news and insights on conserving native plants & their habitats • spring/summer 2014

new england WILD

The Wholeness of Life

New England WILDNews and Insight on Conserving Native Plants & Their HabitatsVolume 7, No. 1, Spring/Summer 2014

New England WILD is published by New England Wild Flower Society, an in depen dent, nonprofit, member- supported organization whose mission is to conserve and promote theregion’s native plants to ensure healthy, biologically diverse landscapes. Subscriptions to New England WILD are included in membership dues, which start at $40/year for individuals.

Editor, Julia HomerDesign, Rachel Wolff Lander

Copyright© 2014 New England Wild Flower Society®. All rights reserved. No material in thispublication may be reproduced or used in any way without written consent. For permission,contact Editor, New England WILD, 180 Hemenway Road, Framingham, MA 01701.

180 Hemenway Road, Framingham, MA 01701508-877-7630 • information@newenglandwild.org www.newenglandwild.org

New EnglandWild Flower Society

ChairDeirdre C. Menoyo

Vice ChairPam Resor

TreasurerCharles A. Wain

Assistant TreasurerJohn F. Page

ClerkCarrie Waterman

Assistant ClerkAnita E. Springer

Executive DirectorDebbi Edelstein

Board of TrusteesLalor BurdickRuah DonnellyChristopher R. ElyJanet GansonMarjorie GrevilleBarbara KellerPhoebe McCarthyCarolyn M. OsteenJessie B. PanekKathy ShambergerMary Ann Streeter

board of trustees

On the cover:Pickerel frog on yellow pond lily(Nuphar variegatum)photo by Arthur Haines

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Photo CreditsPage 3, warbler nest, Arthur Haines

Page 4, common night hawk, Arthur Haines

Page 5, deer mouse, Arthur Haines

Pages 6 & 7, Ellen Sousa

Page 8, Nate McCullin

Page 9, Lupinus perennis, Steven Ziglar; Amelanchier nantucketensis, William Cullina

Page 10, Josef Gorres, University of Vermont

Page 14, Trollius laxus, Arthur Haines; Sabatia kennedyana, Arthur Haines;Pedicularis furbishiae, Donald Cameron; Nabulus boottii, Jason Sachs;Hypericum adpressum, Arthur Haines; Polemonium vanbruntiae, DonaldCameron

Back Cover, Mertensia maritima, Arthur Haines

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Four months after the publication of Silent Spring in September1962, former marine biologist and best-selling nature writerRachel Carson gave the keynote address at the Wild FlowerSociety’s annual meeting in Boston. The widely quoted speechfocused on values, and specifically on the value of our brand ofactivism in a world that requires us to “decide what is worth while”and “to separate the trivia of today from the enduring realities ofthe long tomorrows.” For Carson, at the core of those “enduring realities” are thenatural communities being destroyed by “our heedless technology”in “a grim experiment never before attempted.” She was, of course,focused on the large-scale use of manmade chemicals in the envi-ronment—such as the blanket spraying of herbicides turning thelandscape along our roads into “barren, unsightly wastes” that nolonger provide “food and shelter for birds and many small animals”and for “the bees, too, an incredible number of…wild pollinators.” She was also eloquent about both the scientific and moralreasons to be custodians of nature: “The evolution of the plants oftoday took millions and millions of years. Who are we to assumethe right, in this 20th century—a mere instant in time—who arewe to say that those who come after us may never see some oftoday’s rare and endangered species? What right do we have todestroy the scientific record contained in a living species? How dowe know that we may not have great need of what it has to tellus—or of the function it performs?” And she urged the public tofocus on the “wholeness of life,” which includes the environmentof man: “A world that is no longer fit for wild plants, that is nolonger graced by the flight of birds, a world whose streams andforests are empty and lifeless is not likely to be a fit habitat for manhimself, for these things are symptoms of an ailing world.” Fifty years later, the world is still ailing, as additional “grimexperiments”—from chemical-induced climate change to develop-ment that erases and fragments habitat to the introduction of plantsthat overrun the native flora—are affecting natural communities.And fifty years later, we can still grab on to the activism in herwords: “We live in a time when it is easy to despair, but which isalso a time of great hope. We live in a time when it is necessary toknow for what we stand, and to take that stand with courage.” Articles in this issue of our magazine highlight what we at the

Society stand for: plants—from seed to specimen to habitat—thatare the basis of “the wholeness of life” and that benefit from cham-pions like us with strategies that focus on “the long tomorrows.”

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From the Executive Director

IN BRIEF Nine New Ideas from the Northern Gardening Symposium

Go Botany beyond New England

Why Native MattersHow Local is Native?

Ten Years on a Habitat FarmPutting Ecocentric Principles into Practice

Sand PlainsThe New Coastal Sand Plain Garden

Conservation ConversationThe Trouble with Earthworms

Celebrating Our 2013 Donors

The Campaign to Conserve New England’s Endangered Plants

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1From the Executive Director

Sincerely,

Debbi Edelstein

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New England WILD • Spring/Summer 2014 www.newenglandwild.org2

Nine New Ideas from the Northern Gardening Symposium

in brief

Go Botany beyondNew EnglandAlthough Go Botany is the pre-eminentinteractive online guide to the flora ofNew England, its influence does not stopat the border. To be sure, it has won aregional award for its outstanding educa-tional value (the Marie Pirie ProgramAward from the New EnglandEnvironmental Educators’ Alliance). Butother organizations are realizing that GoBotany serves as a model for next-gener-ation field guides everywhere.

Go Botany was the focus of arecent peer-reviewed article in BioScience,the journal of the American Institute ofBiological Sciences. Go Botany has takenits place alongside other well-knownapps such as the SmithsonianInstitution’s Leafsnap, Cornell Lab ofOrnithology’s eBird, and large nationalrepositories of online data such asDiscoverLife and BugGuide.net. And now Go Botany’s platformand design are being adopted and adapt-ed by other organizations around theworld. The Smithsonian Institution usedour software and design to develop “Go

Orchids,” which features an interactiveguide to the orchids of North America.Seeded (as it were) with our own data onorchids from New England, Go Orchidsis rapidly expanding to include all thespecies from coast to coast. From there,Go Orchids caught the attention of theNative Orchid Society of South Australia,which has a grant proposal pending toengage Go Botany staff in advising onthe development of its own interactiveflora. (If the funding comes through, weare hoping for a field trip to advise inperson, of course.)

Uli Lorimer, Curator of the Native FloraGarden at the Brooklyn Botanical Garden,tends its historic collection and hasexpanded the garden to include coastalplain grassland and pine barrens habitats.He works with regional botanists and tax-onomists to collect seed and cultivate rareand indigenous species. From Uli, welearned that:

Not all compacted soil is bad; it can mimic a clay pan through which water percolates slowly. Cover this layer with sandy, well-drained soil and voila! You have a habitat in which pine barrens plants such as sundews (Drosera spp.), small wild cranberry (Vaccinium oxycoccos), and grass-pink orchids (Calypogon tuberosus) can thrive.

