Progress 08/01/03 to 07/31/06
Outputs
The overall objective of the project was to develop lecture and lab materials for a restoration ecology course and offer the course as a distance education course at three institutions (University of Florida, Auburn University and Mississippi State University) simultaneously. The PI and Co-PIs met at least twice per year during the life of the project to discuss the progress of the project and evaluate the success. They also communicated via email and phone calls on numerous occasions. Twelve lectures were videotaped and converted to DVD and CD. Five additional PowerPoint lectures were developed to supplement classroom instruction. A website was created and maintained by Auburn University and used as the major discussion forum shared by all three institutions. New course approval process was completed at the University of Florida. The course was offered at Mississippi State University (once) and University of Florida (three times) during the past two years and a total
of 36 students were enrolled. A CD-ROM that contains major restoration activities of the longleaf pine ecosystem was produced to augment the laboratory instruction. Auburn University facilitated the filed tour at the Solon Dixon Forestry Center. The textbook, The Longleaf Pine Ecosystem: Ecology, Silviculture, and Restoration, was published in June 2006 and has been well received. Pre and post student evaluations revealed that students gained a deeper understanding and appreciation for ecological restoration following the conclusion of the course. Students who were employed by the Florida Division of Forestry (as hurricane recovery and restoration temporary workers) and the Northwest Florida Water Management District (student interns) following the completion of the course showed excellent performance. The course will be offered on a regular basis at the University of Florida and plans are currently underway to develop a Certificate Program in ecological restoration.
PRODUCTS: Products of this project include: 1. A distance education course and materials that can be used to offer the course as two-way interactive video, in-class, or streaming video format. Details can be found at http://www.sfrc.ufl.edu/faculty/jose/FOR4110.html, 2. A textbook (edited volume with more than 50 contributed authors), which was published by Springer-Verlag, New York, in June 2006. Information about the book can be seen at http://www.springer.com 3. A set of 12 videotaped lectures (on CD and DVD)and five PowerPoint lectures 4. A CD ROM lab that contains images of various restoration activities in the longleaf pine ecosystem 5. A longleaf pine discussion forum developed and maintained by Auburn University (which can be accessed at www.longleafalliance.org ). The scope of the website has been expanded to include discussion of important topics among all longleaf pine enthusiasts, and ultimately, 6. Students who have been trained in restoration ecology of longleaf pine
ecosystem; some of them have been hired by the FL Division of Forestry in restoring hurricane damaged longleaf pine ecosystems immediately following the first offering of the class.
OUTCOMES: The major outcome of this project is society ready graduates who can help the efforts of natural resource agencies in restoring the degraded and damaged longleaf pine ecosystems and similar ecosystems elsewhere in the country. For some students this course may serve as a stepping-stone to graduate programs in restoration ecology. We expect these students to be the future leaders in the field. Other products and measurable outcomes include videotapes, CD-ROM, website, and a textbook on restoration ecology (explained earlier). In addition to the textbook, two refereed publications and three conference presentation have resulted from this project. We also expect one Ph.D. and one M.S. theses and many more papers in the next two years. All these products and outcomes have tremendously helped advance the educational and research endeavors in restoration ecology of longleaf pine and similar degraded and threatened ecosystems in the country and elsewhere in the world.
DISSEMINATION ACTIVITIES: The course offering was announced campus wide at the universities. The website and textbook have been widely publicized through professional society meetings, fliers, email communication and mail outs. The project also has the potential to create benefits that will extend beyond the boundaries of University of Florida, Mississippi State University and Auburn University. For example, the lecture materials and CDs and DVDs can be used as educational tool by other institutions in the Southeast or elsewhere in the country. This will serve as a model to develop materials for in-service training of county extension faculty or use in landowner workshops. The CD-ROM lab can be used as an educational tool for any restoration ecology course anywhere in the world. And, we will make it available to other institutions and individuals for a nominal fee. Information provided on the Longleaf Alliance web site will be available to students but also to practitioners involved
in the restoration and management of longleaf pine. The edited peer-reviewed textbook published as part of this project serve as a restoration ecology handbook for an interdisciplinary audience including students, educators, policy makers and the general public. The book has already sold more than 500 copies (in two months), which indicates the wider acceptance, above and beyond the students who take the class. Peer-reviewed publications and conference proceedings will further enhance the visibility of this project.
