The Identification, Ecology and Management of Medicinal Forest Plants of the Southern Appalachians

Date: April 13th, 2019

Time: 10:30 a.m – 12:00 p.m.

Optional hike following presentation: 12:00 p.m. ~ 2:00 p.m.

Location: Anne Elizabeth Suratt Nature Center at Walnut Creek Preserve

Speaker: Dr. David Ellum, Dean of Land Resources and Professor of Ecological Forestry at Warren Wilson College

Forestry is not just about trees. Dr. Ellum has spent his career studying forest groundstory plants and their important role in maintaining healthy forest ecosystems. His current research focuses on non-timber forest products, especially the propagation and management of native forest plants of medicinal value. In this presentation Dr. Ellum will explain the ecology of these plants and discuss how their sustainable management can contribute to forest land conservation in the Southern Appalachian region. The program will include live plants for demonstration purposes and an optional walk on the preserve to look at spring groundstory plant communities.  After the presentation, interested participants are invited to join Dr. Ellum for a hike in the Preserve for hands on learning.

Dr. Ellum received his PhD in Silviculture and Forest Ecology and an MF in Professional Forest Management from Yale University School of Forestry and Environmental Studies. He also holds a BS in Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences from North Carolina State University. He has been teaching at Warren Wilson College since 2007.