Editing Eastern Prickly Pear (section)

==== Exploration ====

Although the ASAP-hosted map of the Old Saybrook development area does pinpoint the location of ''O. humifusa'', the map itself is somewhat difficult to interpret due to the inclusion of planned roads that do not currently exist.  Thus, an examination of satellite imagery was conducted to identify all of the rocky glades in the vicinity which could potentially serve as ''O. humifusa'' habitat.  I found approximately five (5) glades that were worth exploring.

===== May 27, 2012 =====

On May 27, 2012, I conducted a field exploration (~1.5-mile loop hike) of rocky forest in northern Old Saybrook.  The forest was accessed on foot from Essex Road (Route 153) in Westbrook, Connecticut via a powerline cut.  This exploration focused upon five (5) rocky glades within the forest, each within close range of the mapped colony of ''O. humifusa'' identified on proposed development plans for the area.

I succeeded in finding a colony of ''O. humifusa'' upon one of the five rocky glades previously identified.  Surprisingly, other rocky glades which I had identified, and which offered similar habitat, yielded no further evidence of the presence of ''O. humifusa''.