Join University of Oregon ecologists Sarah Erskine, Katelin Kutella and Jeff Diez, and retired LCC Botany Instructor Gail Baker on a tour of a new ecological experiment embedded within public spaces in Eugene. The project is a collaboration between the UO researchers, Eugene Public Parks, and community naturalists (like you!?). The overall goal of the project is to better understand how climate affects plant phenology, species interactions, and the performance of our native prairie species. Expect to see blooms of Collinsia, popcorn flower and pink Plectritis, among others. By sowing mini-restoration experiments and collecting data on phenology, species interactions, and species’ performance, the study aims to enhance local biodiversity in our public spaces and help inform future restoration efforts. The project is also seeking volunteers to help monitor species at several public parks and is using observations from iNaturalist to understand how our local Eugene plant phenology fits into larger regional patterns. There is no formal sign up for this; just come by. You can park free after 6 in the UO Steam plant parking lot and walk or bike to the site (see map below for location- sorry it is blurry but you can see the bridge over the Willamette River to Autzen Stadium on the right, the green frisbee golf field, and riverbank paths. The plot location and field trip destination is in yellow.)

Additional Information:

iNaturalist Project to view the site and current blooms 

Project website for more details about all the sites and a map. 

Community Ecology Research Lab at UO describing who we are and our research