By Cara Barnes
W.K. Kellogg Biological Station
How often do you notice a plant in your backyard or along a road, trail or stream, and wonder what it is? Take the guesswork out of identifying plants by joining the W.K. Kellogg Bird Sanctuary and local experts for a six-week, online course beginning Wednesday, Aug. 5.
The Field Botany course will feature a series of six workshops, held on Zoom, from 6 to 7:15 p.m. on Wednesdays. Presenters are:
- Dr. Tyler Bassett, Michigan Natural Features Inventory
- Erik Elgin, Michigan State University Extension
- Shawn Kelly, Natural Resources Conservation Service
- Dr. Danielle Zoellner, Idle Awhile Farm and Forage
The course is open to plant enthusiasts of all levels. Sessions will examine a variety of topics, including:
- Basic botanical terminology
- Trees of Michigan’s forests
- The history and distribution of Michigan’s native plant communities
- Wetland plants of the Midwest
- Prairies and savannas of Michigan
- Aquatic plants
Registration
Register for the course at bit.ly/kbs-botany2020 by 11:59 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 1; space is limited. The cost is $55 for Sanctuary members and $65 for non-members. Participants are able to earn Master Gardener credits for attending.
Past course participants appreciated the format of having a unique topic for each class as well as “learning the special features of the plants and interesting backstories of how plants have been used in history.”
For more information about the Sanctuary, visit birdsanctuary.kbs.msu.edu. Direct questions to birdsanctuary@kbs.msu.edu or (269) 671-2510.
