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For the past 14 years, the Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland has run a special New Year Plant Hunt. Bridget Keehan, Ireland Officer for the Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland, speaks to Éanna Ní Lamhna about it.
Gugs Mhlungu speak to Regional manager of the Botanical Society of South Africa, Richard Hay on how rare plant experts from the University of Pretoria are spearheading the re-introduction of thousands of critically endangered Magaliesberg aloe (Aloe peglerae) seedlings into the wild, in support by the Botanical Society of South Africa. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Helen Mark visits 50 square miles that were neither England nor Scotland. The Debatable Lands, between Carlisle and Gretna, were home to untameable crime families that petrified the most powerful of Lords and Kings. For hundreds of years governments in London and Edinburgh left the region to its own laws and moral codes. When they did intervene, the result was an explosion of violence that's still visible in the landscape of derelict towers and still audible in the Border Ballads collected by Walter Scott.Author, Graham Robb guides Helen through the region's complex history and Ian Scott Martin takes her to the ramparts of Gilnockie Tower- the fearsome stronghold of the Armstrong family, one of the most notorious clans of Border Reivers.The Union of the Crowns in the early 17th century brought the age of the Debatable Land to an end, ushering in a long period of peace broken abruptly in 1915. On the Western Front the British Army was running out of shells. In Westminster the government fell and the decision was made to build an enormous 9 mile long munitions factory, stretching across the region. Rebecca Short of the Devil's Porridge Museum guides Helen around the remains of the industrial landscape in which 30,000 people- 16,000 of them women- worked in the production of the cordite that propelled shells across the battlefields of Belgium and France. The western tip of the Debatable Land reaches out to the saltmarshes of the Solway Firth. This apparently peaceful landscape soon yields its secrets. The land is constantly battered and transformed by the tides while animals and plants have to adapt to survive the harsh and dynamic conditions. Helen explores the creeks, bogs and rivers with David Pickett of the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust and Chris Miles of the Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland.Producer: Alasdair Cross
Some listeners have complained that many roadsides in the county are overrun with ragwort and other weeds, including invasive species such as Japanese knotweed. Jerry spoke to Tony Donnelly who sent us a video of the spread of the weeds in South Kerry and to Micheline Sheehy Skeffington, who is president of the Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland.
General Manager of the Botanical Society of South Africa, Antonia de Barros, joins John Maytham on the Afternoon Drive show to respond to these claims and elaborate on the agreement signed with the statutory body, the South African National Biodiversity Institute or Sanbi.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jonathan Schrire, a dedicated member of the Botanical Society of South Africa (BotSoc), joins John Maytham on the Afternoon Drive show to talk about the recent and dramatic changes within the organization.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Emmanuelle PorcherCollège de FranceBiodiversité et écosystèmesAnnée 2023-2024Colloque - Nouvelles approches pour le suivi des plantes, des pollinisateurs et de leurs interactions dans un monde en changement : The National Plant Monitoring Scheme, a New Direction for UK Plant Recording?Oliver L. PescottPlant Ecologist, UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Wallingford, UKRésuméVolunteer-based plant monitoring in the UK has focused historically on distribution mapping, with less emphasis on the collection of data on plant communities and habitats. However, abundance monitoring for other groups of organisms is well-established, e.g. for birds and butterflies, and UK conservation agencies have long desired comparable schemes for plants. We describe the first nine years of a new plant citizen science scheme for the UK, the 'National Plant Monitoring Scheme'. Scheme development emphasised volunteer flexibility through co-creation and feedback, whilst retaining a rigorous approach to sampling design. Comparisons with professional surveys have allowed for an understanding of the likely biases inherent to our approach, and model-based adjustments for these are being explored. Understanding the strengths and limitations of the NPMS will guide development, increase trust in outputs, and direct efforts for maintaining volunteer interest, as well as providing a set of ideas for other countries to experiment with.Oliver L. PescottOli is a plant ecologist who specialises in the design, management and analysis of volunteer-collected botanical datasets ("citizen science"). Within this area he has been instrumental in highlighting and addressing issues of bias, and has recently published the first ever "risk-of-bias" tool for descriptive inference in ecology ("ROBITT"). His botanical experience covers both the field- and desk-based ends of plant ecology; for example, he contributed to the recent Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland's (BSBI) Plant Atlas 2020 as a surveyor, analyst and editor. He is also the current Recording Secretary for the British Bryoloical Society, the referee for alien grasses for the BSBI, and the local bryophyte recorder for Oxfordshire. His other interests include invasive non-native species, the impacts of environmental change on biodiversity, and the communication and presentation of uncertainty in biodiversity trend analyses.
The decision by the South African National Botanical Institute - Sanbi - to increase entrance fees to the Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden has left many people up in arms saying the new tariffs are unaffordable for most South Africans. The garden, was last year named the best botanical garden in Africa. According to the Botanical Society, who are opposed to the fee increases, South African and SADC citizens will now pay R100 per adult and R40 per child under 18 per visit. They say a family of four who would have paid approximately R1,124 per year for unlimited free garden entry, will now pay around R280 per visit. Sanbi on the other hand has called the proposed fees reasonable and accessible and meant to expand the diversity of people who visit botanical gardens. Sanbi says from 1st April 2024 adult membership will be R800 per annum. Membership for verified students is pegged at R600 per year while children (aged six to 17) pay R400 per annum. Sebenzile Nkambule spoke to Sanbi's marketing and communications director, Ntsiki Mpulo...
Antonia de Barros is The General Manager of The Botanical Society of South Africa and she joins John to engage with the debate surrounding the SANBI decision that Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden will in future no longer offer low-cost garden entry to SA citizens through BotSoc membership system. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Botanist and BSBI's Ireland Officer Bridget Keehan speaks to Éanna Ní Lamhna about the results of the New Year Plant Hunt of the Botanical Society of Britain & Ireland.
Keith Kirsten joins Mike from The Botanical Society of South Africa to consider a recent listener criticism that Kirstenbosch Gardens are ‘degrading in slow motion'.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
“That coming together, gathering foods and gathering medicines is deeply healing and satisfying and an enjoyable way to experience life. And it's simple and it's free.”Robin Harford established his wild food foraging school in 2008, and his foraging courses are listed at the top of BBC Countryfile's ‘Best foraging courses in the UK'. He is the creator of eatweeds.co.uk. Michelin chef Richard Corrigen recommended the site for inclusion in The Times' Top 50 Websites For Food and Drink. Robin refers to himself as an ethnobotanical researcher who is interested in the relationship between plans and people which has resulted in his extensive travel around the world to document and record wild food plants' traditional and local uses in indigenous cultures. His work has taken him to Africa, India, SE Asia, Europe and the USA. His work has been recommended in BBC Good Food magazine, Sainsbury's magazine, The Guardian, The Times, The Independent, The Daily Telegraph, etc. He is a member of the Society for Ethnobotany and the Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland.Robin talks on:Best practice gathering guidance- abundance and sustainability principlesThe relationship of plants and people in different culturesHis foraging courses which focus on the sensory method of plant identificationThe media's coverage of foraging and lack of ecological understandingThe Special Client Project - plant ambassadors and community-based teaching.His personal transformation through foraging and gathering plants for mental health and addiction recovery.Find out more about what Robin does at eatweeds.co.ukFind out more about Herbal Reality on Instagram @herbal.reality or visit www.herbalreality.com Herbcast is produced by Decibelle Creative: @decibelle_creative / www.decibellecreative.com
For 20 years, volunteers examined the UK and Ireland kilometre-by-kilometre, writing down the flora they found. This so-called plant atlas, made by the Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland, is the most complete picture of plant life ever recorded in the UK.二十年来,志愿者们对英国和爱尔兰一公里一公里地统计,记录下了所发现的植物群。由英国和爱尔兰植物学会编制,这本 “植物图集” 是英国有记录以来最完整的植物图集。What it shows is a catastrophic decline in flora. The scientists involved say parts of the landscape have changed so much that someone growing up 70 years ago would struggle to recognise them today.这本图集中显示了植物群数量的灾难性减少。参与研究的科学家们表示,部分地区的景观已发生了巨大的变化,以至于70年前长大的人在今天很难认出这些景观。Invasive species are spreading after being planted in gardens and escaping into the wild, threatening native plants. Intensive farming and climate change are reducing the range of many of the nation's well-known plants like heather. In northern mountains, less snowfall means some plants may only survive for a few more years. But in the south, some plants are expanding northwards.非本土物种被种在花园里后扩散到野外,成为入侵物种,威胁本土植物。集约化农业和气候变化减少了许多英国知名植物的生长范围,如石南花。在北部山区,降雪量减少意味着一些植物或许只能再存活几年。而在南方,一些植物的生长范围正向北扩展。词汇表atlas 图册,图表册catastrophic 灾难性的struggle 无法、难以(做某事)invasive (来自其它地区的)入侵的intensive farming 集约化农业snowfall 降雪(量)
This week we had a wonderful conversation with Dr. Bruce Kirchoff who is a scientist, improviser, and storyteller. He teaches young scientists to speak clearly and intelligibly about their research. His book Presenting Science Concisely (https://presentingscienceconcisely.com/book) draws on the relation between the scientific process and story structure to present science with impact. Bruce is also Emeritus Professor of Biology at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro where he taught courses in plant diversity, flowering plant identification, and evolution. His research combined insights from biology and cognitive psychology to improve the reliability of plant description and classification. As a software designer he developed visual, active learning software to rapidly teach plant identification, and chemical structures. He has won the UNC Board of Governors Award for Excellence in Teaching, the Charles Edwin Bessey Teaching Award from the Botanical Society of America, and the Innovations in Plant Systematics Education Prize from the American Society of Plant Taxonomists. He has studied scientific communication at the Alan Alda Center for Scientific Communication and teaches it through the UNC Greensboro Speaking Center, where he is a Faculty Fellow. He also teaches workshops in storytelling and improv and, before his retirement, was the faculty advisor for the UNCG student improv club. You can follow Bruce and learn more about his work here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brucekirchoff/ https://twitter.com/1andOnlyBruce https://www.youtube.com/@sci-comm (Bruce's YouTube channel) Transcript: https://go.unimelb.edu.au/s8ys
Experts have been unpicking the budget and what it means for farming and the rural economy. Chancellor Jeremy Hunt billed it as a growth budget, to set the UK up as an enterprise economy. Agricultural advisors say tax breaks will encourage big farming companies to invest in new machinery and technology but smaller farms, that aren't limited companies may not benefit in the same way. There's no mention of support with energy bills for the horticulture or poultry sector. There was a £20 billion pledge to invest in carbon capture and storage over the next 20 years. The Green Alliance says a similar commitment was pulled in 2014, and say the scheme outlined in the budget is not focused on the kind of carbon sequestration farmers are involved with in Environmental Land Management Schemes, by planting cover crops, hedgerows and trees. A twenty year research project into the health of British and Irish plant species concludes there's been a devastating loss of native flora. Not only have half of our native plants like heather and harebell declined, they say that non native plants now outnumber native British ones in the wild. The Botanical Society of Great Britain and Ireland says its newly published Plant Atlas 2020 is the most in-depth survey of British and Irish flora ever undertaken. Presenter = Caz Graham Producer = Rebecca Rooney
We hear about the cross party Senedd inquiry looking at growth and productivity in rural Wales. A new Plant Atlas, produced by the Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland says our native plants have been hit by modern agriculture and climate change. In Wrexham. we visit the roof garden in the city, softening the concrete and steel with fruit trees and foliage. And we're out on toad patrol, with the Bryncoch Environment Group near Neath, helping toads on their migration to the local pond.
Oonagh Duggan, Member of the Committee for Ireland with the Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland, discusses a new report showing that more than half of Britain and Ireland's native plants have declined since the 1950s because of agriculture, climate change and non-native invasive species.
Most Irish native plant species have declined in range and abundance or both. That's according to new research from The Botanical Society of Britain & Ireland. In reaction to this Newstalk Breakfast spoke to Jennifer McElwain, Professor of Botany Trinity College Dublin and the Director of Trinity College Botanic Garden.
Most Irish native plant species have declined in range and abundance or both. That's according to new research from The Botanical Society of Britain & Ireland. In reaction to this Newstalk Breakfast spoke to Jennifer McElwain, Professor of Botany Trinity College Dublin and the Director of Trinity College Botanic Garden.
Today, we will be learning about genetics and evolution with Professor Barbara Schaal, evolutionary biologist and the Mary-Dell Chilton Distinguished Professor in Arts and Sciences at WashU. A pioneer in the field of plant evolution, she was one of the first to apply molecular genetic techniques to understanding evolutionary processes. Professor Schaal has served as president of the Botanical Society of America, the Society for the Study of Evolution, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. She has also served as vice president of the US National Academy of Sciences and as a member of President Obama's Council of Advisors for Science and Technology, as well as received the National Science Board Public Service Award in 2019 for her work in national science policy and education.
