WV Native Plant Society Spring Board Meeting and Flora Walk - SATURDAY, APRIL 27, 2024
Please join the WV Native Plant Society for their Spring board meeting and flora walk. All programs are open to the public and all are welcome!
Meet at 10:00 AM at the Hawks Nest Overlook parking lot on US Route 60. (not the state park parking lot) We will then pick a shelter in the area for the meeting. Bring a lunch to enjoy before leaving for the flora walk. (Coordinates are 38° 07.362’ 081° 07.663’) See attached map.
After lunch, we will travel to the Cotton Hill Fayette County area for our walk. Meet at 12:00 noon at the boat ramp / river access parking lot located 2 miles south of Chimney Corners on SR 16 on the right. (Coordinates are 38° 07.364’ 081° 08.674’) See attached map.
The field trip will be a moderately difficult walk, often off-trail. The riverside woodland is loaded with Spring wildflowers, including two beautiful southern trees: Carolina Silverbell (Halesia tetraptera) and Fringetree (Chionanthus virginicus).
WV Native Plant Society Annual Meeting and Field Trips
Marl Marsh and Reclaimed Wetland – Historic Claymont Mansion
August 25-27, 2023 Charles Town, WV
Please see the attached brochure for details. Everyone is welcome!
The West Virginia Native Plant Society has an exciting two day field trip planned for Saturday, June 24 and Sunday, June 25! This trip will include explorations of Cheat Bridge, Gaudineer Knob, Glade Run and Blister Swamp.
Saturday, June 24 – We will meet at Cheat Bridge on the Shavers Fork River at 9:30 AM to explore this high elevation riparian habitat. Barbara’s Buttons (Marshallia grandiflora) , False Asphodel (Triantha glutinosa) , Canadian Burnet (Sanguisorba canadensis) and Loesel’s Twayblade (Liparis loeselii) are among the plants we hope to observe. Following this, we will proceed to Gaudineer Knob Scenic Area for a lunch break. There is a short loop trail in the dense second growth red spruce forest where Southern Mountain Cranberry (Vaccinium erythrocarpum) can be found. Depending on time constraints, we may also view the Gaudineer old growth forest and/or Glade Run.
Directions for Saturday:
9:30 AM - Meet at Cheat Bridge, located on US Route 250 /SR 92, about 14 miles south of Huttonsville, WV and about 6 miles north of Durbin, WV. There is a pull out parking area beside the bridge over Shavers Fork River.
11:00 AM – Meet at the intersection of US 250 and Forest Road 27. We will then proceed 1.8 miles on FR 27, and turn left on FR 27A. The road ends at Gaudineer Knob Scenic Area.
Please bring a packed lunch, water and good hiking shoes/boots. Sunscreen and insect repellent is recommended. Be prepared for wet and muddy conditions.
Sunday, June 25 – Beginning at 9:30 AM, we will travel to the remote Blister Swamp, located at the head of the East Fork of the Greenbrier River. Rare plants such as Gold Thread (Coptis trifolia), Purple Avens (Geum rivale) and Jacobs Ladder (Polemonium vanbruntiae) can be found in this circumneutral bog.
Directions for Sunday:
9:30 AM – Meet at the Bartow Ranger Station headquarters on US 250/92 in Bartow, WV. Since we will be traveling several miles on rough roads, and need to limit the number of vehicles, we will encourage carpooling from here in high clearance 4WD vehicles. We will proceed north on SR 28, turning left on FR 112, and then left on FR 254. There is a locked gate at “The Pigs Ear” - we will have a key. Blister Swamp is located several miles beyond the gate.
Please bring a packed lunch, water and good hiking shoes/boots. Sunscreen and insect repellent is recommended. Be prepared for wet and muddy conditions.
Most of the nearest overnight accommodations are in Elkins, WV. The two closest motels are Valley View Motel in Mill Creek, WV and the Boyer Motel in Arbovale, WV. Primitive camping in the Monongahela National Forest is available in the area.
Webster County Nature Tour – 2023
Once again it is time to venture to the mountains of Webster County, WV for the Webster County Nature Tour scheduled May 5-7, 2023 (see attached brochure) to experience beautiful plants and birds in God’s country. Take group tours to identify early spring wildflowers with plant experts in Webster County and surrounding areas. All tour leaders are current or former natural resources agency personnel and are active members of the West Virginia Native Plant Society. Most tour leaders are also active birders, and a group bird walk is scheduled to look for spring migrants. Walks range from very vigorous (Elk Mountain, with extraordinary scenery) to very easy (car/gentle walking tours in the Cranberry/Scenic Highway area), and everything in between.
