The plant species we find in wild areas often provide clues to prior human land use. Sometimes plants communicate as much about recent history as they do about “natural” conditions like soil or aspect. Understanding the history of a site can provide valuable direction to our approaches as restoration practitioners and landscape designers. How can we decipher clues to prior land use as we work in the field? Join Certified Ecological Restoration Practitioner Jared Rosenbaum of Wild Ridge Plants as he describes methods for interpreting the history of natural sites, including pasture trees, signs of logging, high quality remnants, the use of aerial imagery, Floristic Quality Assessment/PSI and more.

Biography
Jared is a botanist, native plant grower, and Certified Ecological Restoration Practitioner. He is a founding partner at Wild Ridge Plants LLC, a business that grows local ecotype native plants using sustainable practices and performs botanical surveys. Jared is the author of the book Wild Plant Culture: A Guide to Restoring Native Edible and Medicinal Plant Communities, as well as the children’s book The Puddle Garden, about native plants and wildlife.