FUTURE INITIATIVES: We expect to develop two initiatives: (1) a certificate program in ecological restoration. This interdisciplinary program will have a core curriculum comprised of 15 credits and (2) a graduate training program in ecological restoration. We will be submitting a challenge grant proposal to seek funding for these initiatives in the near future.
Impacts
The students who take this class are expected to be well-trained in the theory and practice of restoring longleaf pine and similar degraded ecosystems in the Southeast and elsewhere in the country. We expect some of these students to enter the job market as restoration professionals. We hope this will address the shortage of trained professionals in the field to a certain extent. Some students may enter graduate school to get additional training in restoration ecology and we expect them to be the future leaders in the field.
Publications
- Holzmueller, E.J. and Jose, S. 2007. Longleaf pine restoration on gulf Lower Coastal Plain flatwoods: role of shrub control and phosphorous fertilization. Fourteenth Biennial Southern Silvicultural Research Conference to be held February 26-March 1, Athens, GA.
- McCaskill, G., and Jose, S. 2006. Spatio-temporal patterns of forest structure and understory species composition in longleaf pine flatwoods along Florida gulf coast. Sixth Longleaf Alliance Regional Conference. November 13-16, Tifton, GA.
- Jose, S., Roberts, S.D., and Gjerstad, D. 2006. Developing a distance education course in ecology and restoration of the longleaf pine ecosystem. Society of American Foresters National Convention, October 24-29, Pittsburgh, PA
- Jose, S., Jokela, E.J., and Miller, D.L. 2006. The Longleaf Pine Ecosystem: Ecology, Silviculture, and Restoration. Springer-Verlag, New York. 438p.
- Ranasinghe S., Jose, S., and Ramsey C.R. 2006. Longleaf pine (Pinus palustris Mill.) seedling and understory vegetation responses to herbicidal vegetation control on a Coastal Plain flatwoods site in Florida. Southern Journal of Applied Forestry (submitted)
- Ranasinghe S., Jose, S., and Ramsey C.R. 2005. Understory species response following herbicidal release treatments on a longleaf pine restoration site in southern U.S.A. Burk, A.R. (ed.), New Research on Forest Ecosystems. Nova Science Publishers, New York. Pp. 145-163
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Progress 10/01/04 to 09/30/05
Outputs
The overall objective of the project was to develop lecture and lab materials for a restoration ecology course and offer the course as a distance education course at three institutions (University of Florida, Auburn University and Mississippi State University) simultaneously. The project is progressing well. The PI and Co-PIs met twice during the reporting year to discuss the progress of the project. They also communicated via email and phone calls on numerous occasions. Twelve of the lectures have been videotaped as of September 2005 and four additional PowerPoint lectures have been developed to supplement classroom instruction. A website has been created and maintained by Auburn University and will be used as the major course website shared by all three institutions. New course approval process was initiated at all three institutions and course has been approved at the University of Florida. A graduate student is working on the project at UF helping in the
production of a virtual lab component for the course. The course was offered once at Mississippi State University and University of Florida and was well received by the students. Auburn and University of FLorida are expected to teach the class again in the reporting year. The textbook, The Longleaf Pine Ecosystem: Ecology, Silviculture, and Restoration, is expected to be published in June 2006.
Impacts
This project is going to result in a restoration ecology course at three major institutions in the Southeast. The students who take this class are expected to be well-trained in the theory and practice of restoring longleaf pine and similar degraded ecosystems in the sSoutheast and elsewhere in the country. We expect some of these students to enter the job marlet as restoration professionals. We hope this will address the shortage of trained professionals in the field to a certain extent. Some studentrs may enter graduate school to get additional training in restoration ecology and we expect them to be the future leaders in the field.
