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Chapter reports, Spring 2004
ARTEMISIA CHAPTER Over the last year the Artemisia Chapter has primarily focused on hosting the 2004 Annual Meeting. Most of our meetings this winter centered on planning and organizing the Annual Meeting—quite a task as all the chapters know! We did manage to treat ourselves to 3 presentations: The effects of tamarisk and Russian olive in eastern Montana by Peter Lesica; the botanical photography of Alice and Robert Hamilton by Duane Bondy; and the Beartooth District Travel Plan by the Montana Wilderness Association. We received a $1000 chapter project grant from MNPS to continue our work creating a native plant display garden at ZooMontana. The garden is shaping up nicely with help from many wonderful volunteers and ZooMontana. This spring large landscape rocks, an irrigation system, and a pathway were installed. In May we held our 2nd annual native plant sale at ZooMontana and raised approximately $250. These funds will be used for native plant display garden projects. Leslie Marty CLARK FORK CHAPTER Native Plant Sale On this sunny Saturday at the Missoula Farmer’s Market, we offered over 42 species of native plants, ranging from Agastache urticifolia to Townsendia montana, plus seeds for 10 species. As usual, a crowd was waiting for the opening bell. However, the usual late-morning lull never happened, and people were still buying plants when the closing bell rang. Among the plants offered were pairs of four year old Shepherdia argentea donated by Calvin Duke, which brought in $180. Many other members grew or helped to grow plants: Dana D’Andraea, Peter Stickney, Madeline Mazurski, Elizabeth Crone, Kelly Chadwick, William Schlegel, Mike Young and Sheila Morrison. Total receipts were a record $1611.31, and after adjusting for expenses incurred, our net was $1401.56. Sheila Morrison Woad Warriors The Clark Fork Chapter has adopted the dyer’s woad control project on Mt. Sentinel as a local stewardship project. For the past 10 or so years, our members have gathered at the base of the M trail, and hiked across hundreds of acres of prairie looking for the dastardly plants. Dyer’s woad, Isatis tinctoria, is classified as a new invader in the state of Montana since there are very few infestations across the state. In fact, if you find a new infestation of dyer’s woad, you can receive a $50 bounty from the Montana Department of Agriculture. Mt. Sentinel is a woad hot spot, and we try hard to get all the plants each year, or at least the blooming ones so we can prevent this invader from spreading. Twelve of us, 4 University of Montana staff, 2 staff from the Center for Invasive Plant Management in Bozeman, and 6 volunteers, gathered on Tuesday, May 28th to do battle with dyer’s woad. We found about 600 plants in various stages of growth. We congregated again on Tuesday, June 8th, this time with a force of fifteen woad hunters, composed of 6 staff and 9 volunteers. We found about 150 plants this time around. The University of Montana pays the CF Chapter $10 per volunteer person hour for this service, and this year we earned $350 for the chapter while performing an important community service. And the birding, wildflowers and company weren’t bad either. Marilyn Marler CALYPSO CHAPTER Over twenty people attended the German Gulch field trip held on Thursday evening, June 3rd. The first chapter field trip of the year was delightful, the weather phenomenal, and the bugs minimal. The smell of chokecherry blossoms permeated the air, and the field trippers were fearless while descending the steep embankment and crossing the high, narrow bridge over beautiful Silver Bow Creek. More than 25 plant species were spotted and most were identified. The only down side to the trip was the pervasive abundance of spotted knapweed. The chapter is hoping to plant a pilot plot in the area with native shrubs, forbs, and grasses and surround it with an exclosure to prevent grazing. If the pilot plot proves to be successful in deterring knapweed spread, then a more aggressive effort can be undertaken. We'll be looking for volunteers for that project if the funding comes through. Monday evening, June 7th, is the date set for the second field trip of the season. We'll be looking for calypso orchids along Harding Way and travel towards Cactus Junction, stopping en route to identify native shrubs. Paul Sawyer will be the trip leader. A new business in Butte, The Copper Hawk, located on north Main Street, sells Good Migrations brand coffee. A 12 oz. foil bag is only $7.95. That's a great price for coffee that is shade grown (which provides habitat for songbirds,) certified organic, and fair trade certified. Because the bag is sealed, the coffee is fresh and delicious. Debbie Mueller FLATHEAD CHAPTER Changes were made to the structure of Flathead Chapter business meetings this year. Our objective was to make the time more productive by focusing on a native plant-related project or important issue. The changes have worked quite well, and our first project, a native plant landscaping packet, was completed in early spring. The native plant landscaping packet provides specific guidelines and advice for gardeners interested in growing native plants suited to our region. The packet is similar to the guide developed by the Kelsey Chapter, and has been very popular with gardeners in our area. Please contact Tara Williams (vance.tara@centurytel.net) if you are interested in receiving the packet, or check the MNPS website for ordering information. Also of note, several Flathead Chapter members assembled a traveling display of beautiful, framed native plant photographs. The display has been featured at libraries, restaurants and other popular gathering spots, showcasing the splendor of native plants and highlighting MNPS. Please contact Rachel Potter (jrpotter@digisys.net) for more information on the display. Our programs were very well attended this year, and we are looking forward to a wide variety of summer field trips! Shannon Kimball
KELSEY CHAPTER Kelsey Chapter has had a busy and successful last year. Membership and interest are growing. We had four great programs over the winter with presenters Phil Johnson, Lyn Baldwin, Greg Kudray and Nancy Breuninger. The Flora of Mount Helena database was posted on the Lewis and Clark Library website (www.lewisandclarklibrary.org) and there continues to be demand for our native plant landscaping packet. It is really heartening to see the interest in growing Montana native plants. We have field trips scheduled this spring with Andy Kukolax and Wayne Phillips, and a canoe trip with Andrea and Michael Pipp. A botanical class with Tom Elpel is scheduled for late June and promises to be a great experience. Thanks to Jim Greene and Martha Vogel for making the arrangements. Kathy Martin did a fine job representing the chapter on the planning committee for the annual National Wildflower Week event for Helena fourth graders held on Mount Helena every May. Thanks to all chapter members who led hikes and helped in other ways. Our 2nd year presenting articles on Montana Lewis and Clark plants in the Helena Independent Record is underway and is generating positive comments. Thanks to Carole Mackin, Kathy Martin, Mary Johnson, Andrea Pipp, Spencer Shropshire, Laura Alvey and Kathy Lloyd for contributing articles and to Drake Barton for providing the photos. Kathy Lloyd |