VIRTUAL: The Mighty Stature and Ecology of Oaks: Their Future Doesn’t Look Bright, But We Can Help!

Oaks have been essential to the ecology of most eastern U.S. forests for millennia.  However, over the past century, humans have influenced millions of acres of forests in the eastern U.S. away from conditions where oaks are frequent in forests and woodlands to conditions where oaks will decline in abundance. This gradual yet devastating decline in oaks has already led to and will continue to, lead significant ecological impacts on forest life.

This presentation illustrates and conveys the ecological conditions under which oaks have succeeded in recent millennia, but in just one century, how human actions have set the stage for the decline of oaks.  That means we must consider how to “manage” forests such that oaks can succeed in the upcoming centuries.

But not all hope is lost. By educating ourselves in ecosystem health and forest restoration, we can help save the oaks—and our greater local forests.

Join us Wednesday, March 8 at 6:00 pm Central Time for this special, virtual presentation. Please RSVP to save your spot and receive a link for the webinar. We will also be broadcasting to Facebook Live!

Our Zoom List is currently FULL! Please watch via Facebook Live at 6pm Central to join if you were not able to make the Zoom.

About the Speaker:

Dr. Spencer Cortwright grew up in the western suburbs of Chicago. Spends considerable time in nature but at the time not thinking of it as a career option.  Partway through his studies at Washington University (St. Louis), he committed to studying ecology, which he further pursed at Indiana University (Ph.D. in ecology) and the University of Michigan (post-doctoral research and teaching).  This led to his becoming a professor of ecology at Indiana University Northwest, where he has taught since 1992.  He studied amphibian ecology and now for nearly a quarter century has focused on restoration ecology in Chicago Wilderness.  During all that time, he has worked in many forests and read many papers on forest ecology, which leads to his insights on the past and future ecology of oaks, as well as led hikes at various Shirley Heinze Land Trust sites.