GMRE Monthly Seminars
MAY

"WaterWise Gardening"

The temperatures are rising. Your plants are wilting. The watering restrictions are getting more stringent. What's a gardener to do? The wise gardener will come to this seminar to hear about what we can do for our plants. Dr. Wade will provide tips on how to recognize heat stress in plants and give us practical, proven ways to help your plants survive a drought. In addition, he will shed light on how to choose drought - tolerant plants for our gardens. Come to this seminar to learn how to make the most of one of our most precious resources.

Our Speaker Dr. Gary Wade

Dr. Gary Wade studied Plant Science at West Virginia University and Horticulture at Michigan State University. He received his PhD in Horticulture from Louisiana State University. He is currently a Horticulture Professor with the University of Georgia. His specialties include; Landscape Installation and Management, Landscape Cost Estimating and Landscape Water Conservation. He has ongoing research projects at the GMRE Center in Blairsville.

Program Details

DATE:Friday, May 23, 2008

TIME:Doors open at 9:00 am. Program 10:00 to 11:45 am

PLACE: Auditorium, GMRE Center

NO Pre-registration required!

Seating is limited. JUNE

"What is Ethnobotany?"

Ethnobotany can be defined as the relationship of a group of people to their local flora. In this talk, our speaker will introduce us to the field of ethnobotany using the Cherokee as an example of this broader definition. Beginning with a dried stalk of Indian hemp, we will explore folk classification systems, including naming and taxonomy, the ceremonial aspects and religious beliefs, and utility of a common local plant. The Dr. Cozzo will go through various aspects of the field of ethnobotany and use examples from the Cherokee plant world to emphasize their relationship to those plants.

Our Speakers Dr. David Cozzo

David Cozzo is the Project Director for the revitalization of Traditional Cherokee Artisan Resources. He received his PhD in Anthropology from UGA, MA in Appalachian Studies from Appalachian State University and BS in Biology from Eastern Kentucky University. His main areas of focus during his doctoral research were Medical Ethnobotany, Nutritional Ethnobotany, and Human Ecology of the Southern Appalachian Mountains.

Program Details

DATE: Friday, June 27, 2008

TIME: Doors open at 9:00 am

Program 10:00 to 11:45 a.m.

PLACE: Auditorium, GMRE Center

NO Pre-registration required!

Seating is limited.

"A Garden Tour of Unlikely Plants"

If you have never visited the Ethnobotanic Garden or walked the Woodland Medicine Trail, then you don't know what you are missing. Right here in Union County, is a place to learn how our ancestors used the plants they found growing around them to their advantage. Can you cure the itch of Poison Ivy or relieve cold symptoms with a weed? Do you know which plants in the forest or your backyard are edible? Our ancestors knew these secrets out of necessity. Come see this living museum of plants that reveal how our ancestors used what they found to dye cloth, treat illness, feed themselves and make useful items. Members of the Preservation Committee will be on hand to lead tours of the Gardens and answer questions.

Our Speaker Jennifer Cordier & The Preservation Committee

Jennifer Cordier, owner of Ivy Log Farm in Blairsville, has taught many gardening and herb classes at her farm and throughout the local community. She has a master's degree in education and has studied with nationally acclaimed herbalists. She chairs the Preservation Committee. The Preservation Committee of the GMRE Center is a group of dedicated volunteers who are developing an Ethnobotanical Garden, a Woodland Medicinal Trail and an Herb Garden on the grounds of the Georgia Mountain Research and Education Center.

Program Details

DATE: Friday, June 28, 2008

TIME: Program 10: 00 - 11:45 a.m.

PLACE:Ethnobotanic Garden, near GMRE Center Picnic Area

No pre-registration required- Space is limited