Doerun Pitcher Plant Bog

event full, now taking wait list

Part of Eco-A’s Rare Environments of GA, Sat April 9, 11AM – 4PM

Few realize the Southeastern United States holds more native biodiversity than other parts of North America and indeed rivals most places on the planet. Many rare niche habitats occur in Georgia, which we feature in Eco-A’s Rare Environments series funded by the Ecology Wildlife Foundation.

Pitcher plants are rare carnivorous plants, which like the well-known venus fly traps, derive many of their nutrients from the insects they trap in leaves that have grown into shapes capable of catching, holding and digesting prey. All but one species of North America’s pitcher plants (Sarracenia) are found only in the Southeast.

 photo © Alan Cressler (https://www.flickr.com/photos/alan_cressler/) from DiscoverLife (http://www.discoverlife.org) 

Doerun Pitcher Plant Bog is a 651-acre tract located by the Ochlockonee River, east of Albany, featuring several pitcher plant bog habitats in a 100 acre area. This rare environment is being restored to its natural state and hosts a Longleaf pine and Wiregrass meadow/forest, one of the most biodiverse forest floor ecosystems on earth.  Gopher tortoise burrows are also found here, and there is a small lake lined with Tupelo trees.

Former President of the Georgia Native Plant Society, Kathryn Gable, serves as Eco-A guest naturalist. “I call her the Bog Queen,” says George Sanko, founder and director of the Georgia Perimeter College Native Botanical Garden, with whom Kathryn Gable worked for 9 years, focusing on meadow environments and on designing the garden’s first pond with bog garden. Gable will also include tips on how to grow carnivorous plants in gardens at home.

We’ll meet at 11:00 AM at Nether’s restaurant in Sylvester, Georgia, about a 2.5 hour drive from Atlanta. We’ll collect ourselves, have lunch, then head on to the Doerun natural area about 15 minutes away. There are no facilities at the natural area.

We’ll walk approximately 1/2 – 1 miles on natural trails that are not always maintained, so long pants and sturdy shoes are recommended.

This event is made possible in part by the Ecology Wildlife Foundation

 To register (RSVP) click HERE  – details and directions will be sent to registered participants.   
A donation of $15 or more helps sustain our programs.

above photos by Kathryn Gable, Sarracenia leucophylla (left) and Sarracenia flava (right)