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Post by meadowview on Oct 1, 2012 22:18:05 GMT
Hi Brian:
Thank you and the ICPS! It really helps us in fund-raising, both locally and internationally, when we can say we have worldwide support for this conservation effort. The ICPS grant is a demonstration of that support. I applied the grant today to the principal on the note and that now leaves us with only a balance of $2800.00.
We have two campsites now established on the Central Virginia Preserve for primitive camping. If anyone is planning a fall trip, and we are either a destination or a point on the way, you might want to contact us about camping. We aren't charging for the campsites since we want folks to come visit and see what's going on. Please contact me if you are interested.
Again, thank you all for your support of this conservation work.
Sincerely,
Phil Sheridan, Ph.D. Director Meadowview Biological Research Station
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Post by meadowview on Sept 29, 2012 13:52:43 GMT
Hi Folks:
An Australian group is now working on raising funds to match the ICPS grant! If this happens we will pay off the note on the 3 acre Central VA Preserve by the end of 2012. I'll keep you posted.
Sincerely,
Phil Sheridan, Ph.D. Director Meadowview Biological Research Station
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Post by meadowview on Sept 23, 2012 16:36:50 GMT
Hi Folks: We received word the other day that Meadowview has been awarded a conservation grant of $2800 from the ICPS that will be applied to the balance on our Central Virginia Preserve note. The ICPS grant will cut in half the remaining balance leaving only $2800 to pay off. I would like both Meadowview and ICPS members to consider this a challenge as we work to pay off this land. The goal of the Central Virginia Preserve is to preserve and restore the northern-most pitcher plant bog in Virginia, and protect a state threatened plant species (the New Jersey Rush, Juncus caesariensis) and globally rare gravel bog. The Central Virginia Preserve involves the acquisition of a series of properties behind Meadowview headquarters. Details can be found in both 2009 and 2012 newsletters at www.pitcherplant.org and is augmented by video links on Your Tube and banner options. Thank you ICPS!!! Sincerely, Phil Sheridan, Ph.D. Director Meadowview Biological Research Station
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Post by meadowview on Sept 18, 2012 12:11:40 GMT
Hi Folks: Our fall newsletter is now available on our website at www.pitcherplant.org. Just click on the newsletter link. We also have a whole series of new videos available on the "video" link. The videos are a complement to the newsletter and provide a lot of visual background to the preserve expansions, why they are important, and how you can help. A number of videos also cover greenhouse operations and restoration practices. Please let me know if you have any questions. Otherwise, enjoy and donate! Sincerely, Phil Sheridan, Ph.d. Director Meadowview Biological Research Station
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Post by meadowview on Aug 21, 2012 11:48:04 GMT
Hi Folks: We currently have one position open for a fall/winter intern. The position includes room and board with a stipend of $250.00 reimbursement for food expense. Please contact me by e-mail at meadowview@pitcherplant.org if you are interested. Details of the job are posted at: www.pitcherplant.org/About-Us/job-openings.htmlSincerely, Phil Sheridan, Ph.D. Director Meadowview Biological Research Station
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Post by meadowview on Aug 15, 2012 20:29:05 GMT
Hi Folks:
I want you all to know that the NECPS did a great job of hosting the 2012 ICPS conference. I know how much work goes into a successful conference and this group pulled off a great job. We all heard interesting lectures, saw amazing plants, and had a wonderful time with each other.
Sincerely,
Phil Sheridan Meadowview
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Post by meadowview on Aug 7, 2012 16:45:18 GMT
Hi Folks:
We've started work revamping the preserve section of our web site. We've now got a link called "Meadowview Preserve System" which then has subsets called "Joseph Pines Preserve" and "Central Virginia Preserve". I'll be talking about both preserves at the ICPS conference but for those of you who can't attend these links should help you understand what we're doing and the need. We've updated the donor lists for both preserve. Thank you very much for your support!!!
Briefly, Joseph Pines Preserve is in Sussex County, Virginia and is a 231 acre preserve which is preventing regional extinction of the longleaf pine/pitcher plant ecosystem through an integrated restoration approach. Joseph Pines has just more than doubled in size via a state grant and loan. The Central Virginia Preserve is directly behind Meadowview operations center in Caroline County, Virginia and is an effort to preserve and restore the northern most purple pitcher plant population in the state and to restore a globally rare gravel bog. Both preserves require significant financial support to pay for land acquisition and restoration efforts.
We'll have details at the ICPS conference and in our upcoming newsletter. Let me know if you will be in the area and would like a tour.
Sincerely,
Phil Sheridan, Ph.D. Director Meadowview Biological Research Station
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Post by meadowview on Aug 5, 2012 14:03:50 GMT
Hi Folks:
We're really looking forward to the ICPS conference where we can catch up with all our friends, hear interesting talks, and see some really nice plants. Meadowview has a table and several volunteers attending the conference. We hope you will stop by our booth and hear about our exciting conservation work and expanding intern program. The intern program will be split next year into a horticultural and restoration ecology programs with funding for paid positions in the horticulture arena.
See you there!
