» Research
Field Projects - National Park Service
In 2002, North Cascades National Park (NOCA) contracted the WTU Herbarium to organize a series of plant collecting trips to generate vouchers of the park's flora. We have continued these trips each year since, and beginning in 2004 we expanded the trips to include Mount Rainier National Park (MORA) and Ebey's Landing National Historic Reserve on Whidbey Island.
Select a park from the map at right or the list below to view trip photos, maps, and results for each park.
North Cascades National Park ComplexMount Rainier National Park
Ebey's Landing National Historical Reserve
View combined summary statistics for all NOCA and MORA trips from 2002-2007.
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- Collecting in Fisher Creek Basin, North Cascades National Park, 2003.
- Photo: Jeff Walker
Methods
Each year NOCA and WTU staff decide on collecting sites based on floristic richness or the lack of previous inventory work, then lead one or more 3-4 day collecting trips to those sites, with support from WTU volunteers. Specimen processing occurs at WTU, which includes making identifications, label making, and mounting over a period of several months following the collecting trip. Specimens in the field are collected in replicate, with the first set housed at the park herbarium, the second kept at WTU, and the third set generally sent to UBC.