. . dedicated to the appreciation and conservation of the Colorado native flora” Volume 18 Nun\ber3 May/June 1994 The University of Northern Colorado Herbarium A Brief History Jody K. Nelson Many people are unaware that the University of Northern Colorado (UNC) has an herbarium. While it is not a large research ^^^herbarium like those at CU-Boulder, CSU- Fort Collins, or UW-Laramie, the UNC herbarium contains a respectable collection of specimens that are used by students in plant taxonomy and other botany classes. During the fall of 1993, an inventory of the herbarium was made by graduate students, Jody K. Nelson and Michelle Link, under the direction of Dr. William E. Harmon, Professor of Botany . The primary purpose of the inventory was to catalogue and reorganize the entire herbarium collection. The inventory included annotation of specimens for changes in nomenclature, cataloguing each specimen, recording data ' from specimen labels, organizing and refiling specimens in cabinets, and creation of a computer database containing information on the entire herbarium collection. During the course of this work, the history of much of the UNC collection was learned. A short, though not exhaustive, history of the UNC collection follows; special attention is given to some of the major ^^contributors. Botany courses have been part of the science curriculum at UNC since the beginning (c.a. 1890), when the school was called the State Normal School of Colorado. A large portion of the herbarium collection at UNC dates to before the turn of the century. Some of the earliest collections were made by Arthur Eugene Beardsley, one of the school ’ s first biology professors. A number of specimens collected near Ithaca, New York are credited to him, as well as a large number of ferns, collected between 1880 and 1899 , from theFrontRange of Colorado. The herbarium collection of Edwin Lewis Byington, an educator and school superintendent who had an interest in botany, ferns, and microscopy, was donated posthumously to the school by his wife on March 1, 1897. His collection contained specimens from around the United States and also a large collection of European plants. Another substantial collection of plant specimens from the eastern United States, dating from the 1890’s, came from the State Normal School in Indiana, Pennsylvania. Perhaps one of the most fascinating stories from the herbarium’s history involved Colorado school teacherEarlLynd Johnston. He collected extensively along the Front Range and northeastern plains around Greeley, from about 1905 to 1927. Many of his collections were numbered separately each year, with the best sets going to the University of Wyoming, and partial sets going to the Gray Herbarium, the Missouri Botanical Garden, and other herbaria. In 19 17, he made a summer-long collecting trip through Colorado with George Grant Hedgecock, aplant pathologist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Based on - continued on page 4 Contents Membership Information 2 USFS-Ecosystem Management Dues Reminder 2 & Sensitive Plants 8 Announcements 3 Americaii Floral Meadow Neota Wilderness Society 9 Plant Inventory 5 For Your Library 10 Rare Plants of Colorado- Chapter Activites 10 2nd Edition! 6 Discount Publications 11 Calendar 12 Page 2 Aquilegia Volume 18 Notes From The Board of Directors The Board of Directors of the Colorado Native Plant Society meets every other month, except during the summer, to conduct the business of the Society. Board meetings are always open to CONPS members who are interested in attending. Typically, meetings are held on a Saturday afternoon, beginning at 1:00 p.m. Contact the Secretary for schedule and location. The Board took action on several items at the April meeting: A $500 grant from the John Man- Fund was awarded to Dina Clark, agraduate student at the University of Colorado. The funds will enable her to complete a floristic inventory of the Mesa de Maya region in southeastern Colorado. Tom Ranker, CuratoroftheCUHerbarium, is her advisor. The Board voted to assist the Boulder Energy Conservation Center in the production of a Native Plant Landscape Guide for the Boulder area. Although the Guide will be limited in its geographic scope, the Board hopes that providing $200 toward this project will encourage and provide model for other local efforts around the state. The project will promote the use of native plants in landscaping through