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11.23.04 Left to right: Mila Wilmoth, Alyssa Sattler, Rusty Wilson, Dennis Law, Jonathan Womack, Brittany Mallard, Sharon Stringer, Wes Burnett, Rebecca Ashley, Karen Burnett Students help save South Carolina's native grasses Members of Dr. Jan Haldeman's field botany class at Erskine College have been working during the past several weeks with the South Carolina Native Plant Society to help save the state's native grasses. "These native grasses represent remnants of South Carolina prairies that were widespread prior to European colonization," Haldeman said. Students in the class have taken field trips to several upstate counties, where they collected native grass seed under the direction of Clemson University agronomist Bill Stringer. "The South Carolina Native Plant Society cooperates with the U.S. Forest Service to collect native plant seeds for use by the forest service in re-vegetating disturbed lands in the national forests of the state," Stringer explained. During development of land for new roads, housing or industry, most vegetation is stripped away, leaving the land ugly and vulnerable to erosion. The Department of Transportation usually seeds road banks and shoulders with fescue and exotic grasses to prevent such erosion, but these species have crowded out many native grasses. Stringer said the Native Plant Society receives funding from the U.S. Forest Service to cover the cost of travel, food and supplies for groups of volunteers who travel to National Forest districts and surrounding areas to collect seeds from roadsides and utility rights-of-way. "Volunteers need not have any experience, as we teach plant ID and seed collection techniques," Stringer said. Groups of volunteers work in early summer to collect cool-season grass and early season wildflower seeds. In late fall, volunteers collect warm-season grass and late season wildflower seeds. Participants in the seed collection project, in addition to college students, have included Scouts, grammar and high school students, and retirees, Stringer said.
Clemson agronomist Bill Stringer instructs volunteers on native grass seed collection. Left to right: Lander students Marie Rumsey and Elizabeth Epperson, Erskine students Caleb McMahan and Drew Whitesides, Lander student Samantha Lemmen, and Bill Stringer. |
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