Narragansett, R.I. -- April 15, 2003 -- URI Friends of Oceanography at the Graduate School of Oceanography is offering a guided walk on Wednesday, April 30, from 2-4 p.m. at the Kimball Wildlife Refuge in Charlestown. "Take Time to Smell the Mayflowers" will be led by Lisa Gould, Executive Director of the Rhode Island Natural History Survey and author of books on plants in Rhode Island and along the eastern seaboard.

A resident of Usquepaugh, Gould will lead the group through the refuge, focusing on the trailing arbutus that line the paths there. She will also point out other spring wild flowers and flowering shrubs, such as wood anemone, shadbush, blueberries, bluets, and spicebush, and identify other trees, shrubs, and plants that may not be in bloom at the time. Participants will meet in the parking lot at 2 p.m.

Cost is $5 per person for Friends of Oceanography and $7 for others. Pre-registration is recommended. For more information or to register call 874-6642.

Gould graduated from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro with a bachelor's degree in biology and went on to attend graduate school at the University of Rhode Island, where she earned a Master of Science degree in Zoology, specializing in the ecology and behavior of birds. Since 1994 she has served as the Executive Director of the Rhode Island Natural History Survey, an umbrella

organization for ecological information in Rhode Island (for more

information, visit www.rinhs.org), and is a research associate with the URI Department of Natural Resources Science. Her current research interests are in plant ecology and the effect of invasive species on biodiversity. Publications include Coastal Plants from Cape Cod to Cape Canaveral (with Irene Stuckey) and Vascular Flora of Rhode Island (with Rick Enser, Richard Champlin, and Irene Stuckey). She is a well known local speaker and leader of history walks.

Established in 1985 to support and promote the activities of the URI Graduate School of Oceanography, Friends of Oceanography informs and educates the membership and the general public about the scientific, technological, and environmental research that takes place at GSO. The organization sponsors public lectures, open houses, marine-related mini-courses, science cruises on Narragansett Bay, and an annual auction. The Friends office is located in the Coastal Institute building on URI's Narragansett Bay Campus. For information about Friends of Oceanography, call 874-6602.