S. mail on a CD. In either case, credited in any calendar or other document in which their each image must be accompanied an entryform. The entry photographs are used. form, which is available on the state INPS website (www. Who may submit photos? INPS members or their imme- didoachuomnaetnitveapnldanattst.oarcgh)e,dctaontbheeecmuatila.nd pasted into a Word diate family members are eligible to submit a maximum of 5 photos per individual. Email submissions: send the images and entry forms to inps-photo at idahonativeplants dot org. Please use INPS Deadline for entries: Photos will only be accepted until Photo Contest in the subject line. July 31, 2011 in order to give the contest committee time to judge the photos and the calendar committee time to U.S. mail submissions: send a CD of up to five images produce a 2012 calendar. accompanied by an entry form for each photo to: What format of photo is acceptable? Up to five (5) Idaho Native Plant Society high-resolution digital images may be submitted by each INPS Photo Contest individual. Prints and slides must be digitized by the entrant 2955 S. Marsh Creek Road so the photo may be submitted in digitized format. A digital McCammon, ID 83250 image to be eligiblefora main page ofthe calendarmust be ofsufficient resolution to create a high quality print approxi- Copyright and granting of rights: The photographer will mately 6” high x 9” wide (landscape) or approximately 7.5” retain the copyright of images he or she submits. INPS will high x 5” wide (portrait). Landscapeformat photos are more have the right to use the images submitted in documents easily incorporated in the calendar. promoting Idaho native plants for two years from the deadline for submittals. Each image file may have the photographer’s name and contact information embedded in the file properties (IPTC INPSNews continuedonp.15 metadata) but this is not required. You can locate these by Celebrate Native Plant Week Appreciation April 24-30, 2011 Chapters will be planning events associated with Native Plant Appreciation Week. If you are aware of opportunities for INPS to promote this week at the state or chapter level, please notify an INPS state or chapter officer. 3 Falsehellebore(Veratrumviride) PhotobyJaneRohling Left: Lushgrandfirand westernredcedarforest intheAquariusRNA witha densecarpetofDryopteris andAthyriumfernsonthe forestfloor. Right:Interiorrainforests usuallyhavearichassort- mentofepiphyticplants thatclingtobranchesand barkofoldtrees. Devoto CedarGrove,Lochsadrain- age. Photos:PaulAlaback Interior wet forests (continued from p.1) drainage, there was enough local mois- Clearwater River are among the few ture to allow many of the wet-forest spe- examples of these forests that remain. cies to persist. This helps explain the I contributed a chapter on these forests to many endemic and genetically unique a new book on the ecology and conser- populations that have been documented vation oftheworld’stemperate rainforests in the area. (Temperate and Boreal Rainforests ofthe World: Ecology and Conservation, edited Tropical rainforests are well known as by Dominic DellaSala, 2010). cradles of biodiversity and have been a key focus of global conservation efforts Idaho’s interior wetbelt forests are some over the past several decades. Less well of the most ancient forests on the North known are temperate rainforests which American continentand botanists believe occur in ten principal regions across the this is explained by the geological his- globe, generally within 100 miles of the tory of our region. While we generally coast in regions where mountains tend consider all of our mountains to be old to trap moisture from offshore winds. in geological terms, the formation of the Cascade Mountain Range as a high and The largest t—emperate rainforest region well-defined barrier to Pacific winds is in the worl—d more than 40% of the actually a quite recentgeologi- global total occurs from the redwood cal phenomenon. “The interior region in northern California north to south-central Prior to the rising of the wetbelt rainforest Alaska. Other regions with Cascades, the Bitterroot of the Rocky large temperate rainforests Mountains formed the west- Mountain region include southern Chile and ern margin of the continent Argentina (Patagonia), New is the largest and moisture from the Pacific Zealand, the Pacific coast known extended all the way into the interior of Siberia and Japan. While forests of Idaho and western rainforest in the not necessarily global cen- Montana. After the Cascades world.” ters of biodiversity, temper- blocked the wet coastal winds ate rainforests are unique for from reaching the interior for- the large sizes and ages of Cedarbough ests, this region became cooler and their trees, the amount of carbon stored Photo: JaneRohling drier. Most of the temperate rainforests in these ecosystems, and the conserva- and many of their associated plant spe- tion value of the watersheds and wildlife cies disappeared. The principle excep- habitats they encompass. tions to this pattern were in the mountains west of the continental divide in The interior wetbelt rainforest of the 4 British Columbia and in scattered moist Rocky Mountain region is the largest sites in Montana and Idaho. In places known interior rainforest in the world. like the upper portions of the Lochsa This forest covers