Hoban lab project at Morton Arboretum: The Tree Conservation Biology team will be hosting a RAMP participant to advance our knowledge about conservation and restoration of the threatened butternut tree, while developing conservation partnerships with indigenous peoples and state, federal and other partners, and engaging with communities, including through citizen science. Butternut is a native tree dying off due to a disease that has been reducing populations for about 70 years, resulting in current populations that are about 95% reduced from their size a century ago. The main research project will focus on assessing individual tree health, habitat suitability, disease progression, seedling growth, and other aspects of the ecology of this system. We will collect data in the field and use genetic tools, forest health assessments, soil ecology, GIS, and spatial statistics, along with traditional knowledge, to better understand why some trees are healthier than others, why some populations have seedlings while many do not, how quickly the disease progresses, and how to foster adult tree and seedling survival. In addition to collecting and analyzing data to test hypotheses developed in collaboration with the mentree, we will engage in youth education and outreach, working with citizen scientists, and sharing our findings with diverse audiences. Success factors include an interest in a combination of field, lab, desk, and computational work; teamwork and communication skills; experience with or an interest in learning and using computational tools including R and GIS; ability to work outdoors in hot, cold and wet conditions; enthusiasm for conservation, restoration and environmental stewardship; passion for trees and forests. Work will take place primarily in the Chicago region but may include trips to other locations.
