2017 ASHS Annual Conference

As we enter a new era of concern about the impacts of climate change on our environment, education must extend beyond the classroom and bridge among disciplines. This presentation will discuss how the importance of research, landscape design and construction, sustainability, and outstanding teaching can all be used to teach about the importance of protecting and conserving pollinator habitat. We live in a world where gardens should be more than aesthetically pleasing; they should provide valuable ecosystem services as well. Designers must now figure out how a garden can be a Swiss Army Knife of sorts: How can a pollinator garden also take advantage of water-wise plants? As educators, how can we best inspire and prepare students for these new landscape challenges? How can we raise awareness and involve urban residents in a new era of sustainability and environmental awareness? To demonstrate to students and our community members the importance of urban landscape sustainability combined with pollinator habitat and conservation, we developed lessons and educational materials centered on student-installed teaching gardens. Our pollinator-friendly gardens demonstrate not only the importance of sustainability in aesthetic garden design, but also encourages students and the public to interact with the gardens through community outreach. We will present concepts behind researching, designing, funding, and managing these important living learning laboratories and how session participants can incorporate technology and sustainability into their teaching programs and how pollinator gardens of any size can be incorporated into landscapes through the use of experiential learning. Ultimately, through education and hands-on experiences, we hope to empower our students and community members to install their own pollinator gardens to protect and conserve pollinators in all types of urban landscapes.