NEW
GRADUATE COURSE SPARKS
LOCAL SERVICE LEARNING
OPPORTUNITY
BLACKSBURG,
Oct. 21, 2003 -- A
new graduate seminar
offered in the College
of Natural Resources
at Virginia Tech engages
students in learning
to tackle real life
issues, in this case,
the effects of vegetation
control and restoration
along Toms Creek in
Blacksburg. The class,
Riparian Planting
Case Study, consists
of five graduate students
under the instruction
of Carola Haas, associate
professor of fisheries
and wildlife sciences.
Virginia
Tech, the Town of
Blacksburg, Blacksburg
Natural Heritage Foundation
and other local organizations
have been planning
a five-star restoration
project. The habitat
restoration and improvement
project is located
along a section of
Toms Creek on property
owned by the town
of Blacksburg, known
as the former Brown
Farm. Haas' course
is designed to help
the local group understand
the problem of exotic
invasive plants and
the costs and benefits
of vegetation control
along waterways in
the area of restoration.
Through research,
students will provide
information as to
how to successfully
establish plantings
and reduce the negative
impacts on native
wildlife.
"The focus of the
class is for students
to engage in a hands-on
experience with a
project in action,"
Haas said. "It is
important for the
students to understand
the complexity of
the project and all
of the factors involved."
Haas
described the class
as an "excellent service
learning opportunity."
By the end of the
course, students will
have greater knowledge
of alternative methods
of the control of
exotic invasive plants.
"Students will develop
a report outlining
pros and cons of the
different methods
of controlling exotic
invasive plants at
this site, with an
emphasis on the effects
of wildlife populations,"
Haas noted.
As
students do research
both in the classroom
and onsite, professors
from different areas
of study within the
university will join
the class to help
the students understand
each aspect of the
project. Lee Skabelund,
research professor
of landscape architecture
and head of the restoration
project, will give
students an overview
of the project and
his ideas for improving
the area. Bruce Hull,
professor of forestry,
is teaching how to
define natural areas
and "good" ecological
restoration. Tom Wieboldt,
of the university
herbarium, has led
the class on a site
visit to explore existing
plant communities
in the wetlands and
uplands. Paige Warren,
research associate
in biology, and several
faculty members in
the fisheries and
wildlife sciences
department will discuss
urbanization on wetlands
and wildlife value
of riparian zones.
In addition to this
service-learning class
and the design class
in landscape architecture,
at least three other
classes being taught
this fall involve
fieldwork along Toms
Creek, and are discussing
the proposed restoration
project, mainly with
a focus on wetland
function and delineation.
Mike Aust, associate
forestry professor
who specializes in
soils, and Jim Parkhurst,
associate professor
in fisheries and wildlife
sciences and the state’s
extension wildlife
specialist, are leading
two of those courses.
Haas' students will
provide background
research to Skabelund's
students, who will
be designing the plant
layout. If the citizens
group feels there
is enough information
to proceed, the project
will begin to be implemented
in February or March
of 2004. For more
information on this
new graduate class
contact Carola Haas
at cahaas@vt.edu
or (540) 231-9269.
