Forests ecosystems are visually dominated by trees, but in fact, a forest ecosystem is composed of a wide variety of organisms that interact in astonishing ways both above and below ground. As borne out by scientific studies over the last 30+ years, forest ecosystems are held together by relationships among individual trees and between trees and other organisms. Contrary to traditional forest management models that focus on competition between trees, there is a richness of interactions in a healthy forest. In particular, the amazing ways that trees communicate and cooperate with each other seem almost like otherworldly magic.
Our special guest speaker, Dr. Charlotte Pyle, likes nature, and for the most part has managed to hold a connection to nature and natural resources in her work life. Prior to coming to Connecticut, she worked for Tahoe National Forest in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and the Gifford Pinchot National Forest in Washington State where she also was awarded a PhD in Forest Ecosystems Analysis with a focus on Landscape Ecology at the University of Washington. In Connecticut, she worked at the University of Connecticut as a Forest Ecologist and for the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service.
Currently Charlotte is Chair of the Connecticut Invasive Plant Working Group's Native Plant Alternatives Sub-Committee and is a member of Connecticut's Native Plant Working Group.
Join us for this fascinating lunch and learn talk; you'll never look at trees the same way again!