Class 1 - Introduction to Conservation & Stewardship, 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. Thursday, January 15th

For the inaugural class of our Winter Semester, we’ll get to know each other and discover some of the reasons that have brought us together. We will go over the schedule for the Winter Semester and provide an outline for what students can expect to learn. Additionally, students will complete a survey evaluating their knowledge of the subjects covered in the Winter Course. An exit survey will be completed at the end of the semester and the results will be compared and shared with each student. 

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Ecologist and course instructor, Doug Gilbert, will lead the class and introduce key concepts pertaining to conservation and responsible stewardship of the land and water serving as the foundation of our communities. This class will excite students about what’s to come over the course of the Winter Semester. Students will leave this class 1) with a fundamental understanding of how to identify ecological "liabilities" and “assets” and 2) eager to begin implementing beneficial conservation practices at home and in their neighborhoods. 

 

Class 2 - Winter Dendrology I, 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Saturday, January 17th

Our first “field class” will focus on becoming familiar with some of the hundreds of species of woody plants, including trees, shrubs, and vines, that call southwest Ohio home. It can be daunting for people to wrap their heads around identifying trees when leaves aren’t present, however, Doug will soon have students understand why, to him, winter is the easiest time of year to identify most woody plants. Students will learn which woody plant species are considered of highest importance from an ecological perspective. 

Students are encouraged to bring samples of trees and other woody plants from their own yards and/or neighborhoods that Doug can help them identify. 

 

Class 3 - Ecology of Native Plants, 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. Thursday, January 29th

This class takes a deep dive into the world of native plants and the roles they play in ecosystems. Exactly why is it that native plants are at the core of every discussion about conservation? Isn’t a nonnative maple just as ecologically valuable as a native one? In short, no. This class will provide students with insight as to why this is the case, and which organisms comprising the biodiversity of southwest Ohio absolutely NEED native plants to survive and thrive. 

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Students are encouraged to bring lists of plant species in their own yards and/or neighborhoods to evaluate which are “assets” and which are “liabilities”. We’ll discuss native alternatives that can help regenerate biodiversity right where we live. 

 

Class 4 - Nonnative Invasive Species Management, 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. Thursday, February 5th

Now that students understand the critical role native plants play, they will learn about some of the various nonnative invasive species including plants, pathogens, and wildlife, that degrade ecosystems and reduce biodiversity. Multiple examples of nonnative species that have ravaged natural areas and neighborhoods alike will be discussed. From Amur honeysuckle to zebra mussels, Doug provides an in-depth look into how the introduction of nonnative invasive species can decimate ecosystems and the biodiversity they support. 

 

Class 5 - Winter Dendrology II, 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Saturday, February 7th

Students will use the knowledge and skills learned during the first winter dendrology field class to evaluate the health of forested areas at Grailville. The class will break into groups and each will work together to create an inventory of the trees and other woody plants present in the plot. Additionally, groups will draft recommendations to improve their plot’s capacity to support biodiversity and various ecological functions. Groups will present their findings to the class and ultimately determine which one plot should be prioritized for conservation action. 

 

Class 6 - Native Seed Collection & Preparation, 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. Thursday, February 19th

This class will focus on harvesting native seeds for conservation. Doug will guide students through responsible collection of native seeds, including assessing the quality and quantity of available seed, prioritizing collection of seeds of ecologically significant plants, and where to look for seeds. Students will assess seeds collected by Doug; students are also encouraged to bring seeds they’ve collected. Storage and stratification of seeds are explained. Each student will take home samples of native seeds they can store and stratify to grow for the upcoming 2026 growing season. We will ask that some of the plants propagated be donated back to Love Our Land to use in our native planting activities. 

 

Class 7 - Land Stewardship in Your Community, 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. Thursday, February 26th

Being a responsible steward of your yard and neighborhood is one of the greatest actions we can take to improve the health of local ecosystems. While there are many amazing groups already working to care for the ecosystems of southwest Ohio, there are many communities lacking this vital public service. It may not be feasible for each of us to adopt that role for our county, township, or city/town, we can do so for our yards and, with a little help from our neighbors, our neighborhoods. This class will outline ways for students to become stewards of these relatively small but important spaces. After all, if managed properly, yards can serve as a “source” of biodiversity regeneration. When managed poorly, they can become “sinks” for biodiversity, meaning the presence of these yards decreases biodiversity. By changing landscaping/lawn care behaviors and adopting conservation practices, students can become stewards of ecologically healthy spaces capable of supporting thousands of species of plants, wildlife, fungi, and more.

Students are asked to evaluate a landscaping/lawn care practice they typically use that they can cease or modify to enhance biodiversity in their yard. The class will discuss these actions to gauge their level of impact for local biodiversity. 

 

Class 8 - Imperiled Species of Southwest Ohio, 10:00 to 11:30 a.m. Saturday, February 28th

In our final class, students will learn about some of the rare, threatened, or endangered species that call southwest Ohio home. Species include those that are either federally or state-protected under endangered species laws, or classified as imperiled or rare by other conservation agencies or institutions (e.g., International Union for the Conservation of Nature). Doug provides background on these species including historic range/distribution, the drivers in their decline, and conservation efforts underway to recover populations. Students are assigned a species and asked to evaluate the degree to which they are imperiled and, based on their knowledge of potential threats, the likelihood of the species disappearing from southwest Ohio over the next 10, 25, and 50 years. 

 

Winter Semester Survey & Evaluation/Graduation - 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Saturday, February 28th

Students complete a survey that assesses their knowledge of the subjects covered during the Winter Semester. They are then asked to complete an evaluation of the Winter Semester that provides feedback to Love Our Land that allows us to modify the coursework as necessary. Finally, students are recognized for their participation in the Winter Semester.