N A TIVE NOTES
Trifolium virginicum
K A TE’S MOUNT A IN CLOVER
BILL GR A FTON – Editor
WEST VIRGINI A N A TIVE PL A NT SOCIETY NEWSLETTER
Volume 16: 1 A PRIL , 2008
SUMM A RY OF BO A RD MEETING : J A N . 2008 IN CH A RLESTON
· Membership dues are slow coming in this year
· We will send out 3 issues of Native Notes during 2008
· Membership recruitment brochures are low and need reprinted
· Sales of T - shirts have broken even financially . We still have some for sale . Contact Chad Kirschbaum if you want to buy T - shirts
· We will sponsor the illustration of Kate’s Mountain Clover in the Flora of North America series that are being published . WVNPS will have the right to use this illustration for official Society business .
· Our display and membership brochures will be on exhibit at the Wildlife Diversity Day at the WV Capitol , the WV Master Gardener Meeting in Charleston and the Blackwater Falls Wildflower Pilgrimage on Mother’s Day weekend .
· We will write a letter of support for the DNR Natural Heritage Program
· The next Board of Trustees Meeting will be on June 14 th NOON TO 4 PM during the Lake Floyd bio - blitz located between Clarksburg and Salem
Treasurer’s Report as of February 9, 2008 By Donna Ford - Werntz
Checking Balance on September 2007 was $2613
Checking Balance on Feb . 9, 2008 was $4638
· This includes $1770 transferred from City National Bank
Peoples Bank CDs have been moved to United Bank
· Life Members $3415
· Eastern Panhandle NP ( dormant chapter ) $2301
Summer board meeting and bio - blitz
Dear WVNPS Board : A s you consider your travel and lodging plans , note the details below from the Bio - blitz organizer . Donna Ford - Werntz
Lake Floyd , a community between Clarksburg and Salem on US Rt . 50, is planning a Bio - Blitz June 13, 14, 15, 2008. The goal is to count as many plant and animal species as possible in approximately 32 hours on the 700 acre property , which includes a 33 acre Lake , several streams , and a pond . The Lake Floyd Bio - Blitz is being undertaken as an all - volunteer wildlife education project , to interest children and adults in the nature around them . The property has been divided into about 16 zones – mini - watersheds – based on streams as centerlines in each zone .
Additionally Taxa Teams ( e . g ., Reptiles , A mphibians , Trees , Fungi , Vascular Plants , Aquatic Insects , Birds , etc .) will be formed under supervision of professional biologists and botanists . We are looking for expert Taxa Team leaders , who can visit Lake Floyd for even a few hours to provide professional guidance .
The community has offered to provide extra bedrooms in homes for those experts who would have a long drive so they can stay Friday , Saturday or Sunday if they wish . Meeting rooms will be available at the Lake Floyd clubhouse , or other space available in the community . The Bio - Blitz organizers very much appreciate guidance from wildlife / nature professionals on structuring this effort . With field data forms from WVDNR and other sources , we intend to collect data useful to the scientific community . Please send comments and suggestions .
The Lake Floyd community is recruiting local Boy Scout troops ( wildlife merit badges ), 4- H Clubs and area Garden Clubs . The Master Naturalists and Master Gardeners programs have been contacted to participate . A Lake Floyd Biological Survey document resulting from the 2008 Bio - Blitz can act as a baseline study for future wildlife and nature projects on the property . The 2008 Lake Floyd Bio - Blitz is inspired by the life work of Dr . Edward O . Wilson , a leader of a world - wide effort to preserve diversity of forms of life , animals and plants , wildlife and habitat . A film on his life will be part of the Friday evening welcoming reception at the Lake Floyd clubhouse .
Tentative schedule and plan – subject to revision :
May / early June Sign - up sheets for Taxa Team participants will be posted at Lake Floyd to schedule and staff teams . Team leaders for zones will be assigned .
Friday June 13
Noon to 6:00 p . m . Participants arrive , check out the 700 acres to be surveyed . Set – up of picnic / staging area , tanks , cages , specimen containers . Team sign - ups continued and assigned for next day . Wildlife info displays and tables set up in ballroom .