Webster County is known for its scenic beauty and hospitality. Campers can choose to stay at Camp Caesar in Upper Glade, WV, or travel to Upper Glade for organized tours from home, camp, or other accommodations. Five meals are also included with the registration, or participants can choose certain meals or none. Do yourself a favor and don’t miss this year’s event! Please call Linda Carpenter (or leave a message) at (304) 847-2467.
West Virginia Native Plant Society Spring Meeting and Field Trip - April 29, 2023
Doddridge County Park, West Union, WV
The West Virginia Native Plant Society will hold a board meeting and Spring Flora Walk on April 29, 2023 at the Doddridge County Park in West Union WV. The meeting will start at 10:00 AM at one of the park shelters and will be followed by lunch on your own, and a flora walk at 12:00 noon. All members are encouraged to attend!
RAMP UP!
Please join the West Virginia Native Plant Society for a Spring Meeting and Flora Walk!
Saturday, April 29, 2023 at 10:00 AM
Doddridge County Park
1252 Snowbird Lane, West Union WV
Schedule: 10:00AM - Board meeting at Park Shelter
11:00 - 12:00 - Lunch on your own
12:00 - 2:00 - Spring flora walk from Campground Parking Lot
The Spring Flora Walk will start from the campground office parking lot at noon, and will be along the EQT Creek Side Educational Trail. This area along Meathouse Fork Creek is loaded with spring wildflowers, including two species of native wild ramps!
Directions: https://doddridgecountypark.com/
Doddridge County Park is located on US Route 50, 45 miles east of I-77 at Parkersburg and 26 miles west of I-79 at Bridgeport. Turn onto CR 50/16, Snowbird Lane. The park entrance is about one and a half miles south on the left. The office parking lot is straight ahead.
Prior to the meeting, a shelter will be selected (first come first serve) and location will be available at the office. To reach the campground parking lot, take the park road down the hill, bear right and cross the bridge. The campground office parking lot is straight ahead.
For those seeking lunch, there is a Fairview Diner and a Subway at the intersection of RT50 and Snowbird Road.
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West Virginia Native Plant Society Fall Meeting and Field Trip - August 27, 2022
Kanawha State Forest, Charleton WV
The West Virginia Native Plant Society will hold a board meeting and the annual membership meeting on August 27, 2022 at the main office headquarters in Kanawha State Forest, Charleston, WV starting at 10:00 AM. An election for the 2023 membership year will be held starting at 11:30. All members in good standing are eligible to vote or to be nominated. All persons nominated must have agreed to serve. At 1:00 PM there will be a field trip led by WVNPS members to some areas in the forest. All of the programs are open to the public.
Directions: From I-64, (East and West) take Exit 58A in Charleston to Route 119 South. Look for the brown Kanawha State Forest sign and turn left onto Oakwood Road. Follow Oakwood Rd. to Bridge Road/Loudon Heights Road and turn right onto Conner Drive. Follow the brown Kanawha State Forest signs posted along the way. After you enter the forest, the forest office headquarters is approximately one mile on the left. There is a big parking area across the road from the office. The meeting will be held in a room adjacent to the gift shop.
Schedule: Board/annual meeting from 10:00 to noon, election of officers starting at 11:30. The field trip will begin at 1:00. Meet outside the forest headquarters building.
Lodging: There are numerous hotels/motels in the area. There are 44 camping sites in the forest-25 with electric hookup
Food: There are no places to eat within a reasonable driving distance from the meeting site which would enable you to make the field trip . If you want to bring a lunch there are picnic tables available in the forest.
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Here is the plant list from the June 25, 2022 Tomlinson Run field trip. Plant List
WV Native Plant Society Field Trip - Tomlinson Run State Park - June 25 starting at 9:00 AM
The West Virginia Native Plant Society will conduct a field trip to Tomlinson Run State Park, in conjunction with an old growth forest survey led by Doug Wood on June 25, 2022. The area consists of second growth hardwood forest as well as wetland areas. An interesting steep canyon winds through a portion of the park. A number of species of plants normally found at higher elevations in the state have been noted in the park. We will search again for Canada Yew (it’s mentioned in their park brochure).
We will be taking the Laurel Trail Saturday morning starting at 9:00 am. This trail goes into the “wilderness” canyon area along Tomlinson Run. Parking is on CR3 at the entrance to the old boy scout camp. Pack a lunch. In the afternoon anyone interested can take part in an old growth forest survey with Doug Wood. The survey will take place further down the canyon (White Oak Trail area) in rough terrain and requiring stream fording.
Location: Tomlinson Run SP is located near the northern tip of West Virginia’s northern panhandle 13 miles north of Weirton, WV. From State Route 2, take SR 8 and follow the signs to the park. The camping area is located in the eastern edge of the park.
Web site for the park: https://wvstateparks.com/park/tomlinson-run-state-park/ This will take you to maps of the area and of the park and trails.