Education

What's that Weed?!

• Sweet
• Beautiful
• Relevant

Have you ever said to yourself “I see that same weed over and over and I still do not know what it is.”  What better way to educate people on plants and natural history than to provide a pocket guide to urban everyday plants!  Sure they are usually weedy and can be scraggly and annoying, but they live where we live and make up the bulk of what we consider these days to be our natural heritage.  And, like us, they thrive in disturbed, urban landscapes.  

I am a botanist and have always dreamed of making a highly localized field guide that is small, informative, and can be kept in your car (or on your portable device).  The plan is to publish the project in a compact hard-copy and, ultimately, as an “app.”  The original publication will be made for the city of San Antonio but will serve as a template for other regions.

The guide will provide, for each species, general information and fascinating facts and two types of photos – those dedicated to recognizing plants in the field and those dedicated to the more botanical understanding of the species and their relatives.  The latter will require high quality macro-photographs and this is where my request for funding begins!

I have all the skills I need.  I have a PhD in ecology and am trained in plant identification.  I love weedy species (it’s my research focus).  I have small children who remind me to look at the details of our world.  I also have experience in photography and have designed guidebooks in the past.  Finally, I have a great guide in camera work as my husband is an artist and has worked in commercial photography.  

So, that brings me to what I need now.  I have the lenses I need from my traditional SLR days but need a new camera body.  And, to make macro-photographs of high quality that elucidate plant features, I will also need specialized flashes and a tripod rig. 

Please know that RocketHub is a medium for raising funds for innovation.  If I do not reach the financial goal that I set, I keep what I raise.  Your assistance helps me fulfill my dream to make a broader contribution to my community and the study of natural history!  Knowledge of biodiversity = conservation of biodiversity!    

Thanks for your support!