This is part of the Colorado Native Plant Society Southwest Chapter Group's annual Talk Series.

Presentation: Rare and Endemic Plants of the San Juan Basin

Presenter: Lauren Bansbach

Lyceum Room, Center of Southwest Studies, Fort Lewis College, Durango

The San Juan basin where Colorado and New Mexico meet is home to several rare and endemic plant species that occur nowhere else on Earth. Because of the outstanding biodiversity and unique geology, this region is considered a priority area for conservation and study. This talk will explore ecological stories of four plant species endemic to the badlands and rimrock of the San Juan basin: Aztec gilia, Brack's hardwall cactus, Mesa-Verde cactus, and Mancos milkvetch. Topics to be explored include long-term demographic trend monitoring, plant relationships with insects and soils, and conservation opportunities.

Lauren Bansbach Bio:

Lauren Bansbach is a rare plant botanist with the Bureau of Land Management in Santa Fe, New Mexico. She has a master’s degree in biology from the University of New Mexico where she studied Ponderosa pine seedling physiology after severe wildfire. She loves meeting new critters, rivers, rocks, and of course, plants.