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AUGUSTA — The Maine Natural Areas Program has partnered with the Maine Natural History Observatory and Stantec, of Tospham, to produce a user-friendly field guide to the grasses and rushes of Maine. The professional quality guide bridges the gap between highly technical field manuals and generalized overviews and fosters better understanding and appreciation of the ecologically and economically important plant families.
“Grasses and Rushes of Maine” will enable the general public, natural resource professionals, land managers, scientists, students and others to recognize over 200 species of grasses and rushes that occur in Maine, including rare and invasive species. The guide serves as a complement to “Sedges of Maine – A Field Guide to Cyperaceae,” which was released in 2013.
A book signing with the authors will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 22, at the Stantec office at 30 Park Drive, Topsham. Books will be available for purchase and signing by the authors. Light fare and beverages will be provided.
Grasses and rushes are dominant components of many ecosystems including freshwater wetlands, tidal marshes, woodlands, alpine areas, sand dunes and managed fields. the two plant families contribute to a large portion of the flora in Maine, including a number of rare species.
The guide includes introductory material on the two plant families, a glossary that describes key characteristics and a series of photo-driven keys that allow the user to quickly gain an understanding of an unknown species. Detailed descriptions for each species are accompanied by high resolution images of distinctive features, as well as discussions of the preferred habitat and statewide distribution.
The project is a collaborative effort between Don Cameron, botanist and ecologist with the Maine Natural Areas Program, Glen Mittelhauser, director of the not-for-profit Maine Natural History Observatory in Gouldsboro, Matt Arsenault, senior botanist and ecologist with Stantec in Topsham, and Eric Doucette, assistant professor of biology at the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts. Funding for the guide was provided by the Maine Outdoor Heritage Fund, Stantec,and the Maine Natural History Observatory.
The book is available now through the Maine Natural History Observatory, University of Maine Press or Amazon.com.
