MPG North Field Note - Summer 2021

Beau Larkin shares summer observations of growing shrubs, toppled trees, and hanging spiders.

2021-08-03_BL-1.jpeg

Tiny bunchberry plants thrust their fruits above a collar of leaves, just a few inches from the ground

2021-08-03_BL-2.jpeg

A boxelder’s canopy spreads fleshy leaves near Home Pond.

2021-08-03_BL-3.jpeg

In July, many needles had yellowed and dropped, and new growth looked stunted, on girdled conifers near Home Pond.

2021-08-03_BL-4.jpeg

A winter storm snapped this Douglas-fir just above a dwarf mistletoe infestation.

2021-08-03_BL-5.jpeg

Many large trees blew down last winter, but this spruce fell between my recent visits on June 29th and July 13th

2021-08-03_BL-6.jpeg

This fresh cone is the first I’ve seen on a planted white pine at MPG North

2021-08-03_BL-7.jpeg

Sunlight bakes the planted exclosure near Old Camp, and competitive grasses gulp spring moisture.

2021-08-03_BL-8.jpeg

Rich, spongy soil from Entrance Marsh has alleviated some of the harshness of this site.

2021-08-03_BL-9.jpeg

The pink outline shows where the field crew applied the herbicide clopyralid to Canada thistle and mullein.

2021-08-03_BL-10.jpeg

Inside the pink circle, dense grasses have so far excluded weeds

2021-08-03_BL-11.jpeg

Non-native Deptford-pink abounds this year.

2021-08-03_BL-12.jpeg

I noticed a bowl-and-doily spider hanging upside down in its dome shaped web, waiting for prey

2021-08-03_BL-13.jpeg

I’ve noticed goldenrod in all restoration areas this year, its sudden abundance surprising me.

Posted on 8/13/2021 by Beau Larkin

Habitat Types:

Locations:

About MPG North

Established in 2005, the property boundary at MPG North encloses 200 undeveloped acres in Western Montana’s Swan Valley. Researchers and field staff manage the property to improve habitat quality for wildlife, discover new ways to restore damaged landscapes and study forest ecology. We also create opportunities to share what we've learned with local conservation organizations, students of all ages, management agencies and volunteers. Through these education and outreach efforts, we seek to inspire others to work together and protect undeveloped landscapes.