NSU Horizons Spring 2017

52 NSU HORIZONS Students in NSU’s Nature Club com- memorated Earth Day 2017 by planting a new native garden on campus and demonstrating the importance of creat- ing landscapes with native flora and Florida-friendly, non-invasive species. “It was a great way to celebrate Earth Day because it was something that people became involved in to make a difference in the environment,” said Emily Harrington, president of the Nature Club and a senior majoring in environmental science at NSU’s Halmos College of Natural Sciences and Ocean- ography (HCNSO). The triangular- shaped garden—which replaces the Native Narrows Wildflower Garden planted by students in 2014—rests between the gazebo and the existing healing and medicinal garden east of the entrance to the Parker Building. “Planting native species in our landscaping and gardens is one of the most impactful things we can do,” Harrington said. “Bringing attention to this issue through the creation of a functioning native garden is something that will last for years.” Paul Arena, Ph.D., assistant professor at the HCNSO and faculty adviser to the Nature Club, has led the students’ efforts to create the native gardens and promote awareness of sustainability. The new landscapes include 30 to 40 different types of plants that don’t require a large amount of water or fer- tilizer. “If you want native wildlife to survive and thrive, the best approach is to give them the right habitat and resources they need by using native plant species that they’ve depended upon, in some cases, for thousands of years,” Arena said. “That’s really the main thrust here, to start thinking about our landscapes in a different way.” Seth Mangasarian, director of NSU’s Physical Plant Division, assisted with the project. “Our team is there in sup- port of the Nature Club. We worked be- side them in planting the new area and will maintain the garden when the stu- dents are on break,” said Mangasarian. More than 100 students, alumni, and graduate students belong to the Nature Club, with most majoring in life sciences such as environmental science and marine biology. A Taking Root BY KATHLEEN KERNICKY Nature Club Plants Native, Florida-Friendly Species From left, Mois Khan, Sara Garcia, Natasha Anselmo, Alexis Good, Paul Arena and his son, Christopher, Madison Meyers, and Eric Berg