November Program: Sword Fern Die-off in Seward Park

Sword Fern Die-off in Seward Park: A Research Update Tim Billo The sleuthing goes on! For several years now, sword ferns in an area of Seward Park have been dying, and the problem is getting worse. Dr. Billo will share the work to date to unravel this mystery. He’ll review the multiple etiologies that have been explored and share the hypotheses the research team has developed. He will also share the team’s plans for experimental work to test their hypotheses and to identify restoration solutions. The need for extensive monitoring in Seward and other parks will be discussed. Finally, Dr. Billo will place this challenge in the context of anthropogenic climate change and other human pressures. Tim Billo is a Lecturer in the UW Environmental Studies Program. He received his PhD from the UW Biology department in 2011. His undergraduate degree also, in biology, was earned at Williams College in Massachusetts. Over his career as a biologist he has worked on the ecology and evolution of birds and plants, in both tropical and temperate ecosystems. His current focus is on undergraduate education, including the facilitation of research experiences for undergraduates. His many course offerings include a philosophical summer course in the Olympic Mountains in which they ponder the role of wilderness in the Anthropocene, and among other things, spend time informally monitoring populations of Olympic Mountain endemic plants. Interested folks can learn more at his website: https://timbillo.wordpress.com/ Thursday, Nov 3, 7:30pm, UW Center for Urban Horticulture, 3501 NE 41st St, Seattle (Doors Open at 6:00 PM for the Native Plant Identification Workshop; Program begins at 7:30 PM.) For details, see wnps.org Refreshments, Public Invited, Admission is free. Please Post