Field Trip with John Manion
Biodiversity at its Best – and Acres of Pitcher Plants!
Solon Dixon Preserve & Splinter Hill Bog (field trip)
Trip Leader: John Manion
Date: Fri/Sat/Sun; April 10, 11, 12, 2020
Location: Andalusia and Bay Minette, AL
MNPS members $350| Non-members $370
Enrollment: minimum-10/maximum-16
Difficulty rating: easy to moderate
Here is a 3-day field trip to Alabama that may be of interest to native plant enthusiasts.
It will be led by John Manion, Kaul Wildflower Garden Curator at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens. Some of you may remember John from his presentation on paw paws at the Mississippi Native Plant Society Annual Conference in September.
If you want to sign up for the field trip or have questions about it, please contact John directly at [email protected] .
Due to their astounding biodiversity, these two locations remain some of our top-favorite field trip destinations in the Southeast. On Solon Dixon Preserve’s 5,300 acres are an astounding array of ecosystems―pitcher plant bogs, cypress ponds, longleaf pine habitats,
fascinating rock formations, caves, and sandhills. You will also have the opportunity to visit a spring overhung with a large colony of Adiantum pedatum (northern maiden-hair fern) (see photo below), and from which flows crystal-clear water that feeds into a pristine lake, making it appear turquoise in color.
Our adventure begins midday on Friday, when we will investigate a bog that is home to several species of carnivorous plants. During this jaunt, we will visit a longleaf pine ecosystem to view remnants of a time when these pines were “cat-faced” to harvest sap and discuss this unique history. After dinner, we will attend an engaging presentation about the history of the Solon Dixon Preserve.
All day Saturday we will explore the different ecosystem types that illustrate the astounding diversity of this preserve. That evening, after enjoying dinner together, we will drive to the nearby lake to hear several species of calling frogs and learn more about the unique plant and animal communities that comprise and depend on these special habitats.
On Sunday, we will visit Splinter Hill Bog Preserve, jointly managed by Forever Wild and The Nature Conservancy in Alabama.
This site―known worldwide―is home to several species of carnivorous plants (see photo below), including the largest population of Sarracenia spp. (pitcher plants) in the world!
The event fee includes room cost for two nights, five meals, and guides.
This trip is open to MNPS members (and their guests) only, until January 31 – at which time it will be open to anyone.
Biodiversity at its Best – and Acres of Pitcher Plants!
Solon Dixon Preserve & Splinter Hill Bog (field trip)
Trip Leader: John Manion
Date: Fri/Sat/Sun; April 10, 11, 12, 2020
Location: Andalusia and Bay Minette, AL
MNPS members $350| Non-members $370
Enrollment: minimum-10/maximum-16
Difficulty rating: easy to moderate
Here is a 3-day field trip to Alabama that may be of interest to native plant enthusiasts.
It will be led by John Manion, Kaul Wildflower Garden Curator at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens. Some of you may remember John from his presentation on paw paws at the Mississippi Native Plant Society Annual Conference in September.
If you want to sign up for the field trip or have questions about it, please contact John directly at [email protected] .
Due to their astounding biodiversity, these two locations remain some of our top-favorite field trip destinations in the Southeast. On Solon Dixon Preserve’s 5,300 acres are an astounding array of ecosystems―pitcher plant bogs, cypress ponds, longleaf pine habitats,
fascinating rock formations, caves, and sandhills. You will also have the opportunity to visit a spring overhung with a large colony of Adiantum pedatum (northern maiden-hair fern) (see photo below), and from which flows crystal-clear water that feeds into a pristine lake, making it appear turquoise in color.
Our adventure begins midday on Friday, when we will investigate a bog that is home to several species of carnivorous plants. During this jaunt, we will visit a longleaf pine ecosystem to view remnants of a time when these pines were “cat-faced” to harvest sap and discuss this unique history. After dinner, we will attend an engaging presentation about the history of the Solon Dixon Preserve.
All day Saturday we will explore the different ecosystem types that illustrate the astounding diversity of this preserve. That evening, after enjoying dinner together, we will drive to the nearby lake to hear several species of calling frogs and learn more about the unique plant and animal communities that comprise and depend on these special habitats.
On Sunday, we will visit Splinter Hill Bog Preserve, jointly managed by Forever Wild and The Nature Conservancy in Alabama.
This site―known worldwide―is home to several species of carnivorous plants (see photo below), including the largest population of Sarracenia spp. (pitcher plants) in the world!
The event fee includes room cost for two nights, five meals, and guides.
This trip is open to MNPS members (and their guests) only, until January 31 – at which time it will be open to anyone.
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