While working as a graduate research assistant with the Center of Excellence for Field Biology and the Southeastern Grasslands Institute at Austin Peay State University (APSU), Thomas Murphy identified four new species of Clematis and one species that had been forgotten about for over a century. He did this through a form of scientific gardening in conjunction with observations of herbarium specimens, field work, and collaborations with Jesse Harris from the University of Colorado - Boulder who provided DNA analysis.
New Directions in the American Landscape and SGI Co-presented a Workshop
On October 12, 2022, Dwayne Estes (SGI Executive Director) joined Larry Weaner (Founder of New Directions in the American Landscape) to co-present a workshop at Bridgestone Firestone Wildlife Management Area in Sparta, Tennessee. The all-day workshop was attended by landscape architects, resource managers, private individuals, and others interested in learning about Southeastern grasslands.
SGI Attends 12th Eastern Native Grassland Symposium
Several members of the SGI team headed to Louisville on October 3-6 to attend the 12th Eastern Native Grassland Symposium. This symposium is held every two years in different parts of the eastern U.S. and brings together people from all walks of life – researchers, land managers, seed growers, private individuals, resource managers, students, and others – who love grasslands.
Getting to Know Us: Dwayne Estes
Dwayne Estes is the Executive Director and co-founder of the Southeastern Grasslands Institute. He is also a Professor of Biology and Principal Investigator with the Center of Excellence for Field Biology at Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, TN where he has mentored more than a dozen graduate students. His enthusiasm and love of Southeastern grasslands, botany, and natural history is infectious as anyone who has had the opportunity to talk with him can attest. Recently we sat down with Dwayne to learn a little more about him and his role at the Southeastern Grasslands Institute.
Celebrating 5 Years of Saving Southeastern Grasslands: A Conversation with SGI’s Co-founders
Five years ago, on October 5, 2018, the Southeastern Grasslands Initiative (SGI) was officially born. Like any birth, it didn’t just magically occur. It was preceded by a long period of gestation and behind-the-scenes activities. We wouldn’t be where we are today without that gestation period or the people who supported SGI before it officially existed, but that’s a story for another day.