PNW Plant Identification and Ecology Walk — May 11, 2024
PNW Plant Identification and Ecology Walk — May 11, 2024
Saturday, May 11, 2024
10:00am - 5:00pm (at the latest)
Location:
Miller Peninsula State Park
(NOTE: A Discover Pass is required)
Instructor:
Mark Darrach
Join botanist and geologist Mark Darrach for an inspiring day of exploring and learning about Olympic Peninsula native plants and ecology.
We will meet in the main parking lot of Miller Peninsula State Park where we’ll have a brief presentation/orientation which will set the stage for our day. From there we will amble down the trail that heads to the beach, identifying plants along the way and stopping for identification tips and techniques as we go.
For much of the hike we will be walking through a high-quality, intact rare vegetation type of old-growth Pacific Madrone/Douglas Fir forest. The goal is to walk all the way to the beach where we will see an entirely different vegetation community. Mark will also weave in discussion of the geology of the area as well, making for a rich, enjoyable and edifying day!
What to Bring:
a hand-lens (loupe) for identifying small plant parts
a copy of Plants of the Pacific Northwest Coast by Pojar and MacKinnon
a way to take notes
a sack lunch, snacks and water
a rested mind for assimilating lots of information
Tuition:
$125
Ages:
13+ (minors must be accompanied by a registered adult)
IMPORTANT NOTE: The trail we’ll walk is 6.1 miles long and is considered a moderately difficult hike. Click here if you’d like to learn a bit more about the trail.
MEET YOUR INSTRUCTOR
Mark Darrach
Mark is a professional conservation botanist and plant taxonomist affiliated with the Burke Museum at the University of Washington. He has worked on plant conservation projects and plant taxonomic research for 30+ years in various settings throughout the western U.S. and Mexico. Mark’s primary research interests lie within the parsley family - Apiaceae, and he is actively describing newly discovered species, particularly in the genus Lomatium. Ongoing molecular genetic research, of which he is a co-investigator, has led to the discovery of many new taxa in this highly speciose group. Mark enjoys teaching and "lighting the flame" of interest in plants in others. He has taught as an instructor in several university settings and as a long-time instructor for the North Cascades Institute as well.