over 34 million acres “...next time you have the opportunity to travel to the red cedar, western hemlock or grand fir forests of the Lochsa, take some time to look at the plants that can be found This forest covers over 34 million acres of or grand fir forests of the Lochsa, take in these wet land from central British Columbia south to some time to look at the plants that can microsites. See the Idaho panhandle. be found in these wet microsites. See if if you can find you can find some of the unique species some of the The oldest trees and the richest diversity that occur here. Learn what makes these unique species of lichen and moss species in the north- forests so distinctive. that occur here. ern Rockies occur in these forests. The Learn what greatest carbon stores per acre and great- Relatively few studies have been conduct- makes these est ecological productivity in the Rocky ed in these fairly remote interior rainfor- forests so Mountains have also been measured in ests. Many new and fascinating scientific distinctive...” these interior rainforests. insights into our most ancient and unique forests await your discovery there! So the next time you have the opportunity Paul Alaback to travel to the red cedar, western hemlock Right: TheNorthForkofthe ClearwaterRiver intheAquariusResearchNaturalAreaisoneof thelargestexamplesofinteriorrainforestsin Idahowithmanyrareanduniqueplantspecies. Photo:PaulAlaback Suggested reading Bjork,C.R. 2010. Distributionpatterns ofdisjunctandendemic vascularplantsin theinteriorwetbeltofnorthwestNorth America. Botany88:409-428(2010) DellaSala, D. (ed.). 2010. TemperateandBorealRainforests of the World: EcologyandConservation. IslandPress. ISBN. 978-1- 59726-676-5(paper) Goward, T., andT. Spribille. 2005. Lichenologicalevidencefor therecognition ofinlandrainforestsin western NorthAmerica. JournalofBiogeography32:1209-1219 Editor’snote: Thisarticlehasbeen editedslightly. An unedited version ispostedon theINPS website: www.idahonativeDlants.ora Meadows Fortynine Proposed Research Natural Area Authors: Fred Rabe, Brett Haverstick, Elisabeth Brackney Workshop sponsored by Friends of the Clearwater Funded by the Mountaineers Foundation and the Idaho Native Plant Society’s ERIG Program Photography by Fred Rabe Project objective The objective of this project was to is a first order stream with a low gradient educate people about peatland ecosys- (1-3%). Pools, runs and glides are the tems by conducting a two-day workshop major flow patterns of Meadow Creek at Fortynine Meadows, a tributary to with a few riffles and cascades. A large the Little North Fork Clearwater River. number of stream channels coalesce to Enrollees in the Fortynine Meadows form larger channels. The bottom sub- workshop helped us gather plant and strate is silt and organic material. Grass invertebrate data and became familiar mats and aquatic moss provide the main with techniques employed in the collec- habitat for aquatic invertebrates. tions. This information will be included in a proposal to the U.S. Forest Service The dominant vascular plants in the requesting Research Natural Area des- meadowarefirethread sedge (Carexpri- ignation for Fortynine Meadows. onophylla) and cottongrass (Eriophorum angustifolium) occurring with the sphagnum (Sphagnum spp.) moss that covers General description the entire site. Peatlands are poorly drained areas whose substrate is periodically saturated Subalpine peatlandsform along high-ele- orcovered with water having a peat layer vation, low gradient streams compared about 12 in. (30 cm.) or more in thickness. to valley peatlands like Hager Lake that Reduction ofoxygen and nutrients in this occurat relatively low elevations in major deep peat layer, combined with cool tem- river valleys (Bursik 1990). Subalpine peratures, limits microbial decomposition peatlands are characterized by plant and reduces plant growth. As a result, species common to the western cordille- peatlands rely on an external supply of ra, whilevalley peatlands have numerous nutrients from either the inflow of miner- boreal species whose populations are al-enriched water or precipitation. disjunct by hundreds of miles from the Cottongrass(Eriophorum main portion of their range in Canada. angustifolium),prefers Fortynine Meadows is about 100 acres Their formation is likely due to alpine acidicwaterstypical in size. It contains a spring stream glaciation during the Wisconsin glacial inpoorfens,itisthe (Meadow Creek) where ground water advance. dominantspeciesof aquifers discharge to the surface. Water sedgebloominginJuly. is relatively cold and shows little tem- Seedsinthecottony inflorescencesare perature variation during the summer. It wind-dispersed. Note: Thisisaneditedversionofthearticle. Thecompletearticle, includingalistofvascularplantscollected,citationsandreferences, isavailableonline:www.idahonativeDlants.ora/eria/Eria.asDX Location Fortynine Meadows is located at the poor habitat or water quality confluence of Meadow Creek and the whereas Baetis can exist under Little North Fork Clearwater River in the a wider set of environmental St. Joe National Forest, about 15 miles conditions. south from Avery, Idaho. Plants Aquatic invertebrates A Aboveleft:Presentsite hierarchical classification of ofanabandonedbeaver We identified 27speciesofmacroinverte- semiaquatic wetland plants used by