This program fosters field plant taxonomy skills needed to identify vascular plants (flowering plants, conifers, ferns and fern allies). Through lectures, labs, and workshops, you will learn about common vascular plants native to the Pacific Northwest. In lab, you will work through dichotomous keys to identify plants and to develop fluency in morphological terminology. Regular quizzes will help you assess your growing knowledge. By the end of the quarter, you will have the skills to identity 15 plant families and 50 species by sight, which will be assessed via a final sight recognition exam. Through detailed notes and botanical drawings, you will document your observations in your lab/field journal, which will constitute a significant part of your work. Scientific approaches to representing plants will be taught through botanical illustration workshops and illustration assignments. The importance of herbaria as the basis for scientific inquiry will be discussed including how plant specimens that reside in herbaria can serve as resources for examining patterns in species diversity and distribution. The case study component of the program is focused on the floristics, historical ecology, and restoration of camas prairies and associated oak woodlands. You will learn about various efforts to foster these cultural landscapes originally tended by Indigenous knowledge holders. This offering will prepare you for careers and advanced study in biodiversity studies, botanical illustration, conservation, ecological restoration, floristics, and plant ecology.
Anticipated Credit Equivalencies:
4* - Field Plant Taxonomy
4* - Case Study: Camas Prairies
Registration
Students can meet the prerequisite with Introduction to Botany offered at Evergreen, e.g. in summer 2023 or by completing Botany: Plants and People. Alternatively, transfer students and others who have successfully completed a one quarter course in introductory plant biology that had weekly labs are encouraged to apply. A demonstrated ability to render plants accurately is a bonus but not required.
Academic Details
biodiversity studies, botanical illustration, conservation, ecological restoration, floristic research methods, forestry, natural resource management, plant ecology, plant taxonomy and vegetation ecology.
$50 required lab fee
Upper division science credit of up to 8 credits is possible if earned.
Schedule
Revisions
| Date | Revision |
|---|---|
| 2024-02-21 | This program is now 8-credits (was 16). |