Certificate in Native Plants - Plant Interactions With Ants
TBD
Paid Event Public Welcome Registration Required Certification Course Program/Speaker Presentation Wheelchair Accessible Public Restroom Free Public Parking Drinking Fountains
Have you ever wondered how plants are able to travel across a landscape? Most of us are familiar with the seeds that are able to be blown by the wind (think milkweed, dandelions, trees that produce ‘helicopter seeds’ like elm and maple.
What about non ‘flighty’ seeds? What is their strategy for dispersal? Who have they partnered with over millennia to ‘carry’ out this job for them?
Were you able to take the class with Jay Clark at the Shirley Miller Wildflower Trail? How did the bluebells and other spring ephemerals move around the cove?
Workshop Overview
This hands-on course introduces participants to the fascinating world of ants and their
ecological roles in native plant gardens. Through field-based observation and interactive
activities, learners will identify common ant species found in gardens and nearby habitats, investigate how ants disperse seeds, form mutualistic partnerships, and exploit
resources—ultimately influencing the composition and health of native plant communities.
This class will be taught by Dr. DeAnna Beasley, UTC professor and researcher.
Registration opens mid March