The North Carolina Natural Heritage Program and the North Carolina Association of Environmental Professionals (NCAEP) will hold a Rare Plant and Natural Community Identification workshop September 15, 2011. The field trip/workshop will be led by Michael Schafale, Laura Gadd, and Suzanne Mason, and will highlight some of the rare plants and natural communities associated with the Sandhills Region of Richmond and Scotland Counties. This field trip is designed for environmental professionals, botanists, and students who are responsible for conducting environmental surveys. The registration fee is $85.
Background Information:
The Sandhills Region is a distinctive part of the Coastal Plain, characterized by a surprising amount of topography and variety of soils, a distinctive mosaic of longleaf pine and wetland vegetation, and a large number of rare plant species. This one-day trip includes visits to several sites in the heart of the Sandhills. We will visit examples of the characteristic natural communities, including Xeric Sandhill Scrub, Pine/Scrub Oak Sandhill, Sandhill Seep, Vernal Pool, Streamhead Pocosin, and Streamhead Atlantic White Cedar Forest, as well as a diversity of plant species. We will see federally and state endangered Michaux’s sumac (Rhus michauxii). Depending on conditions, other rare plants we may see include Sandhills lily (Lilium pyrophilum), azure sage (Salvia azurea), Chapman’s redtop (Tridens chapmanii), and quillwort arrowhead (Sagittaria isoetiformis). Please bring your copy of Classification of the Natural Communities of North Carolina (Third Approximation) by Schafale and Weakley. If you do not have a copy, one can be purchased from the North Carolina Natural Heritage Program for $15 at the workshop or you can download and print relevant portions for free at http://www.ncnhp.org/Images/Other%20Publications/class.pdf. We will discuss Schafale’s upcoming Fourth Approximation and compare with the Third Approximation.
Please bring a lunch as we will not stop at a restaurant. The registration fee does not include meals.
The NCAEP Sandhills workshop will adhere to the following schedule on 15 September:
7:30 – Leave in vans from Stantec:
801 Jones Franklin Road
Raleigh, NC 27606
8:30 – Pick up additional attendees/instructors at Tramway Food Lion Parking Lot:
2244 Jefferson Davis Highway(US 15/1),
Sanford(NW of corner of US 15/1 and Tramway Rd).
9:30 – Meet and coordinate with all attendees at Hoffman BP Station:
2183 Caddell Rd, Hoffman (Corner of Caddell and US 1).
Note: to minimize disturbance and vehicle stranding, as well as maximize educational opportunities during the workshop, all attendees will be transported by van from or near the BP site, to the maximum extent practicable.
4:00 – Depart from the BP site
5:00 – Depart from the Tramway Food Lion Parking Lot
6:00 – Arrive at 801 Jones Franklin Road
Contact Ward Marotti @ president@ncaep.org for informaiton.
