Environmental Landscaping
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Chuck Denney
Beautiful to begin with, this picturesque tributary of Farragut’s Turkey Creek can be even better.
While it’s tough to improve on something that’s already pretty good, that’s what these UT Plant Sciences students are looking to do. They’re working at Campbell Station Park to restore native plants along the creek - creating what’s called a Riparian zone of vegetation as a buffer to protect water and wildlife.
Riparian is Latin for “stream bank.” UT professor Sam Rogers leads the group.
Sam Rogers
“Part of this has really been to not only do something that’s environmentally friendly, but something that looks good. So we’re trying to combine aesthetics with ecology.”
Chuck Denney
Leah Gardner is Project manager for the Environmental Landscape design lab.
Leah Gardener
“Once students and even some community volunteers get to do this sort of thing they have a sense of ownership with it and understand a little bit about what’s going on behind the scenes. It’s not just some pretty plants.”
Chuck Denney
No, this goes beyond a beautification effort. The creek has erosion problems. This restoration is the work of UTIA’s Environmental Landscape Design lab, where workers first remove growth that’s unsightly and clogs the stream bank. Then they replace it with plants like this pretty blue woodland phlox, river oats and other deep-rooted sedges to hold the soil in place. Professor Rogers says the beauty of this is - lawn mowers are not needed next to the water.
Sam Rogers
“So we’re strategically placing a non-mown filter strip of native sedges and native grasses that will not be mowed, but will have some maintenance, but it will be low maintenance.”
Chuck Denney
Who says you need four walls to learn? This project is part of a UTIA class called ‘Native Plants in the Landscape.’ Students usually do half a dozen of these work outings every semester. Landscape Design major David Quarterman likes the fact that service learning is part of his academic training.
David Quarterman
“It makes me feel real good, coming out, being able to give back to the community. Not only is it a resume builder, but it makes me feel good when people come through and actually see the work we’ve done and they’re happy with it.”
Chuck Denney
Landscape design experts like to use the term “conservation ethics” to describe this kind of work.
They want people to be able to see the stream and enjoy it, and in the process slow soil erosion.
It’s where beauty can be enhanced and the environment preserved at the same time.
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NOTE: UT’s Environmental Landscape Design Lab is now in its tenth year of community outreach known as its “sustainable landscapes partnership.” The group has worked with some 20 different organizations including TVA, a number of municipalities, foundations, and native plant nurseries.
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