Have an extremely dry section in your garden? Populate it with graceful grasses such as purple lovegrass (Eragrostis spectabilis), wavy hair grass (Deschampsia flexuosa), and narrow-leaved mountain mint (Pycnanthemum tenuifolium), a relative of bergamot.

The gradual evolution of a planted meadow follows these steps, typically over three years: “sleepcreepleap.”

Dan Jaffe, Propagator and StockbedGrower for New England Wild FlowerSociety, offered seasoned, practicaladvice for easy-care, design-less garden-ing. Major principles include keepingyour plantings simple, working with layers, creating curves, blurring the linesbetween different plantings, and repeatingcertain patterns, with the ultimate goalof “never seeing any soil.” From Dan, we learned that:

Steep slopes can provide visual surprises. Consider planting that hill in mayapple (Podophyllum peltatum); from below, you can glimpse its nodding flowers, while from above you enjoy masses of umbrella-like foliage.

Challenged by the difficulty of growing lovely gentians (Gentiana spp.)? Mulch to maintain consistently high moisture levels.

Think no plant can live in dry, acidic shade? Try black cohosh (Actaea racemosa). For every tough place in the garden, there is a tough native plant adapted for it.

Long before “green” became a buzzword,author Miriam Goldberger fell madly inlove with the beauty and practicality ofnative plants. As founder and co-owner ofWildflower Farm in Ontario, she nurturesand creates floral designs with thousandsof plants indigenous to the northernprairie, on hundreds of acres where gardens, meadows, and pollinatorsthrive. From Miriam, we learned that:

Native wildflowers can make great cut flowers for bouquets if treated properly when cut. For longer-lasting arrangements, place flowers in a vase of cold water out of the

sun immediatelyafter cutting them.

The newly emerging “Slow Flower Movement” offers a conscious choice for buying and selling wildflowers that are locally sourced.

When grown near swaths of native cultivated wildflowers, blueberries (Vaccinium spp.) are more efficiently pollinated and produce bigger yields.

In northern New England, the first real sign of spring is often the Northern Gardening Symposium, hosted by New England WildFlower Society at Vermont Technical College in Randolph, VT. Now in its fifteenth year, the April 19 symposium brought speakersfrom as far away as Canada and New York to the all-day gathering, where they shared their insights and expertise about nativeplants with an enthusiastic crowd. For those of you who missed it:

Why Native MattersThe case for an ecocentric approach

to garden design

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New England WILD • Spring/Summer 2014 www.newenglandwild.org4

When we design landscapes, we use plantsthat are, by and large, native to somewherein the world. Very few of them are native toour own region.

Botanists define North Americannative plants as those existing beforeEuropean colonization. In New England, anestimated 35 percent of the roughly 3,500species of tracheophytes (i.e., vascular plantsexcluding mosses) found in the regiontoday were introduced after 1600. Non-native plants occupy a significant part of ourforests, our wetlands, and even our coastalbeaches.

In designed landscapes, they domi-nate: Overall, less than 4 percent of thespecies cultivated in landscapes are natives.Of course, 80 percent of the designed land-scape is lawn, a monoculture composed ofnon-native grasses. In gardens, about 20percent of the plant material is native.

That percentage should be much,much higher, for reasons that are bothphilosophical and scientific. By definition,native plants are those that have evolved inrelationship with all the other life forms intheir biological communities, from soil bac-teria to plants, mycorrhizal fungi, pollina-tors, herbivores, fruit dispersers, and carni-vores. Like the other members of theircommunities, they play a role in the overallfunctioning of the ecosystem.

Adding or removing species changesthe natural communities. We can documentthat, for the most part, the addition of

species, even those we enjoy or find useful,is not beneficial for the ecosystems withinwhich humans reside. In fact, some of plantsthat have most drastically altered naturalcommunities were brought to this countryfor horticultural use. Species such as orien-tal bittersweet (Celastrus orbiculatus),

Japanese knotweed (Fallopia japonica), andMorrow’s honeysuckle (Lonicera morrowii)threaten native plant populations, includingsome of our rarest species. Black swallow-wort (Cynanchum nigrum) was introduced toNorth America in a botanical garden ineastern Massachusetts. This species nowthreatens a globally rare variety of Robbin’smilk-vetch (Astragalus robbinsii var. jesupii)that is endemic to the Connecticut River.

Any new plant brought into a NewEngland garden could be the next blackswallowwort. Even if it isn’t, the substitution

of non-natives for native plants ignores thecomplex ways native fauna depend onnative flora. According to Doug Tallamy inBringing Nature Home: How You Can SustainWildlife with Native Plants, 90 percent ofinsect species are specialists whose existencerelies on a particular plant. Many of them

find non-native plants inedible. An estimat-ed 96 percent of our upland birds rely atleast in part on insects to feed their young.Without those insects, birds lose an excep-tional source of protein and other nutrients.

We may think we are feeding thebirds by planting non-natives for fruit ornectar, but we are depriving them of thefood they need most to raise their young.Studies show that a higher proportion ofnative plants in a region results in morebirds, a greater diversity of birds, andincreased numbers of breeding pairs.

Common nighthawk in an eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis)

any new plant brought into could be the next black swallo of non-natives for native pla

ways native fauna depen

How Local is Native?Once gardeners decide to take the step of creatingnative plant gardens, they immediately face the ques-tion: What degree of “native” is correct? Native canmean native to the continent, native to the ecoregion,native to state, or native to the local flora. Speciesthat are native to a given state may occur only in onesmall part of that state. Does planting those speciesin a different part of the state still constitute garden-ing with native plants? An experiment at Nasami Farm suggests howmuch “local” can matter. Recently, the staff atNasami Farm collected seeds of Viburnum lan-tanoides, a New England native, from two distantpopulations: one in northern Connecticut and one innorthwestern Maine. They germinated and grew bothsets of seeds side by side at the farm, which is inwestern Massachusetts. Plants grown from theConnecticut seed (top photo), held their foliage intothe summer heat, while the plants originating inMaine (bottom photo) dropped leaves prematurely.The Connecticut plants were better adapted to condi-tions in Massachusetts, and thus flourished, whilethe northern Maine ecotypes did not. So, how local is native? It depends. In habitatrestoration work, botanists must plant the exactgenotype. Planting a rare species whose seeds hailfrom a distant place does not support the local formsof that species. For other types of planting, includinggardening, less rigorous standards could certainlyapply. An admirable goal in garden design would beto seek native species that are propagated fromsources as close to home as possible.

