The Ames Collection: Research and Curation of the Life and Legacy of Botanist Mary E. Pulsifer Ames
March 19, 2026
7:00 – 8:00 PM (Via Zoom)
with Vanessa C. Stevens
Register in advance for this meeting:
https://csuchico.zoom.us/meeting/register/G8lIDclZRIWVFbGYk67Pqw
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UC Jepson Herbarium volunteer and researcher Vanessa C. Stevens has been organizing and curating the collection of California botanist, Mary E. Pulsifer Ames (1843-1902). Specimens in the Ames collection range from 120 to 150 years old, and include vascular plants, marine algae, and cryptograms collected in California, the continental United States and around the world. Vanessa is working to integrate this collection into the University and Jepson Herbaria, housed at UC Berkeley.
In addition to researching Ames’ collections, Vanessa partnered with museums, libraries, and individuals to uncover outlines of Ames’ life and research. Historical archives including in the Oakland History Center, Plumas County Museum and Mt. Jura Gem Society, and Indian Valley Museum in Plumas County, store context about unique California pioneers like Mary Ames. This research involved letter transcription, expanded family searches, and chronological ordering Ames’ specimen collections, revealing her network of contacts, exchanges, explorations, and time in the field. By gathering these puzzle pieces, Vanessa has “begun to breathe life into this botanist’s work and her lost legacy”.
Vanessa C. Stevens was a Regerative Agriculture & Resilient Systems scholar and is now a graduate student in Interdisciplinary Studies/Wildland Management at CSU Chico. She is the co-founder and treasurer of the Chico chapter of the Student Association for Fire Ecology (SAFE) and Student Board Member of Northern California Botanists. Environmental Consultant and Conservation Analyst, Vanessa identifies as a Geographer, Botanist, Artivist and Good Fire Practitioner, or in general, a Wandering Wonderer.
PHOTOS: Wikipedia portrait of Ames, & provided by Vanessa Stevens