The UW Arboretum has such a long and storied history of ecological research and restoration that it is considered the birthplace of restoration ecology. Scientists such as Aldo Leopold; John Curtis MS’35, PhD’37; Henry Greene; Virginia Kline ’47, MS’75, PhD’76; Joy Zedler MS’66, PhD’68; and many others have contributed to its legacy. During his talk, Herrick will explore the early years of the Arboretum, the development of Curtis Prairie, as well as classic research projects and current research and restoration priorities.

About the speaker

Herrick earned his bachelor’s degree from Luther College and his master’s degree from UW–Green Bay. He has been the Arboretum’s ecologist for 10 years, overseeing its research program and assisting in developing long-term restoration and management plans for its wide variety of ecosystems. Herrick is also a plant ecologist with interests in wetlands, prairies, oak savannas, environmental monitoring, and — most recently — investigating the ecological impacts of the invasive jumping worm.