Deer mouse observing photographer from the safety of anAmerican beech (Fagus grandifolia)

Particularly in the context of deforestation, agriculture, wetlandalteration, and habitat lost to development, the very high percentage ofnon-native species in designed landscapes represents a significant mod-ification to local environments.

People alter landscapes to suit their own purposes. We grew ori-ental bittersweet for its ornamental fruit. We create lawns because welike the way they look. We are not accustomed to thinking about how

the introduction of a new species to an area affects other organisms,especially the insects or birds that do not interest us. Unfortunately, thisegocentric approach has affected ecosystems profoundly, and continuesto do so in ways we did not intend and do not fully understand.

At this juncture, we need to choose garden plants for reasons thatextend beyond our personal preferences for beautiful fall foliage, showyflowers, and pleasing fragrance. Minimizing alterations to the local envi-ronment through the judicious use of native plants is one way we canbegin to foster ecocentric garden design. As we move forward, thinkingin terms of the environment and maintaining its ecological function willonly become more critical. We need to walk more softly on the earth.Planting natives is one very important way to do so.

arthur haines, research botanist

a new england garden wwort. the substitution

nts ignores the complex d on native flora.

New England WILD • Spring/Summer 2014 www.newenglandwild.org6

Ten years ago, my husband Robert and I bought a small butextraordinary farm in Spencer, Massachusetts. The property, with itsbeautiful barn, is set among hills and meadows, old trees, woodsranging from wet to dry, a gurgling brook, a farm pond, and someattractive (although mostly Eurasian) landscaping.

With the goal of creating a sustainable and beautiful habitatfarm, we installed our two horses in the barn; bought some chick-ens; began growing vegetables, fruits, and culinary herbs; and plant-ed beds of colorful annuals, perennials, and shrubs designed toattract and support birds, butterflies, and beneficial insects. Learningabout the essential relationships between native plants and insectsthrough New England Wild Flower Society’s Certificate Programon Horticulture and Design, I decided to replace the exotic shrub-bery on our farm with natives and limit new perennial plantings tospecies native to the ecoregions of the Northeast. I also begangrowing natives from seed collected from as close to home as pos-sible, to help offset the losses to local native plant communities asmore development moves in to this area.

As it happened, the characteristics of the site—a plateau on asteep, north-facing river valley strewn with rocks—created anexcellent living laboratory for propagating plants native to differentMassachusetts habitats. These include boneset (Eupatorium perfolia-tum), Joe-Pye weed (Eutrochium maculatum), blue flag iris (Iris versi-color), native lilies, ferns, sedges, different phloxes, asters, and blackcohosh (Actaea racemosa), along with beautiful flowering shrubs such

as buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis), chokeberry (Aronia), andshadblow (Amelanchier).

Our success at small-scale homesteading inspired me to leavea stressful corporate job in 2007 to pursue a career as a gardencoach, writer, and plant propagator. As we substantially downsized,growing our own food became a way to live well and stay healthyon a much-reduced income. Blessed with ample water resources,pleanty of farm compost, and the free pest-controllers brought inby the variety of native plants, we can produce substantial yields offood without pesticides and using almost no outside inputs.

Along with vegetables, we planted mostly native berry shrubsand trees such as blueberry (Vaccinium), shadblow, spicebush (Linderabenzoin), winterberry (Ilex verticillata), witherod (Viburnum pudum),and American plums (Prunus americana) to share with the birds. Inrecent years, I’ve diversified into native culinary and medicinalherbs, many of which are rarely found in the wild due to overhar-vesting and habitat loss. I harvest small quantities for tea, but mostlyI consider my expanding patches of black cohosh, American ginseng(Panax quinquefolius), wild ginger (Asarum canadense), wild bergamot(Monarda fistula), and goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis) as living sanc-tuaries for the wildlife that depend on them.

Every plant grown here serves a function, supporting orfeeding people, farm animals, or wildlife. I use my ubiquitous weedsto my advantage: violets (viola) as a nitrogen-sucking buffer plant

Ten Years on a Habitat FarmPutting Ecocentric Principles into Practice

Blue lobelia (Lobelia siphilitica), rudbeckia (Rudbeckia), flat-top goldentop, white goldenrod, summersweet (Clethra), daisy fleabane(Erigeron annuus), and a trumpet honeysuckle (Lonicera semper-virens) growing alonside the vegetable beds attract lots of insectpredators including parasitic braconid wasps (non-stinging), syrphidflies, ladybirds, soldier beetles, and hummingbirds.

Blue flag iris, bee balm (Monarda didyma), blue vervain (Verbena hastata), and woodland sunflower (Helianthus divaricatus) on the pond edges blur the distinction between land and water, and the whitewater-lily (Nymphaea odorata) and American bur-reed (Sparganiumamericanum) provide habitat for frogs and dragonflies.

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between the farm paddocks and the pond, and handfuls of hay-scented fern (Dennstaedtia punctilobula) foliage as mulch for veg-etable beds. Wild asters are encouraged into tough garden areas—white wood aster (Eurybia divericata) in shade, New England aster(Symphyotricum novae-angliae) and tall white aster (Doellingeria umbel-lata) in sunny spots that occasionally flood. We do grow some col-orful non-native annuals in containers and beds near our vegetablecrops to attract more pollinators and predatory crop pests. Thebright groupings of marigolds (Tagetes), dwarf zinnia (Zinnia), cos-mos (Cosmos), nasturtium (Nasturtium), and sweet alyssum (Lobulariamaritima) add visual punch and distract from the inherent “untidi-ness” of the wilder areas and tattered late-season vegetables.

The edges of the farm pond are a challenging environment.Full sun and plenty of moisture create excellent growing conditionsfor invasives as well as native plants. I’ve had the opportunity tointroduce some glorious plants rarely seen for sale or in the wild,including swamp rose mallow (Hibiscus moscheutos), Turk’s cap lily(Lilium superbum), sneezeweed (Helenium), and ironweed (Veronia).But vigilance and weed control are essential for preventing this areafrom being overrun with stinging nettle, ditch lily, and the invasiveAsiatic multiflora rose (Rosa multiflora), famous for taking over farmwetlands in central Massachusetts. Overall, the process of landscap-ing around the pond has required much trial and error and a hightolerance for nature’s own contribution to the design.

On the slope of the north side of the house (photo belowright), the high angle of the early spring sun allows for a tapestryof spring blooms from early May right through June.

