Can forestry and prairie applications be productively covered in a one semester course, or does this idea belong in the brush pile of failed teaching experiments? I will describe the syllabus and activities derived after teaching the course three times, and report lessons learned, student reaction, and career outcomes. As a fall course, the first half of the semester was focused on prairie restoration, the second half on forestry applications. Students had weekly quizzes to learn common names of plant species. They took four exams and wrote group management plans for local landowners who asked for assistance. Labs were focused on species identification, preparation of a management plan, and pest problems. Students interviewed stakeholders, filled out checkoff forms as they searched for problems and solutions, and took part in real restoration activities.
Results/Conclusions
The course drew uncommon success and the author will speculate why. Students gained a better understanding of their own property and those in the local area, leading to nature interpretation and field technician jobs. They discovered hidden interests in botany. They gained new interests in ecology, biogeography, seed propagation, and Native American history.