Native Plant Communities

This course is a core course and provides 6 hours toward the completion of the Certificate in Native Plants program.

Plant communities are assemblages of plant species living together in a given place.  Interactions among plant species, interactions plants have other organisms (such as animals and fungi), and interactions plants have with their physical environment (such as climate, topography, geology, and disturbance) all work together to determine the composition and structure of plant communities over time.  In this course, will examine the ecological properties of plant communities by exploring plant habitats on the southern Cumberland Plateau.  We will also discuss the benefits and challenges of protecting native plant communities in Tennessee.  Part of the class will be in the classroom and part will be in the field, so some walking will be involved.  Some students have found the hiking involved challenging. This class will be held at the University of the South, Sewanee, TN.

Instructor:  Jonathon Evans, PhD, Professor of Biology at the University of the South in Sewanee, TN.    His research in plant ecology focuses on plant population dynamics and the processes that determine the composition and structure of plant communities over time and across landscapes. He is specifically interested in the role of clonal growth as a mechanism for population persistence in plant communities. He also studies land-use history and exotic species introductions as drivers of long-term change in forest communities. Much of his research is conducted within ecosystems of the southern United States, concentrated on the southern Cumberland Plateau and on the coastal barrier islands.

Registration Policy:  As with all Certificate in Native Plants classes, class size is limited.  To give everyone the best opportunity to participate, there is a non-refundable cancellation fee of $10, with the balance refunded if you cancel at least 7 calendar days before the class will be held.  If the class is cancelled by the instructor or the CNP program, registrants will get a full refund.  

If you do not pay online, you will need to mail your check to Wild Ones-Tennessee Valley Chapter, 4918 Marlow Drive, Red Bank, TN 37415.  Please put the date of the program in the memo line as well as the last name of the person you are registering.  You will not be registered until your payment is received.