When Laura Schonken decided to help plant flowers for club in high school, she never imagined how that experience would change her life forever. Today, Laura hopes to make a positive impact on the world through botany and science. But plants aren't her only passion. Laura is also interested in fashion. So we'll talk about this unique combination of majors -- and about ways to avoid burnout, the value of research lab experience, the importance of peer perspectives, and about learning how to take your time in college by letting things grow and unfold in their own natural way. Featured Majors: Botany, Fashion Design Featured Organizations: The Bauer Lab, The Botanical Society, Miami University Fashion & Design (MUF&D), Miami Apiculture Society, Undergraduate Summer Scholars, MU Costume Shop
Lester speaks to Rupert Koopman | Conservation Manager at Botanical Society of South AfricaSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Lester speaks to Rupert Koopman, freelance conservation botanist at Botanical Society of South Africa.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
It is quite extraordinary, how often I come across gardeners that are complaining about having a very wet garden. In many cases they are dealing with a residual “wetland”!!! In our history, land owners and farmers simply hated these wet lands and they went to extreme efforts to drain the living daylights out of them… As luck would have it, I have just read a brand-new book about New Zealand's WETLANDS: Life in the Shallows, by Karen Denyer and Monica Peters. This book does not just describe the many facets of wetland research and the people that do the hard mahi, out there in those shallow waters, it also covers the history of wetland habitats in Aotearoa. The coolest thing is the Mātauranga associated with wetlands. My goodness these habitats were important to Maori for soooo many years. Wetlands have always been recognised as the nurseries for Kai Moana and the sources of food in both fresh water and sea water and everything in between. The most awful statistic in the book is that we have just 10% of all our wetlands left. The rest has been “tidied up” by land owners who have always considered wetlands to be a pain in the proverbial and a messy, wet, unproductive form of land. Homo sapiens have always wanted a clean, regular, tidy and orderly piece of land; Have you noticed how Nature is always “messy”? So if you have a piece of land, or a garden that has nice wet patches, what can you do to turn that into a classy habitat for native wetland organisms; my immediate thoughts are “plant some wetland plants” I contacted Karen Denyer to find out if there are some common sense plants that would make a good cover for wetlands; I mentioned the usual features: flax, Ti Kouka, Kahikatea, red tussock and Carex species, with mahoe, Manuka, swamp coprosma etc on the somewhat drier patches… Without hesitation I got a severe telling off from Karen (which I expected): “If you put this sort of thing on the radio, we'll end up with McDonalds wetlands all over the place”; Oh how I loved that description!!! Every wetland is different: North differs from South and East from West Soil types are other important factors that determine how a wetland looks and operates River/Stream origin or salt/Brackish water. Acid or alkaline. Lowlands or alpine wetlands Wet and deep (Aquatic), Lake edge (Emergent), Swamp or Fen (Saturated), Marsh or swamp edge, occasionally flooding (Moist), rarely flooding (Dry). Each of these conditions has its own suite of suitable plants Information on which plant to use in which region: Your regional Council, Local City Councils, DOC offices, and the local Botanical Society are all good sources of local information. And then there's another fabulous wetland book: Wetland restoration: a Handbook for New Zealand Freshwater Systems Wetlands are extremely important for our Planet… and certainly for Aotearoa. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Welcome to the contrary and fascinating world of one of the biggest plant families on Earth. 'Orchids are plants of great contradiction but always astonishing beauty' - says James Armitage, botanist and Editor of The Orchid Review magazine, who shares insight into what draws people to these strange and wonderful plants. Historian Abra Lee tells the tale of a young enslaved man in Reunion who solved the riddle of how to pollinate vanilla - the only orchid out of 25,000-plus species that's commercially grown as a food crop. Did you know you can grow orchids as garden plants? Jeff Hutchings of Laneside Hardy Orchids gives tips on how to grow them outdoors - why not make an orchid meadow in your garden this year? Colin Newlands tells the tortuous tale of our rarest native orchid, the lady's slipper orchid (Cypripedium calceolus). Thought extinct in the early 20th century: a chance encounter in the 1930s on an isolated hillside led to decades of botanical intrigue - and even personal protection for the plant. We discover how this exquisite wildflower is faring almost a century after its assumed disappearance. Useful links The Orchid Review Tips for growing orchids indoors RHS Orchids (book) Laneside Hardy Orchids Orchid Show at RHS Garden Wisley The Wildlife Trusts BSBI maps (Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland) (for discovering your local native orchid species) Selected plants mentioned Hardy orchids: Bletilla, Calanthe, Dactylorhiza, Cypripedium, Pleione Indoor orchids: Phalaenopsis (moth orchids), Cattleya
Subscribe Apple | Google | Spotify | Stitcher | iHeart Support The Daily Gardener Buy Me A Coffee Connect for FREE! The Friday Newsletter | Daily Gardener Community Friends of the Garden Meeting in Athens, Georgia Register Here Spring Break Next Week Hi there. The show is on spring break next week. New episodes will resume on March 21. Historical Events 1775 Birth of Pierre Jean François Turpin (books about this person), French botanist and illustrator. Pierre was friends with the botanist, gardener, and botanical artist, Pierre Antoine Poiteau. And although we know that he learned a great deal about botany from his friend Poiteau, Pierre was self-taught when it came to his botanical illustrations. And Redouté's work was an obvious influence on him. Pierre created over 6,000 magnificent botanical watercolors. He was an expert on fruit trees, and his fruit prints are considered some of the best in the world. There are two fascinating stories about Pierre I wanted to share with you today. First, Pierre created a fictional plant for Goethe that was an amalgam of different angiosperms. Goethe wanted an illustration to show the diversity of angiosperms, and when Goethe saw Pierre's drawing, he named it the Urplant. Goethe wrote, The Urplant would be the most wondrous creation in the world, for which nature itself would envy me. With it, one could invent plants to infinity... The second Pierre story that I wanted to share with you is about his son, Pierre Jr. No doubt Pierre taught his son how to draw. But tragically, Pierre Jr. died young, and his final drawing was of an Amaryllis. After his death, Pierre made sure his son was credited for the work, and then he did something unusual for botanical illustrations: he made a little personal remark on his son's passing, writing: This original illustration was painted by Pierre John Frederick Eugene Turpin. The illustrator, who was 18 years and six days of age, ceased to live on the 21st of August in 1821. Less than 20 years later, Pierre himself would die in Paris in 1840 at 65. Now, speaking of Amaryllis, this is the time of year when gardeners get all kinds of questions about them. My neighbor Jan, up at the cabin returned from a trip to Las Vegas to find her Christmas gift, an Amaryllis, in full bloom - and she's utterly captivated by this gorgeous Amaryllis, but of course, she called me to say, What do I do with it after it's done blooming? And this is the question that's on everybody's mind because they're wrapping things up about now. So what are your options if you have an Amaryllis? Well, number one, you can throw it away. You can simply be done with it. If you choose to, you could put it in the compost pile and so forth. Or, if you're committed to trying to get your Amaryllis to bloom again next year, it is possible to do. You can force it to flower again next year. Keep it on a sunny window inside until June when things warm up and then harden it off, the way you would any of the houseplants that you bring outside, take it outside for a few hours, and then bring it back in. Gradually increase the amount of time it stays outside until it's out all day. Make sure that it's in a sunny spot. And then, in the fall, you can bring it back indoors. This is the time when you're going to impose dormancy. Put the Amaryllis in a cold area. (If you have a dark cellar, that would be ideal). And remember that during dormancy, you don't want to water your Amaryllis. Think about your Amaryllis like a sleeping beauty that you'll wake up in time for the holidays. And then, at that point, you can resume watering, and your Amaryllis, with any luck, will flower again. So there you go—a little Amaryllis care 101 inspired by the son of Pierre Turpin. 1811 Birth of Katherine Sophia Kane, Irish botanist, and horticulturist. Orphaned as a little girl, Katherine was raised by her uncle, who fostered Kate's love for the outdoors and, ultimately, her focus on botany. When Kate was 22, she anonymously published a book that became the first national flora of Ireland, called The Irish Flora Comprising the Phaenogamous Plants and Ferns (1833). Kate's book not only described all the Irish flowering plants but also ferns and other cryptograms. Accurate and informative, Kate's book became a textbook for botany students at Trinity College in Dublin. Three years later, in recognition of her work, Kate became the first woman to be elected to the Botanical Society of Edinburgh. The story of how Kate met her husband Robert is similar to how John Claudius Loudon met his wife, Jane Webb: through her book. In Kate's case, proofs of The Irish Flora had mistakenly landed on Robert's desk. Robert tracked down Kate's address and personally returned the proofs to her. The rest, as they say, was history. The two were married in 1838, and they went on to have ten children. In 1846, Robert was knighted, and Kate became known as Lady Kane. An economist, a chemist, and a scientist, Robert was hired to serve as the President of Queens College. Although Kate was happy for her husband, she refused to move to Cork. She'd designed a magnificent garden with many exotics planted all around their home in Dublin, and she was reluctant to leave it. And so, much to the school's dismay, Robert commuted to work until the College finally insisted he reside in Cork during the school year in 1858. And here's a fun little side note about Kate and Robert: since they were both scientists, Kate and Robert would send messages to each other in Greek. 1877 Birth of Jean White-Haney, Australian botanist. In 1912, as a young botanist, Jean was asked to deal with the non-native Prickly Pear problem in Australia. The plant had been introduced to Australia 100 years earlier, and it became invasive once it was established. Tackling the Prickly Pear was a massive undertaking, and Jean's appointment marked the first time a woman held a scientific leadership position in the Australian government. Jean knew she would have to power through the hardships of the job to prove herself. She recalled the experience this way: [I lived] amid the thickest pear. A desolate little place where living was primitive. I was young then and still rather nervous, but I insisted on not being given any special privileges because of being a woman. ...Failures of women who can not rough it would naturally be magnified. I lived in the little public house there. [I] worked on my fascinating job with all the enthusiasm of those who see small beginnings to great ends. And the methods chosen for experiment were the introduction of suitable insects and poison. Many gardeners are surprised to learn that the Prickly Pear is actually an excellent pollinator plant. Charles Darwin noticed that the flowers of the Prickly Pear Cactus had thigmotactic anthers, which means the anthers curl over and drop their pollen when touched. And yes, the bees love it. Grow That Garden Library™ Book Recommendation Life in a French Country House by Cordelia de Castellane This book came out in 2020, and the subtitle is Simple Ideas For Small Outdoor Spaces. Cordelia is France's favorite host and the artistic director of Dior Home and Baby Dior. This book is organized into four seasons - one of my favorite ways to organize a book that covers all the basics like at-home entertaining and decor. Cordelia shares her tips and secrets to imbuing your home with style and flowers. Architectural Digest's review of this book highlights Cordelia's five things every home needs: meaningful objects, books, flowers, scent, and children. If you love French Country and want to know how to recreate the look in your own home and garden, you can't go wrong with Cordelia's guidance. Cordelia even includes some of her favorite recipes, flower arranging, and table setting tips. This book is 240 pages of French Chic combined with Cordelia's eclectic but elegant vibe that has been refined to perfection over the past three decades. You can get a copy of Life in a French Country House by Cordelia de Castellane and support the show using the Amazon link in today's show notes for $34. Botanic Spark 1952 Birth of Douglas Noel Adams (books by this author), English writer, satirist, and dramatist. He's remembered for his radio comedy The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, which became a trilogy of five books. He was an environmentalist and a conservationist. In his book, Last Chance to See, Douglas wrote, As zoologists and botanists explore new areas, scrabbling to record the mere existence of species before they become extinct, it is like someone hurrying through a burning library desperately trying to jot down some of the titles of books that will now never be read. And in Richard Dawkins' best-seller The God Delusion, his dedication was to Douglas Adams in memoriam, and included this quote by Douglas, who was an atheist: Isn't it enough to see that a garden is beautiful without having to believe that there are fairies at the bottom of it too? Finally, in his book Life, The Universe and Everything (1982), Arthur Dent's old friend Ford Prefect, says, ....I decided I was a lemon for a couple of weeks. I kept myself amused all that time jumping in and out of a gin and tonic....I found a small lake that thought it was a gin and tonic, and jumped in and out of that. At least, I think it thought it was a gin and tonic. Thanks for listening to The Daily Gardener And remember: For a happy, healthy life, garden every day. March 11, 2022 Pierre Turpin, Katherine Sophia Kane, Jean White-Haney, Life in a French Country House by Cordelia de Castellane, and Douglas Adams
Subscribe Apple | Google | Spotify | Stitcher | iHeart Support The Daily Gardener Buy Me A Coffee Connect for FREE! The Friday Newsletter | Daily Gardener Community Historical Events 1717 Birth of Catharina Helena Dörrien ("Durr-ee-in"), German botanist, writer, and artist. After the death of her parents, Catharina became a governess for the Erath ("AIR-rit") family in Dillenburg. Sophie Erath was a childhood friend of Catharina's, and Anton Erath was an attorney; they became Catharina's second family. While teaching the Erath children, Catharina turned to nature to teach almost every subject. Catharina even wrote her own textbooks, heavily focused on botany and the natural world. As the Erath children grew, Catharina focused on her botanical work. Anton helped her gain membership to the Botanical Society of Florence - something unheard of for women of her time. Catharina would go on to be a member of the Berlin Society of Friends of Nature Research and the Regensburg Botanical Society in Germany. When Catharina was alive, Dillenburg was part of the Orange-Nassau principality. And Catharine's 496-page flora called Flora for Orange-Nassau was published in 1777. Catharina not only used the Linnaean system to organize and name each specimen, but she also named two new fungi ("funj-eye") - two little lichens - she named major Doerrieni ("Durr-ee-en-ee") and minor Doerrieni- an extraordinary accomplishment for a woman during the 1700s. As for her botanical illustrations, Catharina created over 1,400 illustrations of local flora and fauna. Yet, these masterpieces never made it into her flora. Instead, Catharina's botanical art became an heirloom passed down through the generations of the Erath family. In 1875 a few pieces of Catharina's work were shown at an exhibition. However, fifteen years later, a large collection of paintings by Johann Philipp Sandberger was bought by the Museum of Wiesbaden. Johann was a dear friend of Anton Erath's, and today, his work is considered to be copies of Catharine's original watercolor masterpieces. Still, Sandberger's pieces are precious because they give us a glimpse of Catharine's breadth and depth of talent. Without Sandberger, all would be lost because the bulk of Catharine's work has been lost to time. The curator Friedrich von Heinbeck once said that the precision of Catharine's brush strokes was like that of an embroiderer who stitched with only the finest of thread. 1848 Birth of Augustus Saint Gaudens ("gaw-dens") (books about this person), American sculptor of the Beaux-Arts generation. He is remembered for his stunning Civil War monuments, including a work called Abraham Lincoln: The Man. In Augustus Saint Gaudens, biography, Reminiscences, he wrote, What garlic is to salad, insanity is to art. The Frick museum has a medallion carved by Augustus. He was a fan of Robert Louis Stephenson, and the two met toward the end of Stephenson's life. The medallion has an inscription: Stevenson's poem Underwoods (1887), which reads: Youth now flees on feathered foot Faint and fainter sounds the flute … Where hath fleeting beauty led? To the doorway of the dead Life is over, life was gay We have come the primrose way. 1877 Birth of Lenore Elizabeth Mulets, children's author, poet, and teacher Born Nora Mulertz in Kansas, Lenore's mother died when she was ten, and so she was raised by her uncle. In addition to teaching, Lenore was a marvelous children's author. Her books were always charming, and her titles include Stories of Birds, Flower Stories, Insect Stories, and Tree Stories, just to name a few. In the preface to Flower Stories, Lenore wrote, When the flowers of the field and garden lift their bright faces to you, can you call them by name and greet them as old acquaintances? Or, having passed them a hundred times, are they still strangers to you? And in her book Stories of Birds, Lenore wrote: Such a twittering and fluttering there was when this news came. Grow That Garden Library™ Book Recommendation Stylish Succulent Designs by Jessica Cain This book came out in 2019, and the subtitle is & Other Botanical Crafts. Jessica wants to teach you how to elevate your succulent creations and learn the tricks you need to know to create professional-quality succulent arrangements made simple! Jessica is the creator and owner of "In Succulent Love." She is a native of San Diego, the succulent capital of the world, and she fell in love with making succulent arrangements after working with succulents with her grandmother. Jessica's DIY guide teaches how to makeover forty creative projects using many varieties of succulents, air plants, and other easy-care botanicals. This book is 176 pages of creating beautiful and lush succulent designs that are simple to make and will last for months. You can get a copy of Stylish Succulent Designs by Jessica Cain and support the show using the Amazon link in today's show notes for $2. Botanic Spark 1958 On this day, The New Yorker published gardener and garden writer Katharine White's (books about this person)review of garden catalogs. It was the first time a garden catalog received a published review, and it was an immediate hit. Readers wrote in to request the name of the author since Katharine had signed off with only her initials, KSW. Katherine was married to EB White - the author of Charlotte's Web and Stuart Little. But the garden writer Elizabeth Lawrence (books about this person) figured out that KSW was Katherine, and she sent her a letter a month later. The two women would exchange correspondence about gardening for the rest of their lives. Here's an excerpt from Elizabeth's letter: I asked Mrs. Lamm if you were Mrs. E. B. White, and she said you were. So please tell Mr. E. B. that he has three generations of devoted readers in this family... Have you the charming Barnhaven catalogs? (Gresham, Oregon). You should, even if you don't want rare primroses. And do you know Harry E. Saier? Dimondale, Michigan. I subscribe to his Garden Magazine too. Used to be free, now a dollar a year ...comes four times a year, if it comes. Thanks for listening to The Daily Gardener And remember: For a happy, healthy life, garden every day.