6 :00 p . m . - ?? Program of instruction to participants , recruitment of new members for participating nature organizations , time reserved for short presentations by any experts / Taxa Team Leaders who wish to speak , Nature documentary film ( s ) in cardroom , Nature Photo Contest display , children ’ s activities . Light refreshments . Clubhouse restaurant open late .
9 :00 p . m . until ?? Possible Owl Taxa Team nighttime survey team will go out .
Saturday June 14
Dawn – Taxa Teams and Zone Leaders may begin survey at their discretion .
7 :45 a . m . Check - in tables at picnic area will be staffed beginning at 7:45 a . m . Plant and animal specimens will be brought in and recorded and digital photographs also permitted . Large scoreboard will record species totals hour by hour . A ll animals will be live - caught and returned to where they were found .
( June bio - blitz con ’ t )
WVNPS BO A RD MEETING : NOON TO 4 pm
Noon to 1:00 p . m . During lunch hour participants can change teams to get more variety of experience , and new participants assigned .
6 :00 p . m . Covered dish dinner at clubhouse . Winners of pre - Bio - Blitz nature photography contest announced . Photos can be from any year , must be taken on Lake Floyd property .
1 0:30 p . m . A ll boats should come in .
1 0:45 p . m . Picnic / check - in staging area will close .
Night time Survey – Survey may continue into the night at the Dawn – Taxa Teams and Zone Leaders may begin survey at their discretion .
Sunday , June 15
7 :45 a . m . Check - in tables at picnic area will be staffed beginning at 7:45 a . m . Plant and animal specimens will be brought in and recorded and digital photographs also permitted . Large scoreboard will record species totals hour by hour . A ll animals will be live - caught and returned to where they were found .
Noon to 1:00 p . m . During lunch hour participants can change teams to get
more variety of experience , and new participants assigned .
4 :00 p . m . Collecting should stop and all teams return to picnic / check - in area . Total of all species surveyed announced . Bio - Blitz nature photography contest announced . Photos must be taken during Bio - Blitz , on Lake Floyd property .
Planning Stages
The above schedule is subject to change , and we welcome all suggestions . Wonderful West Virginia magazine has been contacted about an article on Bio - Blitz , and we are seeking other ways to make this project useful to the nature / scientific community in West Virginia . Please forward this information to any nature experts or professionals who might be interested in our project . For info please contact David Powell 202 387
1 680, ( at Lake Floyd 304 782 2018) wdp 320@ aol . com , Judy Schillace 304 7 82 1936, Judy Burns 304 782 2018.
PL A N NOW FOR YOUR SPRING PL A NTING
Spring is here and it is time to plan what your needs will be for those warmer days of May when we like to dig in the soil . It might even help you to get on the web sites of our native plant nurseries . See what they have listed and get your plant list together . Some of the nurseries have catalogs that you can request and be sure to share with you friends , kin folk , and fellow native plant enthusiasts . Four of these are members of WVNPS : Elk Ridge Nature Works , LLC ( Ron Boyer & Liz McDowell ), Enchanter’s Garden ( Peter Heus ), Porterbrook Native Plants ( Dr . Frank Porter ), and Sunshine Farm and Gardens ( Barry Glick ).
Listed below are some sources of native plants for our area . If you know of others , please let me know so we can compile a complete list for the next spring issue of Native Notes .
Brandywine Conservancy
PO Box 141
Chadds Ford , P A 19317
Phone : 610 388-2700
Web site : www . brandywinemuseum . org / NativePlants
Seed available in packets at $2 (30-50 seeds ) or 3 packets at $5
Sells quality seeds of many native plants at very reasonable prices . Call Mark Gormel at 610 388-8327 for availability of “Large quantity” amounts of seeds (1 gram or 1/8 ounce up to 1 ounce ).
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Doyle Farm Nursery
1 58 Norris Road
Delta , P A 17314
Phone / F A X : 717 862-3134
Email : jld @ doylefarm . com
Web site : doylefarm . com
Doyle Farm Nursery specializes in native perennial grasses and herbs . They have a large variety of plants to choose from . A ll plants are grown outside so they do not have to acclimatize when first planted .
