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Fall 2024 Vegetation Surveys at LBJWC

The information below just arrived about the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center’s Fall 2024 Vegetation Survey taking place in October. See below for info about LBJWC’s volunteer training and to signup with LBJWC.

From LBJWC: Greetings and happy Fall,

You’re officially invited to volunteer for Fall 2024 Vegetation Survey research with the Science & Conservation Team at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center!

The University of Texas Austin’s Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center is home to one of the University’s longest-running ecological research efforts. Over twenty years ago, with the aid of students and volunteers, the Center’s Science & Conservation staff began to study land management techniques, looking at the effects of prescribed fire and mowing on plant communities. Our research has been published in peer-reviewed journals and is beginning to be applied and adopted on our UT campuses, creating healthier landscapes and demonstrating best practices in ecological restoration and land management.

Help us conduct this ecological research by participating in our upcoming Spring 2024 Vegetation Survey! This hands-on field work includes training in species coverage estimation and native plant identification along our vegetation transect lines. We’ll provide plant identification manuals, and surveys will be conducted in small teams with staff members present for assistance. Please come prepared to work in the field and bring items such as snacks, water bottles, close-toed shoes, sun protection like sunglasses, hats and sunblock, and anything else that will facilitate your comfort outside! 

All experience levels are welcome! Training is optional for anyone who has volunteered with the survey in the past. New survey participants are required to attend one 4-hour training class at the Center and also must commit to at least two 4-hour field sessions during the 2-week Spring Vegetation Survey season. Training session attendees will meet in the Volunteer Room in the Administration Building (located behind the Tower and labeled “Building 8” on the Center map) before we move as a group to the Classrooms on the basement level of the Great Hall (“Building 3” on the Center map).

For new volunteers, please select one of the following training sessions: 

  • Friday 10/4 from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM
  • Friday 10/11 from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM
  • Saturday 10/12 from 12:00 to 4:00 PM

Fall Vegetation Survey days are:

  • Thursday October 17
  • Friday October 18
  • Saturday October 19
  • Thursday October 24
  • Friday October 25
  • Saturday October 26

The available veggie survey shifts for each day are below:

  • Morning shift from 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM
  • Afternoon shift from 2:00 PM – 6:00 PM
  • Both Morning and Afternoon shifts from 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM with an hour lunch break from 1:00-2:00 PM

You can either pick one of two available shifts for each survey day you register for, or you can register for both shifts in one day if you’d like to hangout longer!

Information Round-Up:

  • Meeting Place: Volunteer Room in Administration Building (“Building 8” on Center map).
  • We’ll provide: Water, snacks, plant ID manual, kneeling pads, pencils, datasheets, pocket loupes for magnifying small plant details
  • Please bring/wear: Water bottle, long pants, closed toed shoes
  • Optional, but suggested: Hat, sunglasses, sunscreen, kneeling pad or knee pads, your own fancier pocket loupe
  • Activity: Volunteers and staff will work in small teams to identify as many sweet little plants as we can. We’ll help you learn to recognize these plants, so don’t worry if you don’t know any right now. We’ll be walking from plot to plot and kneeling down frequently and often in tall grass, so please come prepared for 4+ hours spent outside on survey days. 
  • Register here online: 

    For questions about survey scheduling, email LBJWC’s Manager of Volunteer Service Carrie McDonald at [email protected]. For questions about the surveys themselves, email Alex Ciongoli at [email protected].