This training is an introductory webinar in conducting Rare Plant Treasure Hunts and in vegetation sampling. We will discuss applications of Rare Plant Treasure Hunt surveys and of fine-scale vegetation sampling, classification, and mapping.
Rare Plant Treasure Hunt and Vegetation Sampling Training
March 8, 2022
1:00 – 4:30 pm
Virtual, on Zoom
Free
Taught by Amy Patten and Jennifer Buck-Diaz
Objectives
Target Audience: This webinar is free and open to any participants who are interested in building skills in collecting rare plant or vegetation data.
Description: This is an introductory webinar in conducting Rare Plant Treasure Hunts and in vegetation sampling. We will discuss applications of Rare Plant Treasure Hunt surveys and of fine-scale vegetation sampling, classification, and mapping.
Topics include:
Rare Plants
- How to prepare and conduct background research prior to initiating a Rare Plant Treasure Hunt
- Interpreting rare plant data and reports
- How to use online databases and resources to prepare for treasure hunts such as Calflora, iNaturalist, the CNPS Inventory of Rare and Endangered Plants, the Jepson eFlora/Interchange, Consortium of CA Herbaria, and others
- Filling out the Rare Plant Treasure Hunt datasheet
Vegetation Sampling
- Defining vegetation and why we sample, classify, and map it
- Vegetation sampling methods: rapid assessment and relevé
- Overview of vegetation classification
Schedule & Locale
Tuesday, March 8
1:00-1:15: Introduction by Alyssa, Amy, and Jennifer 1:00-1:15: Introduction by Alyssa, Amy, and Jennifer
1:15-2:15: Rare Plant Treasure Hunt (RPTH)
2:15-2:45: Q&A RPTH
2:45-2:55: Break
2:55-3:55: Vegetation Sampling
3:55-4:25: Vegetation Q&A
4:25-4:30 Conclusion
Schedule subject to change.
Location: This half-day workshop will be on Zoom. Participants will be sent a link. Participants will want to be sure they are in a location with high-speed internet, can see system requirements here.
About the Instructors
Amy Patten
Amy Patten is the Rare Plant Treasure Hunt Manager in the CNPS Rare Plant Program. Amy conducts rare plant surveys and botanical skills trainings around the state and has extensive experience working with special status plants and animals in California. Amy has a B.S. in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from UC Santa Cruz.
Jennifer Buck-Diaz
Jennifer Buck-Diaz is a vegetation ecologist and botanist with the CNPS Vegetation Program. She brings to CNPS extensive work experience with different plant communities across the western United States. Prior to joining CNPS, Jennifer worked as an ecologist with The Nature Conservancy at the Cosumnes River Preserve. She holds a B.S. and M.S. in Plant Biology from the University of California.
Registration
Before registering, please review our full workshop cancellation policy and participant expectations.