Located in York County Pennsylvania . Plants are high quality and most are sold in “ pots” that are quart or gallon size . They will ship but it is cheaper to pick up gallon size containers at the nursery . Prices are generally $5-6 for quart size and $8-13 for gallon size .
Elk Ridge Nature Works , LLC
Ron Boyer & Liz McDowell
2 83 Elk Ridge Lane
Grantsville , MD 21536
Phone : 301 895-3686
Email : info @ elkridgenatureworks . com
Web site : elkridgenatureworks . com
A very nice selection of native plants grown on site in Garrett County in western Maryland . Ron and Liz are very helpful and have a nice selection of Mid -A ppalachian wildflowers , grasses and rushes . You can purchase the plants at the nursery ( by appointment ), at local festivals & farmers markets , as well as , several plant events in the Mid -A tlantic region .
Enchanter’s Garden
Peter Heus
HC 77, Box 108
Hinton , WV 25951
Phone - F A X : 304 466-3154
Enchanter’s Garden offers a wide variety of wildflowers , grasses , sedges and about 30 trees / shrubs . Most plants are in quart size containers . A listing of plants by common & scientific names and the prices , can be mailed to customers . To buy plants you need to make an appointment and visit the nursery . Plants are no longer sold by mail order as they were a few years ago .
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Porterbrook Native Plants
Dr . Frank Porter
4 9607 St . Rt . 124
Racine , OH 45771
Phone : 740 247-4565
Email : info @ porterbrooknativeplants . com
Web site : porterbrooknativeplants . com
We gladly accept small online orders from those unable to visit the nursery . Unless otherwise stated , all plants cost $5.00 each plus the actual cost of postage . Plants will be sent via USPS . You can pay by personal check or money order made out to Frank W . Porter .
The web site lists several hundred wildflowers , sedges , grasses , etc . With descriptions of foliage , flowers , height , hardiness zones , sun / shade preference and other useful information . If you have questions email : info @ porterbrooknativeplants . com
There is also a page on rock gardens and a note that Frank sells many native trees and shrubs that are not listed on the web site
Shooting Star Nursery
4 44 Bates Road
Frankfort , KY
Phone : 502 867-7979
Web site : www . shootingstarnursery . com
Huge selection of mostly native plants that are grown in containers and shipped in 2.5 and 3.5- inch pots . They have large selections of grasses / sedges , aquatics , ferns , trees / shrubs , and vines / brambles .. A lso sells seed mixes .
Prices for plants generally range from $5 - $7 and woody seedling range from
$ 10 - $17
Toadshade Wildflower Farm
5 3 Everittstown Rd .
Frenchtown , NJ 08825
Phone : 908 996-7500
Web site : www . toadshade . com
All plants are native to the eastern US and are grown from seeds or cuttings in 3.5 inch (1 pint ) pots . A few are grown in larger pots . Catalog lists categories of deer resistant , butterflies and hummingbirds , sunny , partial shade , and shady as well as , dry , moist , and wet soils . They specialize in perennials .
Two shipping seasons : A pril 1 thru June 30 and September 1 thru October 30.
Most plants cost from $5 - $5.75
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Sylva Native Nursery and Seed Co .
Mike Hollins – President
3 815 Roser Road
Glen Rock , P A 17327
Phone : 717 227-0486
F A X : 717 227-0484
Email : sylvanat @ ao l.com
Web site : www . sylvanative . com
Sells a wide variety of seed mixes , seedlings and tublings of wildflowers / herbs , trees and shrubs . Excellent selections of wetland species . Mike often collects seed and material from West Virginia .
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Sunshine Farm and Gardens
HC 67 Box 539 B
Renick , WV 24966
Phone : 304 497-2208
Email : barry @ sunfarm . com
Web site : sunfarm . com
Barry Glick is the owner , brains and energy behind Sunshine Farm and Gardens that grows over 10,000 perennials , bulbs , trees , shrubs , sedges , wildflowers and specializes in hellebores . This nursery is primarily wholesale but offers limited mail order to home gardeners where they have no established retailers . No one else in our area offers as many plant species .
The web site is very interesting