How to Read a Landscape: Botany & Ecology With Annie Novak

COURSE DESCRIPTION

The characteristics of a living environment can tell us mountains of information about the conditions and history of a place without saying a word. In this three-part intensive led by Annie Novak, learn to read the spaces around you—whether you’re looking out your car window while stuck in traffic or hiking along a new trail. We’ll use the fundamentals of soil, plant, and animal ecologies to explore new and familiar landscapes, developing keener observation skills along the way. By the end of this course, you’ll not only have concrete, scientific tools you can use to identify species and features of the environment around you, but you’ll also have the capacity to relationship-build with the nonhuman—an art that draws from the sciences and the humanities; learned wisdom and curiosity.

This course is open to wayfarers and landscape-readers of all levels; no prior experience is required. Whether you’ve always wondered why carnivorous plants are found in bogs or what a tree’s rings or canopy tells us about the history of a place, this class is for you!

SYLLABUS AT A GLANCE

This course includes three total sessions, each lasting for 1.25 hours on three consecutive Mondays beginning October 21.

Session 1 (Monday, 10/21, 8:15–9:30 PM ET)| Reading a Landscape: Accessing prior knowledge while identifying clues and characteristics

Session 2 (Monday, 10/28,8:15–9:30PM ET)| Site Engagement: Developing ways of seeing and understanding ecologies

Session 3 (Monday, 11/6, 8:15–9:30 PM ET)| Looking Back; Looking Forward: Telling time in a landscape

BETWEEN SESSIONS

Outside of class, students will be encouraged to complete optional activities related to class content, including an identification practicum, phenological journaling, and local explorations.

YOUR INSTRUCTOR, ANNIE NOVAK

Annie Novak is the founder and director of Growing Chefs, field-to-fork food education program; the Manager of the Edible Academy at the New York Botanical Garden, and co-founder and farmer of Eagle Street Rooftop Farm in Greenpoint, Brooklyn in partnership with Goode Green and Broadway Stages. She is the author of The Rooftop Growing Guide: How to Transform Your Roof into a Garden or Farm, published by Ten Speed Press.

A passionate educator, Annie teaches locally & nationally, and has spoken at conferences around the country on the connections between people, food and ecology, and the benefits of urban agriculture.

WHAT TO EXPECT

This lecture series is designed so students can participate live or watch a recording of each session, after it airs, at a time that is convenient for them. Sessions will take place live over Zoom, with dedicated Q&A segments for students to ask questions via video or chat. Within 72 hours after each session meets, students will receive access to a recording of the live session, which they can watch for up to two weeks after the course concludes.

Instructors may use Google Classroom to communicate with students outside of class. While students aren’t required to use Google Classroom, instructors may use this platform to post resources, discussion questions, or assignments. This platform also offers a space for students to connect with one another about course material between sessions.

ACCESSING YOUR COURSE

Once registered, you’ll receive a confirmation email from Eventbrite that will provide access to the class meeting. Please save the confirmation email as you’ll use it to access your course via Zoom on each scheduled date and time.

PRICING OPTIONS

This course is available at three ticket prices. This tiered pricing model is designed to increase access for a wider range of students as well as to support our instructors. In addition to tiered tickets, we offer a limited number of no-pay spots for students who would not otherwise be able to take this course. No-pay spots are selected via a randomized drawing two weeks before each section begins. For more information and to apply for a no-pay spot, please click here. To learn more about our pricing model and randomized selection process for no-pay spots, please visit our FAQ page.

COMMUNITY GUIDELINES FOR STUDENTS

Please take a moment to review our community guidelines for students, which aim to share our classroom ethos and help set the stage for the best possible learning experience.

ACCESSIBILITY

We provide closed captioning for all of our courses and can share transcripts upon request. Please reach out to us at [email protected] if you have any questions, requests, or accessibility needs.

ATLAS OBSCURA ONLINE COURSES

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