education and example. Finally, $300 will be provided to reprint the purple loosestrife educational brochure. The first batch has already been distributed and we hear that it is making an impact! If you need one, or if you have suggestions about distribution, contact Nina Williams or Tamara Naumann (see below). Colorado Native Plant Society The Colorado Native Plant. Society is a non- profit org anization dedicated to the appreciation and conservation of the Colorado native flora. Membership is open to all with an interest in our native plants, and is composed of plant enthusiasts both professional and non- professional. Please join us in helping to encourage interest in enjoying and protecting Colorado's native plants. The Society sponsors field trips, workshops and other activities through local chapters and statewide. Contact the Society, a chapter representative, or committee chair for more information. Schedule of Membership Fees Life $250 Supporting $ 50 Organization $ 30 Family or Dual $ 15 Individual $ 12 Student or Senior $ 8 Membership Renewal/Information Please direct all membership applications, renewals and address changes to the Membership Chairperson, Colorado Native Plant Society, P.O. Box 200, Fort Collins, CO 80522. Please direct all other inquiries regarding the Society to the Secretary at the same address. AijfMifeg/aispublishedfour to six times peryear by the Colorado Native Plant Society. This newsletter is available to members ofthe Society and to others with an interest in native plants. Contactthe Society forsubscriptioninformation. Articles from Aquilegia may be used by other native plant societies or non-profit groups if fully cited to author and attributed \o Aquilegia. Newsletter Contributions Please direct all contributions to the newsletter to; Tamara Naumann 940 Quinn Street Boulder, CO 80303 Short items such as unusual information about a plant, a little known botanical term, etc. are especially welcome. Camera-ready line art or other illustrations are also solicited. Please include author's name and address, although items will be printed anonymously if requested. Articles submitted on disks (IBM or Mac) are appreciated. Please indicate word processing software and version. Officers President Tom Ranker — 492-5074 Vice-President Janet Hughes ....933-2425 Secretary Mark Gershman 443-9365 Treasurer Myma Steinkamp.... 226-3371 Board of Directors Arm Armstrong (95) .... . Boulder ....494-0545 David Buckner (95) . Boulder ....494-3231 Janet Coles (95) . Boulder ....440-0595 Mark Gershman (94) ... . Boulder ....443-9365 Andrew Kratz (95) . Lakewood .... ....238-6317 Tamara Naumatm (95) . . Boulder ....440-8933 Chris Pague (94) . Lyons ....492-4719 Tom Ranker (94) . Boulder ....492-5074 Velma Richards (94) .... . Englewood .. ....794-5432 Nina Williams (94) . Boulder ....499-9858 Chapter Presidents Boulder Lynn Riedel 666-6687 Metro- Denver Jeff Dawson 722-6758 Fort Collins Mike Scott 490-1788 Yamparika Reed Kelley 878-4666 San Juan Gretchen Van Reyper 835-3268 Southwest Sandy Friedley 884-9245 or Leslie Stewart 882-7241 Committees Conservation Sally White 697-5439 Editorial Tamara Naumann ....440-8933 Nina Williams 499-9858 William A. Weber ..492-6171 Educatiori Andrew Kratz 238-6317 Field Trips Rick Brune ...238-5078 Jeff Dawson 722-6758 Field Studies Mary Edwards ...233-8133 Hort/Restoration .... Tina Jones 794-2647 Ann Armstrong .......494-0545 Legislative Affairs. Nina Williams 499-9858 Membership Myma Steinkamp .... 226-337 1 ^ Sue Martin 226-3371 Publicity VACANT Workshops Susan Eubank 277-9458 Carol Dawson 722-6758 Barbara Siems 838-6973 Number 3 Aquilegia Page 3 ANNOUNCEMENTS VJ' LATE NEWSLETTER? In Memoriam PAULINE HAYES We are sad to report the loss of a long-time CONPS member and supporter, Pauline Hayes of Fort Collins. Pauline and her husband Lloyd (a Past President of CONPS) have been active members of the Fort Collins Chapter and strong supporters of native plant conservation and wise horticultural use. Pauline held degrees in nursing and in interior design, and her love of people shone through all her activities. She delighted in growing beautiful plants in her garden, and shared them happily with all who stopped to admire. She also was a tireless preserver of the delicious fruits of the Hayes ’s garden and orchard — many can attest to her delicious chokecherry and raspberry syrups, for example! As further evidence of her belief in the goals