On October 1, 2020, the CoNPS Bryophyte Group, called the Rocky Mountain Mossers conducted a bryophyte inventory of Lair ‘O Bear Park in Jefferson County. The bryophyte group newly formed during the 2020 Covid pandemic conducted their first bryophyte inventory at the park which is located in Jefferson County.
Three stalwart mossers, Ron Wittmann co-author of Bryophytes of Colorado, Stacey Anderson and Mo Ewing, visited the park on a beautiful October day to conduct their survey. No rare mosses were found, but the group did collect 20 species which represented a good representation of mosses native to the Douglas Fir forests found in the park.
The mosses were identified during the winter of 2021 with the help of three new members from New Mexico, Russ Kleinman, Karen Blissard and Kelly Allred three authors of Preliminary Guide to the Bryophytes of New Mexico.
The group plans to conduct their next inventory in the spring of 2021 in Unaweep Seep in the Unaweep Canyon, a geologically unique canyon that cuts across the Uncompahgre Plateau in Mesa County.