Stephanie, the park biologist, asked for volunteers to help with a vegetation transect. This involves sectioning off a 20 meter by 50 meter area where different sizes of vegetation are recorded in order to obtain a general estimate of what kinds of vegetation are in a particular area of the park. Several people who are taking the Texas Master Naturalists class came to help out.
Beginning to measure off the area of the transect.
Some sections were difficult to squeeze through the thorny brush.
We began by recording all the vegetation in the entire 20m X 50m space that was larger than 6 inches
For the next task, one corner of the transect was marked off into a space 10m X 25m, and any vegetation between one inch and six inches was counted and identified by species.
This was a great opportunity to learn how to identify trees and plants that grow here in Southmost Texas. The group examined bark, leaves, thorns, and location to classify these plants.
Stephanie had made a measuring tool from some pvc pipe held together with rope. This tool was used to delineate a space 1m X 3m. Here we were to list all the plants in this area.
After this exercise, I can now identify at least four tree species that are native to this part of Texas! The question is---will I remember them by next year when we return?
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