Oral Presentations and Performances: Session III
Project Type
Presentation
Project Funding and Affiliations
Davidson Honors College; HONR 499; Natural Areas Program; Payne Family Native American Center; Charismatic Minifauna Lab
Faculty Mentor’s Full Name
Erim Gómez
Faculty Mentor’s Department
W.A. Franke College of Forestry and Conservation
Abstract / Artist's Statement
This capstone project produces a status report for the University of Montana (UM) Ethnobotany Garden to facilitate continuity of care and long-term stewardship. As the garden’s primary caretaker and author of this report prepares to graduate, a significant amount of site-specific and institutional knowledge and management experience is at risk of being lost. The objective of this project is to document operational, cultural, and ecological knowledge in a format that supports future caretakers and garden leadership.
The project uses a knowledge-transfer approach, drawing on personal records and experience, including field notes and observations, alongside existing documentation gathered from UM staff. To address knowledge gaps, there will be consultation with former caretakers and a review of comparable garden or habitat management reports with similar spatial scale and cultural considerations. These materials are being integrated into a report documenting the garden’s history, purpose, current conditions, management practices, and future needs.
The anticipated outcome is an applicable guide for future caretakers and a framework for a formal written management plan. This could turn into a living document that is updated yearly. This project will help preserve institutional knowledge and inform future stewardship, upholding the garden’s purpose as an important cultural and educational campus resource. The report will benefit future caretakers, student interns, a future advisory board, and UM staff by improving continuity, streamlining decision-making, and promoting long-term sustainability of the garden.
Category
Life Sciences
UM Ethnobotany Garden: Transcriptions to Sustain a Living Legacy
UC 327
This capstone project produces a status report for the University of Montana (UM) Ethnobotany Garden to facilitate continuity of care and long-term stewardship. As the garden’s primary caretaker and author of this report prepares to graduate, a significant amount of site-specific and institutional knowledge and management experience is at risk of being lost. The objective of this project is to document operational, cultural, and ecological knowledge in a format that supports future caretakers and garden leadership.
The project uses a knowledge-transfer approach, drawing on personal records and experience, including field notes and observations, alongside existing documentation gathered from UM staff. To address knowledge gaps, there will be consultation with former caretakers and a review of comparable garden or habitat management reports with similar spatial scale and cultural considerations. These materials are being integrated into a report documenting the garden’s history, purpose, current conditions, management practices, and future needs.
The anticipated outcome is an applicable guide for future caretakers and a framework for a formal written management plan. This could turn into a living document that is updated yearly. This project will help preserve institutional knowledge and inform future stewardship, upholding the garden’s purpose as an important cultural and educational campus resource. The report will benefit future caretakers, student interns, a future advisory board, and UM staff by improving continuity, streamlining decision-making, and promoting long-term sustainability of the garden.