Mary DeDecker Botanical Grant Program
In 2001, the Bristlecone Chapter established this grant program as a fitting tribute to a renowned local botanist and a beloved founding member of our chapter. The purpose of these grants is to continue the good work and honor the memory of Mary DeDecker by facilitating research and projects that increase the understanding and appreciation of our region's native flora and ecosystems. The only requirement is that the project be relevant to the native plants of the northern Mojave Desert, Sierra Nevada, and Great Basin portions of eastern California.
Grant recipients receive up to $500 each for expenses and are asked to present their results to the Bristlecone Chapter either at a regular meeting or in the chapter newsletter. The request for proposals is sent to universities and schools in September with the deadline for submissions in early December. Applicants will be notified by the end of January.
We have awarded grants to graduate students for research on various ecological, taxonomic and physiological aspects of our native flora. We have also funded an education program on native plants for local schools.
These grants are supported by the annual native plant sale.
Previous Grant Awards
Recent Recipients
2010 DeDecker Grant Recipients:
Local Recipients
Graduate Student Recipients
- Paul Hankamp, San Francisco State University, phylogeny of Leptosiphon
- Rebecca Stubbs, San Francisco State University, phylogeny of Polemonium
2009 DeDecker Grant Recipients
Projects Previously Funded (2004 or earlier):
- Flora of the Glass Mountain Region, Mono County, CA
- Ruth Timme, San Francisco State University - Phylogenetic analysis of the genus Polemonium (polemoniaceae) using both molecular sequence data and morphological characters
- Eve Laeger - Survey and Collection of Bryoflora in the deserts and mountains
- Linah Ababneh, University of Arizona - The response of high altitude subalpine pine forests to elevated CO2 and nitrogen dispositions
- Hester Bell, Ranch Santa Ana Botanic Garden - Swallenia alexandrae and its relationship to Distichlis (Saltgrass)
- Valentine Eastern Sierra Reserve's Outdoor Education Program - The Native Plant Project
- Aaron Bagge, University of California, Santa Cruz - Why do hummingbird-pollinated plants produce dilute nectar? Plant fitness tradeoffs between nectar concentration and pollination in Ipomopsis aggregata
Apply for a Grant
Mary DeDecker Botanical Grant Application (pdf)
- New request for proposals will be posted and sent out annually in September
- Grant Deadline is early December
- Applicants will be notified of award by the end of January
- For more information, contact the DeDecker Botanical Grants Coordinator at grants@bristleconecnps.org