In Episode 15, we're happy to have Matt Charpentier a field botanist from Massachusetts and Vice President of the New England Botanical Society on to talk about his experience with a special fern species in the Northeast, Crepidomanes intricatum (AKA Trichomanes intricatum, Appalachian Bristle Fern, or Weft Fern). Matt also shares with us some thoughts on survey biases as field biologist/botanists and shares some stories on some special botanical finds as well as some points and explanation of gemmae. Enjoy!Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/user?u=65399395)
Guest: Keith Kirsten | Founder at Keith Kirsten Garden Centre See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
As an architecture major, Julie Bohlen ‘22 is passionate about community-focused projects that champion sustainable designs. Her work recently earned her 1st place in the 2021 American Institute of Architects Ohio Student Design Awards for her project called “Eviction to Empowerment: Shared Housing in Milwaukee's Inner City.” Julia is also a member of the Miami University Botanical Society, and she's a great example of how college can help students combine creative thinking with an analytical mindset to help solve important problems. Featured Majors: Architecture, Sustainability Featured Organizations and Internships: American Institute of Architecture Students, Botanical Society, Chi Omega
Plants Grow Here - Horticulture, Landscape Gardening & Ecology
Dr Richard Bate is a dental surgeon and botanist that works with Joshua Styles (from episode 17) at the North-West Rare Plant Initiative (NWRPI), he's involved with the Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland (BSBI) and is also active on twitter as part of the @Wildflower_Hour team and his own orchid-obsessed handle @TheNewGalaxy.EPISODE LINKSDr Richard Bate on Twitter: https://twitter.com/thenewgalaxyWildflower Hour on Twitter: https://twitter.com/wildflower_hourNWRPI on Twitter: https://twitter.com/nwrpi Visit the NWRPI website: http://nwrpi.weebly.com/BSBI on Twitter: https://twitter.com/bsbibotanyVisit the BSBI website: https://bsbi.org/FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIATwitter: @PlantsGrowHere / Facebook: @PlantsGrowHerePodcast - Join our Facebook group!VISIT OUR WEBSITEwww.PlantsGrowHere.comLET'S WORK TOGETHERAre you in the industry or an enthusiast with something of value to share? We're always on the hunt for interesting people, doing interesting things. If you'd like to work with us send a message via our online form or a direct email to plantsgrowhere@gmail.com.
Paul Green was born in Guildford, Surrey. The family moved to Somerset when he was 5. Paul has always been keen on all aspects of natural history, especially plants. He is a self-taught botanist. He currently lives in Co. Wexford, Ireland, where he moved to in 2006. He is currently working for the Botanical Society of Britain & Ireland (BSBI) as their BSBI Ireland Officer. Prior to this he worked as the BSBI Wales Officer from 2012 – 2015 and he surveyed rare plants all over Wales. Paul also works part-time as a botanical leader for Greentours Natural History Holidays since 2004. He led trips in Europe, Canada, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Morocco & Turkey. Paul has been a member of the BSBI for 37 years. He took an active role in the BSBI Monitoring Scheme in 1987/88 in Somerset, Waterford and Galway. He was appointed BSBI Vice-county recorder for Somerset in 1992. The Atlas Flora of Somerset, he published in 1997 with his brother, is a highly regarded county flora that won the Botanical Society of Britain & Ireland (BSBI) and Wildflower Society President's prize for the best botanical work published that year. In the 1990s Paul was invited to come to Ireland to assist with the BSBI New Atlas project. He became the Vice County-recorder for both Co. Waterford and Co. Wexford. He stepped down as the Vice County-recorder for Waterford in 2019. In 2008, he published the Flora of County Waterford which was funded by the National Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin. In the same year, the National Biodiversity Data Centre, Waterford published his plant dataset through a GIS web version of the Flora of County Waterford. This was the first web flora for a county published in Ireland or Britain. Paul was subsequently awarded the Distinguished Recorder Award in 2009 by the National Biodiversity Data Centre which is an annual award to individuals or organisations that have made an outstanding contribution to the recording of Ireland's biodiversity. He is currently working on a Flora of Co. Wexford, and hopes to publish in 2022. Ireland twitter account: https://twitter.com/BSBI_Ireland W: bsbi.org BSBI on Twitter: https://twitter.com/BSBIbotany BSBI on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BSBI2011 BSBI on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bsbibotany/ BSBI News & Views Blog: http://bsbipublicity.blogspot.co.uk/ Latest botanical news: http://bsbi.org/news Press releases/Media: http://bsbi.org/publicity
Today we celebrate the woman who was the life partner of American writer Gertrude Stein - and we’ll hear all about their wonderful garden at Bilignin. We'll also learn about the French modernist painter known for his peonies and peony art. We’ll hear an excerpt about a perfect spring day. We Grow That Garden Library™ with a book that is pure gold - it’s all about an honest journey to beekeeping between two unlikely friends. And then we’ll wrap things up with the ten-year Anniversary of a botanical society located in Northern New York, about 4 hours north of Manhattan and two hours south of Montreal. Subscribe Apple | Google | Spotify | Stitcher | iHeart To listen to the show while you're at home, just ask Alexa or Google to “Play the latest episode of The Daily Gardener Podcast.” And she will. It's just that easy. The Daily Gardener Friday Newsletter Sign up for the FREE Friday Newsletter featuring: A personal update from me Garden-related items for your calendar The Grow That Garden Library™ featured books for the week Gardener gift ideas Garden-inspired recipes Exclusive updates regarding the show Plus, each week, one lucky subscriber wins a book from the Grow That Garden Library™ bookshelf. Gardener Greetings Send your garden pics, stories, birthday wishes, and so forth to Jennifer@theDailyGardener.org Curated News Goodbye April....Hello May, Already! | Shoestring Elegance | Theresa Begin Facebook Group If you'd like to check out my curated news articles and original blog posts for yourself, you're in luck. I share all of it with the Listener Community in the Free Facebook Group - The Daily Gardener Community. So, there’s no need to take notes or search for links. The next time you're on Facebook, search for Daily Gardener Community, where you’d search for a friend... and request to join. I'd love to meet you in the group. Important Events April 30, 1877 Today is the birthday of the American-born member of the Parisian avant-garde of the early 20th century and the life partner of American writer Gertrude Stein - Alice B. Toklas (“Toe-kliss”). In 1954, Alice's cookbook, simply called the Alice B Toklas Cook Book, was published. It became one of the best-selling cookbooks of all time, thanks to Alice's recipe for hashish fudge made with nuts, spices, fruit, and cannabis. Calling it the food of paradise, Alice recommended serving her special fudge at gatherings to liven things up but advised limiting one's self to no more than two pieces. She also casually mentioned that it was quote “easy to whip up on a rainy day.” Now the last chapter of the cookbook offers a delightful glimpse at Alice and Gertrude's vegetable garden at Bilignin “Bill-in-ya” in southeastern France. And I thought I’d share a few lovely excerpts with you today in honor of Alice’s birthday. “For fourteen successive years, the Gardens at Bilignin were my joy, working in them during the summers and planning and dreaming of them during the winters. The summers frequently commenced early in April with the planting and ended late in October with the last gathering of the winter vegetables. Bilignin, surrounded by mountains and not far from the French Alps… made early planting uncertain. One year we lost the first planting of string beans. Another year, the green peas were caught by a late frost. It took me several years to know the climate and quite as many more to know the weather. Experience is never at a bargain price. Then too, I obstinately refused to accept the lore of the farmers, judging it, with the prejudice of a townswoman to be nothing but superstition. They told me never to transplant parsley and not to plant it on Good Friday. We did it in California, was my weak reply. In the spring of 1929, we became tenants of what had become the manor of Bilignin. We were enchanted with everything. But after careful examination of the two large vegetable gardens... it was to my horror that I discovered the state they were in. Nothing but potatoes have been planted the year before. Poking about with a heavy stick, there seemed to be some resistance in a corner followed by a rippling movement. The rubbish and weeds would have to be cleared out at once. In six days, the seven men we mobilized in the village had accomplished this. In the corner where I had poked, a snake’s nest and several snakes have been found. But so were raspberries and strawberries. The work in the vegetables …. was a full-time job and more. Later it became a joke. Gertrude Stein asking me what I saw when I closed my eyes, and I answered, “Weeds.” That, she said, was not the answer, and so weeds were changed to strawberries. It took me an hour to gather a small basket for Gertrude Stein's breakfast, and later when there was a plantation of them in the upper garden, our young guests were told that if they care to eat them, they should do the picking themselves. The first gathering of the garden in May of salads, radishes, and herbs made me feel like a mother about her baby — how could anything so beautiful be mine. And this emotion of wonder filled me for each vegetable as it was gathered every year. There is nothing that is comparable to it, as satisfactory or ss thrilling, as gathering the vegetables one has grown.” April 30, 1883 Today is the anniversary of the death of the French modernist painter Édouard Manet (“Mah-nay”). His painting, 'Music in the Tuileries Gardens' ("TWEE-luh-Reehs"), was his first significant work depicting modern city life. Sensitive to criticism, Manet once wrote, “The attacks of which I have been the object have broken the spring of life in me... People don't realize what it feels like to be constantly insulted. ” When it came to the complexity of still life painting, Manet wrote, “Bring a brioche. I want to see you paint one. Still life is the touchstone of painting.” Manet grew peonies in his garden at Gennevilliers (“Jen-vill-EE-aye”); they were reportedly his favorite flower. Manet’s paintings of peonies were the perfect blend of skill and subject. Manet’s blousy technique was perfect for the petals and leaves. Today in many of Manet’s paintings, the pink peonies have turned white due to the deterioration of the pigments in the paint. Regarding Manet‘s peony art, his Peonies in a Vase on a Stand is considered one of his best pieces. A 1983 exhibition catalog by the Galeries Nationales du Grand Palais in Paris, wrote: “Van Gogh was much struck by this painting.. and [asked,] ‘Do you remember that one day we saw a very extraordinary Manet at the Hôtel Drouot, some huge pink peonies with their green leaves against a light background? As free in the open air and as much a flower as anything could be, and yet painted in a perfectly solid impasto.’” In China, the peony is known as the sho-yu, which means “most beautiful.” When the explorer Marco Polo saw peonies in China for the first time, he misidentified them - calling them “Roses as big as cabbages." Traditionally, peonies are used to celebrate the 12th wedding anniversary. If you planted one on your first Anniversary, the peony could easily outlast your marriage; peonies can live for over 100 years. Unearthed Words It was a perfect spring day. The air was sweet and gentle, and the sky stretched high, an intense blue. Harold was certain that the last time he had peered through the net drapes of Fossebridge Road (his home), the trees and hedges were dark bones and spindles against the skyline; yet now that he was out, and on his feet, it was as if everywhere he looked, the fields, gardens, trees, and hedgerows and exploded with growth. A canopy of sticky young leaves clung to the branches above him. There were startling yellow clouds of forsythia, trails of purple aubrieta; a young willow shook in a fountain of silver. The first of the potato shoots fingered through the soil, and already tiny buds hung from the gooseberry and currant shrubs like the earrings Maureen used to wear. The abundance of new life was enough to make him giddy. ― Rachel Joyce, British author, The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry Grow That Garden Library Liquid Gold by Roger Morgan-Grenville This book came out in 2020, and the subtitle is Bees and the Pursuit of Midlife Honey. Thor Hanson, the author of Buzz, said this about Roger’s book: “Beekeeping builds from lark to revelation in this carefully observed story of midlife friendship. Filled with humor and surprising insight, Liquid Gold is as richly rewarding as its namesake. Highly recommended.” Roger writes about meeting his friend Duncan in a pub. And on a chance decision, they resolve to become beekeepers. Ignorant but eager, the two learn, through their mistakes and their friendship, how to care for bees and become master beekeepers. After two years, they have more honey than they can personally use. The experience teaches them resilience, along with a newfound appreciation for nature and a desire to protect the honeybee from increased threats and extinction. Humorous and informative, Liquid Gold is an uplifting and educational story about humans and bees, making it pure gold for your summer reading. This book is 272 pages of an honest journey to beekeeping between two unlikely friends. You can get a copy of Liquid Gold by Roger Morgan-Grenville and support the show using the Amazon Link in today's Show Notes for around $15 Today’s Botanic Spark Reviving the little botanic spark in your heart April 30, 2011 Today is the tenth anniversary of the Adirondack Botanical Society. ABS is “an organization dedicated to the study, preservation, and enjoyment of the plants of the Adirondack Mountain Region. Members may live in, visit, or care about the region and strive to educate others about the importance of its plant life and the environment that supports it.” The group has an active Facebook page. If you have been on a hike or paddle lately and have a few pics you would like to share; you can do so on the Facebook page for the group. Recent posts include: “Ray and I visited Elder's Grove today. I used the "measure" app on my iPhone to measure the trunk of a large eastern white pine (Pinus strobus). I attach a photo that the app generates with the total length printed on the screen. The trunk lying on the ground was 159'10". Add the 16' of still standing stump, and the total height of the tree before it fell was approximately 176'. I neglected to bring my D-tape, but the dbh was well over 50". An amazing tree, even dead and turning to humus (HYew-mis”)!” In any case, happy tenth anniversary to the Adirondack Botanical Society. Here’s to many more! Thanks for listening to The Daily Gardener. And remember: "For a happy, healthy life, garden every day."
