Abstract Detail

Recent Topics Posters

Blake, Jennifer [1], Struwe, Lena [2].

Using weeds in public outreach: eating, drinking, and appreciating weeds at Rutgers Day.

Weeds are a group of plants of inherent interest to the public.  Weeds are both loved and hated, invisible and painfully obvious. Misconceptions about these ubiquitous species abound.  Because of this, widespread weedy species are ideal for use in outreach as means of educating the public about biodiversity and combatting plant blindness. We conducted an outreach program about weedy plant species as part of the annual Rutgers Day. This event drew 83,000 people from the faculty, staff, student body, and surrounding areas for a campus-wide event showcasing research and activities hosted by various Rutgers departments. We aimed to combat plant blindness by helping the public to recognize the uses of some species of weeds and look at weeds as sources of beauty and biodiversity. We did this by answering questions about various potted weeds, creating and distributing field guides to weedy species of New Jersey with weed-themed stickers, giving out samples of weed-based foods, and encouraging people to define “weeds” for themselves.  This outreach program reached approximately 1,000 visitors.

Broader Impacts:

1 - Rutgers University, Graduate Program in Ecology & Evolution, and Department of Ecology, Evolution, & Natural Resources,, 237 Foran Hall, 59 Dudley Road, Cook Campus, New Brunswick, NJ , 08901, USA
2 - Rutgers University, Graduate Program in Ecology & Evolution, and Department of Ecology, Evolution, & Natural Resources, 237 Foran Hall, 59 Dudley Road, Cook Campus, New Brunswick, NJ , 08901, USA

Keywords:
Outreach
general public
public participation
weeds
education
Native Species
exotic species
spontaneous urban plants.

Presentation Type: Recent Topics Poster
Session: P
Location: Grand Salon A - D/Riverside Hilton
Date: Monday, July 29th, 2013
Time: 5:30 PM
Number: PRT028
Abstract ID:1323
Candidate for Awards:None