A few dedicated seed collectors gathered at Goose Pond for the final volunteer effort of the season. We were looking for New England asters (NEAs) and white baptisia. Both are important for pollinators with New England asters being one of my favorites. A late bloomer, it and showy goldenrod are the flowers that give our migrating monarchs the nutritional boost they need before flying south.
New England aster in bloom with a monarch nectaring, photo by Tom Koerner/USFWS
New England aster seed heads, photo by Christine Tanner FCC
The plants and seeds are totally different. NEAs are tall with the fluffy seed heads common to the asters and goldenrods. Baptisia are the tumbleweeds of Wisconsin prairies. They turn black, dislodge, and are blown by the wind into one another. Their rolling across the prairie is not just a Ball of Confusion (sorry, Temptations—btw, a great song for these times) but an efficient way to disperse seeds. Baptisia seeds are housed in large, black pods. They might be the easiest seeds to collect and clean. NEAs can be confused with other fluffy plants if you allow your attention to wander.
White baptisia in bloom, photo by Joshua Mayer
White baptisia seed pods, photo by Peter Gorman
Well, this crack team did not and the first hour of collecting produced 2 barrels of New England aster. The second produced another 2 barrels of baptisia. All the NEA will be used at Goose Pond and nearby prairies. The Baptisia is so abundant and so easily cleaned we might use a lot for interseeding and save some for the next couple of years if white baptisia has a poor seed crop.
As always the day was fun. We had a few deer hunters in our midst who were most excited as the rut entered full swing. I thought I had encountered all the goldenrods of Goose Pond but a plant that I was tempted to confuse with NEA turned out to be grassleaf goldenrod. It's a clonal plant growing in a few clumps scattered across Goose Pond. And a reminder there's always something new to see at a SoWBA sanctuary.
With rain on the way, Graham and Emma were preparing for the first of the fall burns. In the last few years, the value of fall burns has become more apparent and those burns have become an important part of managing SoWBA lands. After the burns, we'll be sowing much of the seed that's been collected and cleaned this summer and fall. Plenty of volunteer opportunities to come.
Fall prescribed burning at Goose Pond Sanctuary, photo by Kaitlin Svabek/SoWBA
The rains and changing weather provide another wonderful reason to visit Goose Pond. The pond is full of water and the waterfowl migration, delayed by warm weather, should start soon. The ducks, geese, and swans will find the pond in perfect condition as will birders. According to Mark Martin, there are the most clones of river bullrush in the west pond this fall than the Martins have seen in the past 45 years and they should provide ideal nesting habitat for marsh birds next year.
Seed collecting ended with yet another great burger and fries at the ever friendly and affordable Arlington Inn. I figure that 2 hours of seed collecting burns off burger and fries calories. Not sure that my waistline agrees. Huge thanks to Graham, Emma and our fellow seed collectors. For Graham, Emma, and our team of seasonal professionals, seed collecting is a job that is probably tedious some of the time. But they sure make it fun (and worthwhile) for us volunteers.
Take care,
Topf Wells, advocacy committee