Publications
- Jose, S., Jokela, E.J., and Miller, D.L. 2006. Longleaf Pine Ecosystems: Ecology, Management, and Restoration. Springer-Verlag, New York. (in press). 600 p.
- Ranasinghe S., Jose, S., and Ramsey C.R. 2005. Understory species dynamics following herbicidal release treatments on a longleaf pine restoration site in southern U.S.A. Burk A.R. (ed.), New Research on Forest Ecosystems. Nova Science Publishers, New York. 186 p.
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Progress 10/01/03 to 09/30/04
Outputs
The overall objective of the project is to develop lecture and lab materials for a restoration ecology course and offer the course as a distance education course at three institutions (University of Florida, Auburn University and Mississippi State University) simultaneously. The project is progressing well. The PI and Co-PIs met twice during the reporting year to plan activities and discuss the progress of the project. Three lectures have been videotaped and four more will be videotaped in August 2004. Six more lectures are scheduled to be videotaped in September, completing the lecture materials for the course. A website has been created and maintained by Auburn University and will be used as the major course website shared by all three institutions. New course approval process has been initiated at all three institutions with an anticipated first offering to take place in Spring 2005. A graduate student is working on the project at UF helping in the production of
videotapes and scanning in of images to enhance the lectures. Another student is being recruited at Mississippi State University to develop a virtual lab. The student is expected to begin in Fall 2004. The textbook, Longleaf Pine Ecosystems: Ecology, Management, and Restoration, is nearing completion and we expect it to be out by early Spring 2005.
PRODUCTS: 1. A textbook (edited volume with more than 50 contributed authors), which will be published by Springer-Verlag, New York 2. A set of of videotaped lectures (being produced at this point)
OUTCOMES: The major outcome of this project will be society ready graduates who can help the efforts of natural resource agencies in restoring the damaged longleaf pine ecosystems and similar ecosystems elsewhere in the country. For some students this course may serve as a stepping-stone to graduate programs in restoration ecology. We expect these students to be the future leaders in the field. Other products and measurable outcomes include videotapes, CD-ROM, Web-CT website, and a textbook on restoration ecology (explained earlier). We also expect to produce a M.S. thesis, two referred publications , and two or three oral presentations in national conferences. All these products and outcomes will tremendously help advance the educational and research endeavors in restoration ecology of longleaf pine and similar degraded and threatened ecosystems in the country and elsewhere in the world.
DISSEMINATION ACTIVITIES: The proposed project also has the potential to create benefits that will extend beyond the boundaries of University of Florida, Mississippi State University and Auburn University. For example, once lecture materials are developed and recorded on videotapes they can be used as educational tool by other institutions in the Southeast or elsewhere in the country. This will serve as a model to develop materials for in-service training of county extension faculty or use in landowner workshops. The CD-ROM virtual tour can be used as an educational tool for any restoration ecology course anywhere in the world. And, we will make it available to other institutions and individuals for a nominal fee. Information provided on the Longleaf Alliance web site will be available to students but also to practitioners involved in the restoration and management of longleaf pine. The edited peer-reviewed textbook published as part of this project will serve as a restoration
ecology handbook for an interdisciplinary audience including students, educators, policy makers and the general public. Peer-reviewed publications and conference proceedings will further enhance the visibility of this project.
FUTURE INITIATIVES: We will expand the course offerings to other institutions in FL, AL, and MS and elsewhere in the Southeast.
Impacts
This project is going to result in a restoration ecology course at three major institutions in the Southeast. The students who take this class are expected to be well-trained in the theory and practice of restoring longleaf pine and similar degraded ecosystems in the sSoutheast and elsewhere in the country. We expect some of these students to enter the job marlet as restoration professionals. We hope this will address the shortage of trained professionals in the field to a certain extent. Some studentrs may enter graduate school to get additional training in restoration ecology and we expect them to be the future leaders in the field.
Publications
- Jose, S., Jokela, E.J., and Miller, D.L. 2004. Longleaf Pine Ecosystems: Ecology, Management, and Restoration. Springer-Verlag, New York. (in press)
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