and activities of the Colorado Native Plant Society, Pauline asked that any memorial gifts in her memory be made to the Society’s John Marr Research Fund. As a result, contributions have been received from many of the Hayes’s friends and colleagues. We are most grateful for Pauline’s thoughtful provision for the Society; she has given a gift that will continue through the years in helping to fund small research grants to increase our knowledge about the Colorado Flora. We will miss Pauline’s smiling face and gentle presence. We received numerous complaints about late (or missing) March/April issues of Aquilegia. When this happens, be sure to contact your local post office; that's usually where the delay is. This time, however, the problem may have occurred at the Denver Terminal Annex (that's where we mail the newsletter) . Denver members usually begin receiving newsletters within three days of mailing. Boulder members typically have to wait two weeks! We don’t have any control over the newsletter once it is left at the Terminal Annex. Bulk mail is fraught with problems, but sometimes a phone call can help. This newsletter will probably be mailed on or about June 6. If yours is late (compared with other members in your area), give your local post office a call. If it doesn't show up within a few days of your call, contact Myma Steinkamp- (303) 226- 3371 to request a replacement copy. A Reminder... Aquilegia is considered third class mail. That means it won't be forwarded if you move. Keep Myma informed of your whereabouts so your newsletter will get to you! Trolliue sllpifiorus Artist; Janet Wingate Aquilegia is pilnted on 100% recycled paper DO YOU HAVE BOOKKEEPING SKILLS? After many years of diligent volunteer service, CONPS Treasurer Myrna Steinkamp is ready to retire so she can spend her time going on CONPS field trips. If you have bookkeeping skills and are looking for a way to make an important contribution, contact one of the Board members listed on page 2. TUNE IN TO NATIVE PLANTS! Jim Borland is co-hosting the Gard'n-Wise Garden Talk Show with Keith Funk on KHOW radio (630 on the AM dial.) Jim is a past-president and active member of CONPS. Tune in on Saturday mornings at 8 a.m, to this one-hour show, sponsored by Gard'n-Wise. What a great opportunity to promote the use of native plants in Colorado landscapes! Listen for new ideas or share your ideas with others. Page 4 AquHegia Volume 18 UNC Herbarium, continued from front page collection dates from herbarium specimens in the UNC collection, an itinerary of then- collecting trip across the state was reconstructed (Figurel). Between June 14 and June 30, 1917, collections were made along a route that began at Raton Pass and included Morley, Trinidad, Stonewall, La Veta, Walsenburg, Gardner, Salida, Cafion City, Colorado Springs, Monument, Castle Rock, and parts in-between. In July, Johnston and Hedgecock continued collecting near Larkspur, Boulder, Golden, Coal Creek Canyon, Lyons, Allenspark, Fort Collins, and Cherokee Park, ending the month with collections from Fox Park, Wyoming, and Walden, Colorado on July 31. In August, they continued their trip from Walden to Steamboat Springs, McCoy, State Bridge, Hot Sulphur Springs, Frasier, Berthoud Pass, Georgetown, Golden, and Estes Park, ending on August 29, near Ward, Colorado. All along the way, numerous collections of the flora they encountered were made. It would be interesting to know the mode of travel used by these ambitious collectors. Did they travel by Model T, train, horse, or a combination of means? It must certainly have been an adventure! Another set of collections in the UNC herbarium dates from the 1920’s; these collections, made by J. M. Grant, came from the vicinity of Marysville, Washington. Later, Arthur Leroy Hershey, Assistant Professor of Botany at what had become the Colorado State College of Education, donated a large collection of specimens representing the flora of a variety of New Mexico ecosystems. Hershey had been a botany professor at New Mexico A & M from 1934 to 1948 and had made many collections from the New Mexico flora. Although he spent only one academic year at UNC, from 1948 to 1949, his donated specimens form a large portion of UNC’s collection. More recent collections include a large Fox Park, WY Raton Pass Figure 1. Route of botanical collecting trip taken by Earl L. Johnston and George G. Hedgecock through Colorado in 1917. number