Conservation & Ecological RestorationLydia Regier
2025 The Garden Club of America Fellowship in Ecological Restoration
Understanding the Roles of Community Resilience and Soil Fungal Pathogens in Enhancing Diversity of a Species-poor Restored Prairie
Restored prairies often contain lower diversity than remnant systems, largely due to a lack of native forb species. This project will test the ability of soil disturbance and forb propagule addition to increase diversity in a previously restored, species-poor tallgrass prairie. The influence of this management on both the plant and soil pathogen community will be assessed in order to gain insight into their potential interactions and responses. This project will help further our understanding of what is driving diversity above and below ground in restored grasslands.
The Garden Club of America Fellowship in Ecological Restoration
The Garden Club of America (the GCA) offers an annual Fellowship in Ecological Restoration. Established in 2000 with funds from the John B. Young Charitable Trust as well as GCA members and clubs, the fellowship’s goal is to support research that will advance knowledge and increase the number of scientists in the important field of ecological restoration, the active healing of the land. The $8,000 grant is awarded annually to exceptional graduate students to support specialized study in ecological restoration at an accredited U.S. university. Preference will be given to projects that include field research conducted in the United States. A panel of experts associated with the University of Wisconsin–Madison Arboretum reviews the applications and makes recommendations to the GCA Scholarship Committee.
For the purposes of this scholarship, The Garden Club of America agrees to the definition of ecological restoration as stated by the Society of Ecological Restoration (SER).