pond. brates from moss, grass and open water Cowardin et al. (1979) enabled us to Abovecenter:FredRabe habitats in Meadow Creek. Surprisingly, define plant groupings in the meadow. samplinginvertebrates 12 species occurred in a pothole only six fromMeadowCreek. At the head ofthe meadow, small stands feet in diameter. All 27 species occurred of forested wetlands were dominated Aboveright:Aglide in the aquatic moss (Fontinalis neomexi- sectionofMeadow by lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta) and cana), compared with seven species Creek. Waterisshallow each in the grass and the open water. subalpine fir (Abies lasiocarpa). Six andslowmoving, the additional conifer sp—ecies occurred at bottomissilt,andthe The soft bottom substrate, consisting of the meadow’s edge a highly diverse sedgesandgrassesin fine silt and organic material, is typical of situation for such a small area. Scrub- theriparianareacast spring streams. However, it is much less shrub communities were located most- littleshade. productive than the rocky substrate at ly in the middle and southern end of the confluence with the Little North Fork the meadow with the dominant species Clearwater River or the aquatic vegeta- being bog birch (Betula pumila) and tion and open water in Meadow Creek western bog laurel (Kalmia microphylla). we sampled. Cowardin considered herbaceous mats We Two species of mayfly (Ephemerella sp., as a third class of wetlands. did not Baetis tricaudatus) were dominant in the identify mosses here, but it is believed moss. As a source offood, they both col- that Sphagnum was dominant since the lect and gather detritus and small algae. genus is characteristic of poor fens with Ephemerella is unable to tolerate very low alkalinity. Left:Firethreadsedge(Carexprionophyila) Right:Aquaticmoss(Fontinalisneomexicana), flowersprimarilyinJuneandisdominantat foundinMeadowCreekbutnotinthepothole nearbyPinchotMarsh. ponds,providessuitablehabitatforinvertebrates. Reference sites Reference areas can be used both to monitorand inventory the biota. Where management activi- Research Natural Areas (RNA) serve as refer- ties such as timber harvest and grazing occur ence points to observe change—s on land and within or adjacent to peatland sites, monitoring water over long periods of time history books is recommended. Changes in water chemistry, to help us understand events that shaped current vegetation and invertebrate communities have conditions. Also, RNAs provide baseline data to been monitored for many years at several Idaho measure our impact on the habitat by investigat- and Montana peatlands. An inventory ofthe biota ing natural systems and comparing them with can provide important baseline information. The those affected by human activities. persistence orabsence of plant and animal populations may be an indication of change or stabil- Watersamples, plantsand invertebrateswerecol- ity of an ecosystem. Moseley and Bursik (1992) lected from 42 wetland sites in National Forests of used checklists prepared 20 and 40 years earlier the Pacific Northwest from 1987-89 (Rabe et al. and determined that several rare peatland plant 1989) including proposed and established RNAs, species had disappeared from ponds in northern among them Fortynine Meadows. Alkalinity read- Idaho. On a smaller scale, this also happened at ings in the meadows have remained essentially Fortynine Meadows. the same (9-11 mg/I) since July 1988. Watertem- perature readings varied little from 47 degrees F (8 degrees C) during the summer of 2010. Education Temperatures were not recorded in 1988. A handout describing the physical layout of Fortynine Meadows together with plant and In northern Idaho, beaver have occupied and invertebrate information was initially provided to abandoned peatland sites similar to Fortynine the group. Workshop members rotated between Meadows. Over a period of about 20 years, bea- sampling macroinvertebrates from stream and ver rebuild dams, raise water level, exhaust food standing water, identifying conifers, and collect- supplies and abandon sites. Once they leave, a ing vascular plants. A work table was set up at well-advanced succession occurs with less water camp where plants were pressed and macroin- enabling encroachment ofpioneerspecies on the vertebrates were identified to order. Class mem- sphagnum mat. Two aquatic plants (Sparganium bers participated in field data collection, ben- sp. and Callitriche sp.) occurred in beaver ponds efiting from the hands-on learning experience. in 1988, but were absent in 2010, probably Discussing the results and research methods because beaver had subsequently left the area. gave them a better understanding ofthe scientific Additional aquatic and semiaquatic plants were method. not recorded in 1988 so it was not possible to make further comparisons. Acknowledgements Over the 22-year period (1988-2010) similarities Financial support was provided by the and differences were noted in the aquatic inver- Mountaineers Foundation and the Idaho Native tebrate taxa at Fortynine Meadows. Seventeen Plant Society’s ERIG program. Thanks go to species of macroinvertebrates occurred in 1988 Emily Poor, herbarium worker at the University of compared to 27 species in 2010. However, more Idaho and Idaho Native Plant Society member, zooplankton species were observed in 1988 who identified some of