SPRING/Summer 2010

Falling Water Creek, near Richland Creek, Fall 2010

 

Wow, the weather has surely changed for the better these past few days.  Here in Fayetteville, it is in the 60s and sunny for the third day straight.  As soon as I finish this newsletter, I plan to get out in the garden for a while.

This past year, we had some great hikes and ended the year with our Fall Retreat at Harmony Mountain, the second weekend in November.  We traveled to Richland Creek, not realizing the road was still closed, right before we got to the campground.  But, it was such a glorious day that we still stopped along the road and took photos along the way up to the point at which the road was closed.  Most of us stopped by Pedestal Rocks on our way back to lodge.  Having visited the site the previous year, it was startling to see how the ice storm had impacted the trees.  Again, it makes one wonder how the ice storm of 2009 will continue to have an impact in our Ozark forests for many years to come.

 Friday night, we held the potluck dinner, followed by the Plant Auction and Meeting.  We made close to $200 at the auction.  That goes back into the account; we agreed to send money to the Flora Project and to the Halberg Ecology Camp again this year.  Brent Baker agreed to remain as the President with Laura Villejas remaining as Vice President, Mary Reuter  Treasurer, and Burnetta will continue to serve as the Newsletter Editor.  We have several great hikes planned for the coming months and hope that you can join us.

 Spring/Summer Hikes of 2010

 April 3^rd   Lost Valley  Meet Linda Ellis at 9:30 a.m. at the Lost Valley parking lot.  Call Linda at  417-272-3890 for more information.   The trail is mostly mild to moderate in stretches; wear good shoes and bring a sack lunch and water.

 April 16 – 18^th The Arkansas Native Plant Society Spring meeting is scheduled at:

 

Days Inn, Benton, Arkansas

501-776-3200

Room rates are $59 plus tax

Pets can stay for an extra $5

Free breakfast hot bar for those staying at the motel

20 rooms have been blocked under Plant Society.  Be sure and mention this when you call to make reservations. Look for more information about hikes and presentations in the spring issue of the Claytonia.

 May 1^st  Possum Trot revisited, again

If anyone is interested in going to Possum Trot, please contact Burnetta at 479-582-0317 for more information.  The hike is strenuous and even more so with all the large limbs and trees that were knocked down during the ice storm.  Bring water, lunch, and wear sturdy shoes.  We will meet at the Nail church parking lot at 10 a.m., just off Hwy. 16, between Deer and Fallsville. The hike will take a minimum of four to five hours.

 May 22^nd - 10am   Cole Fork, Sylamore Forest. Meet at the intersection of Hwy 14 and Hwy 341(south end of Push Mountain Road) just a few miles east of Big Flat if coming from the west ; if coming from the east (Allison and Mountain View ) the intersection will be west of Fifty-Six. Bring lunch, but there will be options for supper in Big Flat or Mountain View. Call Jackie Leatherman 424-5101 for information.  There will be a limit to the number of people, so be sure and call if you wish to go.  When Burnetta went on this trip about eight years ago, she saw seven species that she had never seen before.  Right now, at least three of these are only known from Stone County.

 Saturday, June 12^th – Arrington Creek/Buffalo National River.

 Join Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission Botanist Brent Baker for a hike into the magnificent “Arrington Creek Canyon” on the Buffalo National River near Boxley.

 We’ll meet at 9:30 am at the Boxley Trailhead parking area of the Buffalo River Trail on the west side of Highway 21 at the south end of Boxley Valley (approx. 2 ¼ miles south of the intersection of Highways 21 and 43 at Boxley).  We will then carpool to the small ‘pull-out’ parking area trailhead on County Road 25.

 We will hike on a small section of the Buffalo River Trail, down a steep north-facing slope into a narrow, beech dominated valley along a rocky stream (Arrington Creek).  This secluded little valley is gorgeous!  We’ll have lunch on the terrace of the creek and then hike up the south-facing slope to see some nice limestone glades/bluffs.

 This hike will be about 3 miles long and is rather strenuous, so please keep this in mind and wear sturdy shoes.  Pack a lunch and plenty of water.  Plan for at least 4 hours on the trail. 

NOTE:  Please sign up for this hike by calling Brent at 479.970.9143 or emailing him at btb2001@hotmail.com.  This is to ensure that you will be expected at the first meeting area and are not accidentally left behind!

 

August 28th   Roadside Botany and King’s River Sanctuary 

  Meet at 10 a.m. at the McDonald’s parking lot in Berryville, Arkansas.  We will drive the county roads checking out the flora of the ditches and by-ways.  Last summer, we were amazed at the diversity of the plants inhabiting these areas.  In addition, we will check on the spread of the Scabiosa atropurpurea and Gnaphalium obtusifolium populations in Caroll County.  We will eat lunch in Berryville, check on the Gerardia auriculata population at Saunders Heights and then visit the Sanctuary at King’s River.  Steve Smith has been monitoring the glades of the Sanctuary and we will be conducting an inventory of the plants.  That night we will have a picnic and bonfire if the weather cooperates.  Please contact Burnetta if you are planning to attend one or both parts of this field trip day to Carroll County and we can coordinate car-pooling and other activities of the day. 

Ozarks Chapter ANPS dues of $5 should be remitted to:  Mary Reuter, Treasurer OCANPS, 121 CR 432, Berryville, AR 72616