Sincerely,
Phil Sheridan, Ph.D. Director Meadowview Biological Research Station
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Post by meadowview on Jun 30, 2012 13:48:35 GMT
Hi Folks:
We had a double dose of good news. In addition to closing on the Joseph Pines Preserve expansion we received the letter from the Virginia Horticultural Foundation that they are going to fund (patially of course) the horticultural interns for 2013 at Meadowview. The funding will allow us to pay one horticultural intern $7.25/hour, 40 hours a week, for 12 weeks, next summer.
If you know anyone that would be interested in this position please have them contact me. We will post a job description this fall and formally advertise the job then but I though you might want to hear the good news.
Sincerely,
Phil Sheridan, Ph.D. Director Meadowview Biological Research Station
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Post by meadowview on Jun 30, 2012 13:41:20 GMT
Hi Folks: Some good news. After three years of very hard word (grant writing, politics, state and local approvals, etc.) we closed yesterday afternoon on the expansion of the Joseph Pines Preserve. The expansion takes us from 100 acres to more than 231 acres with the purchase of two adjoining parcels. The expansion was funded by a $145,000 grant from the Virginia Dept. of Environmental Quality Green Reserve Program and a loan of $145,000 from the Virginia Resources Authority - a $290,000 deal. The loan is for 10 years at 0.25 percent interest. The loan required one of our donors to place in escrow $29,000 as a reserve fund. The loan payment is ca. $1200/month. We need your support to make these payments so please consider donating to Meadowview or pledging as a donor. So... what this means is we now own almost the complete watershed at Joseph Pines and will be able to significantly expand our restoration efforts. You can read the details of the plan in our Joseph Pines story in the 2009 newsletter at www.pitcherplant.org. I will be talking about this project in detail at the upcoming ICPS conference. Hope to see you there! Sincerely, Phil Sheridan, Ph.D. Director Meadowview Biological Research Station
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Post by meadowview on Jun 21, 2012 23:18:16 GMT
Hi Folks:
I just looked at the recent NASC minutes and saw they are contemplating herbicide use at Dulanay bog (mountain wetland in NC). Please be EXTREMELY careful with any herbicide application near Sarracenia since they are exquisitely sensitive to these compounds. Further, there is typically root translocation from target species (red maple, alder, tulip poplar) to a zone of 3 or more feet around the target species. In other words, if you have Sarracenia within 3 feet of target species don't use herbicide.
Mountain bogs are a challenging and interesting pitcher plant habitat to restore. Unfortunately, the indigenous beaver genotype that may have helped regulate these sites hydrologically was exterminated and has been replaced with a different mid-western genotype with behavioral (e.g. dam construction) differences.
Good luck and let us know if you need some help.
Sincerely,
Phil Sheridan, Ph.D. Director Meadowview Biological Research Station
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Post by meadowview on May 26, 2012 15:23:23 GMT
Hi Folks:
Very busy spring for us at Meadowview. We completed hardwood removal on the 3 acre tract of the Central Virginia Preserve in April, funded by a grant from the Community Foundation of the Rappahannock River Region Duff McDuff Green, Jr. grant. Over 10 square meters of basal area hardwood was removed and the cord-wood is now stacked and drying for use by our outdoor wood furnace this fall. The furnace heats greenhouse, operations center, and domestic hot water.
The hardwood removal took almost a week to complete by a crew of 5 and still required additional volunteer labor to finish. The results are quite satisfactory and we'll be posting photographs soon.
We now have two interns at Meadowview, Ian Walker and Alex Petzke, with a third coming on board in June. I'll keep you posted on details.
Sincerely,
Phil Sheridan, Ph.D. Director Meadowview Biological Research Station
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Post by meadowview on May 18, 2012 12:59:51 GMT
Hi Apoplast:
There have been a number of both molecular and morphological studies on the taxonomy of S. purpurea and S. rosea. If you do an on-line search you can read all about it, and my research and conclusions, in my 2010 Ph.D. dissertation "Ecological and genetic status of the purple pitcher plant, Sarracenia purpurea L., in Maryland and Virginia". Short story - S. rosea a distinct species with one entity for remaining group, S. purpurea, with the subspecies concept not supported at the morphological or molecular level.
Sincerely,
Phil Sheridan, Ph.D. Director Meadowview Biological Research Station
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Post by meadowview on Mar 25, 2012 15:07:54 GMT
Hi Folks:
Received grant award of $10,000 from Duff McDuff Green, Jr Fund from Community Foundation of the Rappahanock River Region. Grant: "Pitchers for the Public!" will fund signs, tools, benches, and hardwood removal from Central Va Preserve. Let me know if you want to come and see the preserve this year.
Sincerely,
Phil Sheridan, Ph.D. Director Meadowview Biological Research Station
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Post by meadowview on Jan 30, 2012 21:58:18 GMT
Hi Apoplast: The assertion that pitcher plants are a competitive threat is bogus in our opinion. In the limited study that we did we found that the opposite was true, Sarracenia may be commensals supplying limiting nutrients to the ecosystem. See www.pitcherplant.org/Abstracts/competitive-threat.html from 1996. Virginia Journal of Science 47: 154. Of course there is the greater issue here of a non-native plant in a natural area. Removal because of that point alone makes sense to me. Sincerely, Phil Sheridan, Ph.D. Director Meadowview Biological Research Station
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