IMPORTANT: Please first read or print out the instructions below.

This webpage offers you the opportunity to become a registered user for multiple submissions. This becomes particularly important if you plan to submit more than a single sample. By registering your information (name, affiliation, email) will be automatically retrieved and pasted into the appropriate form fields if you submit a new sample.

Register for multiple submissions -- Details Below

INSTRUCTIONS -- Printable Format (opens in Window for easy printing)

CHECKLIST:

BEFORE YOU GO INTO THE FIELD PLEASE MAKE SURE TO TAKE THE FOLLOWING:

 1.      GPS unit or topographic map
 2.      Clippers to cut Phragmites stems
 3.      Zip-lock or plastic bags to store samples
 4.      Paper to record site information. Use printout of form from web
 5.      Pencil or pen (no ink please)
 6.      Camera

 1.      Use the checklist to assemble the necessary tools and materials.
 2.      Once you arrive at the sampling location please take a picture of the stand (or several)
 3.      Fill out all pertinent information on the form sheet. Use data form provided on the web ( Printable Form)
 4.      Record GPS (Lat/Long) coordinates.
 5.      Walk to the stand and cut 5 stems from last years growing season. Cut stems at base of shoot as far down as possible.  Fold each stem individually and place into plastic bag. During the growing season when green stems from the current year are available, please also cut 5 green stems. Follow procedures as outlined above for older stems. Please place green stems into a separate plastic bag. If you continue to another sampling location, please make sure your samples are clearly marked with site name, GPS location etc. Ideally a piece of paper with this information should be kept in each plastic bag secured to the stems.
 6.   Once you return from the field, please enter all information via our website. Each sampling location will receive a unique reference number assigned by our website. You will receive this reference number once you submit and approve the information you entered. Please make a printout of this information for your own records and place a copy into the plastic bag with the old stems and another copy into the bag with the green stems. We will receive many samples and this system allows us to keep track of the samples and reduce mix-ups.
 7.      During the growing season when green stems are shipped, please send material ASAP after field collection. Please avoid sending samples that are wet since they will get moldy quickly. Otherwise, samples will last in plastic bags for a few days. Ideally they should arrive in Ithaca within 2-3 days after collection.  This is less urgent for samples collected during the dormant season but avoid moist samples as well.
 8.      Place clearly labeled samples into shipment box or envelope and mail to:

Bernd Blossey
Department of Natural Resources
Fernow Hall, Cornell University
Ithaca, NY 14853

This webpage offers you the opportunity to become a registered user for multiple submissions. This becomes particularly important if you plan to submit more than a single sample. By registering your information (name, affiliation, email) will be automatically retrieved and pasted into the appropriate form fields if you submit a new sample. This will save significant time typing.

If you are planning to submit several samples from various locations (now or in the future), please first chose “Register for Multiple Submissions”.  After filling out the form you will receive an ID-number which you can use to logon the site.  If at anytime you forget your ID-number or password please contact Raj Smith at raj.smith@cornell.edu. 
 
If you need to make changes because your affiliation, phone or email has changed, please click on “Update".

HOW TO FILL OUT THE FORM -- Printable Form

Fields 1-9: These fields are self explanatory

Field 10: Name of collection site. Please be specific, we have allowed sufficient space for you to enter this information. For example if your collection site is a National Wildlife refuge, enter more than the NWR name. For example : West side of brown pond along feeder ditch. You may want to give a short name and then a more elaborate description. All submitted sample will automatically receive a unique identification number. This number will appear on the confirmation screen you will see once you submit the information. All samples will be tracked and referenced by this number.

Field 11: Please enter the day the samples were collected. The morphological characters change throughout the growing season and over the winter. It is important to keep track of the actual collection date. Please submit samples that contain green stems ASAP after collections.

Fields 12-14: Longitude/Latitude. We will create a North American distribution map of native and introduced Phragmites using your samples. This requires accurate location information. If you are unable to provide GPS location information, use UTM coordinates and transform into Lat/Long. If neither is available to you use a topographic map to interpolate GPS coordinates. Please check the appropriate box in Field 14 so we know how the information was derived. If you are unable to provide this information, please submit a photocopy of a road atlas with the location clearly indicated. Please use a separate map for each sample you are submitting or clearly label sampling sites.

Field 15. Habitat. Please check one of the provided categories. If none of the provided ones fit, please provide a new category and a description of the site.

Field 16. Growing conditions. There is some indication that native Phragmites may not be able to tolerate continuous flooding while introduced Phragmites thrives under these circumstances. You information about the growing conditions will be extremely useful. We recognize that this can be only a “snapshot” but we consider it worthwhile.

Field 17. Size of population. Please estimate the extent of your Phragmites patch. Chose one of our broad categories.

Field 18. Appearance of stand. Native Phragmites appears often less dense but not always. Mostly because old stems appear to decompose faster. We need additional information to assess whether this is a general patterns across NA.

Field 19. Digital photos. We would like to create a photo library of growing locations across North America. We have already begun this collection and your photos would be a great addition. We will give appropriate credit for all photos we opt to use. If you have only prints or slides, we welcome these as well and will create digital images if you send us copies. When submitting images, please clearly label them with the unique identification number you will receive when submitting information for each sample. In those cases where the person submitting the information is not the photographer, please provide this info as well so we can give credit accordingly. You mail email digital images with the date and location of the images to bb22@cornell.edu