Roaming the Nev. desert in search of rare plants
By Patricia R. Olsen, New York Times
Janel Johnson, 39, is a botanist with the Nevada Natural Heritage Program in Carson City.
“We’re part of the Nevada Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. My group collects information about rare plants and animals in the Great Basin and Mojave deserts. I identify potential plant habitats on a map or aerial photograph, and travel to the plants. I’m also the webmaster. I’ve worked here for 13 years,” she said.
Builders use the information to know if an endangered species exists in a particular location. Findings also serve as a scientific record.