May 12 & 19, Boise foothills: Catch the season’s two remaining “Celebrate Wildflowers” walks at 6:30 p.m. Meet at the Foothills Learning Center, 0.3 miles past the end of the 8th Street pavement in Boise (turn right into the parking area). After 1.5 to 2 hours (on moderately steep, well-maintained trails), you’ll “walk away” more impressed than ever with the sheer pluck of Idaho’s splendid native plants.
June 4-5, Cambridge area: Indian Valley sedge (Carex aboriginum) is one of Idaho’s rarest species. Of high conservation concern, it’s known to occur in only eight sites in the world-and its range is centered smack-dab in the colorful, diverse foothills of west central Idaho. We need your help in collecting long-term monitoring data that will guide future conservation actions, so plan to join botanists Chris Murphy and Gillian Crymes for a weekend campout full of rare-plant stewardship, monitoring and hunting and just plain fun wildflower botanizing.
Meet at the Idaho Department of Fish & Game, 600 S. Walnut St., Boise, at 8:30 a.m. June 4. Bring your family, food, camping/cooking gear, sturdy hiking boots, raingear, water bottle, sunscreen, your favorite botanizing materials and your smiling face. Plan to hike 2 miles roundtrip on a dirt road and to drive on gravel roads. Expected return time: 5 p.m. June 5. Contact Gillian Crymes at 345-0283 or gillmatt at earthlink dot net for more information and to let her know to expect you.