Click to listen to episode (3:50)Sections below are the following:Transcript of AudioAudio Notes and AcknowledgmentsImagesSourcesRelated Water Radio EpisodesFor Virginia Teachers (Relevant SOLs, etc.) Unless otherwise noted, all Web addresses mentioned were functional as of 4-16-21. TRANSCRIPT OF AUDIO From the Cumberland Gap to the Atlantic Ocean, this is Virginia Water Radio for the week of April 19, 2021. This revised episode from May 2014 is part of a series this year of spring-related episodes. MUSIC – ~12 sec – instrumental This week, we feature a Virginia musical group’s version of a traditional Finnish waltz tune, named for a plant community that, like good music, depends on the right timing. Have a listen for about 35 more seconds. MUSIC – ~36 sec – instrumental You’ve been listening to part of “Flowers of the Forest,” by No Strings Attached, on their 2003 album, “Old Friend’s Waltz,” from Enessay Music. Just as in a well-done waltz, timing is crucial for low-growing, spring-blooming forest plants. Such plants live under trees whose leaf canopy will close by late spring, blocking much of the sunlight and rainfall from reaching the forest floor. As a result, many non-woody forest plants are adapted to take advantage of early spring’s interaction of warming soil and air temperature, available moisture, increasing light, and the activity of emerging insect pollinators to reproduce and to store enough energy underground to survive the coming year. Bloodroot, Spring Beauty, Trillium, and many other Virginia woodland plants follow this strategy: show up early, use colorful flowers to show off for foraging insects, and then produce fruits and seeds before the summer’s shade. Thanks for No Strings Attached for permission to use this week’s music, and we close with about 25 more seconds of “Flowers of the Forest.”MUSIC – ~27 sec – instrumental SHIP’S BELL Virginia Water Radio is produced by the Virginia Water Resources Research Center, part of Virginia Tech’s College of Natural Resources and Environment. For more Virginia water sounds, music, or information, visit us online at virginiawaterradio.org, or call the Water Center at (540) 231-5624. Thanks to Ben Cosgrove for his version of “Shenandoah” to open and close the show. In Blacksburg, I’m Alan Raflo, thanking you for listening, and wishing you health, wisdom, and good water. AUDIO NOTES AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This Virginia Water Radio episode revises and replaces Episode 212, 5-5-14. “Flowers of the Forest” and “Old Friend’s Waltz” are copyright by No Strings Attached and Enessay Music, used with permission. More information about the now-retired, Blacksburg/Roanoke-based group No Strings Attached is available online at https://www.enessay.com/index.html. This music was used previously by Virginia Water Radio most recently in Episode 521, 4-20-20, on Virginia Bluebells, another spring-blooming wildflower. Information on “Metsäkukkia,” the original Finnish tune on which the No Strings Attached selection was based, is available from Andrew Kuntz, “The Fiddler’s Companion,” online at http://www.ibiblio.org/fiddlers/MER_MIC.htm; and from Jeremy Keith, “The Session,” online at http://thesession.org/tunes/4585. Click here if you’d like to hear the full version (2 min./22 sec.) of the “Shenandoah” arrangement/performance by Ben Cosgrove that opens and closes this episode. More information about Mr. Cosgrove is available online at http://www.bencosgrove.com. IMAGES Shooting Star beside a stream in Blacksburg, Va., May 3, 2014. Trillium at the base of a Tulip-poplar in Blacksburg, Va., May 3, 2014.Trout Lily at Falls Ridge Nature Preserve in Montgomery County, Va., April 20, 2019.Jack-in-the-pulpit at Falls Ridge Nature Preserve in Montgomery County, Va., April 20, 2019.Spring Beauty in Blacksburg, Va., April 15, 2021.Wild Geranium at Falls Ridge Nature Preserve in Montgomery County, Va., April 16, 2021. SOURCES Used for Audio Marion Lobstein, “Spring Wildflowers: Ecological Factors,” by (undated), Botanical Society of Washington [D.C.], online at www.botsoc.org/SpringWildflowerBackground.doc. Marion Lobstein, a retired biology professor at Northern Virginia Community College-Manassas, is the Botany Chair for the Prince William Wildflower Socieyt (Prince William County, Va.); other articles by her are available online at https://vnps.org/princewilliamwildflowersociety/botanizing-with-marion/.Alexander F. Motten, “Pollination Ecology of the Spring Wildflower Community of a Temperate Deciduous Forest,” Ecological Monographs (Vol. 56, No. 1), March 1986, pp. 21-42. For More Information about Plants in Virginia or Elsewhere A.S. Weakley, J.C. Ludwig, and J.F. Townsend, Flora of Virginia, Bland Crowder, ed. Copyright by the Foundation of the Flora of Virginia Project, Inc., Richmond. Botanical Research Institute of Texas, Fort Worth, 2012. This is the first comprehensive manual of Virginia plants published since the 1700s.Flora of Virginia Project, online at http://www.floraofvirginia.org/. Oscar W. Gupton and Fred C. Swope, series of wildflower guides: Fall Wildflowers of the Blue Ridge and Great Smoky Mountains, University Press of Virginia, Charlottesville, 1987; Wild Orchids of the Middle Atlantic States University of Tennessee Press, Knoxville, 1986); Wildflowers of Tidewater Virginia (University Press of Virginia, Charlottesville, 1982; and Wildflowers of the Shenandoah Valley and Blue Ridge Mountains, University Press of Virginia, Charlottesville, 1979. U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)/Natural Resources Conservation Service Plants Database, online at https://plants.usda.gov.Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation/Natural Heritage Division, online at https://www.dcr.virginia.gov/natural-heritage/. Virginia Native Plant Society, online at http://vnps.org/. RELATED VIRGINIA WATER RADIO EPISODES All Water Radio episodes are listed by category at the Index link above (http://www.virginiawaterradio.org/p/index.html). See particularly the “Plants” subject category. Following are links to other spring-themed episodes.Eastern Phoebe – Episode 416, 4-16-18.Frog and Toad Medley – Episode 408, 2-19-18.Rhododendrons – Episode 216, 6-2-14.Spring arrival episode – Episode 569, 3-22-21.Spring Peepers – Episode 570, 3-29-21.Spring reminder about tornado awareness – Episode 568, 3-15-21.Spring signals for fish – Episode 571, 4-5-21.Spring sounds serenades – Episode 206, 3-14-14 and Episode 516, 3-16-20.Virginia Bluebells – Episode 521, 4-20-20.Warblers and spring bird migration – Episode 572, 4-12-21. FOR VIRGINIA TEACHERS – RELATED STANDARDS OF LEARNING (SOLs) AND OTHER INFORMATION Following are some Virginia Standards of Learning (SOLs) that may be supported by this episode’s audio/transcript, sources, or other information included in this post. 2020 Music SOLs SOLs at various grade levels that call for “examining the relationship of music to the other fine arts and other fields of knowledge.” 2018 Science SOLs Grades K-4: Living Systems and ProcessesK.7 – Plants and animals have basic needs and life processes.1.4 – Plants have basic life needs (including water) and functional parts that allow them to survive.2.4 – Plants and animals undergo a series of orderly changes as they grow and develop, including life cycles.2.5 – Living things are part of a system.3.4 – Adaptations allow organisms to satisfy life needs and respond to the environment.3.5 – Aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems support a diversity of organisms.4.2 – Plants and animals have structures that distinguish them from one another and play vital roles in their ability to survive. Grades K-5: Earth and Space SystemsK.9 – There are patterns in nature.1.7 – There are weather and seasonal changes.2.7 – Weather patterns and seasonal changes affect plants, animals, and their surroundings. Grades K-5: Earth Resources4.8. – Virginia has important natural resources. Life ScienceLS.7 – Adaptations support an organism’s survival in an ecosystem.LS.8 – Changes in ecosystems, communities, populations, and organisms occur over time. BiologyBIO.8 – Dynamic equilibria exist within populations, communities, and ecosystems.Virginia’s SOLs are available from the Virginia Department of Education, online at http://www.doe.virginia.gov/testing/. Following are links to Water Radio episodes (various topics) designed especially for certain K-12 grade levels. Episode 250, 1-26-15 – on boiling, for kindergarten through 3rd grade.Episode 255, 3-2-15 – on density, for 5th and 6th grade.Episode 282, 9-21-15 – on living vs. non-living, for kindergarten.Episode 309, 3-28-16 – on temperature regulation in animals, for kindergarten through 12thgrade.Episode 333, 9-12-16 – on dissolved gases, especially dissolved oxygen in aquatic habitats, for 5th grade.Episode 403, 1-15-18 – on freezing and ice, for kindergarten through 3rd grade.Episode 404, 1-22-18 – on ice on ponds and lakes, for 4th through 8thgrade.Episode 406, 2-5-18 – on ice on rivers, for middle school.Episode 407, 2-12-18 – on snow chemistry and physics, for high school.Episode 483, 7-29-19 – on buoyancy and drag, for middle school and high school.Episode 524, 5-11-20 – on sounds by water-related animals, for elementary school through high school.Episode 531, 6-29-20 – on various ways that animals get water, for 3rdand 4th grade.