of specimens from D. B, Dunn, Professor Emeritus of Botany at the University of Missouri, Columbia. Many of these are from various western states and were collected from the 1940’ s through 1976. Some of the collections made from the 1950’s through the 1970’s include specimens collected by students in Plant Taxonomy courses at UNC. William E. Harmon, current Professor of Botany at UNC, has also contributed many specimens from Colorado, Missouri, and Central America. Theplains and foothills life zones of Larimer and Weld Counties are best represented in the UNC herbarium. A recent addition voucher specimens from the Neota Wilderness has greatly increased the number and diversity of alpine and subalpine species represented in the UNC collection. An inventory of the vascular flora of the Neota Wilderness was conducted in 1992 and 1993 by the author as a part of a Master’s degree research project at UNC. Along with the vascularplants,anumberofmosses, liverworts, and lichens were collected during the study and form a group of organisms new to the UNC herbarium collection. The UNC herbarium also includes a number of specimens of foreign origin, including some fromFrance, Great Britain, Canada Mexico Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Honduras, and Venezuela. The oldest specimen in the collection is a specimen of Geiiw rivale L., which was collected in France in 1863. The UNC herbarium contains approximately 12,000+ specimens representing 198 families. iMthough the UNC herbarium is not large, it serves well as a teaching herbarium with a unique history, and as an important contributor to our knowledge of the flora of Colorado. Anyone interested in visiting or using the UNC herbarium is encouraged to do so. Please contact Dr. William E. Harmon, Professor of Botany, in Ross Hall Roon^^ 204, University of Northern Colorado, Greeley, Colorado 80639, or call (303) 351-2515. Numbers Aquilegia Page 5 Vascular Flora of the Neota Wilderness — Inventory Results and New Record For The Colorado Flora Jody K. Nelson and William E. Harmon University of Northern Colorado Herbarium During the summers of 1992 and 1 993 , Jody Nelson conducted an inventory of the vascular flora of the Neota Wilderness Area in the north-central Colorado mountains. This work was a thesis project for a Master’ s degree at the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley. The Neota Wilderness Area is located between Cameron Pass and the northwest boundary of Rocky Mountain National Park. Although small in size by most wilderness standards (approximately 15.5 sq. mi.), the Neota, with its rugged and dense subalpine forests and alpine vistas, offers a true : wilderness experience for the few who venture to explore it. Ranging in elevation from 9,900 ft. to over 12,000 ft. in elevation, the topography is dominated by Iron Mountain and three alpine ridges radiating from its summit. Geologically, the Neota Wilderness Area is interesting because the Precambrian rock which comprises most of Colorado’s Continental Divide is overlain in this area by deposits of volcanic rhyolite up to 1,000 ft. thick. The pyroclastic flows of volcanic material originated to the south of the Neota some 28 million years ago from sources near Specimen Mountain ^d parts of the Never Summer Range in Rocky Mountain National Park, ai The Neota Wilderness contains both subalpine and alpine ecosystems, each containing diverse habitats and community types. During the course of the study, the wilderness was extensively explored and plant specimens were collected throughout the area to provide baseline documentation of the flora, A special collecting permit from the U.S. Forest Service was required. Nearly 300 miles were hiked through 150,000 feet of elevation change in 52 days of collecting conducted over two field seasons. As a result of this inventory, the vascular flora of the Neota Wilderness, representing both alpine (above treeline) and subalpine zones, is known to contain plants in 54 families, 169 genera, and 301 species. The alpine component of this flora consists of 203 species in 118 genera and 39 families. Families contributing the largest number of species include the Asteraceae (40),Poaceae (31), Cyperaceae (27), Brassicaceae (18), Scrophulariaceae (16), Rosaceae (16), and Saxifragaceae (14). Proportionally, the number are somewhat similar for the alpine component of the flora: Asteraceae (37), Cyperaceae ( 15) ,Poaceae ( 14) , Brassicaceae (13), Scrophulariaceae (12), Rosaceae (12), and Saxifragaceae (12). Seven species collected in the Neota Wilderness are considered endemic to Colorado. These include: Paronychia pulvinata Gray, Ligularia holmii (Greene) V/eb&T,Ligularia soldanella (Gray) Weber, Ligularia taraxacoides (Gray) Weber, Aquilegia saximontana Rydberg, Primula angustifolia Torrey, and Oreoxis alpina subsp. puberulenta Weber. Although no endangered species were found in the area, three species of special concern to the Colorado Natural Areas Program are reported; these are Draba fladnizensis Wulfen, Draba streptobrachia Price, and Aquilegia saximontana Rydberg. A new state record for the flora of Colorado was discovered growing on the muddy bottom of a small subalpine lake in the wilderness. Subularia aquatica L., a small aquatic member of the Brassicaceae (mustard) family, was found growing abundantly in association with Isoetes bdlanderii and Sparganium angustifoliumyiichmx. Commonly called awlwort, the term subula, from the Latin, refers to the awl-shaped leaves of the plant. Prior to development of its flowering stalk, Subularia looks very much like Isoetes. Subularia"^ tiny white flowers develop and open underwater. The discovery of awlwort in Colorado significantly increases the known range of the species. Although it is widely distributed across the northern latitudes, its known range in theRocky Mountains was previously limited to a few sites in northwestern Wyoming and a single site in northeastern Utah. Its discovery in the Neota Wilderness increased the known range approximately 280 miles to the southeast of the Wyoming sites and 220 miles to the east of the Utah site. A range extension is also reported for Azaleastrum albiflorum (Hooker) Rydberg, known previously from the Park Range in Jackson and Routt Counties in Colorado. The discovery of a small population in the Neota W ildemess represents the first record - continued on page 7 Page 6 Aquilegia Volume 18 Rare Plants of Colorado — Second Edition Coming! preferred for habitat shots. They’re at it again! The Rare Plant Monograph Committee is working on a second edition of the popular Society publication, Rare Plants of Colorado. The first edition is essentially sold out, although a few copies remain available at bookstores and in the possession of the Society. Eleanor Von Bargen chairs the committee, which includes Janet Coles, Miriam Denham, William F. Jennings, Sue Martin, Velma Richards, and Myrna Steinkamp, The group considered butrejectedpublishing a minor revision of the first edition, and instead has begun a major revision. For Rare Plants of Colorado ,2nd Edition (“RPC IT’), it is estimated ihat about one-third of the species included will be new to this edition; hold on to your first editions, though, as there are a number of species described and illustrated there that will not be repeated. RPC II will follow the same general format as the first edition: approximately 100 species will be included, grouped by the broad habitat type in which they occur. Each will be illustrated by one or more photographs or a detailed line drawing, and accompanied by a dot map illustrating its general location in the state. Also, each plant will be described in a paragraph of interesting facts such as the source of its name; its botany, ecology, and habitat requirements; and the threats to its continued existence. As with the first edition. Bill Jennings will serve as chief writer, so you can expect more of his vivid plant descriptions in RPC II! Currently, the committee has a working list of 139 species being considered for RPC II. If you have information or a publication- quality photograph of any of these species, it would be welcomed. Also, good photographs are needed to head each habitat section (Alpine Tundra, Barrens, Cliffs and Canyons, Forests, Grasslands, Shrublands, Wetlands, Woodlands). It is essential that habitatphotographs show ONLY the habitat intended (for example, a photo illustrating the tundra should not include subalpine forest; a shrubland photo should not include trees ; a forest shot should not include riparian vegetation). Vertical format is strongly The committee also will be commissioning line drawings of species selected for the book, but lacking a suitable photograph. The committee is seeking anyone who might be interested in doing such art work, for which a small honorariumwill be paid. Please let