When we moved in, a gravelly section beside the drivewaywas lined with trees that were smothered in Asiatic bittersweet vine

(Celastrus orbiculatus). After several years of hard work removingthese invasives (and many others) from our property, we noticed anamazing thing. Although old hemlock trees shade this site year-round, native plants began to make a comeback. Trilliums,Solomon’s seal (Polygonatum), white wood aster, starflower(Lysimachia borealis), mountain laurel (Kalmia latifolia), cinnamonfern (Osmundastratum cinnamomeum), and Christmas fern(Polystichum acrostichoides) all seeded themselves in. I added shade-lovers like golden groundsel (Packera aurea), running foamflower(Tiarella cordifolia), blood-root (Sanguinaria canadensis), and May-apple (Podophyllum). In the fall, we rake and blow leaves off thedriveway to contribute to the duff layer; in summer, occasionalhand-weeding keeps the bittersweet and other dominating weedsfrom staging a comeback. Otherwise, we leave the area alone. Thistough spot (next to the road, where snow piles up in winter) hasbecome a low-maintenance woodland garden.

Winter means downtime for gardeners and horses, but notfor hungry birds. Seeds of native plants left standing on the stemfeed birds right through the winter, and native shrubs with berriesthat persist into winter (viburnum, winterberry holly, chokeberry)continue to feed robins and waxwings well after the snow flies.

After 10 years, we are 75 percent of the way toward our goalof replacing invasives and exotics with natives. Each year bringsnew and interesting forms of wildlife to our habitat farm, attractedby the food and shelter supplied by the native plants, and we con-tinue to be enthralled by the beauty and complexity of the wildplant communities we are nurturing in our little bit of NewEngland woods.

Ellen Sousa is an overseer for New England Wild FlowerSociety and winner of the 2008 Kathryn Taylor Award.

White wood aster, mountain laurel, and cinnamon fern grow in afully shaded area near the road, requiring almost no maintenanceother than a yearly weeding.

Running foamflower (Tiarella cordifolia), wild blue phlox (Phlox divaricata), moss phlox (Phlox subulata), Jacob’s ladder (Polemoniumreptans), and bloodroot (Sanguinarium canadensis) take advantage of the high spring sun to bloom in early May—along with an inheritedcrabapple and Japanese maples.

New England WILD • Spring/Summer 2014 www.newenglandwild.org8

No man is an island,Entire of itself,Every man is a piece of the continent,A part of the main…

−John Donne, Meditation XVII

As the poet observed in 1624, every livingbeing is just one piece of a larger whole.Plants are no exception; each species plays arole in its community, interacting with otherplants and supporting the insects, birds,mammals, and other organisms cohabitingin a particular place with a particular set ofenvironmental conditions. When conservinga plant species, it is critical to understand thecommunity of which it is a part and to con-sider how best to foster the patterns andprocesses that shape that community. Butwhat is a community? Ecologists have longargued over precise definitions, but generallyconceive of a community as a group ofinteracting species living together in a set ofenvironmental conditions that collectivelydefine the physical habitat.

Over the past twenty years in theU.S. (and over the past century in Europe),biologists have worked to devise a cogentclassification system for ecological commu-nities to make sense out of the diverse, ever-changing, and often overlapping assem-blages of organisms on the landscape. It’s

easy to distinguish between a forest and, say,a meadow. But consider all the kinds offorests: A dark, moist hemlock grove con-trasts dramatically with a stunted stand ofscrub oak, yet both are forests. A hikerclimbing Mount Wachusett might passthrough hemlock groves that graduallytransition to stands of shorter trees and crestthe summit to find a weather-beaten clusterof oaks, but might find it difficult to pin-point precisely where the transformationhappened. Likewise, plant communitieschange over time. When a hemlock standsuccumbs to the woolly adelgid, the gap itleaves creates new habitat for light-demand-ing, early-successional species such as birchand cherry, which will predominate for sev-eral decades. It’s still a forest, but a very dif-ferent kind of forest.

Despite the constancy of ecologicalchange and the limitations of human per-ception, botanists have devised a communi-ty classification system that explains thediversity of plant assemblages quite compre-hensively. Efforts are underway to standard-ize the nomenclature and categories acrossNorth America, covering upland, wetland,and estuarine habitats. State NaturalHeritage programs can now determinewhich natural communities are widespreadand which are uncommon. Much as theydo for endangered plant species, Natural

Heritage biologists rank natural communi-ties based on their rarity and vulnerabilityto various threats.

Sand plains are particularly illustrativeexamples of a habitat type that includes sev-eral rare natural communities and theirconstituent rare plant species. The term sandplain encompasses several community types,including sand-plain grassland, heathland,maritime oak-holly forest, and coastal for-est/woodland, which grade into dunes atthe sea’s edge and can contain coastal plainponds—depressions or swales wheregroundwater meets the ground’s surface forpart of the year.

The sand plains of eastern and inlandMassachusetts and its islands, southernRhode Island, pockets of coastal Maine, andall the way south to the Pine Barrens of NewJersey, are products of glacial outwash. As therepeated glaciations of the Pleistocene finallyreleased their grip about fourteen thousandyears ago, meltwater redistributed vastamounts of sand. The resultant habitat isdesert-dry and exposed to wind, storms, anddaily fluctuations in temperature. The soil isnearly devoid of nutrients. Near the coast,plants are also exposed to salt spray, whichcan stunt their growth.

To survive, a plant must be tough,and many denizens of sand plains share

SAND PLAINSunique natural communities with rare plants adapted to harsh growing

conditions, sand plains exemplify the complexities of conservation.

common traits designed to weather harsh conditions: leathery leaves thatresist water loss; dense hairs that protect photosynthetic tissues from sun-scald and cold; deep or spreading roots that forage for scarce water; anda prostrate growth form that keeps them out of the wind. Some species,like bayberry (Morella pensylvanica) and sweetgale (Myrica gale) formsymbioses with bacteria that fix nitrogen from the soil. Two gnarly,tough-leaved tree species typically dominate: pitch pines (Pinus rigida)and scrub oak (Quercus ilicifolia).

In Massachusetts alone, 27 rare plant species occur in upland sandplain communities, and another 20 inhabit coastal plain pond shores.Sandplain agalinis (Agalinis acuta), a diminutive annual herb with narrowleaves and small, bright-pink flowers, is emblematic of sand plain grass-lands. The species is rare throughout its highly restricted range and wasonce thought to be extinct in New England until new populations werediscovered after concerted searches. Although sand plains are not thechoicest real-estate for plants, they are for people, and much of the plant’shabitat has been converted to residential development. Perhaps ironically,the only two Massachusetts populations occur in cemeteries.

So how can we best manage sandplain agalinis and other rare sandplain species? These species depend on periodic disturbances that keepportions of the habitat open and discourage canopy trees and otherplants from overtopping them. In the past, fire helped maintain openingsin sand plains. It was long thought that Native Americans wielded fireas an agricultural and hunting tool, but more recent evidence suggeststhat fires increased in frequency only after the first colonists settled onthe coastal plain, around the time John Donne was penning his lines.Grazing by sheep may also have hampered tree growth.