Welcome back to the Jo's Art History Podcast and welcome to my first International Women's Day Special! And what a a treat we have in store for you today! Ever heard of Anna Atkins? Well, you will definitely not forget her after this incredible chat with photographer and photographic artist Josie Purcell! Anna Atkins is THE FIRST PERSON EVER to create a photo book with her 1843 Photographs of British Algae: Cyanotype Impressions. How did she create this I hear you ask? Using the Cyanotype printing process!! Listen to find out more about this incredible woman who helped make great advancements not only in art but within Science and botany. Happy International Women's Day! Guest: Josie Purcell Website: https://www.josiepurcellphotography.com/about Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/josieshutterpod/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheShutterPod Host: Jo McLaughlin Instagram: @josarthistory Website: www.josarthistory.com What is Cyanotype: https://theartling.com/en/artzine/what-are-cyanotypes-brilliant-blue-print/ Wiki: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyanotype#:~:text=Cyanotype%20is%20a%20photographic%20printing,ammonium%20citrate%20and%20potassium%20ferricyanide Notes on Anna from Josie: Anna Atkins is often described as the first person to create a photo book with her 1843 Photographs of British Algae: Cyanotype Impressions. Her mother died when she was still a young girl and it was her father, a scientist and the first president of the Royal Entomological Society of London, who encouraged, and enabled, her interest in science. Women were frustratingly denied the option to follow their passions at that time, but fortunately for Anna, she was able to develop her interest in botany, including as a botanical illustrator and then using the Cyanotype process, which was invented by family friend Sir John Herschel. Through her family's standing in society, she was able to attend meetings at the Royal Society where photography and science were discussed, something very few women could dream of accessing. Anna joined one of the few scientific societies open to women, The Botanical Society of London, in 1839. Anna produced two more books with her friend Anne Dixon: Cyanotypes of British and Foreign Ferns (1853) and Cyanotypes of British and Foreign Flowering Plants and Ferns (1854). View Anna's Cyanotype Volume 1 here: https://nhm.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/view/BookReaderViewer/44NHM_INST/12190875980002081 Anna Atkins: https://www.getty.edu/art/collection/artists/1507/anna-atkins-british-1799-1871/ https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/anna-atkins-cyanotypes-the-first-book-of-photographs.html?gclid=Cj0KCQiAmfmABhCHARIsACwPRAAwRzMg3M73lg0L9JsnEgbkkRYOMu8YGMZgfiFYLmqI5IcVMCKBEZsaAvbWEALw_wcB History of Photobooks: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photo-book#:~:text=What%20is%20arguably%20the%20first,was%20created%20by%20Anna%20Atkins.
Today we celebrate the first woman to describe Fungi ("funj-eye") using the Linnaean system of classification. We'll also learn about a little-known prolific nature and floral writer from the 1800s. We hear a little recollection by a garden writer who received an armload of Forsythia from a friend named Alice, just when she needed it most. We Grow That Garden Library™ with a book that encourages you to garden confidently - putting anxieties and fear behind you and creating the space of your dreams. And then we’ll wrap things up with the roots of roses - they’re deeper than you think. Subscribe Apple | Google | Spotify | Stitcher | iHeart To listen to the show while you're at home, just ask Alexa or Google to “Play the latest episode of The Daily Gardener Podcast.” And she will. It's just that easy. The Daily Gardener Friday Newsletter Sign up for the FREE Friday Newsletter featuring: A personal update from me Garden-related items for your calendar The Grow That Garden Library™ featured books for the week Gardener gift ideas Garden-inspired recipes Exclusive updates regarding the show Plus, each week, one lucky subscriber wins a book from the Grow That Garden Library™ bookshelf. Gardener Greetings Send your garden pics, stories, birthday wishes, and so forth to Jennifer@theDailyGardener.org Curated News 30 Unique Plants That Attract Butterflies | Tree Hugger | Meghan Holmes Facebook Group If you'd like to check out my curated news articles and original blog posts for yourself, you're in luck. I share all of it with the Listener Community in the Free Facebook Group - The Daily Gardener Community. So, there’s no need to take notes or search for links. The next time you're on Facebook, search for Daily Gardener Community, where you’d search for a friend... and request to join. I'd love to meet you in the group. Important Events March 1, 1717 Today is the birthday of the German artist, children's book author, translator, editor, and pioneering female botanist Catharina Helena Dörrien (“Durr-ee-in”). Catharina was born into an intellectual family in Hildesheim, a community Southeast of Hannover. Her father, Ranier, believed that while beauty fades, ignorance can be a lifelong affliction. And so, Rainier made sure that his daughter Catharina was educated. After the death of her parents and her brother, Catharina sought work as a governess nearly 200 miles away in the town of Dillenburg. Catharina worked for the Erath (“AIR-rit”) family - Anton was an attorney and scholar, and Sophie was a childhood friend to Catharina. Catharina could not have found a more like-minded household to her own family than the Eraths. Like her own parents, Anton and Sophie wanted both their sons and their daughters to be educated. Ultimately, the Eraths would become Catharina’s second family. As a teacher, Catharina turned to nature to teach about all subjects and life as well. Realizing there were few resources for teaching women or children, Catharina wrote her own textbooks, which were heavily focused on botany and the natural world. It was rare enough that Catharina was teaching children and women about the natural world; it was nearly miraculous that she could research and write her own instructional guides. As the Erath children grew, Catharina was able to focus on her botanical work. Anton helped Catharina gain membership to the Botanical Society of Florence - something unheard of for women of her time. Catharina would go on to be a member of the Berlin Society of Friends of Nature Research and the Regensburg Botanical Society. During Catharina’s time, Dillenburg was part of the Orange-Nassau principality, and she gradually came to the idea of creating a Flora for Orange-Nassau. Using her spare time to travel throughout the region, Catharina visited most areas at least twice to capture plant life in different seasons. During the winter months, Catharina dedicated her focus on the smallest plants: lichen, mosses, and fungi ("funj-eye"). In 1777, Catharina published her 496-page flora, which used the Linnaean system to organize and name each specimen. Catharina’s flora was remarkable for the 1700s - not only for using the Linnaean system and for the inclusion of new plants and plant names but also for the sheer fact that it was the work of a woman. Catharine became the first woman to name two new fungi ("funj-eye") during the 1700s. During her fieldwork, Catharina created over 1,400 illustrations of local flora and fauna. Yet, these masterpieces never made it into her flora. Instead, Catharina’s botanical art became an heirloom that was passed down through the generations of the Erath family. In 1875 a few pieces of Catharina’s work were shown at an exhibition. However, fifteen years later, a large collection of paintings by a man named Johann Philipp Sandberger was bought by the Museum of Wiesbaden. Johann was a dear friend of Anton Erath’s, and today, his work is considered to be copies of Catharine's original watercolor masterpieces. And yet, Sandberger’s pieces are precious because they give us a glimpse of Catharine’s breadth and depth of talent. Without Sandberger, all would be lost because the bulk of Catharine’s work has been lost to time. The curator Friedrich von Heinbeck once said that the precision of Catharine’s brush strokes was like that of an embroiderer who stitched with only the finest of thread. From a historical standpoint, Catharina became an invaluable part of Dillenburg's history when she created drawings and drafts of the destruction of Dillenburg Castle. It seems her interests extended beyond botany to the world around her. Catharina was a true Renaissance woman. Following in the fifty-year-old footsteps of botanical artists like Maria Sibylla Merian and Elizabeth Blackwell, Catharine managed to distinguish herself not only by her exquisite botanical art but also by her botanical work and in the naming two plants - two little lichens, she named major Doerrieni (“Durr-ee-en-ee”) and minor Doerrieni. Over the past three decades, Catharine’s life story has been rediscovered. In 2000, Regina Viereck wrote a biography of Catharina called "Zwar sind es weibliche Hände: Die Botanikerin und Pädagogin Catharina” Helena Dörrien (1717-1795) or "They are the hands of a woman” - the botanist and educator Catharina Helena Dörrien. And in 2018, Catharina’s story became the subject of an elaborate musical by Ingrid Kretz and debuted in Dillenburg; it was called Catharina Dörrien - A Life Between Love and War. March 1, 1877 Today is the birthday of the children’s author, volunteer, poet, and teacher Lenore Elizabeth Mulets. Born Nora Mulertz in Kansas, Lenore’s mother died when she was just ten years old. Raised by her uncle’s family, Lenore left for Chicago’s Wheaton College to become a teacher. She found a position in Malden, Massachusetts, and then served as a YMCA canteen worker during WWI in Germany and France. I pieced together Lenore’s life story by reading the letters she sent to her sister Mildred during her time in Europe. Mildred shared the letters with the local Wellington Kanas newspaper. In addition to teaching, Lenore was a marvelous children’s author. Her books were always charming and uplifting. Her titles include Stories of Birds, Flower Stories, Insect Stories, Tree Stories, and Stories of Trees, just to name a few. In the preface to Flower Stories, Lenore wrote, “When the flowers of the field and garden lift their bright faces to you, can you call them by name and greet them as old acquaintances? Or, having passed them a hundred times, are they still strangers to you? In this little book of "Flower Stories," only our very familiar friends have been planted. About them have been woven our favorite poems, songs, and stories.” Regarding the seeds, Lenore wrote, A wonderful thing is a seed; The one thing deathless forever; Forever old and forever new; Utterly faithful and utterly true – Fickle and faithless never. Plant lilies and lilies will bloom; Plant roses and roses will grow; Plant hate and hate to life will spring; Plant love and love to you will bring The fruit of the seed you sow. And long before Twitter, in her book Stories of Birds, Lenore wrote: Such a twittering and fluttering there was when this news came. Unearthed Words My first winter in this country was long and bitterly cold, and I was desperate for spring, which I then was used to seeing appear far earlier. One day a new friend brought me an armful of Forsythia branches still covered with half-melted snow — sensing my homesickness, she had denuded one of her bushes for me. I had nowhere cold and bright in the apartment in which we were living, so that Forsythia had to be put in a hot, unlighted hall. But this particular present came to me late in the season and at a time when Forsythia will flower even when forced under intolerable conditions. And when it last in this strange country, something came to life through my efforts. I began to feel that here was truly home. Now each year, as the Forsythia flowers again for me indoors, I remember that incident as the turning point in my feelings about this country, and I recall with deep affection the sensitivity of that friend. — Thalassa Cruso, British-American gardener, writer, TV presenter and ''the Julia Child of Horticulture”, To Everything There is a Season, Alice and Forsythia Grow That Garden Library Fearless Gardening by Loree Bohl This book came out in January of 2021, and the subtitle is Be Bold, Break the Rules, and Grow What You Love. In this book, the woman behind the website, The Danger Garden, teaches us how to live on the edge and in the beds of our Gardens without fear or anxiety. Loree lives to “inspire people to look at plants differently and see their gardens through new eyes—to treat gardening as an adventure, to embrace the freedom to explore a new type of plant, and then to plant it just because they want to.” The roots of horticulture in academia have provided a framework of do’s and don’ts cloaked within a fortress of botanical nomenclature and complex terminology. It’s no wonder gardeners feel anxious. As Loree says, “Why not surround yourself with plants you love? Who cares if they’re not supposed to be planted together, might eventually crowd each other, or aren’t everyone’s cup of tea? It’s your garden and you should love it; you should be having fun. Remember, there's always room for one more plant…” This book is 256 pages of gardening without a rulebook or guilt or all the should’s and oughta’s from a woman who made her garden her own way through courageous experimentation, zone-pushing, an artistic eye, and an adventurous spirit. You can get a copy of Fearless Gardening by Loree Bohl and support the show using the Amazon Link in today's Show Notes for around $18 Today’s Botanic Spark Reviving the little botanic spark in your heart March 1, 1979 On this day, The Call-Leader out of Elwood, Indiana, published an article called The Roots Of Roses Go Back Many Years. “If you were to trace the ancestry of today's rose, you'd have enough "begats" to fill a book, maybe two! In fact, a fossilized rose found at Crooked River, Oregon, some years ago established that this particular species grew on our continent 35 million years ago. And some paleobotanists believe the rose dates back to the Cretaceous Age 70 million years ago. This would make the rose older than any known civilization ... and a forerunner of the Garden of Eden. Since 1979 has been designated "The Year of the Rose," perhaps a little rose history is in order, says John A. Wott, Purdue University extension home environment horticulturist. Briefly, all of our roses came from species. Cross-species gave us a new hybrid type of rose, and crossing of types provided another new type. Rosa gallica, the Adam of roses native to the western hemisphere, crossed with Rosa moschata begat the Autumn Damask; Rosa gallica, crossed with Rosa canina, begat the Alba, and crossed with Rosa Phoenicia begat the Damask. The Damask, crossed with Alba, begat centifolia, and on and on... All of these western hemisphere crosses yielded roses with an annual flowering, except for the Autumn Damask. In the late 1700s, botanists discovered everblooming roses growing in the gardens of the sub-tropics in China. Because of their tea-like fragrance, they became known as Tea Roses. When these tea roses were crossed with descendants of the gallica, the first result was the bourbon. And bourbon, crossed with a tea, produced hybrid perpetual. Hybrid perpetual, crossed back to tea, begat hybrid tea, and... Now for some interesting facts about roses: Did you know no rose species are native to any land areas south of the equator? Did you know the name rose appears in no fewer than 4,000 published songs? Did you know the rose is the official state flower of New York, Iowa, Georgia, and North Dakota? Did you know that in all polls ever taken to determine the most popular flower, the rose is the overwhelming favorite? Did you know the rose has been sniffed by royalty for centuries? We owe much to Empress Josephine of France for our modern-day roses… [It was Josephine who] assembled the leading hybridizers of her time and sponsored their experiments to develop new strains and varieties.” Thanks for listening to The Daily Gardener. And remember: "For a happy, healthy life, garden every day."
