Denver Botanic Gardens spends springtime in the field

Each year, as spring rolls around, Denver Botanic Gardens Research and Conservation staff loads up a 4-wheel drive vehicle with meter tape, metal spikes and numbered tags, a first aid kit, several plant field guides, and a few other odds and ends before were ready for another year of discoveries. Our field work is at the center of what we do. It allows us to learn more about our natural environment and to bring the information home in a way that can help protect and conserve plants.

For our first trip we headed west to see the threatened cactus, Sclerocactus glaucus. This lovely little cactus is found in Western Colorado along with several other rare plant species. This is also an area with intense oil and gas development, residential growth and spreading weeds. Our aim is to protect the western region by studying and protecting this tiny cactus.

Our blog: http://www.botanicgardensblog.com (Conservation & Ecology category for news about research)
Our Web site: www.botanicgardens.org

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• Springtime in the field
• research
• conservation
• cactus
• environment
• threatened plants