Week 1

On June, 2nd 2009 at 14:21 the winds were 7-10 knots with a clear sky and a temperature of 62 degrees fahrenheit above at the Mineral Creek Bog. I identified several different species of Alaskan wild plants and flowers. The first plant I came across was the CrowBerry (Empetrum nigrum), it was a small bush like plant with small evergreen needles. There was no evidence of blueberry like berries on the bush. The CrowBerry is a member of the Ericaceae family. 

The second plant I came across was the Bog Rose Mary (Andromeda polifolia) it was small with long evergreen like needles and a light pink flower on it's top. The Bog Rose Mary also belongs to the Ericaceae family. I also identified a Wild Iris (Iris Setosa) it had 3 purple/blue flowers on top of a long green stalk. This Iris is a member of the Iridaceae family.  The fourth plant I came across was the Chocolate Lilly (Fritillaria camschatcensis) it had rows of dark green pointy leaves growing around in a circle. There was no evidence of flowers. The Chocolate lilly belongs to the Liliaceae family. The Nangoon Berry (Rubus arcticus) was the fifth plant I came across it had small tough green leaves and grew close to the ground. I didn't find any berries present. The Nangoon Berry belongs to the Rosaceae family. Second to last I saw a Highbush Cranberry (Viburnum trilobum) it was a larger bush with medium sized green leaves, Dr Fronzuto pointed out a berry present from last years growing season it made it threw the winter snow ! The Highbush Cranberry belongs to the Caprifoliaceae family. Lastly was the False Hellebore (Veratrum viride ) it had long broad green leaves that came to a point that grew in a bunch. The False Hellebore belongs to the Melanthiaceae family.   Until next week, Goodbye 

Chocolate lily

A Chocolate lily can be found in open dry woods and meadows; they grow on well-drained soils on open slopes. The Chocolate lily can grow anywhere from one to four feet tall. The color is a brown/black and is shaped like a bell. Like several of the lilies, the bulbs of the Chocolate Lily were eaten by Native Americans. The Chocolate Lily, like their relatives, the Northern Rice Root has a number of rice-like bullets surrounding its single main bulb.

The Chocolate Lily is also called, Skunk Lily, Dirty Diaper and Outhouse Lily, because it does not have a nice sent to it as other flowers do. I would have to say I picked this flower/plant because when it is all bloomed it is very pretty, and because of its color. You don’t see to many chocolate colored flowers around anywhere.

Work Cited

National Geographic
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/lewisandclark/record_species_248_16_15.html

Plant Guide
http://74.125.95.132/search?q=cache:_haRjiKpVS8J:plants.usda.gov/plantguide/doc/cs_fraf2.doc+chocolate+lily&cd=35&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us

Mineral Creek

Time: 12:30 to 3:30
Date: Wednesday, June 03, 2009
Place: Mineral Creek
Temperature: 6o’s
Climate: Mostly sunny, some clouds with a light breeze

Plants I discovered on the trip:

Crowberry

Bush Cranberries

Bog Blue Berries

Nagoon Berry

Low bush cranberry

Dogwood berry

Alaska Violet

Bog Rosemary

Corn Lily White

Chocolate Lily

Red Alder

Canadian Dwarf Coronel

Fireweed

Willow Tree

Muskeg

Wild Iris

Insects we seen on trip:

Moth

Bee

Spiders

Lots of Mosquitoes

Flies

Others:

Robin

Magpie

And the head from so kind of animal

Well I would have to say it was kind of fun. I don’t know much about what we seen or even where we were. I never did think that I would be sitting on the ground in a bog on a bunch of moss. I would have to say that was a first for me. And I’m sure there will be many times I will say that.

It was a very beautiful day to be out doors looking around at all the different things. I think that a lot of the plants and flowers we seen today was very beautiful I guess I never realized all the different things that was have living all around us.

Red Alder

Alnus Rubra (Red Alder)

Also called Western Alder & Oregon Alder.

Found in Alaska, Washington & Oregon.

Identified in Mineral Creek Bog.

Deciduous tree that grows up to 25m tall.

Red Alders grow quickly but have short life span. 50yrs is considered old for this tree.

Grows in moist rocky soil, bogs & along beaches.

Leaves are 5-15cm long, oval shape with pointy ends. Leaves have a wavy appearance, green color, with a rusty color underneath. Top of leaf is smooth, while bottom appears hairy.

Young twigs appear hairy, becoming red with light dots.

Flowering April to May. Both male & female flowers hang in catkins, which look like 7.5 - 15cm long spikes.

The fruits are cone shaped clusters 12-25mm long, containing nutlets or seeds. Seeds mature in August; dropping in the fall and early winter. The cones remain on the tree throughout the winter.

The bark is grayish white.

When the wood is cut it's white, then turns reddish brown.

Red Alder wood is believed to be the best type of wood for smoking fish, especially salmon. The wood is soft, lightweight and smooth. It is used to make bowls, rattles, mask and a variety of other things.

The bark is used to make dye. Different variations of color can be obtained by using bark of different ages as well as the quantity used.