Today we celebrate a young botanist that wrote the first flora of Ireland at the age of 22. We'll also learn about the Father of Serbian botany. We hear words about the birds of winter - creatures that entertain us at our bird feeders and fly freely over our winter gardens. We Grow That Garden Library™ with a book that has a charming title and it's all about something called Everlastings - or dried flowers. And then we’ll wrap things up with a play about Australia’s top gardener, and it’s called Edna for the Garden. Subscribe Apple | Google | Spotify | Stitcher | iHeart To listen to the show while you're at home, just ask Alexa or Google to “Play the latest episode of The Daily Gardener Podcast.” And she will. It's just that easy. The Daily Gardener Friday Newsletter Sign up for the FREE Friday Newsletter featuring: A personal update from me Garden-related items for your calendar The Grow That Garden Library™ featured books for the week Gardener gift ideas Garden-inspired recipes Exclusive updates regarding the show Plus, each week, one lucky subscriber wins a book from the Grow That Garden Library™ bookshelf. Gardener Greetings Send your garden pics, stories, birthday wishes, and so forth to Jennifer@theDailyGardener.org Curated News Our Garden Editor Clare Foster On The Big Gardening Trends For 2021 | House & Garden | Clare Foster Facebook Group If you'd like to check out my curated news articles and original blog posts for yourself, you're in luck. I share all of it with the Listener Community in the Free Facebook Group - The Daily Gardener Community. So, there’s no need to take notes or search for links. The next time you're on Facebook, search for Daily Gardener Community, where you’d search for a friend... and request to join. I'd love to meet you in the group. Important Events February 25, 1856 Today is the anniversary of the Irish botanist and horticulturist Katherine Sophia Kane. Orphaned as a little girl, Katherine was taken in by her father’s older brother - her uncle - Matthias O'Kelly, and she grew up alongside her cousins. A naturalist, Uncle Matthias fostered Kate’s love for the outdoors and, ultimately, her focus on botany. When Kate was 22 years old, she anonymously published a book that became the first national flora of Ireland, and it was called The Irish Flora Comprising the Phaenogamous Plants and Ferns. With the help of the National Botanic Garden’s John White, Kate’s little book was released in 1833, and it described not only all the Irish flowering plants but also ferns and other cryptograms. Accurate and informative, Kate’s book became a textbook for botany students at Trinity College in Dublin. Three years later, in recognition of her work, Kate became the first woman to be elected to the Botanical Society of Edinburgh. The story of how Kate met her husband Robert is similar to how John Claudius Loudon met his wife, Jane Webb: through her book. In Kate’s case, proofs of The Irish Flora had mistakenly made their way to Robert’s desk. Curious about the work, Robert tracked down Kate’s address and personally returned the proofs to her. The two were married in 1838, and they went on to have ten children. In 1846, Robert was knighted, and Kate became known as Lady Kane. An economist, a chemist, and a scientist, Robert was hired to serve as the President of Queens College. And although Kate was happy for her husband, she put her foot down and refused to move to Cork. Apparently, Kate had designed a magnificent garden with many exotics planted all around their home in Dublin, and she was loath to leave it. And so, much to the school’s dismay, Robert commuted to work until the College insisted he live in Cork during the schoolyear in 1858. And here’s a fun little story about Kate and Robert: as they were both scientists, Kate and Robert would send notes to each other in Greek. February 25, 1888 Today is the anniversary of the death of the famous Serbian botanist, Josif Pančić (“pahn-Cheetz”) In 1874, Josif discovered the Ramonda serbica, commonly known as the Serbian phoenix flower. Like the peace lily, this flower is an excellent indicator plant and flops quite severely when dehydrated. At the same time, it has incredible abilities to revive itself with watering. In Serbia, the flower of the Ramonda serbica is associated with peace after it became a symbol of Armistice Day, which marked the end of WWI. As for Josif, he became known as the father of Serbian botany. Late in his career, Josif came up with the idea for a botanical garden in Belgrade. Built in 1874, the garden proved to be a bit of a disappointment. In no time, it was apparent that the location was poorly sited because it flooded very quickly and damaged most of the various botanical specimens. Sadly Josif never saw the new, lovelier location for the garden. Perfectly situated in the heart of Belgrade, the land was donated by the Serbian King Milan I. Unearthed Words Our feeders are only fifteen feet from the window, and binoculars bring the birds practically into my lap. The perky little Sparrow with the black dot on his fluffy breast is a Tree Sparrow, and the one with no dot is a Field Sparrow. I often mix these up. The lady Junko has touches of brown. The male is charming with his slate gray head and back and creamy undersides. The Nuthatch is another winner. He creeps cheerfully down the maple trunk headfirst. Sometimes his world is upside down, sometimes right side up. He views it with equanimity either way. With a long bill, he reaches out, quickly snatches a seed, and flies off. The markings of the Nuthatch are the essence of winter. His blues and greys are the mist that drift over the meadow and brush against Pop’s Mountain at dusk. The golden tans on his underside are wisps of dried grass in the meadow, Beech leaves in the woods with sun shining on them, or last year's Oak leaves that still cling. — Jean Hersey, American writer and authors, The Shape of a Year, February Grow That Garden Library Everlastings by Bex Partridge This book came out in 2020, and the subtitle is How to Grow, Harvest, and Create with Dried Flowers. In this book, we learn so much about dried flowers from the floral artist Bex Partridge - the owner of Botanical Tales. A specialist in working with dried flowers - known as everlasting flowers - Bex inspires us to grow, harvest, and create with dried flowers. Sharing her own wisdom from working with everlastings, Bex shares her tips for incorporating dried flowers into your garden planning and home decor. Bex loves dried flowers, and she fervently believes that something magical happens to flowers when they're dried. Although their vibrancy may be slightly dulled by drying, Bex feels that ultimately drying magnifies the bloom’s beauty. One tip that I learned from Bex is to target plants with woody stems because those plants tend to dry beautifully. This book is 160 pages of Everlastings - preserved flowers, preserved memories, and magnified ethereal beauty that is everlasting. You can get a copy of Everlastings by Bex Partridge and support the show using the Amazon Link in today's Show Notes for around $13 Today’s Botanic Spark Reviving the little botanic spark in your heart February 25, 1989 It was on this day that a newspaper out of Melbourne, Australia called The Age ran a story written by Anna Murdoch about a brand new play called “Edna for the Garden,” and it was all about the charismatic Australian gardener, designer, and writer Edna Walling. Here’s an excerpt: “The women who created The Home Cooking Theatre Company in Melbourne [the writer, Suzanne Spunner, and director Meredith Rogers] have a [new] production, called 'Edna for the Garden,’ the story of Edna Walling, one of Australia's great artists of gardening. Edna Walling, who wrote an enormous amount about her philosophy of gardening and the environment, died in 1973 in her late 70s. [Edna] devoted her passionate life to creating extraordinary gardens, mainly in Victoria, some of which are still beautifully maintained. She spent her childhood in Bickleigh, an old village in Devon, England, and came to Melbourne, aged 18, infused with the intense romanticism of the English countryside where she had watched such subtle beauties as “Wind in the Willows.” [Edna’s] own photographs were almost always of pathways... “She liked the idea of different areas in a garden so that you couldn't take it all in in one view." One of Edna Walling's precepts was to "always sweep up to a house in a curve, never in a straight line.” People would say: 'You must have Edna for the garden.' [and that saying inspired the name for the play!] "It's only at the end of her life that you sense disappointment as she saw the sprawls of Melbourne and what was happening with conservation. Edna Walling built her own house at Mooroolbark near Croydon and then bought seven adjoining hectares and created a rural community called Bickleigh Vale, where she designed very English-looking cottages that bore no relationship to the Australian climate and environment. "The people who live there have now formed 'the Friends of Edna Walling' to protect it," Ms. Spunner says. "Some of them knew her. They talk almost as if she is still there, a kind of spirit of the garden." Finally, there was one little story that I discovered about Edna a while ago, and that was her potato-throwing technique. Edna would throw potatoes on the ground, and where they landed would dictate where the significant trees would be planted in her garden designs. Basically, this technique helped ensure a more naturalistic style as Edna was laying out gardens. And even if the potatoes would land almost on top of each other, Edna let the chips - or should I say potato chips - fall where they may. In any case, this is how Edna’s gardens end up without a contrived or overly planned feeling; there’s a beautiful sense of randomness to Edna’s work. And it was Edna Walling who said, “There are many possible approaches to Australian garden design, and they all reflect the designer’s individual response to gardens. For my part, I love all the things most gardeners abhor - like moss in lawns, lichen on trees, more greenery than color - as if green isn’t a color - bare branches in winter, and root-ridden ground wherein one never attempts to dig, with a natural covering of leaves of grass or of some amenable low-growing plant. I like the whole thing to be as wild as possible so that you have to fight your way through in places.” Thanks for listening to The Daily Gardener. And remember: "For a happy, healthy life, garden every day."
Guest: Antonia de Barros | The general manager of the Botanical Society of South Africa. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Hear Terri Cox, Executive Director of the Cameron Park Zoological and Botanical Society talk about how the zoo is doing during the pandemic and status of the bond expansion construction project.
Rory Hodd, Ecologist and Botanist with Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland, discusses his discovery of Europe's rarest fern in Killarney National Park.
Coroner Talk™ | Death Investigation Training | Police and Law Enforcement
We have all heard about the science of Botany, but have you ever considered just how important it can be in solving your case? For instance; how plant cells from stomach contents can discredit an alibi, or how one seed in the shoelace of a suspect can bring an unknown serial murderer to justice, or just exactly what plant DNA can tell us about our victims last location. Using plants in criminal investigations is an underused forensic science , this may be that there are few forensic botanist in the United States, but it is certainly a science we all need to be reintroduced to. Forensic Botany Forensic botany applies the knowledge and techniques of plant science to legal matters. Here, the term macroscopic plant remains is given to those plant materials not included within forensic palynology or microbiology. Research centered on spores, pollen, and certain microorganisms is well developed and will not be discussed here. For decades, these materials have been used successfully by archaeologists, geologists, anthropologists, and botanists to determine the cause of death for prehistoric or modern humans. One of the early documented cases of forensic botany connected with macroscopic plant materials was the suicide death of Socrates. Plato described the death of his mentor as he attended the legally imposed suicide of Socrates. He was convicted of corrupting youth and disrespecting the state religion. Because Socrates was of high social standing, he was allowed to choose his own manner of death. He selected a deadly tea made from poison hemlock (Conium maculatum L.: Apiaceae). In Plato’s Phaedo (Plato and Gallop, 2009), we read of Socrates’ symptoms after he drank the fatal brew. This narration agrees with contemporary descriptions of poison hemlock’s effect on humans (Lewis and Elvin-Lewis, 1977). From that time to this, in most of the world’s societies the knowledge of plants’ effects on humans has appeared in courts (Simoons, 1998). Forensic botany became accredited in the courts of the United States in the trial of Bruno Hauptman who was accused of kidnapping and killing Charles and Anne M. Lindbergh’s baby son in 1932 (Graham, 1997, 2006). Arthur Koehler, a wood anatomist with the US Forest Service, matched the wood from the ladder used to get into the second floor Lindbergh nursery with wood from Hauptman’s attic. Hauptman was convicted of the crime and executed. The US Federal Bureau of Investigation called Koehler’s evidence ‘critical.’ This crime also resulted in kidnapping becoming a federal offense. Collection of Evidence The collection of plant material for use in criminal investigations differs from techniques taught in plant systematic courses. Forensic collections are assumed to be legal evidence. Such materials need to be collected, if possible, either by officers of law enforcement organizations or by a botanist in the presence of officers. Rules surrounding evidence are strict. When significant vegetation is collected, a chain of evidence must be established at once. Notebook records of time and place and case numbers are required. It is wise, but not required, to assign your personal case number that will be linked to the number that will be used in court. This information must always remain attached to the evidence. Each person in possession of evidence must be clearly documented as the evidence passes among those involved in a case. Plant collections should be placed either in paper or cloth bags unless pollen analysis also is to be undertaken. Bags need to be the smallest size to accommodate the material. Evidence can be stored in laboratories or evidence lockers for long periods of time, even years. Evidence rooms always are short of space, so economy of collection without minimizing the value of the specimens is essential. Plastic bags, glass jars, and tin cans are unacceptable for long-term storage because they encourage decay. Download Full Paper Here: The Use of Macroscopic Plant Remains In Forensic Science J H Bock, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, USA ã 2013 Elsevier B.V. Episode Guest Jane Bock, PhD University of Colorado, Boulder, CO. Fellow of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences. Member of Botanical Society of America. Founding member of Necrosearch International. 80+ refereed publications, 3 books. Book in press, Forensic Plant Science - Academic Press. publication 2015 or 2016.