the plants in the mead- than in 2010. Species of fly larvae (Diptera), ows. Also, thanks to Wade Hoiland, a past gradu- caddisflies (Trichoptera) and beetle larvae and ate student who keyed out some bothersome adults (Coleoptera) were somewhat similar on macroinvertebrates for his erstwhile major pro- both dates. However, mayflies (Ephemeroptera) We fessor. extend our special appreciation to the and snails (Gastropoda) were dissimilar. Sample Great Old Broads for Wilderness who attended size for both dates was too small to distinguish this workshop and helped us with the fieldwork. other groups. We couldn’t have done without you! it Fortynine Meadows is deserving of RNA status for the following reasons: It is an outstanding landscape comprised of a narrow strip of land 0.1 mile wide and 1 1/2 miles in length. Eight species of conifers border the site with a narrow spring stream mean- dering through the entire length of the meadows. Little sign of human impacts are evident. Vascular plant species here differ significantly from those in Pinchot Marsh, a small regional peatland managed by BLM. Additional plant identification to include bryophytes is proposed for Fortynine Meadows. ! The slow moving stream (Meadow Creek) consists mostly <*r"- of runs and glides bordered by sedge and grass species. Twenty-seven species of macroinvertebrates occur in the Workshopparticipants learnedaboutpeatland aquatic moss (Fontinalis neomexicana). The moss provides addi ecosystemsatFortynine tional structure and stability to the habitat ensuring greater spe- Meadows, atributary cies richness and invertebrate biomass. totheLittleNorthFork ClearwaterRiver. Recommendations Future studies might compare the physical environ- L ment, riparian vegetation and macroinvertebrate communities of Meadow Creek (spring stream) with j the Little North Fork Clearwater River (riffle-pool) f downstream. Seasonal comparisons of invertebrate j composition in ponds and potholes could be initiated j since water levels fluctuate seasonally. | Observations of future beaver occupancy would be interesting. Their ponds were common in 1988 but not at present. We have no idea when beaver abandoned the meadows. Continued investigations of this cyclic behavior would provide better records of resulting vegetation and invertebrate changes. Conduct a study to determine whether the northern bog lemming (Synaptomys borealis) lives in the meadows. This mammal, a species of special concern in Idaho and Montana, typically inhabits sphagnum bogs and fens but also other habitats. Accessibility to such an outdoor lab makes it easier to conduct research and educational workshops. Combining studies of physical features, hydrology, water chemistry, I— floristics and invertebrate communities enables us to better Discussingtheday’s understand and appreciate this peatland ecosystem. Friends of activitiesatcamp, the Clearwater and Idaho Native Plant Society are interested in onlyafewmilesnorth further studies of the site. ofthemeadows. Evert, Erwin F. 2010. Vascular Plants of the Greater Yellowstone Area: Annotated Catalog and Atlas (no ISBN, paperback). Published by the author. (Orders: yolandaevert at yahoo dot com, by phone 01-847-823-1501, $45.00 by check payable to “Yolanda Evert,” 1476 Tyrell Ave., Park Ridge, IL 60068, 751 pp., 8 1/2” * 10 7/8”.) Review by Ronald Hartman and Walter Fertig Reprinted with permission from the December 2010 issue of Castilleja 29(4): 4, the Wyoming Native Plant Society’s newsletter. Vascular Plants of the Greater Yellowstone Area is a tome that rep- resents the most complete and scholarly coverage of the flora to this diverse region, an area that attracts hundreds of researchers and mil- lions of tourists annually. Evert’s lasting legacy will be his massive (751 page) Catalog. The book begins with an outstanding overview of the greater Yellowstone area, including a summary of its vegetation, climate, and geology. Other sections review the flora of each mountain range within the study area and the history of botanical exploration in the region. The bulk of the book contains a brief discussion of each of the 2082 vascular plant taxa known from the greater Yellowstone area that includes a description of its range, habitat, conservation status, and comments on taxonomic problems, as well as a dot map. The book captures Evert’s four decades offield experience and knowledge of the Yellowstone area and is a critical update to the classic (but long out of print) floristic studies of Frank Tweedy, Per Axel Rydberg, and Aven Nelson. A total of 2,082 species are treated across an area of more than 24,000 square miles, including Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks, with four counties represented in Wyoming, six in Montana, and two in Idaho. In addition to the more than 40,000 specimens amassed by Erwin, the holdings of the RM, MONTU, and YELLO were also consulted. This book was published in May 2010 and the author died a month later. Two tribute articles written by some of Evert’s colleagues are posted on the Wyoming Native Plant Society’s web site: www.uwyo. edu/wynddsupport/WNPS/docs/Castilleia/2010 12.pdf Memories of Erwin Evert, from Phil White’s interview of Bob Lichvar A Tribute to Erwin Evert, by Walter Fertig, Utah Native Plant Society Wondering what theseare? Checkouttheback coverofSageNotes fortheexplanation.