Carex Collecting   By Fred Wooley Here we are just into summer and for Blue Heron Ministries it is seed collecting time.  It seems like just weeks ago we were enjoying spring ephemeral wildflowers.  Actually, it was just weeks ago.  Time flies and so much happens so quickly in the natural world as plants and animals come out of hibernation, come up from the south, and all bursts in a blooming, breeding frenzy of spring.  Just last month our Badger Barrens Sanctuary was a full-bloom, blue world of wild lupine.  Within weeks by mid-June, we were collecting the greenish-yellow-black seed pods. That species marks the first of the year of our prairie plant seed collection process.  By the third week of June a half-dozen racks in our seed drying room at the BHM office are full of black lupine pods, each popping as they dry and expel their tiny seeds. Now the end of June, seed collecting begins in earnest and the first to be gathered are sedges.  The Carex Complex I call them.   Each plant and animal in the world (if discovered; some still are not!) has a specific scientific name assigned to it that is unique to just that species.  Each is described as a genus and species.

Carex stricta  6/24/2022

In the botanical world the largest plant genus is Carex.  These are grass-like plants, commonly called sedges.  Unlike grasses with round stalks, sedges have edges, an easy way to remember them.    Not so easy is how to remember their names!   There are about 2,000 sedge species worldwide.  One source cites about 250 species in North America.  Indiana is rich with sedges.  Botanist Dr. Paul Rothrock describes 158 species in his Sedges of Indiana, published by the Indiana Academy of Science in 2021.

Sedge meadow at Tri-State Airport 6/24/2022.

Their differences can be very slight, varying from growth size, leaf structure and width.  Flowers, fruit-heads, and seeds are all different.  Tiny parts of flowers, seeds, and even roots, are different and some need close inspection to ascertain the species. Sedges grow in all habitats, some in uplands, even woodlands, but most are open area species and many are found in wet environments.  Damp sedge meadows are significant biological communities, and many are key worksites for Blue Heron Ministries. Part of restoration and management efforts of sedge habitats is to reintroduce or embellish existing populations of certain species.  We collect seeds, dry them, clean them, and put into seed mixes to be scattered in appropriate areas in winter for spring germination.

The author, demonstrating the multi-bucket technique.

I am not a sedge expert by any means and am in awe of those who are.   When sent out to collect sedges, I learn from others on the Blue Crew which are target species and how they can be identified.  Recently, Director Nate Simons tasked me to find and collect four different species, Carex pellita, C. sartwellii, C. stipata, and C. stricta.    I photographed and recorded each as we found and studied them in the field.  Back home, I downloaded the photos, created temporary labels, and taped them to my five-gallon buckets.  Out in the field, I had up to three buckets strapped to my belt and as I waded through hip-high vegetation, would search for my target species, peel off the seed heads, and drop them into their designated buckets.

Josh Hall collecting sedges at Cline Lake Nature Preserve, LaGrange, County 6/27/2022.

It can be hot work on summer days, sometimes back-breaking stooped over plants and buckets.  It is a nice change of pace for the Blue Crew out herbiciding unwanted species on summer days. Sometimes after hours in the field applying herbicide, a day is topped off by an hour or so of seed collecting.   It is rewarding work to handle literally the fruits of our efforts.  It is rewarding to see the drying racks fill.  It won’t be long, and we’ll be into late summer and fall seed collecting of many species.   There are volunteer opportunities for such if you’d like to join the fun.  Contact our office.  Of course, in October we have our annual October Saturdays of volunteer seed collecting.  It is always fun to be out with kindred spirits doing the good work of science and restoring communities and creation.  Watch for details in future newsletters.

View from the Crew by Emily Schmidt

My maiden voyage with my kayak (which I’ve affectionately named Celia) on Harrison Lake in Fayette, OH. May 30, 2022.

(Left to right) Me, Fred, and Josh enjoyed a respite from the rain, sipping iced tea and exchanging stories on Fred’s patio. June 1, 2022.

At BHM, our answer to every problem seems to be, “Use a nitrile glove!” In this case, the problem was, “What do I do when I’ve forgotten a spoon for my cottage cheese?” Sarah’s answer… June 3, 2022.

The kayak-side view of Mirror Lake in Clear Lake Township, IN. June 4, 2022.

Phil teaching our summer intern, Seth Graves, how to identify Reed Canary Grass at The Nature Conservancy’s Cline Lake Fen. June 8, 2022.

Showy Lady’s Slipper blooming next to Blue Flag Iris at The Nature Conservancy’s Cline Lake Fen. June 8, 2022.

Sarah and I spent the afternoon pulling sweet clover in BHM’s prairie. Man, were those roots long! June 9, 2022.

In its second growing season, BHM’s prairie flourishes with beautiful prairie natives such as Golden Alexander, Ohio Spiderwort, and Foxglove Beardtongue. June 9, 2022.

“Aw crap! Found a hole!” Josh yelled after he went over his boots in muck at The Nature Conservancy’s Fawn River Fen. June 10, 2022.

Purple Marshlocks or Marsh Cinquefoil at The Nature Conservancy’s Fawn River Fen. June 10, 2022.

Celia (my kayak) and I joined some friends in braving the rapids of the Maumee River. Thankfully, no one tipped!. Just before hitting more rapids, we enjoyed this view of an historical bridge in Waterville, OH. June 11, 2022.

Misplace your sun hat on a hot day? Take a lesson from Dave here, and fashion your own t-shirt head wrap! June 14, 2022.

The best way to cool down after working outside on a 96 degree day is…ice cream! June 14, 2022.

Collecting Carex stipata at The Nature Conservancy’s Cline Lake Fen. June 20, 2022.

Is that a rattle I hear? In the new addition of Lagrange County Parks’ Mike Metz Fen, Seth encountered this Massasauga Rattlesnake. He is only one of two BHM interns to ever see this Indiana endangered species. June 21, 2022.

What do you do when you need to mix more herbicide, but the water pump doesn’t work? You start an assembly line! Seth scoops water from the truck tanks and passes it on to Sarah, who pours it into a mixing jug. June 21, 2022.

Rattlesnake master in all its glory at Judy Smith CRP. June 22, 2022.

St. Ignatius Prayer of SurrenderTake, O Lord, and receive all my liberty, my memory, my understanding, and my entire will. Whatever I have or hold, You have given me; I restore it all to You and surrender it wholly to be governed by Your will. Give me only Your love and Your grace, and I am rich enough and ask for nothing more.

Upcoming Events

Native Landscaping Tour July 16th from 11am-3pm

Are you interested in developing a pollinator planting, rain garden, or postage stamp prairie at your home? Join us on July 16th for a tour of naturalized landscaping projects in northeast Indiana. We will stop at various sites to speak with private land owners about the techniques, challenges, and successes that they have encountered with their own projects. Meet at the Presbyterian Chapel of the Lakes (2955 W Orland Rd, Angola, IN 46703) at 11AM. You can caravan in your own vehicle or hop in the van for a ride. For transportation purposes please RSVP to ddrogos@blueheronministries.org by July 13th.

Conceptual drawing of the pocket park pollinator garden, in downtown Angola.

Check out the event section of our webpage for updates and cancellations: https://blueheronministries.org/get-involved/events/