Emlyn tells Emma about the legendary botanist, Dr. Marie Clark Taylor, the first African American woman to receive a PhD in botany. Dr. Taylor was not only a top researcher in her field of photomorphogenesis, but she spent much of her career training science teachers in innovative teaching methods that involved the use of plants. Learn more about us and other women in science at our website www.stemfatalepodcast.com Sources Main Story - Marie Clark Taylor “Women of Firsts: Marie Clark Taylor” by Lucy Dinsmore, Women in Horticulture. https://www.womeninhorticulture.com/post/woman-of-firsts-marie-clark-taylor Warren, Wini. Black Women Scientists in the United States. Indiana University Press, 1999. Plant Science Bulletin, Botanical Society of America, 1957. https://www.botany.org/PlantScienceBulletin/psb-1957-03-2.php “New Guinea Campaign”, Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Guinea_campaign “Marie Taylor”, Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marie_Taylor Women who Work Devitt, James. “Scientists Discover a New Connection Between the Eyes and Touch.” NYU, 2020. https://www.nyu.edu/about/news-publications/news/2020/july/scientists-discover-a-new-connection-between-the-eyes-and-touch.html Music “Mary Anning” by Artichoke “Work” by Rihanna Cover Image https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Marie_Clark_Taylor_(1911-1990).jpg
Éanna Ní Lamhna is undoubtedly Ireland’s favourite naturalist and broadcaster. She has served as the president of the Tree Council of Ireland, secretary for the Irish part of the Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland, and as president of An Taisce, the Irish National Trust. She’s worked on the radio show ‘Mooney Goes Wild’ since 1995, and has published a number of books about wildlife and education. During part one of this incredible conversation (recorded in early 2020), hear how an endless emphasis on daisies, daffodils and dandelions led her to writing a book determined to broaden the floral vocabulary and knowledge of young people - “how can you appreciate the exotic, when you don’t know the ordinary?” This conversation heads into a favourite topic for the show - climbing trees, and how children are doing it less and less, and it also explores Ireland’s many links to the natural world, through poetry, stories and in particular place names. You’ll hear quite quickly that with a wealth of knowledge and an unmistakable passion comes modesty, as Éanna charts her success down to “an accident”... but we know the truth! For further information on this and other episodes, visit: http://www.treesacrowd.fm/eanna-ni-lamhna/ See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
life-time talk by Prof. Eugene Moll, who will be revisiting the Hawaan more than 50 years after he undertook the first botanical survey of this unique forest in 1968. This pristine and historic area is once again in need of urgent action to ensure its continued viability. At the talk, Professor Moll will be providing background and reporting on his findings as to the current ecological and conservation status of the forest. This is a very special occasion, as it is not often that the author of an original scientific study has the opportunity to re-evaluate his research half a century later. The talk will be part of a fundraiser for the Hawaan, and is being organised by the Botanical Society of SA (KZN Coastal Branch), the WESSA Branches of Umhlanga and Durban, the Umhlanga Urban Improvement Precinct and Breakers Resort 25/05/2012 For more info about Prof. E Moll visit; https://plants.jstor.org/stable/10.5555/al.ap.person.bm000046791 For more info about the Society visit; http://www.botsoc-kzn.org.za
There's are some lines from a TS Eliot poem that go like this : Oh, Do not ask, "What is it?" Let us go and make our visit." If you've never visited your local botanic garden this time of year, you really should go. I have a friend who recently did this, and she posted amazing pictures from her visit to the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum. She said this: "This is my PSA : Get yourself to the Arb ....now . Don’t wait to go just to see the change in color of the trees (like everyone else ) Go now ! The colors of the flowers are crazy ! This is just a couple quick snaps with my phone ( which doesn’t do justice) no filters, editing or enhancing. The colors are just THAT bright and bold . I’ve never gone this time of year . I go in the spring, a few times mid summer then I wait like everyone else for the leaves to change and go again. I’ve even gone in the winter but never late late summer /early fall . For some reason I thought there wouldn’t be anything to look at. I thought the flowers would be half dead ( like my potted plants at home ) I won’t make that mistake again." Brevities #OTD Today is the birthday of the botanist professor Mildred Mathias who was born on this day in 1906 in Sappington, Missouri. Mathias was a professor at UCLA for twelve years, until 1974. She also served as president of the American Society for Plant Taxonomists and the Botanical Society of America. Matthias is remembered as a pioneer in the area of ecotourism. She enjoyed bringing botanists and amateurs alike all over the world to study and discover plants. From her early days with Dr. Lincoln Constance at Berkeley, back in 1937, Matthias began to focus on Umbelliferae. The Umbelliferae ("Um-bull-iffer-EYE") is a family of aromatic flowering plants and it’s commonly referred to as the carrot, or celery, or parsley family. It also includes other important herbs like Angelica and Annis Carraway, and chervil, dill, fennel, lovage, and parsnip, just to name a few. The growing habit in plants throughout the family varies. The taproots of carrot and parsnip are big enough to be harvested as food. Plants like cilantro, coriander, dill and parsley or harvested for their leaves which contain essential oils that are very aromatic. In addition, the seeds of these plants, like fennel and cumin and coriander are also harvested for cuisine. Umbelliferae prefer soil that is cool; and, they grow best in the shoulder seasons. Umbelliferae are favorites among ladybugs and parasitic wasps. The family Umbelliferae is named because of the tiny flowers that are clustered together to form in amble – a little flower overhang reminiscent of an umbrella. It's fitting then, that the Mathiasella bupleuroides is named in her honor. Mathiasella bupleuroides ‘Green Dream’ is native to Mexico; it was discovered in 1954. The umbelliferous flowerhead of Green Dream has these jade-green, bracts that appear from April to June. In the Fall, the flower heads turn a charming pink. Here's a fun fact; Green Dream was a bit of a sensation at Chelsea 2006. Over the course of Matthias‘s career she published over 100 articles and books about the Umbelliferae. Volume 26 of Madrono was dedicated to Mildred Mathias, and the tribute recognized Mathias' pioneering spirit and energy. In 1993, Mathias was honored a s the Distinguished Economic Botanist of the year. #OTD Today in 1907, Orville Redenbacher, was born. Redenbacher was a U.S. agricultural scientist and the co-creator of a new hybrid of popcorn called "snowflake." It was lighter and fluffier than traditional popped kernels and Redenbacher became a household name with his commercials for his popcorn. To this day, Orville Redenbacher is the number one selling popcorn in the world. Nebraska produces more popcorn than any other state in the country. #OTD Today is the birthday of the third son of Charles Darwin, Francis Darwin - known to his family as Frank. Francis published the results of his work with his dad in a book called The Movement of Plants. The book details their experiments which showed that young grass seedlings grow toward the light. In 1887, Frank shared a portrait of his father in a book called life and letters of Charles Darwin. The letters revealed Darwins fluid prose and clarity. Frank said that correcting his fathers proof sheets made him a better writer. There's no doubt, Frank had been taught by a master teacher and, in turn, he became a teacher as well. At Cambridge, he taught students of pure science and medicine. Frank Darwin received many honors during his lifetime including the President of the British Association in the 1908-1909 year. In 1913, he was knighted by the Queen. It was Frank Darwin who said, “The personal effect of teacher on pupil cannot be bought at a price, nor can it be paid for in any coin but gratitude. It is the possibility of earning this payment that makes the best part of a teacher's life." #OTD On this day in 1991, The New York Times printed printed an announcement about an upcoming symposium at the New York Botanical Garden (NYBG) featuring Dr. James Duke. Duke was sharing his research; the topic was plants for health and healing and their role in modern medicine. The article shared Duke's incredible personal experience using plants to promote his own good health. It said this: "Dr. James Duke is one of those rare botanists who actually eat what they preach. He loves to watch the evening primrose open within 60 seconds. But he also munches its seeds, which are high in tryptophan, an essential amino acid that can relieve pain and depression. Purple coneflowers thrive in his rather rumpled wild garden in Fulton, Md. He eats their roots to boost his immune system. To cure a cold, he mashes up the stems and leaves of forsythia. To help strengthen weak capillaries, he makes "rutinade" from violet and buckwheat flowers, lemon grass, rhubarb stalks, and herbs high in rutin (anise, camomile, mint, rosehips)." Unearthed Words "Spring flowers are long since gone. Summer's bloom hangs limp on every terrace. The gardener's feet drag a bit on the dusty path and the hinge in his back is full of creaks." - Louise Seymour Jones Today's Book Recommendation: The Backyard Homestead by Carleen Madigan In The Backyard Homestead, Carleen shows you how to produce all the food you need on just a quarter acre. Best of all, the book is loaded with ideas, illustrations, and enthusiasm. It is eye-opening to see just what can be accomplished on a standard-sized home lot. Carleen has been in garden publishing for many years, but she also lives on an organic farm outside of Boston; so she knows of what she writes. Whether your backyard ambitions are modest or you’re scaling up for complete food self-sufficiency, this wonderful guide helps you learn a range of essential skills, from starting seedlings and beekeeping basics to producing and preserving your own food; all of which brings an inordinate amount of sufficiency and satisfaction. Today's Garden Chore Start moving houseplants back indoors. This way, they can adjust gradually to decreasing sun exposure and humidity. If your allergies can handle it, make the move while your windows are still open, to ease the transition. Don't forget to move your tropical houseplants indoors by the end of the month. Something Sweet Reviving the little botanic spark in your heart I recently had the opportunity to rewatch a video featuring Dr. Oliver Sacks who practiced medicine in NYC across from the New York Botanical Garden (NYBG). In the video, Sacks reflected on the garden and what it meant to him. I've cobbled together a few of his inspiring thoughts. Here's what he said: "I think of this garden as treasure. First, it's a haven. In a noisy, crowded New York, we need a haven; we wander around and time doesn't matter too much. When I worked at the hospital opposite the garden, I used to come in every day. Specifically, I would come in after seeing my patients but before writing up my notes. And, I would walk around the garden and put everything out of consciousness except the plants and the air. But, by the time I got back, the patient's story would have crystallized in my mind [and then] I could then write it straight away. But I needed this sort of incubation in the garden, and to go for a walk in the garden; that sort of thing is an essential thing for me in writing. I think nature has a healing effect; the garden the closest one can come to nature. The garden has affected me and does affect me in various ways; it's not just the pleasure of walking around but [also] the very special virtues of the library and the museum and the fact that, in some ways, this is a university as well as a garden. I just feel very comfortable in the garden and whenever people come to New York from out of town or out of the country I say let's go to the garden. I would like quote a couple of lines from a TS Eliot poem: 'Do not ask what is it, Let us go and make our visit.' And so, I think you can't really describe the garden you have to have to visit it." Thanks for listening to the daily gardener, and remember: "For a happy, healthy life, garden every day."
There's are some lines from a TS Eliot poem that go like this : Oh, Do not ask, "What is it?" Let us go and make our visit." If you've never visited your local botanic garden this time of year, you really should go. I have a friend who recently did this, and she posted amazing pictures from her visit to the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum. She said this: "This is my PSA : Get yourself to the Arb ....now . Don’t wait to go just to see the change in color of the trees (like everyone else ) Go now ! The colors of the flowers are crazy ! This is just a couple quick snaps with my phone ( which doesn’t do justice) no filters, editing or enhancing. The colors are just THAT bright and bold . I’ve never gone this time of year . I go in the spring, a few times mid summer then I wait like everyone else for the leaves to change and go again. I’ve even gone in the winter but never late late summer /early fall . For some reason I thought there wouldn’t be anything to look at. I thought the flowers would be half dead ( like my potted plants at home
Flower Valley Conservation Trust — There’s nothing old-fashioned about THIS Botanical Society branch. Jo-Anne King, Chair of the Garden Route Botanical Society, chats to Sharon Brink in this episode of the Flower Valley Podcast. They chat about how to get youngsters involved in Fynbos conservation – using technology (and tattoos); about the beautiful landscapes they operate in, and about some of the threats facing the Garden Route’s natural landscapes. podcast@flowervalley.co.za www.flowervalley.co.za
Fine Music Radio — Triumph for Citizen Democracy It’s quite likely that you’re a member of the Botanical Society, or “BotSoc” as they say here in the Cape. A lot of BotSoc members also listen to Fine Music Radio. And vice versa. But seriously, the Botanical Society is a key institution in the history of South African biodiversity conservation and the promotion of our amazing plant biomes, including the unique and uniquely celebrated Cape Floristic Region. The history of the South African National Botanical Institute is intertwined with the Botanical Society, and professional plant scientists and conservationists have always valued the many contributions made by amateur plant enthusiasts, a number of them legendary in the science.
The Botanical Society of Namibia, in honour of the people that plant, advocate for and work to support our unique Namibian trees have just recently handed out this years Namibian Tree Awards. Diana Thompson, the Chairperson of the Botanical Society of Namibia joined us in studio for this episode of the MYD Earth Show, to share about the awards and also the latest news and developments at the Botanical Society of Namibia.
How is bread made? Who made the first cake? Why shouldn't you touch raw eggs? On this episode of But Why, we're talking about baking. We get a lesson in bread making on a field trip to King Arthur Flour. Later, the Botanical Society of America weighs in on a recent episode where we talked about why some berries are poisonous.