Eleanor Von Bargen or any committee member know of your interest. The ability to draw with technical accuracy from photographs (provided by the committee) or pressed plant specimens in herbaria (information provided) is essential. There will be opportunities on 1994 CONPS field trips to photograph some of the plants under consideration for RPM II. The committee asks everyone to help obtain the needed slides. Try to photograph the whole plant, plus (if your camera permits) close- ups of flowers, fruit, or other important details. Please submit your photographs (color slides), clearly marked with your name and the name of the plant (or habitat) ^ to: RPM II Photos, Colorado Native Plant Society, PO Box 200, Fort Collins CO 80522. Here’s the list of plants for possible inclusion in RPM II... let’s get busy finding and photographing them! Agastache foeniculwn Metes humilis Ambrosia linearis Amorpha nana Aquilegia chrysantha var. rydbergii Aquilegia saximontana Arabis vivariensis Aristida basiramea Armeria scabra ssp. sibirica Asclepias uncialis Asplenium adiantum-nigrum Astragalus brandegei Astragalus cronquistii Astragalus deterior Astragalus humillimus Astragalus linifolius Astragalus microcymbus Astragalus molybdenus Astragalus nelsonianus Astragalus osterhoutii Astragalus piscator Astragalus ripleyi Astragalus schmolliae Astragalus tortipes Bolophyta alpina Bolophyta tetraneuris Botrychium campestre Braya glabella Braya humilis Carex concinna C. lasiocarpa C. leptalea C. livida C. sychnocephala Centunculus (Anagallis) minimus Chenopodium cycloides Chionophila jamesii Cirsium ownbeyi Cleome multicaulis Cryptantha aperta Cryptantha breviflora Cryptantha cana Cryptantha paradoxa Cypripedium calceolus var. pubescens Cypripedium fasciculatum Draba (sp. to be named) Draba smithii Drosera rotundifolia Dryopteris exp ansa Echinocereus triglochidiatus forma inermis Epipactis gigantea Erigeron humilis Erigeron kachinensis Erigeron lanatus Erigeron wilkenii Eriogonum brandegei E. clavellatum E. pelinophilum E. contortum Eriophorum altaicum var. neogaeum Eustoma grandiflorum Eutrema penlandii Frasera coloradensis Gaura neomexicaha ssp. coloradensis Gentianella tortuosa Gilia penstemonoides Gilia stenothyrsa Habenaria zothecina Hackelia gracilenta Herrickia horrida Heuchera richardsonii Hypoxis hirsuta Ipomopsis congesta ssp. crebrifolia Ipomopsis globularis Ipomopsis polyantha var. polyantha Juncus vaseyi Koenigia islandica Lesquerella congesta Lesquerella parviflora Number 3 Aquilegia Page 7 Lesquerella pruinosa Lilium philadelphicum Lomatium concinnwn Lomatium latilobum Lupinus crassus Lygodesmia doloresensis Malaxis brachypoda Mentzelia argillosa Mentzelia chrysantha Mentzelia densa Mimulus eastwoodiae Mimulus gemmiparus Muhlenbergia glomerata Musineon (Aletes) tenuifolia Neoparrya (Aletes) lithophila Oenothera acutissima Onoclea sensibilis Oxybaphus rotundifolius Parnassia kotzebuei Pediocactus knowltonii Pediomelum hypogaewn Pediomelum megalanthum Penstemon albifluvis Penstemon cyathophorus Penstemon debilis Penstemon degeneri Penstemon gibbensii Penstemon grahamii Penstemon harringtonii Penstemon parviflorus Penstemon penlandii Penstemon retrorsus Phacelia formosula Phacelia submutica Phippsia algida Phlox caryophylla Physaria bellii Physaria obcordata Potentilla ambigens Primula egaliksensis Proatriplex pleiantha Ptilagrostis porteri Pyrola picta Rhododendron (Azaleastrum) albiflorum Rorippa coloradensis Rubus arcticus ssp. acaulis Salix Candida Salix lanata ssp. calcicola Salix serissima Saussurea weberi Scirpus (Trichophorum) pumilus Sclerocactus glaucus Sclerocactus mesae-verdae Selaginella selaginoides Sisyrinchium pallidum Solidago ptarmicoides Spiranthes diluvialis Sullivantia hapemanii var. purpusii Thalictrum heliophilum Thamnosma texana ^ Thellungiella salsuginea Townsendia strigosa Trillium ovatum Zigadenus vaginatus Neota Wilderness, continued from page 5 of the species for Larimer County, and the first record for an area east of North Park, a range extension of approximately 25-40 miles. The population was growing on a north-facing slope in subalpine forest, east of Cameron Pass. For those who are interested, the range extensions reported here for both Subularia aquatica and Azaleastrum albiflorum suggest that searches may be warranted in the nearby Never Summer, Rawah, and Rabbit Ears Ranges which form the southern and eastern boundaries of North Park. If you are planning any