What I learned on my Summer Vacation by Sid Taylor

Congratulations to the dedicated members of the Magnolia Chapter who managed to host an event that exceeded the high expectations for this historic event!

Sid Taylor, a Hernando Chapter member, recorded some of things that she wanted to remember from his experience at the conference. If you, like poor, poor, pitiful me, had to miss the conference this year you will enjoy his little list. Thanks for sharing, Sid, and NOW, let's hear from you, Readers!

What did you like, love, learn from from this year's conference?? Take a leap and post your comment below. It's easy! If you don't have a Google Account, blog or url, you can choose the "Anonymous" selection and post using that option. And if you want to include your name, great! Just put your name at the bottom of the comment. This kind of sharing is what's fun about the blog world. Join the conversation!

sue dingwell

Bullets of knowledge from our Mentors @ FNPS Conf., Tallahassee, May 20-23-2010 or What I learned on my Summer Vacation by Sid Taylor

1) Apalachicola National Forest (ANF) is 1.2 M acres

2) ANF has Atlantic White Cedar: Chamaecyparis thyoides on acidic soils.

3) www.usanpn.org Join the Phenologists and help categorize a data base to track climate change. The US National Phenology Network and George Kish will thank you.

4) “Think locally; act neighborly” per Greg Jubinsky and his traveling exotic spray tank furnished by FWC. Greg says Florida is winning the war against Melaleuca quinquenervia. FWC is sponsoring a program to help provide a buffer around Public Lands against exotic invasions. Get help with ten acres. www.floridainvasives.org


5) Older common name for Yucca faccida (syn. filamentosa): Eve’s Darning Needle in addition to Adam’s Needle and Beargrass

6) Gil’s website: www.gilnelson.com/PanFlora/

7) Matelea gonocarpos: vegetation stinks like Jimsonweed. ID with your olfactory receptors per Wilson Baker.

8) “New” excuse for introduced plants: seeds attached to or scooped up with galleon ballast stones during discovery era

9) Plant Blindness is a biological and cultural phenomenon. If you are reading this, you aren’t afflicted.

10) Kool Beanz has the best menu anywhere: http://www.koolbeanz-cafe.com/

11) Dr. Richard Wunderlin’s answer to Latin and Greek binomials per Anne Schmidt: “Say it with Gusto!”

12) Craig Huegel’s idea of an underused native plant for wildlife in the landscape: Rusty Blackhaw, Viburnum rufidulum

13) Prescription per Bailey White: Plant many Quercus spp. per lifetime

14) Prescription per Sid: Plant at least one Magnolia grandiflora per lifetime

15) American Robins seen at Doubletree Hotel are breeding in Tallahassee. Wilson Baker says this has been observed for 30 years with more individuals counted annually. He also helped up hear the calls of Louisiana Waterthrush, Kentucky Warbler, Yellow-breasted Chat and Indigo Bunting at Gadsden Glades (where abandoned ant hills are important microhabitats for rare species regeneration or seed sprouting).

16) Heard twice from our Butterfly Mentors: “Don’t trim the bottom branches of Red Cedars.” This is the home turf of Sweadner’s Juniper Hairstreak.

17) Phyla nodiflora in hanging baskets provides porch-side nectaring for about four butterfly species. Common names of plant: S. Matchstick, Frogbit; Turkey Tangle Frogfruit; Capeweed. Credit for this tip: Kathy Malone

18) http://www.sustainablegardening4florida.com/ Check out Ginny Stibolt’s blog for FNPS

19) Dr. Loran Anderson shared an example of sexual dimorphism that goes beyond flower parts with the diverse hairs and leave shapes of Lindera subcoriacea, Bog Spicebush, Escambia and Okaloosa counties.

20) LINK is selling a photogenic calendar of our State and half the proceeds are supporting Florida Forever. It was included in the 2011 budget at $15 M vs. the usually $300 M, but at least it was in there this time. http://linc.us/ Legacy Institute for Nature and Culture

21) Twelve of the original twenty-eight FNPS organizers were present at this 30th reunion conference. Fifty members on-site have been with the organization for over twenty years.

22) The Silent Auction needed Security Guards at the end of the bidding.

23) Catherine Read Bowman would like to see us all as enthused about exotic removal as Adam Gaylord and Damon Moore of Sarasota area. They found Brazilian Pepper on Mariposa Key while fishing and determined to attack it. With a Research Grant from FNPS last year, they expanded their efforts to another $25,000 in additional grant monies and a crew of about 6 that spent 7, 10 hour days and hacked their way through 6.4 acres of Pepper, Carrot wood and Australian Pine thickets. Terra Ciea Preserve St. Park at the mouth of Bishop Harbor and Tampa Bay has committed themselves (DEP) to keeping it clear of exotics. I think Adam and Damon will see to it!

24) I hope you all knew your Florida State History Museum was in basement of R. A. Gray Building. I ran through and found photographic portraits of friends here in Brooksville, Mable and Harry Sims who are keeping our local Black history alive at all our festivals and events in Hernando County.

25) There was an enlightening discussion on genetics called “Locals Only?” on ecotypic differentiation in plant material. Visit UF Plant Conservation and Restoration site to learn more. More than : “Green side-up!”
http://www.wec.ufl.edu/research/landscape_ecology.php