McCoy Fen
Joined the NEON group at 9AM at McCoy Fen (Southern Ashtabula county). Jim Bissell led about 10 of us (students, stewards (Stanley and Charlie), a high school teacher (Marlene?) through this very rich fen. Immediately on descending the wooded hill we emerged into a open area of perhaps 50x80m (they cleared 10' brush out in the recent past Jim said), which was almost wall to wall knee high sedges of various kinds (stricta, flava, interior, others). Lots of poison sumac bushes and seedlings. Soil was mucky but occasionally had a lot of bounce. No obvious sphagnum, not very many bryophytes. Tall meadow rue was the main flowering species, along with glossy buckthorn (we snapped off flowering and fruiting branches whenever the opportunity arose). Jim had the usual amazing assortment of detailed records, distribution, and plant history. As usual, most of these plants are incredibly rare. Lots of discussion about typha - several of the students are helping with a project on that and Jim has heard some recent reports on them. Jim says that growth form is a key element of id - if they make a monoculture, they are probably nonnative. Delightful day, wonderful information, and a lot of fun.