Red Alder bark has been highly valued for it's medicinal properties by indigenous people of Alaska and those along the northwest coast. It's been used as a tonic to treat respiratory aliments, as well as wounds and skin infections. Red Alder is also know to have strong antibiotic properties.

Red Alder provides food for several creatures. Mountain beavers, deer and elk make use of the bark, twigs and branches. Mice, voles and birds eat the seeds. A variety of insects use the trees as well; for example, alder aphids, alder flea beetle, flat head wood borer, caterpillars and ambrosia beetles.

Resources:

Red Alder A State Of Knowledge -- Biology and Ecology of Red Alder By Constance A. Harrington. http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/publications/pnw_gtr669/pnw_gtr669b.pdf

Plants Of The Pacific Northwest Coast By Pojar & Mackinnon

Alaska Trees And Shrubs By Leslie A. Viereck, Elbert Luther Little, David F. Murray, George W. Argus

Pacific Northwest Research Station- Science Findings. Issue #63 May 2004

http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/sciencef/scifi63.pdf

US Forrest Service

http://www.fs.fed.us/cgi-bin/texis/searchallsites/search.allsites/

hike to mineral creek

time: Started at 12:30 left at 3:20
Date: 06/03/09
place: mineral creek bog
temperature: 65' f
climate: light breeze, mainly sunny some clouds....

things we have seen/ discovered on our adventure...
Narcissus Anemone
muskeg
crow berry
low bush cranberry
Alaska violet
fire weed
chocolate lily
wild Iris
geranium
bog rosemary
club rush
dogwood, bunch berry
Canadian dwarf Cornell
red alder
dwarf MagoonBerry
high bush berry
willow tree
false lily of the Vally
green fake hellebore
corn lily white

animals
vole...
Robbin
magpie
a duck

I found the trip to be very educational an a very interesting experience, it was a wonderful day to be out an about. I also love that we found so many diff rent types of plants an wild flowers in one place..
i hope all the trips were this fun, but next time I'm going to wear more comfy clothing an bring more water... i really liked the feeling of the moss an the mud too ha ha...
i like sunk in the mud it was funny i thought i was going to fall but i loved it

Mineral Creek Bog

6/3/09 12:30 pm - 3:30pm
Sunny with a few High-level clouds; about 62 with a light breeze.

Plants:
Muskeg
Peat Moss
Chocolate Lilly
Crow Berries
Low Bush Cranberries
Fire Weed
Bog Blue Berries
Bog Rosemary
Narcissus Flowered Anemone
Licopodieum
Alaska Violet
Western Butter Cup
Sundew
Tufted Clubrush
Cotton Grass
Red Alder
Nagoon Berry
Willow
False Lilly Of The Valley
Corn Lilly

Insects:
Moth
Fly
Bee
Mosquito
Spider

Birds:
Robin
Magpie
We heard a duck.
Bird tracks.

Mammals:
Tunnels, which are evidence of mice & voles.
The head of a Vole.
Canine tracks. Possibly coyote, but could just be a large dog.
Humans left trash, as well as tire tracks.


Today was a beautiful day to be out exploring. I had a lot of fun identifying the plants. The amount of life in the bog is fascinating. What bothered me was seeing trash left behind & tire tracks. Some people are so careless & stupid. I honestly don't understand how driving through a bog could be entertaining. Also how hard is it to dispose of trash properly?

I just looked up canine tracks & don't think we saw coyote tracks, unless it was a large coyote. I think it was a large dog, possibly wolf but I'm not sure if we have any wolves in the area.

The bird tracks may have been magpie, but I'm not sure. There was a magpie "hopping" around; there was also a robin.

I do wish we could have done more walking & spent more time looking around. I really enjoyed this field trip.

About Me

My name is Jenica Barber. This is the very first time that I have ever taken a class such as this one. So I guess we will all see how I do. What I hope to get from this class is knowing all the different things there is to know about this place (world). I hope to be able to learn new things and have fun doing them all with my classmates. I have to be honest I don't know anything at all about plants and others things that we will be learning in this class, but that is why I hope to learn all the diffternt things that we will be going over. I am ready to learn and a really hard worker. It may take me some time, but I am willing to do the work. I am excited to go on all the out doors trips we will be taken and even the over night ones. I have to say I am not an out doors type of person, but I am here and ready for anything, hey maybe not only will I learn something from this class, maybe I will learn that I am really an out doors person.

salutations to new classes

greeting new class blog....
Ive currently been in VValdez, Alaska for the last two years, i moved here form Dell Rapids SD, I'm 17 years of age i graduated in JJanuary of this year an wanted to get in as much schooling as possible before i have to start my recommended classes... for going to be a bio engineer chemists.... so yeah

What I'm hoping to get out of this class is to learn more about the state i live in an also about my surroundings this class will give me an opportunity to see things i probably wouldn't recognize on an average day.... an also that thing i found interesting so far is that everything is open minded you dont have to look outside of what is really there like in normal life....
so this is me an i am hoping to love this class by the end of the 8 weeks