V15-1, Fall 2001 – Robyn Klein on “Wildcrafting in Montana” and the background for 2001 Montana legislation governing commercial practices; Kim Goodwin and Roger Sheley on the need for a plan to control “Noxious Weeds after Fire”; and a Big Sky Sketch on “Common Juniper” by Spencer Shropshire, along with a key to four species.
V15-2, Winter 2002 – “Of Moss and Men” by Joe Elliot; “Wetland Plants… On the Road Again” by Peter Lesica; “Conducting Weed Risk Assessments after Wildfire” by Maria Mantas (follow-up to article in v15-1); a Big Sky Sketch on “Chokecherries” by Scott Miles (including a sidebar syrup recipe!); and a Small Grant Report, “Noxious Weeds… Bandits in our Woods” by Jami Belt.
V15-3, Spring 2002 – “Frederick Pursh and the Lewis and Clark Expedition, Part 1” by H. Wayne Phillips tells how this German botanist played a key role documenting the botany of the expedition; “Coal Bed Methane and Plants,” plant conservation report and commentary by Clayton McCracken; “Eschew Peat, for Pete’s Sake!” by Joe Elliott, commenting on the negative impacts of peat mining with a modest proposal to substitute compost for peat in the garden; and a Big Sky Sketch on “Montana Blue Violet: More than Just a Pretty Face” by Jim Habeck tells many fascinating aspects of violet life.
V15-4, Summer 2002 – “Frederick Pursh and the Lewis and Clark Expedition, Part 2” by H. Wayne Phillips completes the story started in the spring edition; “What Good is a Sterile Stamen?” by Peter Lesica discusses the birds and the bees and the genus Penstemon; “One Man’s Weed is Another Man’s Wildflower” by Pattie Brown comments on the relative subjectivity of weed identification and management; “Protecting our Heritage” by Kim Goodwin and Roger Sheley presents practical suggestions to help limit the spread of weeds and control weed infestations; A statement on the MNPS position on “Coal Bed Methane” by Peter Lesica; Peter Lesica comments on Society efforts to limit negative effects of exotics in “Preventing Exotic Plant Invasions”; and a Big Sky Sketch, “Montana Asters… the Stars of Summer” by Roberta Walsh, is a wonderful swan song to our asters and how to distinguish among asters, fleabanes, and townsendias – at least, before all the aster renaming, which Drake Barton discusses in a sidebar comment a few pages earlier on.
