Lewis Honors students to host on-campus planting days
LEXINGTON, Ky. (Nov. 4, 2022) — Students in a University of Kentucky Lewis Honors College class, led by lecturer Kenton Sena, will host planting days on campus 3-5 p.m. Monday, Nov. 7, and Wednesday, Nov. 9, for the campus community.
The project serves as the students’ service and research project for their course, "Restoration Ecology."
The planting event will take place on the land between the sidewalk and street along University Drive, between Huguelet Drive and Hilltop Avenue.
Funded by the Student Sustainability Council, with matching support from UK Grounds, the goal of the project is to restore the area along University Drive by planting native plants and improving the quality of the soil after significant erosion was experienced in the area. Prior to the grounds being mulched in August of this year, the site was completely bare. The mulch, along with adding landscaping stones, has improved the area, but this planting event is designed to continue improving the site and reduce the risk of further erosion.
The project will consist of three separate phases: preliminary monitoring, plant installation and a written report prepared by the students. During the preliminary monitoring process, the students will test soil decompaction. Next, those who attend the event will install two different plant combinations to see if plant diversity influences the soil restoration outcomes. Students will monitor the plant and soil outcomes for at least one full growing season and analyze the improvements of the site.
For more information, contact kenton.sena@uky.edu.
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