Botany guru Don Cameron of the Maine Natural Areas Program familiarized the group with Maine's natural communities. He introduced us to the native and rare species in forest and wetland systems, and to the invasive plants that threaten the diversity of these communities. Notes from his lecture, including a discussion of vectors, impacts, and biological control are posted to the AIM wiki.
Then, to the vans for a fascinating whirlwind tour of wetland and upland systems that are either currently experiencing the affects of a species invasion, or that are vulnerable to future invasions. We experienced first-hand the disturbed, the stressed, the out-competed, and the ever-changing.
We stopped in an upland meadow system to meet some of Maine's native wildflowers. Wild geranium, field hawkweed, and the mysterious wood betany challenged our newly acquired plant identification skills."Okay... regular flowers... alterate leaves...."
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