Boston Flora

Tag: Robert Askins

  • Sunday,February 25, 12:30 pm – 4:30 pm – Preserving the Biological Diversity of Eastern Forests

    Ware River Nature Club will hold its Fourth Annual Meeting & Silent Auction on Sunday February 25th 2018 12:30 – 4:30 p.m. at Hartman’s Herb Farm, Barre. At this year’s meeting we’ll learn about the ecology of the beautiful forests in our own backyard of central Massachusetts. Please plan to join us! Rsvp to warerivernatureclub@yahoo.com

    Robert Askins, Professor of Biology at Connecticut College, will present PRESERVING THE BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY OF EASTERN FORESTS, a talk about the major threats to deciduous forests in eastern North America. The biological diversity of our forests is threatened by habitat fragmentation, increasing homogeneity of the vegetation, and the loss of top predators. Understanding the history and ecology of deciduous forests is critical for sustaining productive forests and preventing the loss of biological diversity. This presentation is based on a book that Professor Askins recently published on the ecology and conservation of deciduous forests on three continents.

    In a complementary presentation, Owen Sholes, Professor of Biology at Assumption College, will talk about the effects of the severe ice storm of December, 2008 on tree growth, based on tree rings and other factors. The focus of much of Professor Sholes’ research has been on tree growth and survival.

  • Tuesday, September 30, 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm – Preserving Forests in New England – Insights from Japan and Europe

    The biological diversity of New England’s deciduous forests is threatened by habitat fragmentation, increasing homogeneity of the vegetation, and the loss of top predators. Most of the natural landscape is now dominated by medium-aged woodlands, leaving relatively little space for species that require open habitats, young forest, or old-growth forest. The future of deciduous forests also will depend on climate change and the introduction of insects and pathogens that decimate particular species of trees. Understanding the history and ecology of these forests is critical for sustaining their productivity and preventing the loss of biological diversity. Professor Robert Askins of Connecticut College will present a talk on Tuesday, September 30, from 7 – 8:30 in the Hunnewell Building at the Arnold Arboretum on the major threats to our local forests and new insights for their protection from studies of remarkably similar forests in East Asia and Europe. His recently published book, Saving the World’s Deciduous Forests, will be available for purchase and signing.  Fee $5 member, $10 nonmember.  Register on line at https://my.arboretum.harvard.edu/Info.aspx?EventID=1.