Population Dynamics of Pink Lady Slipper in Weston MA since 2014

The pink lady slipper (Cypripedium acaule) is an iconic understory plant of Massachusetts forests. It is easy to find and identify and is on the United States Forest Service list of white-tailed deer browse. Brian Donahue and members of the Weston Conservation Commission engaged a local garden club to start surveying trails for pink lady slippers. The project was designed to engage the community in a citizen science project that would bring community members into the discussion of conservation land management decisions. It also supports the long-term goal of linking white-tailed deer browse to lady slipper community dynamics.