From January to May 2024, I took the Field Botany of San Diego Course led by Michael G Simpson, Lluvia Flores-Renteria, and many other wonderful teachers. So many amazing classes, this has been my favorite and most impactful course I’ve taken so far
January
Classroom – learning our native plants and how to use microscopes to identify them
February
Coastal Sage Scrub and Riparian – Mission Trails – Lluvia and Mike
Cactaceae – San Diego Natural History Museum – Jon Rebman
Mark Baker’s record from the 1970s. I met him while we were both doing desert surveys last spring outside of Barstow. He had a Botany is Bitchin sticker on his truck so I just had to meet the guy.inside the SDNH herbarium (well not the room exactly but next to it)Incredible research going on using herbarium specimens to find compounds that slow azlheimers
March
Vernal Pools – Miramar Landfill – Scott and Brenda McMillian
Holding Pogoyne abramsii !! an endangered vernal pool species
March
Monitoring and Quantifying Plant Populations – Crestridge Preserve – Jessie Vinjae and Margie Mulligan
Desert Adaptations – Anza Borrego – Jon Rebman (Ocotillo and Mountain Palm Springs)