Conservation research, including that conducted at Garden in theWoods, has focused on understanding the limits to seed germination andearly growth, as well as the complicated requirements of agalinis: thishemiparasite derives its nutrients by associating with host plants such aslittle bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium). In the field, management effortshave involved using fire (sparingly), grazing (infrequently), and mowing(regularly) to reset the successional cycle and keep woody cover sparse.These activities also foster habitat for a mosaic of rare sand plain commu-nities and the endangered species they support.

The story of sandplain agalinis exemplifies the complexities of con-servation. Are efforts to restore one species sufficient to sustain many asso-ciated species with similar habitat affinities and life histories? Are some ofthe species that are currently considered rare simply relics of artificialhabitats that were created by humans? If so, does this matter, given theimperative to conserve biological diversity during this, the sixth majorextinction on earth? What are the roles of rare plant species (and commonones, for that matter) in communities, and which species dependent onthese plants will become rare as a result of their demise? Field research isyielding scientific answers that will inform on-the-ground conservation,but these complex questions border on the philosophical and challenge usto define our ethical assumptions and deeply examine our relationship tothe “natural” world. As Donne observed, “No man is an island,” and Homosapiens cannot consider its future as a species without accounting for thefates of all the others.

by elizabeth farnsworth, senior research ecologist, new englandwild flower society

This is the first in an occasional series on typical New England habitats.

The Coastal Sand Plain atGarden in the WoodsThe newly created Coastal Sand Plain at Garden in theWoods is a unique inland representation of the Atlanticcoastal pine barren habitats found along the East Coastfrom Cape Cod to New Jersey. The habitat supportssuch native plants as pitch pine, common arrowhead(Sagittaria latifolia), and little bluestem. Some of theplants that thrive here are extremely rare in NewEngland, including the beautiful sundial lupine(Lupinus pirennis) and Nantucket serviceberry(Amelanchier nantucketensis), a slender shrub withcreamy white flowers and dark blue berries.

Why recreate such a habitat so far from shore?Although it’s not obvious to the casual observer, soilconditions in this section of the Garden have beenheavily modified over time. Years ago horticulture staff added 18 inches of gravel to this spot in order toprovide the right conditions for the Garden’s collectionof western plants. Ultimately, even with modifications,the soil was never appropriate for these plants, whichrequire genuinely dry conditions. However, the siteoffers an ideal environment for native plants fromcoastal communities, which like soil that is sandy, well-drained, low in fertility, and constantly moist. This newhabitat garden was designed to work with existing siteconditions and to showcase the beauty of the nativeplant communities that work best in those conditions.

Nantucket serviceberry (Amelanchier nantucketensis)

Sundial lupine (Lupinus perennis)

New England WILD • Spring/Summer 2014 www.newenglandwild.org10

conservation conversation The Trouble with Earthworms

The lush, biologically diverse understory of a forest undisturbed by earthworms (left) contrasts sharply with the bare ground of a forest invadedby earthworms.

Folklore, tradition, and decades of results invegetable gardens have taught us that earth-worms are our allies, friendly creatureswhose mere presence signals a healthy soil.Earthworms recycle soil organic matter,loosen compacted soils, and build a networkof tunnels that help improve water infiltra-tion and soil aeration. They amend the soilwith compost, without asking anythingfrom the gardener. Unfortunately, these garden allies arewreaking havoc in the northern forests of theU. S., where glaciation eliminated all nativeearthworms and post-glacial plant commu-nities evolved without their presence. Soil is a living ecosystem, a delicatebalance of microorganisms including fungi,bacteria, protozoa, and nematodes. In thesame way that plants have evolved to thrivein specific environmental conditions—tem-perature, average annual rainfall, sunlight,and so forth—they have also evolved tothrive in specific soil conditions. Althoughwe often focus our attention on the physicaland chemical properties of soils, the biolog-ical properties are at least as important. As microbes break down soil organicmatter, they cycle nutrients in the soil, sup-plying plants with essential macro- andmicronutrients. In an ecosystem that devel-oped without earthworms, this biologicalactivity is slow. In a northern hardwood for-est, a healthy duff layer (the leafy organicmaterial that accumulates on the soil sur-face, which scientists call the O-horizon)

forms because fungi are the primary mech-anism for breaking down the annual influxof fall foliage. Earthworms from Asia and Europewere introduced to this country both inad-vertently, in soil-containing materials, anddeliberately, for use in waste management.Sportsmen dumping their bait after a day’sfishing and people bringing mulch fromone area to another helped spread theseinvasives further into the forests. Worm populations migrate slowly, ata rate of about one-half mile per hundredyears, but once established in a new area,they reproduce rapidly, and quickly alter thesoil profile. They can denude soil of its dufflayer in just one season, and inundate the A-horizon, or topsoil, with large amounts ofnutrients as they churn the soil surface andtransport organic matter deeper into thesoil profile. Although earthworms reduce soilcompaction in cultivated areas, they canincrease soil compaction in forest soils, fur-ther reducing the soil’s suitability for theplant communities native to those forests. Earthworm activity can stimulatebiomass on the forest floor, but it diminishesbiodiversity. Researchers in Vermont andMinnesota have shown that heavily invadedsites favor certain plant species, includingmany invasive species. For example, there isa positive correlation between earthwormactivity and common buckthorn (Rhamnuscathartica) populations. In contrast, earth-

worm activity damages many native under-story plants, particularly those like Trilliumgrandiflorum, which requires a thick dufflayer for seed germination and early estab-lishment. However helpful they are in gardens,in northern forests earthworms are asdestructive as white-tailed deer. Somenorthern hardwood forests once rich inunderstory plants now are nearly empty ofnative vegetation, including tree seedlings. This season, horticulture staff at

Garden in the Woods will be experimentingwith different mulches to see whether pineneedles, for example, can slow down thedamage earthworms are causing to soils inthe Woodland Garden. Building awareness of this issue is themost important step we can take at thispoint to help lessen the impact of this little-known threat. Once earthworms are intro-duced to an area, they can be nearly impos-sible to eradicate; the best strategy for limit-ing their impact is to prevent their intro-duction in the first place. For homeowners,that means thinking twice about vermicul-ture, and screening vermicompost toremove worms and cocoons before using itin the garden. It also means not dumpingworms at the end of a day’s fishing. Whilethe individual worms may appreciate theirrelease, our forests can’t tolerate them.

by mark richardson, director of horticulture, new england wild flowersociety

11

Conservation Circleand Leadership GiftsThe total giving noted belowfor fiscal year 2013 reflectsrestricted and unrestricted gifts,membership dues, and pledges.The Conservation Circle especially honors individualswhose personal philanthropicsupport reached $1,000 ormore. Many leadership giftsand grants from companies and foundations also had an extraordinary impact on the Society.+ denotes deceased donors

