Online Course: Selection and Propagation of Native Plants

This course introduces students to the principles of native plant selection and propagation to meet site-specific ecosystem restoration objectives. Through a combination of class notes, selected readings and video presentations, we’ll focus on low-technology propagation techniques: by seed, vegetative methods and salvage of plant materials. We’ll also examine the role of artificial propagation in ecosystem restoration, rehabilitation and reclamation, while considering the criteria for species selection and both ethical and scientific principles for the collection of propagation materials. The course concludes with a discussion of the techniques of:

• site stabilization
• site preparation
• out-planting
• seeding
• bioengineering (technique of using live plant materials to form all or part of an engineered structure to stabilize a problem site)