*Subscribe @ iTunes* HAPPY HOLIDAYS! TSPP IS BACK!! We bring you the TEA Summit: DAY 2 with the Thea Award Recipients of 2016! This is part 2 of 2 episodes covering the event, based on the “Afternoon Sessions.” Contains conversations on Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty: Victoria & Albert Museum w/ Dr. Kate Bethune (Senior Researcher for Victoria & Albert Museum); Moments of Happiness: World of Coca-Cola w/ Craig Lovin (Creative Director for World of Coca-Cola) & Christian Lachel (Executive Creative Director/VP of BRC Imagination Arts); Inspector Training Course: Discovery Cube LA w/ Janet Yamaguchi (VP Education for Discovery Science Foundation) & David Beaudry (Principal of Beaudry Interactive, LLC); Les Amoureux de Verdun: Puy du Fou w/ Phillippe de Villiers (Creator of Puy du Fou), Thierry Retif (Scenic Designer for Puy du Fou) & Stephan Villet (Co-Founder of Smart Monkeys Inc.—Interpreter); Rory Meyers Children's Adventure Garden: Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden w/ Mary Brinegar (President & CEO of the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Society, Inc.) & Andrea A. Rolleri (Founding Principal of Van Sickle & Rolleri, LLC); and Fountain of Dreams: Wuyishan w/ Jean-Christophe Canizares (Chairman & CEO - Show Producer at ECA2). InPark Magazine's Martin Palicki and Joe Kleiman join in as well. Enjoy! Links: TEA Website Victoria & Albert Museum World of Coca-Cola BRC Imagination Arts Discovery Cube LA Beaudry Interactive Puy du Fou Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden ECA2 InPark Magazine Walt Disney Birthplace MiceChat Season Pass Closing Song - Wheels by Enuff Z'nuff on iTunes Check Out The Season Pass Podcast Website at: www.seasonpasspodcast.com Follow Us On Twitter! - www.twitter.com/theseasonpass Like the TSPP Facebook page! - www.facebook.com/theseasonpass Contact us: doug@seasonpasspodcast.com brent@super78.com robert@robertcoker.com Call the Hotline with Park Trip Reports, Podcast Comments, or Anything else you would like to announce. –1-916-248-5524 Thanks to each one of you for listening to the show. Your support is extremely appreciated. © 2016 Season Pass Podcast
The Geoff Baylis lectures are a joint initiative between the Otago Botanical Society and the Department of Botany, University of Otago. Steve higgins talks about how impressive plants really are - the biggest, tallest, oldest and most dangerous living oprganisms on teh planet. He discusses how grasses evolved and changed the face of the planet, and how leaf phenology can help us map changes in atmosphere and climate. This lecture was given on the 9th of September 2015
Assembling the Home team: from A.G. More to R.I.I. Praeger Declan Doogue Declan Doogue unravels the influences and players in Irish natural history field studies from A.G. More to the present day. Declan Doogue is the Honorary Vice-President of the Dublin Natuiralists' Field Club and has served as its President for three separate periods. He is also an Honorary Life Member of the Botanical Society of the British Isles and a Fellow of the Linnean Society and has recently been appointed an Honorary Research Fellow of the National Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin. His main botanical interests include the Flora of Kildare project, where he is BSBI recorder ,and he is currently working, with others, on the revision of H. C. Hart's 1887 work, The Flora of Howth. More recently he has commenced research on several critical genera particularly Rosa, Rubus and Taraxacum. His PhD thesis was concerned with the botanical composition of Leinster hedgerows. He has been deeply involved with the promotion of distribution studies on the Irish flora and fauna and the subsequent interpretation of these distributions patterns in historical and geographical contexts. To this end he has organised a number of botanical recording projects on behalf of the DNFC and also coordinated the Republic of Ireland section of the recent BSBI survey of the New Atlas of the British and Irish Flora. He has an on-going involvement with training and encouraging many of the expert bona-fide naturalists who generate these major data sets. More recently he worked to advance the skills of the biological recording community to the point where its accumulated knowledge and experience can find recognition and relevance in modern Ireland in areas such as habitat conservation and species protection. To this end he is fronting a project to foster identification and fieldwork skills in the study of Bryophytes and continues to be associated with a number of the biological distribution recording schemes initiated by the original Irish Biological Records Centre of An Foras Forbartha. He is a member of the Royal Irish Academy's Praeger Committee. www.ria.ie Disclaimer: The Royal Irish Academy has prepared the content of this website responsibly and carefully, but disclaims all warranties, express or implied, as to the accuracy of the information contained in any of the materials. The views expressed are the authors' own and not those of the Royal Irish Academy.
AMS Climate Change Audio - Environmental Science Seminar Series (ESSS)
Biofuels: Threats and Opportunities It is possible to make biofuels that reduce carbon emissions, but only if we ensure that they do not lead to additional land clearing. When land is cleared for agriculture, carbon that is locked up in the plants and soil is released through burning and decomposition. The carbon is released as carbon dioxide, which is an important greenhouse gas, and causes further global warming. Converting rainforests, peatlands, savannas, or grasslands to produce food crop–based biofuels in Brazil, Southeast Asia, and the United States creates a “biofuel carbon debt” by releasing 17 to 420 times more carbon dioxide than the annual greenhouse gas reductions that these biofuels would provide by displacing fossil fuels. Depending on future biofuel production, the effects of this clearing could be significant for climate change: globally, there is almost three times as much carbon locked up in the plants and soils of the Earth as there is in the air and 20% of global carbon dioxide emissions come from land use change. Global demand for food is expected to double in the next 50 years and is unlikely to be met entirely from yield increases, thus requiring significant land clearing. If existing cropland is insufficient to meet imminent food demands, then any dedicated biofuel crop production will necessarily create demand for additional cropland to be cleared. Several forms of biofuels do not cause land clearing, including biofuels made from algae, from waste biomass, or from biomass grown on degraded and abandoned agricultural lands planted with perennials. Present Generation of Biofuels: Reducing or Enhancing Greenhouse Gas Emissions? Previous studies have found that substituting biofuels for gasoline will reduce greenhouse gasses because growing the crops for biofuels sequesters takes carbon out of the air that burning only puts back, while gasoline takes carbon out of the ground and puts it into the air. These analyses have typically not taken into consideration carbon emissions that result from farmers worldwide converting forest or grassland to produce biofuels, or that result from farmers worldwide responding to higher prices and converting forest and grassland into new cropland to replace the grain (or cropland) diverted to biofuels. Our revised analysis suggests that greenhouse gas emissions from the land use changes described above, for most biofuels that use productive land, are likely to substantially increase over the next 30 years. Even advanced biofuels from biomass, if produced on good cropland, could have adverse greenhouse gas effects. At the same time, diverting productive land raises crop prices and reduces consumption among the 2.8 billion people who live on less than $2 per day. Simply avoiding biofuels produced from new land conversion – as proposed by a draft European Union law -- does not avoid these global warming emissions because the world’s farmers will replace existing crops or cropland used for biofuels by expanding into other lands. The key to avoiding greenhouse gas emissions and hunger from land use change is to use feedstocks that do not divert the existing productive capacity of land – whether that production stores carbon (as in forest and grassland) or generates food or wood products. Waste products, including municipal and slash forest waste from private lands, agricultural residues and cover crops provide promising opportunities. There may also be opportunities to use highly unproductive grasslands where biomass crops can be grown productively, but those opportunities must be explored carefully. Biofuels and a Low-Carbon Economy The low-carbon fuel standard is a concept and legal requirement in California and an expanding number of states that targets the amount of greenhouse gases produced per unit of energy delivered to the vehicle, or carbon intensity. In January 2007, California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed Executive Order S-1-07 (http://gov.ca.gov/executive-order/5172/), which called for a 10-percent reduction in the carbon intensity of his state’s transportation fuels by 2020. A research team in which Dr. Kammen participated developed a technical analysis (http://www.energy.ca.gov/low_carbon_fuel_standard/UC-1000-2007-002-PT1.PDF) of low-carbon fuels that could be used to meet that mandate. That analysis employs a life-cycle, ‘cradle to grave’ analysis of different fuel types, taking into consideration the ecological footprint of all activities included in the production, transport, storage, and use of the fuel. Under a low-carbon fuel standard, fuel providers would track the “global warming intensity” (GWI) of their products and express it as a standardized unit of measure--the amount of carbon dioxide equivalent per amount of fuel delivered to the vehicle (gCO2e/MJ). This value measures vehicle emissions as well as other trade-offs, such as land-use changes that may result from biofuel production. For example, an analysis of ethanol shows that not all biofuels are created equal. While ethanol derived from corn but distilled in a coal-powered refinery is in fact worse on average than gasoline, some cellulosic-based biofuels -- largely those with little or no impact on agricultural or pristine lands have the potential for a dramatically lower GWI. Equipped with detailed measurements that relate directly to the objectives of a low-carbon fuel standard, policy makers are in a position to set standards for a state or nation, and then regulate the value down over time. The standard applies to the mix of fuels sold in a region, so aggressively pursuing cleaner fuels permits some percentage of more traditional, dirtier fuels to remain, a flexibility that can enhance the ability to introduce and enforce a new standard. The most important conclusions from this analysis are that biofuels can play a role in sustainable energy future, but the opportunities for truly low-carbon biofuels may be far more limited than initially thought. Second, a low-carbon economy requires a holistic approach to energy sources – both clean supply options and demand management – where consistent metrics for actual carbon emissions and impacts are utilized to evaluate options. Third, land-use impacts of biofuel choices have global, not just local, impact, and a wider range of options, including, plug-in hybrid vehicles, dramatically improved land-use practices including sprawl management and curtailment, and greatly increased and improved public transport all have major roles to play. Biofuels and Greenhouse Gas Emissions: A Better Path Forward The recent controversy over biofuels notwithstanding, the US has the potential to meet the legislated 21 billion gallon biofuel goal with biofuels that, on average, exceed the targeted reduction in greenhouse gas release, but only if feedstocks are produced properly and biofuel facilities meet their energy demands with biomass. A diversity of alternative feedstocks can offer great GHG benefits. The largest GHG benefits will come from dedicated perennial crops grown with low inputs of fertilizer on degraded lands, and especially from those crops that increase carbon storage in soil (e.g., switchgrass, mixed species prairie, and Miscanthus). These may offer 100% or perhaps greater reductions in GHG relative to gasoline. Agricultural and forestry residues, and dedicated woody crops, including hybrid poplar and traditional pulp-like operations, should achieve 50% GHG reductions. In contrast, if biofuel production leads to direct or indirect land clearing, the resultant carbon debt can negate for decades or longer any greenhouse gas benefits a biofuel could otherwise provide. Current legislation, which is outcome based, has anticipated this problem by mandating GHG standards for current and next generation biofuels. Biographies Dr. Joseph E. Fargione is the Regional Science Director for The Nature Conservancy’s Central US Region. He received his doctorate in Ecology from the University of Minnesota in 2004. Prior to the joining The Nature Conservancy, he held positions as Assistant Research Faculty at the University of New Mexico (Biology Department), Assistant Professor at Purdue University (Departments of Biology and Forestry and Natural Resources), and Research Associate at the University of Minnesota (Departments of Applied Economics and Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior). His work has focused on the benefits of biodiversity and the causes and consequences of its loss. Most recently, he has studied the effect of increasing demand for biofuels on land use, wildlife, and carbon emissions. He has authored 18 papers published in leading scientific journals, including Science, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Proceedings of the Royal Society, Ecology, and Ecology Letters, and he was a coordinating lead author for the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment chapter titled “Biodiversity and the regulation of ecosystem services”. His recent paper in Science, “Land clearing and the biofuel carbon debt” was covered in many national media outlets, including the New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, National Public Radio, NBC Nightly News, and Time Magazine. Timothy Searchinger is a Visiting Scholar and Lecturer in Public and International Affairs at Princeton University’s Woodrow Wilson School. He is also a Transatlantic Fellow of the German Marshall Fund of the United States, and a Senior Fellow at the Georgetown Environmental Law and Policy Institute. Trained as a lawyer, Dr. Searchinger now works primarily on interdisciplinary environmental issues related to agriculture. Timothy Searchinger previously worked at the Environmental Defense Fund, where he co-founded the Center for Conservation Incentives, and supervised work on agricultural incentive and wetland protection programs. He was also a deputy General Counsel to Governor Robert P. Casey of Pennsylvania and a law clerk to Judge Edward R. Becker of the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. He is a graduate, summa cum laude, of Amherst College and holds a J.D. from Yale Law School where he was Senior Editor of the Yale Law Journal. Timothy Searchinger first proposed the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program to USDA and worked closely with state officials to develop programs that have now restored one million acres of riparian buffers and wetlands to protect important rivers and bays. Searchinger received a National Wetlands Protection Award from the Environmental Protection Agency in 1992 for a book about the functions of seasonal wetlands of which he was principal author. His most recent writings focus on the greenhouse gas emissions from biofuels, and agricultural conservation strategies to clean-up nutrient runoff. He is also presently writing a book on the effects of agriculture on the environment and ways to reduce them. Dr. Daniel M. Kammen, Class of 1935 Distinguished Professor in the Energy and Resources Group (ERG), in the Goldman School of Public Policy and in the Department of Nuclear Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley. He is also the founding Director of the Renewable and Appropriate Energy Laboratory (RAEL) and Co-Director of the Berkeley Institute of the Environment. Previously in his career, Dr. Kammen was an Assistant Professor of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University, and also played a key role in developing the interdisciplinary Science, Technology, and Environmental Policy (STEP) Program at Princeton as STEP Chair from 1997 - 1999. In July of 1998 Kammen joined ERG as an Associate Professor of Energy and Society. Dr. Kammen received his undergraduate degree in physics from Cornell University (1984), and his masters and doctorate in physics from Harvard University (1986 & 1988) for work on theoretical solid state physics and computational biophysics. First at Caltech and then as a Lecturer in Physics and in the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard, Dr. Kammen developed a number of projects focused on renewable energy technologies and environmental resource management. Dr. Kammen's research interests include: the science, engineering, and policy of renewable energy systems; health and environmental impacts of energy generation and use; rural resource management, including issues of gender and ethnicity; international R&D policy, climate change; and energy forecasting and risk analysis. He is the author of over 200 peer-reviewed journal publications, a book on environmental, technological, and health risks, and numerous reports on renewable energy and development. He has also been a lead author for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change that shared the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize. Dr. G. David Tilman is Regents' Professor and McKnight Presidential Chair in Ecology at the University of Minnesota. He is an elected member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the National Academy of Sciences, and has served on editorial boards of nine scholarly journals, including Science. He serves on the Advisory Board for the Max Plank Institute for Biogeochemistry in Jena, Germany. He has received the Ecological Society of America’s Cooper Award and its MacArthur Award, the Botanical Society of America’s Centennial Award, the Princeton Environmental Prize and was named a J. S. Guggenheim Fellow. He has written two books, edited three books, and published more than 200 papers in the peer-reviewed literature, including more than 30 papers in Science, Nature and the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA. The Institute for Scientific Information recently designated him as the world’s most highly cited environmental scientist of the decade. Dr. Tilman’s recent research explores how managed and natural ecosystems can sustainably meet human needs for food, energy and ecosystem services. A long-term focus of his research is on the causes, consequence and conservation of biological diversity, including using biodiversity as a tool for biofuel production and climate stabilization through carbon sequestration. His work on renewable energy examines the full environmental, energetic and economic costs and benefits of alternative biofuels and modes of their production.