Start Date
10/12/2022
End Date
10/12/2022
Description
In this field session we will have a rare opportunity to observe and compare - on
a single site - planted and naturally occurring native landscapes varying in age
and management regime. Examined landscapes will include “warm-season grass”
meadows, cool-season grass pastures, restored pine-oak savanna, and dry/wet mixed
hardwood woodlands.
Many of these landscapes contain high levels of native species diversity, including
characteristic species of the Eastern Grassland. As a result of ecological and culturebased management procedures including selective timber harvests and prescribed
fire, many of the species have rebounded naturally from the present seed/rootstock
bank. At this site we will analyze the current plant communities, the natural and
human activities that led to them, and how to translate that information into designed
landscapes of various scales.
Location
Sparta, TN
Distance Learning
No
Course Equivalency
No
Subjects
Horticulture / Plants
Health, Safety and Welfare
Yes
Hours
6.0
Learning Outcomes
1. Learn how to assess the vegetative quality of various open field and woodland landscapes including species diversity, the balance of native and exotic species, and the presence or lack of conservative species.
2. Learn how varied planting and management protocols affect the resulting composition of native prairie and grassland restoration projects.
3. Learn how historic and recent human disturbance including agriculture, timber harvest, and prescribed burns can influence restoration and management protocols.
Instructors
Dwayne Estes & Larry Weaner
Course Codes
Provider
New Directions in the American Landscape