Water Willow (Decodon verticillatus)
Photo courtesy of Donald J. House

CANCELLED Saturday, March 7, 2015, 10:00 AM
Blydenburgh County Park, Smithtown, NY
Trip Leaders: Andrew Greller, James Lendemer, and Eric Morgan

This walk will stress mosses and lichens. Blydenburgh County Park is a 627-acre park run for the residents of Suffolk County. The park is mostly woodland with swamps and fields, and is home to Stump Pond, which is [said to be] second in size on Long Island only to Lake Ronkonkoma. The pond is long and irregularly shaped, somewhat like a boot with a pointed toe. A number of trails and dirt roads make for easy walking; you’ll also encounter horseback riders. Please dress for the weather, wear boots for wet walking, and bring a hand lens. Bring lunch and a beverage.

Directions: Please contact Andy for directions and meeting location prior to the walk.

Saturday, May 16, 2015 9:30 AM
Spring Ephemerals at Charles T. Church (Shu Swamp) Nature Preserve, Mill Neck, Nassau County, NY
Trip Leader: Lois Lindberg & Tom Hornosky

The Charles T. Church Nature Preserve is more familiarly known as Shu Swamp. It is the jewel of several properties owned by the North Shore Wildlife Sanctuary, Inc., tracing its origins back to 1929. The small but beautiful Shu Swamp Preserve features freshwater wetlands fed by springs and seeps, as well as an upland oak/beech/tulip forest. Spring ephemeral wildflowers and ferns, as well as migrating birds, are plentiful on the wooded trails along Beaver Brook. The entrance is on Frost Mill Road south of the LIRR overpass.

Directions: From Route 25A, take Route 106 north to Oyster Bay. Turn left onto Lexington Ave, then another left onto West Main St. Directly after Mill Pond (on your left), bear left to go uphill on Mill Hill Road. Turn right on Beaver Brook Road, which becomes Frost Mill Road. Shu Swamp is on the left, just before the railroad trestle.

Saturday, June 20, 2015 10:00 AM
Novel Ecosystems at Froehlich Farms County Preserve, Huntington, NY
Trip Leader: Marilyn Jordan

The Froehlich Farm Preserve encompasses portions of what were once the Froehlich and Wicks Farms. Since the mid-19th century, Wicks/Froehlich Farms were the site of potato fields. Now the abandoned land has grown up in a mix of mostly invasive plant species with some scattered native species – a novel ecosystem. We will walk trails cut through the thicket of shrubs and trees, and visit the organic gardens maintained by volunteers who donate produce to food banks. Can we find some of the native species identified in a LIBS survey of several years ago? What is the value of this novel ecosystem for nature and for people?

Directions: We will meet at Wicks/Froehlich Farms County Park on the north side of West Rogues Path in Huntington, just west of Oakwood Rd. Park in the west end of the parking lot beyond the soccer fields and next to the playground.

Saturday, August 1, 2015 10:00 AM
North Fork sites: Moores Woods, Paul Stoutenburgh Preserve, and a cobble beach, Suffolk County, NY
Trip Leader: Eric Lamont

Moores Woods in Greenport features an interesting swamp forest with intermittent ponds as well as the only known population of crane-fly orchid (Tipularia discolor) in NY. The nearby Paul Stoutenburgh Preserve (formerly known as the Arshamomaque Pond Preserve) features a population of swamp cottonwood (Populus heterophylla), showy wildflowers, and an extensive cattail marsh. If time permits we will visit a cobble beach just east of East Marion to see horned poppy (Glaucium flavum) and other beach plants.

Bring water, lunch, and insect & tick repellent. Bathroom facilities are available at the nearby 7-11 on route 25.

Directions: At Mattituck, on the North Fork, take the North Road (route 48) east to Greenport. Turn right (south) onto Moores Lane and continue ½ mile to a ball field on the right. Turn right onto the dirt road and park at entrance to forest.

Saturday, August 15, 2015 10:00 AM
Persicaria Walk, Alley Pond Park, Queens, NY
Trip Leader: Andrew Greller

The New York Flora Association is interested in understanding the extent of diversity in the genus Persicaria in the state. LIBS agreed to lead NYFA in a one day search for Persicaria species in Alley Pond Park, Queens, where many Polygonaceae have been noted over the years.

Bring lunch and liquid; water resistant footwear is recommended but not required.  Camera and handlens recommended.  Insect repellant and sun screen advised.  Ticks are not usually a problem in Queens parks.

Directions: Meet at 10 AM at the North end of Alley Athletic Playground parking lot, off Winchester Boulevard, just north of Union Turnpike. This is the southeastern corner of Alley Pond Park. Winchester Blvd. can be reached by taking the Union Turnpike exit of the Cross Island Parkway westbound and travelling for a quarter mile; or on Grand Central Parkway, coming from the west, take the Union Tpke. exit, continue east on the service road, then go right on Union Tpke. for 1/4 mile to Winchester Blvd. then turn left to the parking lot.

Sunday, September 13, 2015 10:00 AM
Flora Neglecta, Queens, NY
Trip Leader: Michael Feder

We will be making a variety of stops off of Cross Bay and Woodhaven Blvds. in Queens to observe overlooked weeds. Our Flora neglecta will include some tiny plants growing in sidewalk cracks, graminoids, genera that contain similar looking species for which we will make comparisons (ie. Digitaria, Galinsoga and Oxalis) and a few local weeds not often encountered. We will also make a quick stop at a greenhouse to look at some unusual weeds, some of which are not known from our area. (Co-listed with the Torrey Botanical Society).

Directions: Please contact the trip leader to register and for meeting place directions.

Saturday, October 24, 2015 10:00 AM
Blydenburgh County Park, Smithtown, NY
Trip Leaders: Andrew Greller and James Lendemer

This walk will stress mosses and lichens. Blydenburgh County Park is a 627-acre park run for the residents of Suffolk County. The park is mostly woodland with swamps and fields, and is home to Stump Pond, which is [said to be] second in size on Long Island only to Lake Ronkonkoma. The pond is long and irregularly shaped, somewhat like a boot with a pointed toe.A number of trails and dirt roads make for easy walking; you’ll also encounter horseback riders. Please dress for the weather, wear boots for wet walking, and bring a hand lens. Bring lunch anda beverage.

Directions: Please contact Andy for directions and meeting location prior to the walk.