Those who complete The University of Florida Fort Pierce campus Environmental Plant Identification course will have the ability to identify more than 150 woody trees, shrubs and groundcovers used in Florida landscapes. The course will begin in mid-May, and will continue for 12 weeks through early August. Classes will meet at the UF Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Indian River Research and Education Center (IRREC). The campus is located at 2199 South Rock Road in western St. Lucie County. The upper-level environmental horticulture course intended for students with an interest in plant science will feature plant nomenclature, taxonomic identification, cultural requirements and production references of over 150 species, according to Sandra Wilson, a professor at IRREC. Wilson holds a Ph.D. in Plant Physiology and will instruct the laboratory segment for the course at IRREC. Weekly lectures will be delivered online by Dr. Perez and a team of professors situated in important horticultural regions throughout the state. “We are very excited to offer this course again and have received phenomenal industry support and student interest,” said Wilson. “Our existing Teaching Garden and Linear Garden will enable students to learn all of the plants on site, and even online.” “At the graduate level, the course is suited for advanced degrees in Environmental Science, Entomology and Environmental Horticulture,” said Wilson. According to Wilson, ornamental horticulture is a rapidly growing segment of Florida’s agricultural industry, with a strong demand in local employment opportunities for those having knowledge of woody landscape plants. Several scholarships including the Garden Club of Indian River County Scholarship and the Simpson Foundation Scholarship, and the St Lucie Master Gardeners Awards are competitively available to those who matriculate in a degree-seeking program associated with the University of Florida/IFAS Indian River Research and Education Center in Fort Pierce. To enroll in the UF/IRREC Environmental Plant Identification course, or for more information about UF/IFAS educational programs in Fort Pierce, please contact Jackie White at (772) 468-3922 x 148, or by e-mail at [email protected] For more information about Environmental Plant Identification, visit the course-specific website at irreccenvhort.ifas.ufl.edu/
Posted on: Wed, 12 Mar 2014 15:33:48 +0000