hiking and/or botanizing trips to these areas, keep on the look out! The best time to find S. aquatica is in late summer when it has produced its flowering stalk. Early in the season, the plant can easily be mistaken for a young Isoetes because the leaves are very similar. Floristic comparisons are often made between floras of different localities to evaluate the degree of similarity in species composition between areas. Comparisons of the Neota Wilderness flora with other subalpine floras in Colorado show a general similarity (53-68% similarity). Phytogeo- graphically , the largest proportion of species found in the Neota Wilderness have a western North American distribution, from the Rocky Mountains westward to thePacific Ocean. The second largest proportion of species are circumpolar in their distribution. The Neota Wilderness is a beautiful location for a day hike or a short backpack trip. It provides an excellent example of Colorado subalpine and alpine ecosystems and their associated floras. I recommend it to anyone interested in doing some exploration in a wilderness setting. 5 mm 5 mm Aetraqalus tortlpes Artist: Kaye H. Thorne Illustration reproduced with permission from: Anderson, J. L. and J. M. Porter. 1994. Systematic Botany 19(1): 117. 5 mm Page 8 Aquilegia Volume 18 The Forest Service and Ecosystem Management: Are Sensitive Plants Falling Through The Cracks? Rocky Smith Colorado Environmental Coalition With considerable fanfare, the U. S. Forest Service announced two years ago a new policy of “ecosystem management,” which includes consideration of the interactions of all natural resources with each other and with humans. This new focus on ecosystem level interactions was to have moved the Forest Service away from the commodities- based management that resulted in wood fiber production quotas, for example. Unfortunately, the agency’s actions so far do not match its rhetoric. The U. S. Forest Service appears very reluctant to focus on the most imperiled parts of ecosystems found on National Forest lands, i.e., threatened, endangered, candidate, and sensitive species of animals and plants. If these species disappear from National Forest lands, key ecosystem functions may be lost. Thus, “ecosystem management” is becoming a fancy new name for the same old way of doing business. As each National Forest within Colorado has set about revising its management plan (see related article in AquilegiaVol. 18 No. 2, page 11), the Colorado Environmental Coalition (CEC), along with its member groups and supporters, has been composing Citizen Management Alternatives (CMAs). The goal of each CMA is to provide for maintenance of biological diversity and ecosystem integrity. This includes, but is not limited to, maintenance of all native plant and animal species in viable (non- imperiled) populations across their natural range of distribution. To do this, we recommend establishing a core reserve system designed to maintain populations of rare species and to allow for their recovery to fully viable populations. Over the last three years, we have completed CMAs for the Anipaho-Roosevelt, Routt, and Rio Grande National Forests. This summer, we will be working on CMAs for the White River and San Juan National Forests. The knowledge and interest of CONPS members would be very helpful in designing these citizens’ plans. If you are interested in helping, please call me at the CEC office (303) 837-8704. Meanwhile, Region 2 of the U. S. Forest Service (Colorado, portions of Wyoming, Nebraska, and Kansas, and the Black Hills of South Dakota) has revised its sensitive species list. A sensitive species is one that is declining in range or population size, and which requires protection or special managementto stop orreverse such declines. The intent is to institute such measures before the species reaches the point of requiring protection under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The animal species on the list did not change from the previous sensitive species list issued in March of 1993. Numerous changes occurredintheplantlist, however. Removed from the list were Bray a humilis (alpine rockcress), Draba pectinipila (comb-hair whitlow-grass), and Penstenwn mensarum (tiger beardtongue). According to Forest Service policy, species are removed from the sensitive species list if any of the following criteria are met: 1) recovery is sufficient enough that the species no longer requires