Japanese Stiltgrass (Microstegium vimineum) is a much-maligned “invasive plant,” but I don’t believe it deserves this reputation. Call me crazy, but personally, I love stiltgrass. And why not? She is beautiful, like a tiny bamboo forest. She clothes herself in a luxurious green and beams with lushness every morning dew. And she is also helpful… but I’ll get to that later.
Continue reading In Defense of StiltgrassTag Archives: fire ecology
Exploring central Florida’s fire-dependent ecosystems
At the beginning of March I had the opportunity to join Edwin Bridges, Alex Griffel, and Eric Ungberg down in central Florida for a weekend of botanizing throughout the region’s varied ecosystems, all of which are managed through prescribed fire. Edwin runs his own botanical and ecological consulting business, and his encyclopedic knowledge of the area’s flora is impressive. His work in ecosystematics presents a comprehensive picture of the ecological workings of the region. Alex is a graduate of the University of Central Florida and has worked with The Nature Conservancy’s Tiger Creek Preserve burn crew. Eric Ungberg is with Duke University’s plant lab, and was down in Florida for some of the same reasons I was, such as curiosity and the love of botanizing. All were great people to be around and to learn from.
Continue reading Exploring central Florida’s fire-dependent ecosystems