PAGE 2B
THE GAZETTE
WEEKEND EDITION, AUGUST 24-26, 2012
DEVIN FLOYD'S
DRAWING OF THE
SITESECTION
TEAM IN THE FIELD.
DETAIL
2300 ROCKFORD STREET MOUNT AIRY NC 336-789-9011
BUTTERFLY
Continued from Page 1B
We divided the group into two survey teams, one focused on plants, the other on birds, with the understanding that any quickly moving animal that made itself present (like a salamander, butterfly or small mammal) would be given temporary priority over the assigned subject matter. The teams were launched into two distinct sections of the bog and survey began. As the participants began to explore, the moments of discovery began to unfold. Through the process of keeping a detailed journal, taking photographs, keeping a species list and using various keys to identify species, the teams became more and more efficient throughout the day. With a soft mist falling during the first part of the day, the story of this ecosystem began to unfold. The sun emerged just prior to noon and the afternoon hours were alive with moths and butterflies. By day’s end, we had thoroughly observed and documented more than 110 different species and dozens of unique micro-habitats within the larger bog. Some highlights were Appalachian brown butterflies, northern bobwhite, magnolia warbler, canada warbler, steeplebush, swamp rose, lesser Canadian St. John’s wort, black bear and a diverse array of rushes, sedges and other grasses. Maybe the most interesting discovery of the day was the recognition of habitat variety within the Appalachian shrub bog. The seeps, pools and gurgling streamlets; the hummocks of orchids and ferns; meadows of grass and sphagnum; the colonies of silky willow, swamp rose and rhododendron; and many other interesting plant communities. Each of these little areas held an entire world of unique living things that would take a lifetime to fully explore. After a day of exploring this beautiful biome, we were all overwhelmed by the diversity of unfamiliar species and overcome by the sheer exhaustion of spending that much time navigating the unstable surface of the bog. Insects were released. All data, species sheets, cameras and journals were checked in at FLOYD CALLS THIS "LIKELY THE MOST PHENOMENAL PHOTOGRAPH base camp, and we closed down TAKEN BY BRDC PERSONNEL AND operations for the day. With soggy shoes and smiles VOLUNTEERS IN THE PAST THREE on our faces, we piled back in YEARS." IT SHOWS A BOG SPECIES the transport vehicles and made KNOWN AS TAWNY COTTONGRASS, our way back to the parking OR ERIOPHORUM VIRGINICUM. area. As we traversed the PHOTO © 2011, CECELIA MATHIS bumpy cobble- and boulderstrewn trail, a black bear bounded around the bend just ahead of us and disappeared off the bank toward Wilson Creek. There’s nothing like having a classroom in the wilderness, and there’s nothing quite like exploring, discovering and sharing the rare ecological treasures of the Blue Ridge. • Devin Floyd thanked all those who participated in the SiteSection event. “This resource will undoubtedly be enjoyed by individuals, schools and park managers for a long time to come. The things [they] discovered will also help inform those that make decisions about managing this resource.” BRDC’s SiteSection program advisors are Rebecca Rader (fungi), Clyde Kessler (lepidoptera, general natural history), Bob Perkins (insects), Chip Morgan (ferns), Lonnie Murray (orchids) and Doug Ogle (Mount Rogers area natural history, ecosystem, and flora expert). Assisting with permitting and site access were Theresa Duffey, natural and cultural resources manager for the Virginia DCR; and Kevin Kelley, chief ranger at Grayson Highlands State Park.
BRDC RECEIVES GRANT SCOTT JACKSON-RICKETTS, PRESIDENT OF BLUE RIDGE DISCOVERY CENTER, RECENTLY ANNOUNCED THAT THE HARRIS AND FRANCES BLOCK FOUNDATION HAS AWARDED BRDC A SECOND GRANT OF $10,000. “WITH THESE FUNDS, WE CAN CONTINUE PROVIDING NOT ONLY ANOTHER YEAR OF PROJECT FISH BUGS PROGRAMS, BUT ALSO COMPLETE SITESECTION’S SULLIVAN SWAMP SURVEY OVER THE COURSE OF THIS SUMMER AND FALL.” JACKSON-RICKETTS — ON BEHALF OF BRDC, AARON FLOYD (DIRECTOR OF FISH BUGS) AND DEVIN FLOYD (DIRECTOR OF SITESECTION) — THANKED THE BLOCK FOUNDATION “FOR THEIR MOST HONORED SUPPORT.”
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AN APPALACHIAN BROWN
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PARTICIPATING IN THE PROJECT WERE MAGGIE B ORCHGREVINK, SHAE HAWKS , A MANDA C REDE, D EVIN FLOYD (PROJECT DIRECTOR), DEBBY GREIF, SCOTT JACKSON-RICKETTS ( FIELD TECHNICIAN), AARON FLOYD (SITE DATA MANAGER), HARDIN HALSEY, B ILLY MAC H ALSEY, BUDDY H ALSEY, DR. ROBERT PERKINS (SITESECTION ADVISOR ), BILL PERKINS, R EBECCA A BSHER, LYDIA A BSHER , COURTNEY A RMSTRONG AND C ECELIA MATHIS.
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