The 2011 ASHS Annual Conference

           Research has shown that plants and the landscapes around us do have an impact on our everyday lives.  Plants, as one of the most common organisms we interact with every day, have been shown to reduce anxiety, blood pressure, and to have mentally restorative and psychological benefits.  These benefits can include but are not limited to improving our ability to cope with the stress of everyday life and improving our ability to focus and concentrate.   Additionally, recent research suggests that university athletes show performance improvements when competing in venues with views of vegetation.   These findings underscore the role and value that the campus landscape can have upon the university community.

           A study that seeks to identify the factors that contribute to a useful and beneficial campus landscape is proposed and will be discussed.  Many universities who teach plant sciences and horticulture are limited by the landscapes surrounding their university structures.  Often, a hands-on experience with plant material is forfeited due to lack of suitable specimens on or adjacent to campus.  Surveys of recent University of Tennessee graduates in the area of Plant Sciences point to a desire for more hands-on practice and experience leading up to their degree. The need for a high quality teaching landscape for those teaching and studying plant sciences and horticulture was identified. Often, lack of resources and a suitable demonstration landscape are to blame. A model of how a university can establish and maintain its campus grounds as a significant and dynamic outdoor classroom and laboratory for an array of academic disciplines will be discussed.