$200,000 or moreThe EnTrust FundNational Science Foundation

$100,000–$199,999AnonymousFidelity Charitable Gift FundsJohn R.+ and Scottie HeldInstitute of Museum and Library Services

$25,000–$99,999Christina T. HobbsMassachusetts Cultural CouncilAmelia Peabody Charitable FundSchwab Charitable Fund Marjorie D. and Nicholas P. Greville

Jackie and Thomas E. StoneMartha Wallace and Ed Kane

$10,000–$24,999AnonymousCenter for Plant ConservationThe Estate of Ellen F. Fraser+Johnson-Stillman Family Foundation

Litowitz Foundation, Inc.The Estate of Mary E. Wheeler+

Michele H. and David R. Mittelman

Jessie B. and Jon PanekGeri and Douglas D. PayneMay H. and Daniel Pierce

$5,000–$9,999Frances H. Clark and Bernard J. McHugh

Frederick PrattRobert D. Rands and Amelia Roboff

Caroline Blanton Thayer Charitable Trust

$1,000–$4,999Anonymous (3)John A. AlicBurt A. Adelman and Lydia Rogers

Annemarie Altman and David Cook

American Public Gardens Association

Beacon Hill Garden ClubMolly and John E. BeardIngrid BeattieBose CorporationThe Boston FoundationR. Roderick BrownKim and Lawrence BuellKimberly and Dennis BurnsCharles River Ventures, LLCChestnut Hill Garden ClubGloria and Charles I. CloughDavid L. and Rebecca E. ConantJudith H. CookHelen and Miner CraryJames Underwood CrockettAgricultural Technology Growth Fund

Stuart L. CummingsRuah Donnelly and Steven E. Dinkelaker

Pamela B. and David W. DurrantSuzanne W. Dworsky and Alan J. Dworsky

Ralph C. Eagle, Jr.EarthShareEaton Vance ManagementDebbi EdelsteinEllis Charitable FoundationChristopher R. and Carole M. ElyElizabeth S. and Frederic A. Eustis

Elizabeth Farnsworth and Aaron Ellison

Lisa and George B. FooteFoundation for MetrowestFramingham Garden Club, Inc.Becky and David E. HamlinHelen C. Hamman and Peter C. Isakson

Thelma K. and John H. HewittHighland Street FoundationDaniel HildrethKatherine A. HowardBarbara M. and Robert A. KellerAnn B. KirkPeggy Lahs

Celebrating Our 2013 DonorsIn 1900, the founders of the Society for the Protection of Native Plants, which evolved into New England Wild Flower Society, had a compelling vision—to focus exclusively on protecting the region’s native flora. Their efforts foreshadowed our work todayin conservation, horticulture, and education in all six New England states. As you read about our many accomplishments, pleasetake a moment to be proud of your own support for this internationally renowned organization. Friends like you are at the heartof all our successes and we are delighted to celebrate and publicly thank all of you!

“After hearing Executive Director Debbi Edelsteinspeak about the far-reaching work of the Society, I was inspired to join the Conservation Circle and

help underwrite these important efforts. As amember for the last year, I learned even more

about the actions being taken across New Englandto protect native species and decided to train as aPlant Conservation Volunteer. I am excited to offer

the Society my hands-on practical assistance aswell as my philanthropic support, and I am very

much looking forward to my field assignments onMartha’s Vineyard. Helping such a great cause will be a fun and rewarding way to spend some

summer days!” - Kimberley Burns

New England WILD • Spring/Summer 2014 www.newenglandwild.org12

Edward P. LawrenceMarta Jo LawrenceLucinda H. and David S. LeeEllen W. and George M. Lovejoy, Jr.Brian K. and Anne S. MazarJohn F. and Dorothy H. McCabeEnvironmental Fund of the NH Charitable Foundation

Phoebe and Stephen McCarthyDeirdre MenoyoEdith N. K. Meyer+Emily L. Lewis/Middlecott Foundation

Anthony Mirenda and Tracey Cornogg

Sandra MooseSteve and Vickie MorrisWilliam L. Murphy and Claire M. Corcoran/Livingston Fund at The New York Community Trust

North American Rock Garden Society

Carolyn M. and Robert T. Osteen Overhills FoundationThe Robert Treat Paine Association

Richard B. and Beverly S. PeiserPericles Partners FoundationKaren D. and Matthew V. PierceGloria J. and Roger P. Plourde/Plourde Family Charitable Trust

Bonnie B. PotterBarbara F. and Frederick M. PryorPumpkin Brook Organic Gardening

George and Nancy PutnamPamela P. and Griffith L. ResorThe Sandra S. Rodgers Estate+Bruce M. and Sarah T. Schwaegler Fund at the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation

Kathleen E. and Robert C. Shamberger

Wendy Shattuck and Samuel Plimpton

George L. Shinn and Clara S. Shinn Foundation, Inc.

Edwin E. and Katherine T. SmithAnita E. Springer and James P. Lerner

Natalie StarrWayne D. and Barbara Thornbrough

Thomas S. and Karen ThornhillGerard B. Townsend and Polly Townsend

Robert H. TraylorCharity and Thomas TremblayU. S. Charitable Gift TrustUpper Valley Native Plant Conservation Fund at the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation

Vanguard Charitable Endowment Programs

Emily WadeTony and Lorraine A. WainCarolyn and Sturtevant WatermanHartley D. and Benson WebsterGray H. and Paul M. WexelblatRobin E. Wilkerson and Steve Atlas

Tracey WillmottEllen Withrow and Robert NoahRichard WoodElizabeth H. WrightPatty Wylde

$500 - $999AnonymousStephen and Joan B. AndrusAzimuth Systems, Inc.Kathleen Lucas BarberPeter M. and Elaine BremEdgar H. BristolAviva and Douglas BrooksFrederick and Judy BuechnerCapital One Services, LLCKeena and Chris CliffordAnne L. CrossThe Echo Charitable FoundationMichael R. and Barbara Eisenson/Eisenson Family Fund

Elaine W. Fiske and Philip L. Ladd

Walter J. and Anne GambleJanet W. and John P. GansonSarah Garland-Hoch and Roland Hoch

George HallJane C. HallowellDena and G. F. Hardymon

Henry S. Miller, Jr. and Ken Nimblett

Erhart MullerBarbara MylesSherif and Mary NadaRobert A. and Veronica S. PetersenMargaret E. RichardsonDavid B. Rundle and Catherine M. Huntley

Johanna SchmittLoring L. and Andrew M. SchwarzAnne T. and Douglas H. SearsLee A. ShaneVivian R. Sinder-BrownNicholas A. SkinnerRachel Solem and Barry HerringTown of AshlandTown of FraminghamTown of SouthboroughTown of WestonWhite Flower Farm

Supporter Members We greatly appreciate all ourmembers, including those inthe Supporter category, whoseannual dues helped underwritethe Society’s mission in 2013.There isn’t room in this magazine to list everyone, but we thank you all.