protection or special management, 2) persuasive evidence of extinction is presented, 3) the species is listed under the Endangered Species Act, or 4) the species is proposed for federal listing . The latter criterion is inappropriate because a species that has been proposed for federal ESA listing has no formal protection under theEndangered Species Act, and is therefore vulnerable if it occurs on neither list, A sensitive species that has been proposed for ESA listing should not be removed from the sensitive list until a final decision has been made about the ESA listing. The following species were added to the sensitive species list: Agoseris lackschewitzii (pink agoseris). Ambrosia linearis (streaked ragweed), Botrychium lineare (narrow-leaved moonwort). Cypripediumfasciculatum (clustered lady’s slipper), Eriogonum brandegei (Brandegee wild buckwheat), Gaura neomexicana ssp, coloradoensis (Colorado butterfly plant), Ipomopsis polyantha (Pagosa skyrocket), Ipomopsis spicata ssp. rIKIl rOltM Title Author Price Each Postage Each Book Total Postage Total Alpine Wildflowers of the Rocky Mountains J. F. Duft & R. K. Moseley $ 9.50 $ 2.00 Catalogue of the Colorado Flora: a Biodiversity Baseline W. A. Weber & R. C. Wittmann $ 32.00 $2.00 Colorado Flora: Eastern Slope W. A. Weber $ 21.00 $ 2.00 Colorado Flora: Western Slope W. A. Weber $ 21.00 $ 2.00 Colorado's Wetland Ecosystems CONPS $ .40 $ .60 Edible Wild Plants of the Prairie K. Kindscher $ 10.50 $2.00 Flora of North America - Volume 1 Rora of North America Editorial Committee $ 68.00 $ 3.00 Flora of North America - Volume 2 Hora of North America Editorial Committee $ 68.00 $3.00 Flora of the Great Plains Great Rains Rora Association $ 40.00 $ 3.50 Flora of the Pacific Northwest C. L. Hitchcock & A. Cronquist $ 42.00 $ 3.00 Handbook of Rocky Mountain Plants R. A. Nelson (revised by R. Williams) $ 16.00 $2.00 How to Identify Plants H. D. Harrington & L.W. Durrell $ 8.00 $ 2.00 Intermountain Flora: Vascular Plants of the Intermountain West, U.S.A. by A. Cronquist, et al. Volume One: Geological and Botanical History of the Regirar, Its Plant Geography and a 1 Glossary. The Vascular Cryptogams and the Gymnosperms $ 30.25 $ 2.00 Volume Three, Part B: Fabales R. C. Bameby $ 53.60 $ 2.00 Volume Four: Subclass Asteridae (except Asterales) $ 69.00 $ 3.50 Volume Six: The Monocotyledons $ 36.00 $ 3.50 Jepson Manual (Higher Plants of California) $ 59.50 $ 4.00 Life In An Aspen Gro^e (VIDEO) CONPS $20.00 $ 3.50 Life In An Aspen Grove (SLIDE/TAPE) CONPS $ 42.00 $ 3.50 Medicinal Wild Plants of the Prairie K. Kindscher $ 10.50 $ 2.00 Meet the Natives, Ninth Edition M. W. Pesman $ 10.50 $ 2.00 Northwest Weeds R. J. Taylor $ 9.50 $ 2.00 The Prairie Garden: a Guide to Creating a Shortgrass Prairie Garden R. Brune $ 3.00 $ 1.00 Rare Plants of Colorado CONPS $ 8.00 $ 2.00 Roadside Wildflowers of the Southern Great Plains C. C. Freeman & E. K. Schofield $ 14.00 $ 2.00 Rocky Mountain Flower Finder J. L. Wingate $ 3.00 $ 1.00 Sagebrush Country: a Wildflower Sanctuary R. J. Taylor $ 9.50 $ 2.00 A Utah Flora S. L. Welsh, N. D. Atwood, L. C. Higgins, & S, Goodrich $ 68.00 $ 3.00 Weeds of the West T. D. Whitson, Editor $ 18.00 $ 3.00 The Gardener's Guide to Plant Conservation Nina T. Marshall (Published by World Wildlife Fund & The Garden Qub of America) $ 10.00 $ 2.00 Wildflowers of the Western Plains Z. M. Kirkpatrick $ 12.00 $ 2.00 cnp«book.tab 23 M»y 1994 BOOK TOTAL Calculate sales tax for BOOK TOTAL . (City of Boulder 6.91%, Boulder County outside Boulder city limits 4.05%, Denver 7.30%, Fort Collins 6.00%, Adams, Arapahoe & Jefferson Counties 3.80%, aU other areas in Colorado 3.00%) SALES TAX Postage applies only if books are mailed to purchaser, books may be picked up at several locations. TOTAL POSTAGE Make checks out to CONPS. Include your NAME, ADDRESS, and DAYTIME PHONE. TOTAL CALENDAR OVERVIEW Field Trips Jul 9 Blue River Quaking Fens with Jonathan Friedman & Mike Scott Jul 27 Hoosier Ridge with Robin Bingham Jul 23 Lilies, Lakes, and Lore with Betsy Baldwin Work Days Jul 9 Astragalus microcymbus and Astragalus anisus Inventory with BLM staff from the Gunnison Resource Area Chapter Meetings Boulder Chapter Jun 18 Plant Identification For Beginners Jul 9 Wetlands of Boulder Open Space Jul 23 Boulder Butterflies Colorado Native Plant Society P.O. Box 200 Fort Collins, Colorado 80522 Non-profit Organization U.S. Postage PAID Peimit#1475 Denver, Colorado