Special Interest Group-Native Plants
Tour of the Unionville Serpentine Barrens at ChesLen Preserve
Friday, June 23 (Rain date Friday, June 30)
9:45 AM - 12:00 PM

Lenfest Center at ChesLen Preserve
1199 Cannery Rd
Coatesville, PA 19320

This event has been postponed to June 30th due to predicted rain on the 23rd.

 Tour Guide: Dr. Roger Latham

Serpentine barrens are an unusual geological formation where plate tectonics have heaved up a much deeper layer of the earth’s crust to the surface. The soil is laden with many minerals normally toxic or hostile to plant life. On these sites rare plants have evolved to tolerate such conditions.

The Unionville Serpentine Barrens are a part of Natural Lands Trust’s ChesLen Preserve in Unionville, Chester County, Pennsylvania. The Unionville Barrens have an exceptional diversity of native plants, including at least 15 plant species that are categorized as endangered, threatened, or rare. As the amount of serpentine grassland in this country declines, conservation efforts are needed to sustain these rare plant communities. Roger Latham has been a key player in the development and implementation of the restoration and management plan for the Unionville Serpentine Barrens (UnionvilleBarrensRestoration).

Dr. Latham will give us a tour of the Unionville Barrens and discuss the ongoing restoration efforts. This is a great opportunity to visit a unique ecosystem and see some of its rare plants in their spring glory.

Roger Latham earned his Ph.D. in biology at the University of Pennsylvania and has worked as a research ecologist, conservation biologist and environmental planner for over 40 years. Since 2000 he has been a full-time consultant, conducting applied research and planning for the National Park Service, The Nature Conservancy, Natural Lands Trust, Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, Audubon, Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, and other organizations and agencies involved in wildland restoration and management.

Open to members and non-members. Registration is required. Cost is $10 for members, $20 for nonmembers. Maximum number of attendees is 20.

This event is full.

Questions, email: Margaret Moore [email protected]