Ellen AbdowWalter L. and Beverlee A. AdamskiAnonymousMichael AltermanLisa M. BendixenLisa A. BielefeldRoland H. Boutwell, IIIPatricia A. and Russell E. BrooksDavid and Marti BuddingJonathan Bush and

Amanda DeanPatricia B. and Richard R. ClemenceAnn R. and Peter B. CoffinLoring and Louise R. ConantMaureen H. Conte and

Robert W. BusbyGail Davidson and Thomas R.

Gidwitz/Gidwitz Family Foundation

Lucy W. and Neil J. DeanBayard C. EwingMargaret P. Farley and

David ElkindEugene H. Ferrara

“As a Life Member myself, I was delighted to present a talk in 2013 on the history of wild gardening in America to some of the most dedicated supporters of the Society. It was

wonderful to participate in this special gatheringand explore this subject with such an interested

audience. I have personally valued LifeMembership as a way of ensuring sustained

commitment to the Society and its work in nativeplant horticulture and conservation.”

– Elizabeth S. Eustis

Marjorie D. Greville and Elizabeth S. Eustis

Louisa FereePatricia FreysingerSandra Peters and

Alan L. FrohmanCaroline B. and Ralph A.

GakenheimerRobert P. and M. R. GoodrowJoan P. GulovsenBenjamin W. Guy IIIBarbara F. HallTammy C. HarrisRichard HohmannStanley HoweFern and David JaffeElizabeth F. KamioKate KruesiEllen A. and Stephen Little

Cynthia J. Manson and Timothy LaVallee

Mason/Hamlin FamilyC.D. McLainMary E. Memmott and

George A. BurtonThomas J. and Jo-Ann MichalakRoberta and Colin MooreLinea K. and Robert A. MurrayJudy Music and Diana VogelAndre J. and Christine W. NavezDonna L. NimecMarcela and Paul NoonanFritz S. and Luciana S. NoymerC.W. Eliot Paine and Linda PaineElizabeth S. PaynterJoan E. PilsonRichard and Carol Rader

Elizabeth A. RaleighKathy RehlPeter M. RichardsHeather and Thornton RingSharon and William RissoCatherine and Dennis RitchAlice Bragg SchoriBarbara and Edward ScolnickKaren I. SebastianAnne K. Serrell-JonesKathleen E. and Robert C.

ShambergerNicholas A. SkinnerMary G. SlavetFrank. W. SmithCharles SpencerElizabeth F. Spiess and

Gary A. SpiessClaire B. and Meir J.

Stampfer/Blum Family Foundation

Jackie and Thomas E. StoneHeather and Jared F. TausigJana Tolisano and

William CheneyLouis J. and Linda C. WagnerCarl M. WallmanCharles H. and Louise E. WeedChao-ting Wu

Life MembersThese dedicated individualshave chosen to play a long-term role in the preservation ofour region’s native flora bybecoming life members.

Judy A. Artley and Charles T. Moses

Nancy H. AugustPatricia Callan and Chuck CraftsJohn S. and Jane ChatfieldTerry A. ChvisukRobert S. CoburnEdward H. and Sandy CoburnBarbara F. CoburnFrederick and Jeanine CoburnVirginia and Jay CoburnMartha Franklin Coburn and Robert W. Carlson

John D. ConstableJudith H. Cook

Paul CookDavid L. DeKingAnn Dinsmore and Richard Nemrow

Elizabeth DudleyElizabeth S. and Frederic A.EustisJanet Fillion and Richard LaineMary F. and Joseph FioreJoanne C. and Lionel L. FrayAnne and Walter J. GambleNancy Goodman and Mike Kotarba

Marjorie D. and Nicholas P. Greville

T. C. HaffenrefferJane C. HallowellDena and G.F. HardymonAllyson Hayward and P. H. Kareiva

Thelma K. and John H. HewittRobert C. HooperKristina Niovi Jones and Peter Hecht

Larry Lee JonesKathleen A. KleinCatherine Z. LandDavid R. LonglandEllen West and George M. Lovejoy, Jr.

Jane LymanEugene I. MajerowiczEllen B. and Duncan McFarlandMichelle H. and David R. Mittelman

Monadnock Garden ClubErhart MullerSally McGuire MusprattBeverly and Herbert MyersAnn Dinsmore and Richard Nemrow

May H. and Daniel PiercePeggy and Hollis PlimptonE. M. PossPatricia PrattChristine A. Psathas and Robert E. Shabot

Harriet D. PurcellPaul John RichChandler S. RobbinsJohanna RossBarbara V. and George R. Rowland

“Having worked for my entire career in the worldof nonprofit organizations, I take great pleasure in

knowing that New England Wild Flower Society is included in my estate plan. The work this

special organization does is always innovative, relevant, and cost-effective. I am very glad to be

a part of it. My personal commitment to protectingnative plants runs so deep that I would be

delighted to offer my complimentary assistance to other friends of the Society who may wish to

explore life-income gifts and/or bequest intentionsto support its mission. Please contact me through

the Philanthropy Department and I will be more than happy to be helpful to you.”

– Peter V. K. Doyle*

*Peter V. K. Doyle is a Gift-Planning Specialist at Harvard Business School as well as an Overseer at New England Wild FlowerSociety. He can be reached via the Society’s Philanthropy Department at gifts@newenglandwild.org or (508) 877-7630 x 3802.

New England WILD • Spring/Summer 2014 www.newenglandwild.org14

David B. Rundle and Catherine M. Huntley

Beverly H. RyburnAire-Maija SchwannCatherine and George G. SchwenkRobin R. Shield and John TariotWilliam and Hatsy ShieldsMary M. SmithlineGwen StaufferGalen L. and Anne StoneRobert H. TraylorEdward S. ValentineEmily WadeNancy L. WeissLouise WestcottWeston Garden ClubCheryl K. WilfongRobin E. Wilkerson and Steve Atlas

Patricia Plum WyldeMargaret F. andT.C. Price Zimmerman

Trillium SocietyThe following generous friends have included theSociety in their estate plans tohelp ensure our future abilityto conserve native plants and their habitats.

AnonymousElizabeth L. AghajanianAnnemarie Altman and David Cook

Joyce H. BissonLalor BurdickFrances H. ClarkPaul CookStuart L. CummingsRuah DonnellyPeter V. K. Doyle and Ellen Clancy

Christopher R. ElyNancy GoodmanGeorge C. and Diantha C. Harrington

Patti LaierAnn R. LemmonDeirdre MenoyoCarole M. MerrifieldCarolyn M. OsteenJessie B. PanekGeri and Douglas D. Payne

Karen D. and Matthew V. PierceBarbara F. PryorBeverly H. RyburnDori SmithAnita E. SpringerMary Ann StreeterLeslie TurekMartha WallaceCheryl K. WilfongPatricia Plum and John H. Wylde

TributesIn 2013 we received honorariaor memorial donations in tribute to the followingfriends, colleagues, mentors,and loved ones.

