How did these exotic invasive plants get here from their native habitat, continent, or bioregion?  Why are the exotic invasives, for the most part, from Asia and other similar biomes?  Why do they become invasive?  What reproductive advantages do they have that allows their invasion?  Find out why and how these plants are detrimental to native plant communities and what we can do about them.

Instructor: Byron Brooks, Invasive Species Specialist
Elective Class: 4 hours credit for Certificate in Native Plants

Trees grow within narrow ecological limits. Cottonwoods don’t grow on mountain tops and spruce trees don’t grow in Tennessee river bottoms. The complex topography, geology, soils, and climate of Tennessee has resulted in highly diverse forests. But we know climate has changed in the past and is changing right now. A list of native trees of Tennessee 15,000 years ago would be completely different from the list of native trees now. Trees migrate as a result of changes in climate, not by picking up their roots and walking over a mountain, but due to changes in where seeds of various species can become established and grow. In a time of very rapid climate change, it is reasonable to consider what the future forests of Tennessee might be like, and what trees we might consider native.

This discussion will be divided into three parts. We will describe the trees of the past and present in Tennessee, then see how the current climate crisis might favor some trees and cause the loss of others, and we will finish by examining what we, as native tree enthusiasts should do in the face of the climate crisis. We will focus on trees, even though these changes affect all plant species, because we collect huge amounts of data about the health and growth of trees, but do not do the same for herbaceous plants. There will be plenty of time for discussion following each of these three segments.

Instructor: Tom Kimmerer, Ph.D.
Elective Class: 4 hours credit for Certificate in Native Plants

Learn about the botany of medicinal native plants of Appalachia, including how they are related (their families), how to identify them, where to look for them (their habitats), and their medicinal benefits. Also discussed will be ethical and sustainable harvest techniques and considerations, and various methods of processing. There will be plenty of time at the end for questions.

ELECTIVE class (4 credits)

This class will focus on identifying tree species based on forest ecology and taxonomy. In other words, we'll connect tree species to preferred site conditions, and differentiate closely-related (and distantly-related) lookalike species. We'll cover at least 45 species representing 30 genera and 20 families, however, the focus will be on learning ID skills rather than mastery of each tree.

We will alternate between the classroom and hiking on the property. The indoor portions will require a mask as we transition back to in-person events. Hiking shoes, water, snacks, notepads are recommended.

Instructor: Peter Stewart
ELECTIVE class (4 credits)

This class will focus on understanding the interactions between native plants and insect pollinators. We will discuss the mechanisms of pollination, including how pollinators choose which plants to visit. You will learn about insect biodiversity in the Eastern US and how to identify some of the common native pollinator species in the region. Additionally, we will discuss why native plants are a critical resource for supporting declining insect biodiversity and how to create a pollinator-friendly habitat in your own community.

Instructor: Emily Erickson, Ph.D.
ELECTIVE  class for the Certificate in Native Plants

This is a core class for the Certificate in Native Plants and offers 6 credits toward the program's completion. The goal of the class is to provide students with a basic understanding of botany which is critical to understanding how plants work in the natural world.  For example, what exactly is a Plant? Here we take a look at the qualities that plants share with other living things, as well as characteristics that set them apart. We also examine the range of different organisms that make up the plant kingdom. Specific topics include: living vs. non-living things, matter, energy, chemistry, cells and their functions, photosynthesis, respiration, natural and artificial selection, and the diversity of the plant world.

Instructors: Richard Clements, PhD & Mary Priestley
CORE Class (6 credits)

This course is a core course and provides 6 hours toward the completion of the Certificate in Native Plants program.  It is the second Botany course.  Looking together at plant cell types, tissue types, and major vegetative structures provides a background for understanding light and water requirements, soil preparation, composting, etc. We will also explore reproduction by examining some of the strategies and structures that plants use to continue life from generation to generation. Specific topics include: plant cell and tissue types, vegetative and reproductive organs, asexual reproduction, genetics, seeds, flowers, pollination, and fruits.

Instructors: Richard Clements, PhD & Mary Priestley
CORE Class (6 credits)