Photo by Tom Field, iNaturalist
Peter Steiner will guide us on a hike along the Le Have River. We will start north of New Germany at the site where he relocated Threadfoot Riverweed (Podostemum ceratophyllum). This was a lost species in Nova Scotia for over 20 years (he will tell us the background story). From there, we will stop by a bridge in town where we believe we saw some rare False Nettle (Boehmeria cylindrica). I noticed what I thought was common nettle out of the corner of my eye a month ago beside the bridge but was focusing on the hunt for the riverweed. I think (hope) it may be the False Nettle, an endangered species known to grow in the area. Next we will go to Pinehurst Provincial Park to look for Salix sericea. It is a vulnerable species also known only from a few sites along the river and nearby. Finally, we will head down to the Le Have estuary near Bridgewater to look along the shore for small balls of vegetation washed down from upriver that Podostemum produces. This is how it was originally discovered in Nova Scotia in the 80s.
Access should be fairly easy for most of the trip. Peter will be wearing waders to go into the river and pull out rocks with the riverweed attached to show us, but feel free to bring your own waders if you’d like to join him.
Please register at novascotiawildflora@gmail.com if you plan to attend. The coordinates for where to meet will be emailed to the registrants. Also, please let us know if you need a ride or can offer a ride.