In Honor OfJohn ArmstrongMolly BeardAnne L. CrossBonnie DrexlerElizabeth FarnsworthMarjorie D. GrevilleJane C. HallowellHenry KesnerKatie KirkBert and Dori ReussCarolyn WatermanGray H. and Paul M. Wexelblat

In Memory OfBarbara AllisonBob AugustDutchie AugustCalvin H. BelbinHarry BowenPaul BradleySally Gates CookAnthony T. CopeDorothy DoaneBeverly FellAvis GolubRoberta GarvinRob HeldKay B. McCahanHelen NowersHelen PicarielloMarie RooneyMary Ann TynanMary M. Walker

Matching GiftCompaniesWe extend special thanks tothe following businesses fortheir generous support in 2013.

Bank of America Matching GiftsThe Coca-Cola FoundationIBM Corporation Matching Gifts Program

Motorola FoundationPfizer Inc.UnumProvident CorporationUve Enterprises, Inc. dba Dalla Terra

Waters Corporation

Conservation ServicesIn 2013, the following organizations utilized our comprehensive and broad-ranging expertise in plant conservation, restoration, and/orinvasive species management.

Appalachian National Scenic Trail (CT, MA)

Aton Forest (CT)Cambridge Water Department (MA)Chicago Botanic Garden (IL)Coastal Maine Botanical Garden (ME)

Connecticut River Watershed Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area (CT, MA, NH, VT)

CT Recreation and Natural Heritage Trust Program (CT)

Maine Natural Areas Program (ME)Mass Audubon (MA)Massachusetts Association of Conservation Commissions (MA)

Massachusetts Natural Heritageand Endangered Species Program (MA)

Nantucket Conservation Foundation (MA)

Natural Heritage Inventory (VT)New Hampshire Natural Heritage Bureau (NH)

Parker River National Wildlife Refuge (MA)

Rhode Island Natural History

Survey (RI)Silvio O. Conte National WildlifeRefuge (MA)

Sudbury Valley Trustees (MA)Sudbury Weed Education and Eradication Team (MA)

Sudbury-Assabet-Concord River Watershed Cooperative Invasive Species ManagementArea (MA)

Town of Carlisle (MA)Town of Concord (MA)Town of Conway (MA)Town of Framingham (MA)Town of Franklin (MA)Town of Mason (NH)Town of Maynard (MA)U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Northeast Region)

Walden Woods Project (MA)Westfield River Invasive Species Partnership (MA)

White Mountain National Forest (NH)

Custom HorticultureServices and PartnershipsAt our Nasami Farm NativePlant Nursery, we are constantlyexpanding the list of nativespecies available in productionfor large-scale landscaping andrestoration projects, as well as for individual retail sales throughour garden shops. The followingorganizations either contractedwith us for custom grows in2013 or assisted us in partner-ships to provide growing servicesto clients throughout the region.

Amherst Nurseries (MA)Garden Club of Dublin (NH)Groundwork Lawrence, Inc. (MA)Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum (MA)

Mass Audubon (MA)Monomoy National Wildlife Refuge (MA)

Project Native (MA)Rhode Island Natural History Survey (RI)

Town of Braintree (MA)University of Massachusetts Amherst (MA)

The Campaign to Conserve New England’s Endangered PlantsNew England is home to 388 rare or threatened plant species, including the 6 pictured here. We want to collect and store seed from all of them by 2020. It’s an ambitious goal, but in the face of global climate change, we need to act fast. With your help, we can do it.

By sponsoring seed collection in one or more of the New England states, you enable us to preserve seeds from 1,600 locations across the region. Gifts of any size - $25 for protecting a single seed, $500 for a population, and $4,000 for a species – can

make a real difference. Working together, we can preserve the genetic material of plants that may otherwise be lost.

Contact newenglandwild.org/seed and pick a state—or donate to the whole program!

Sponsor SeedCollection in CTYour gift will help

protect speciessuch as Trolliuslaxus (American

globe-flower).

Sponsor SeedCollection in MAYour gift will help

protect speciessuch as Sabatia

kennedyana(Plymouth

rose-gentian).

Sponsor SeedCollection in MEYour gift will help

protect speciessuch as Pedicularisfurbishiae(Furbish’s

lousewort).

Sponsor SeedCollection in NHYour gift will helpprotect speciessuch as Nabalusboottii (Boott’s rattlesnake-root).

Sponsor SeedCollection in RIYour gift will helpprotect speciessuch as Hypericumadpressum(creeping St. John’s-wort).

Sponsor SeedCollection in VTYour gift will help protectspecies such asPolemonium vanbruntiae(bogJacob’s-ladder).

contact philanthropy department at 508-877-7630 x3802 or gifts@newenglandwild.org

We invite you to join us on a 16-day excursion offering an exceptional opportunityto explore the natural heritage and unique flora and wildlife of Madagascar. Madagascar is the fourth largest island in the world and has been isolated from the African continent for 30 million years. It is home to at least12,000 plants, a high percentage of which are unique to the country. Ninety-fivepercent of the lemurs and reptiles, 80 percent of the flowering plants, 98 percentof the palms, and more than 100 birds are found nowhere else. Leading this tour will be Herilala Jonah, a superb Madagascar naturalist.Representing the Society will be John Burns, our Plant Conservation VolunteerCoordinator, who has extensive knowledge of tropical plants and wildlife.

Travel with us to Madagascar October 4-19, 2014

We hope you will join us for this adventure and discover the magnificence of Madagascar in 2014!

For more information, visit www.newenglandwild.org/learn/adult/internationaltravel

Mertensia maritima, commonly called seaside bluebells oroysterleaf, is an herbaceous perennial in the borage family(Boraginaceae). Favoring the more northern climes ofCanada, in New England M. maritima is only common ineastern Maine. It is extirpated in New Hampshire andendangered in Massachusetts. Mertensia maritima grows close to the ground oncoastal beaches. It has fleshy, blue-green leaves and bell-shaped flowers that droop in clusters from the end of

stems. Each flower has five petals forming a pink-to-redcorolla that fades to sky blue later in the season. The flowers, leaves, and roots of M. maritima are alledible, with a flavor some describe as oyster-like—theinspiration for one of its common names. M. maritima is just one of the rare plants that can befound growing in Garden in the Woods’ coastal sand plain.

clara chaisson, intern

Mertensia maritima

headquarters & garden in the woods

180 Hemenway RoadFramingham, Massachusetts 01701-2699www.newenglandwild.org

NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONU.S. POSTAGE PAIDPERMIT NO. 211N. READING, MA