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Urban
Campus Class Spotlight
Biology
172 - Restoration of Native Plant Communities
Class
Photos
Restoration
Project |
1. A "before" shot of the oak savanna at Saylorville
Lake prior to the Biology 172 class starting their fall project.
Note the dense understory depriving the lower oak branches of
sun, not to mention the potentially rich plant community in
the ground cover layer.
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2. Students were required to learn restoration ecology theory
as well, so some time was spent in class with lectures, guest
speakers and discussing research papers on ecological restoration.
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3. The same site as in #1, but several weeks into the restoration
process. Note the structure of the oak trees is more obvious.
Sunlight will now reach the ground hopefully stimulating the
long dormant seedbed that contains native wildflowers and
savanna grasses.
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4. Field Biology students (Biol. 126) working in the Little
Bluestem Prairie in Boone County. Students did not really want
to come home that day. Some even told the instructor that they
had flashlghts, so why not stay and finish the job? Restoring
the "place where you live" as students have articulated,
becomes an act of commitment and joy, not just a common field
trip. As the instructor of these classes for several years now,
I find the activity/work, very addictive, in a healthy way.
We become habituated to fresh air, sunshine, physical work and
a valuable visible product at the end of the day.
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5. Students captioned this shot as: "The motly crew...
We are hot, sweaty and loving our hands - on restoration class"
quote from Shawna McNamara. Students from left to right: Jared
Newman, Merrilyn Kness, Jo Hudson, Tim Wermers, Joey Fagen,
Shawna McNamara, Kate Solko, Nate Reiter and Megan Clark.
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Harvest
Time |
DMACC Biology Instructor Danielle Wirth is pictured in Little
Bluestem Prairie last fall. The DMACC field biology class was
on site at Little Bluestem Prairie clearing invasive plants
and harvesting rare prairie wildflower seed and Little Bluestem
grass seeds. |
LIttle Bluestem
Prairie, S. Boone County. Field Biology (Biology 126) harvesting
rare wildflower and grass seeds from this site in cooperation
with the Iowa Dept. of Natural Resources. Students experienced
a successful harvest day because in the summer, the Biology
172 class (Restoration of Native Plant Communities) cleared
out the invading woody shrubs that shaded the prairie, thus
releasing the lovely prairie wildflowers so they could thrive
in the sunshine. Prior to the removal of invasive species, Steve
Espeland, Bill Johnson, and other biologists from the Iowa Dept.
of Natural Resources conducted several prescribed burns that
helped to remove invasive woody plants and also stimulate the
long dormant prairie plants.
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Field Biology - (Biol. 126) Students Tim Glennon and Candace
Loy are harvesting Lead plant seeds growing among the Little
Bluestem grass. The DNR experienced high mortality of Lead plant
seeds in their green house. Also, production plots in Northern
Iowa, where the DNR was growing Lead Plant, were not as productive
as they had hoped. DMACC students collected a significant amount
of Lead Plant to help in the prairie restoration efforts for
the entire state of Iowa. Good Work Team!
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Return
to Biology 172 Class Spotlight Page
Other
Websites:
Women's
Studies Website at Iowa State University
Environmental Studies at Iowa State University
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