July 2025

Overall

• Emma, Hank and Sean completed one of their major field events of the season, collecting data on butternut trees in Vermont. During the trip they also participated in a research summit with colleagues across several states and from Canada. Participants included several US Forest Service personnel, a retired professor, a private landowner, and members of the Forest Gene Conservation Association of Ontario. We collected detailed health and habitat data on 57 trees at two properties, discussed future data collection and analysis, found and protected several seedlings, and discussed the ecology and management of forests to facilitate butternut health.
  • Emma, Hank and Sean also participated in an outreach event associated with their butternut work. They helped facilitate a forest walk for youth of the Abenaki tribe of Vermont. The forest walk introduced the youth to butternuts, as well as the disease which is harming the tree, and some of the differences in forest habitats. Twenty youth participated, led by the tribal chief.

Presentations

• Austin virtually presented to about 150 attendees of the Texas Plant Conservation Conference at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in Austin, Texas. He shared his research examining the genetics of Quercus tardifolia, a rare red oak in southwest Texas which was thought to have gone extinct until field surveys in 2022 located an individual tree in Big Bend National Park. 
• Much of the team presented at Botany in Palm Springs! We met up with collaborators from other gardens and institutions, hiked in the San Jacinto Mountains, and presented our research! Presentations listed below.
  • Rebecca Wanger, former REU and REEF: “Exploring the demographic, spatial, and environmental traits of the climate relict Arroyo Oak to investigate water dependency”
  • Ash Hamilton, Research Affiliate and PhD student, “Defying expectations: resolving the Forest Fragmentation Paradox… while navigating physical disability”
  • Dana Barry, Research Aide in Rare Plants and RAMP participant, “Evaluating success of a community-driven conservation program for an endangered Mexican oak”
  • Austin Koontz, Research Affiliate, “Population genetics of the Southwest Texas red oaks: characterizing North America’s most elusive oak”
  • Jesse Parker, Masters degree candidate, “Genetic Diversity, Structure, and Introgression in Quercus bicolor: Comparing the Range Core and Southern Margin”
  • Antonio Castilla, Assistant Professor, Oklahoma State University: “Tracing the Past, Projecting the Future: An Integrated Approach to Species Distribution Modeling.” Two students in Antonio’s lab also presented posters on Quercus havardii, building off of prior CTS Fellow work.