Springtime at the State Arboretum: Flowers, Insects, & Birds of Appalachia
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Overview
Join Lifetime Learning at the State Arboretum of Virginia to explore the vibrancy of the Appalachian Spring. We will walk through the Native Plant Trail with Director of Scientific Engagement Ariel Firebaugh and Assistant Curator Jack Monsted as they highlight the flowering shrubs and ephemeral wildflowers.
Curator T’ai Roulston will lead a tour of the Arboretum to discover spring insects that visit the diverse flowers that serve as food sources, mating sites, and hunting grounds. We will witness plants and insects of Virginia returning to life and birds that spent the winter in the tropics migrating through this area. Director David Carr will lead an exploration of the Arboretum in search of migrant flycatchers, vireos, orioles, warblers, and more.
Speaker Biographies
David Carr, Director & Research Professor
Carr's research is question-driven and has included both animals and plants. Over the past several years, his research has focused on the effects of inbreeding on the interactions between plants and their antagonists (herbivores and pathogens) and their mutualists (pollinators). In addressing these problems, he has conducted experiments in the field and the greenhouse, and this approach has relied extensively on quantitative genetics techniques. A second focal area of this research has been the ecology and genetics of non-native plant species.
Ariel Firebaugh, Director of Scientific Engagement
Firebaugh oversees science outreach and public programming at Blandy Experimental Farm. She earned a Ph.D. from the Department of Environmental Sciences at UVA in 2017, where she studied firefly ecology.
Jack Monsted, Assistant Curator, Native Plant Trail
Monsted curates the 35-acre Native Plant Trail at Blandy. He earned an M.Sc. from Ohio University’s Plant Biology department in 2018 and specialized in plant community ecology and ecological restoration.
T’ai Roulston, Curator & Research Associate Professor
Roulston’s primary research area is plant-pollinator interactions, which he studies through field, laboratory, and phylogenetic approaches. These include (i) studies of pollen chemistry to characterize the diversity of pollen-nutrient rewards; (ii) phylogenetic analysis to associate shifts in pollen-nutrient content with evolutionary shifts in pollination syndrome; (iii) observations of pollinator host choices to determine pollinator assessment of pollen nutrition, and (iv) studies of insect development and body size to assess the potential importance of variation in pollen nutrients.
Registration Information
Age Requirement
Must be at least 18 years old.
Participant Physical Abilities
This program requires extensive walking (approximately 1.5 miles) to visit each area of the gardens and Arboretum. We suggest wearing comfortable walking shoes and sunscreen.
Registration Form Cut-Off
April 28, 2023 at 5:00 PM
Cancellation Policy
Participants may cancel their registration for this One-Day UVA program by emailing Susan Lynch at scl4d@virginia.edu. Susan will send an email notification confirming your cancellation.
Refund Policy
If Lifetime Learning (via Susan) receives your cancellation email before midnight on April 26, 2023, you will receive a refund of 50% of your registration fee.
If Lifetime Learning (via Susan) receives your cancellation email after midnight on April 27, 2023, no refund will be issued.
How to Find Blandy Experimental Farm Grounds Click Here for Map
Look for the “State Arboretum of Virginia” sign. Once on Blandy Farm Lane, veer to the left at the top of the bend in the road. You have two parking lot options: An event parking lot to the left immediately after the curve (parking will be marked) and a smaller lot past the sidewalk to the Quarters building on the right, immediately after the information kiosk.
Once parked, follow the pathway and look for the brick Quarters building with arched windows. The program will be held at the library in the Quarters building. Signs will lead you from both parking lots.