Earth Week

Earth Week is that time of year that many people come together to celebrate nature, be thankful for a functioning biosphere and to raise public awareness about keeping the environment healthy. Earth Day is on April 22nd and is held in honor of planet Earth. At SUNY ESF, we take the time to celebrate the Earth over the period of an entire week revolving around Earth Day. Activities range from community service and clean-up to clothing repurposing to informative sessions connecting ESF science and the environment. At its core, Earth Week is about learning how to do your part to create a more sustainable future for generations to come.

During this week, on various days and times, booths will be set-up on the ESF quad showcasing different clubs as well as additional Earth Week activities. The Ecology of Mosses class, will have a table set-up along the border of the ESF quad at approximately 11am on Friday April 23rd. At this booth there will be numerous activities designed to teach as well as enhance visitor’s knowledge of the moss community. These include a guided walk around campus to identify common local bryophytes. There will also be microscopes with mosses set-up to allow one to see the complexity of mosses close-up. Finally, students designed a moss bingo to help familiarize players with names of some of the more common mosses found in the northeast.
Come join us and learn a lot about our little friends!

Eric Patch

Bryoblitz: Oakwood Cemetary Results

The Bryoblitz team found ten mosses in Oakwood cemetery that they have identified:

Orthotrichum anomalum
Brachythecium sp.
Mnium cuspidatum
Fissidens taxifolius
Bryum argenteum
Atrichum angustatum
Climacium dendroides
Thuidium delicatulum
Anomodon attenuatus
Polytrichum juniperinum

These are, of course, not all of the mosses in the cemetery, but they are some of the most common. Chances are if you come across a moss in the cemetery, it is likely one of these!