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Robin W. Kimmerer
Professor

351 Illick Hall
SUNY-ESF
1 Forestry Drive
Syracuse, NY 13210

Telephone: (315) 470-6785
Fax: (315) 470-6934
Email: rkimmer@esf.edu

Teaching

EFB 226 General Botany (4 credit hours). Three hours of lecture and three hour laboratory. An introduction to plant biology with special emphasis on the structure and function of the green plant. (Fall)
EFB 496 Disturbance Ecology (3 credit hours). Disturbance ecology focuses on the role of natural and anthropogenic disturbance on the dynamics of Adirondack ecosystems. Drawing on theories of ecological succession and forest gap dynamics, we look at how communities respond to and recover from disturbance. This field course is taught at the Cranberry Lake Biological Station, and includes a survey of vegetation sampling methods, analysis of ecological data and an independent research project.
EFB 446 Ecology of Mosses (3 credit hours). Two hour lecture and one three hour laboratory or field trip. A study of taxonomic diversity, ecological adaptations and the roles of bryophytes in ecosystems.
EFB 496/796 Land and Culture: Native American Perspectives on the Environment (3 credit hours). This integrative course examines the management of natural resources and environmental problem- solving from a Native American perspective. The goal of the course is to provide students with a basis for comparing Native and Western cultural patterns of natural resource utilization. Natural resource use on Native lands is considered in a cultural and historical context. The course will first introduce students to fundamental ideas concerning Native American history, religions, political organization and traditional economies. Tribal sovereignty, as well as Federal Indian Law are described as the framework in which tribes make decisions about environmental issues. The contrasting perspectives of indigenous environmental knowledge and western scientific knowledge are examined. Case studies are used to analyze Native resource management strategies, within the context of the larger American society. Case studies will include Ojibwa fishing rights controversy, Menominee forest management philosophy and practice, ecological restoration initiatives, environmental toxins in traditional subsistence patterns, energy development on Native lands and others. The course is designed to introduce students to the unique cultural context of natural resource management on Indian lands and provides an opportunity for students to integrate in-depth scientific knowledge, resource management policy and cross cultural perspectives. Experimental, interdisciplinary, or special coursework in biology for undergraduate students. Subject matter and methods of presentation varies from semester to semester.
EFB 496 Field Ethnobotany (1 credit hour). Seminar discussions on subjects of interest and importance in environmental and forest biology. Seminar offerings are available in most subdisciplinary areas. This class is taught during the summer at Cranberry Lake Biological Station.
EFB 497/797 Traditional Ecological Knowledge (1 credit hour).

Research Interests

Ecology of mosses;
Restoration of culturally significant plants to Native American communities;
Environmental partnerships with Native American communities;
Traditional Ecological Knowledge;
Disturbance ecology;
Recovery of epiphytic communities after commercial moss harvest in Oregon

Current Graduate Students

James Castello
Laurie Galuzzi
Robin Tait
Jaimie Ferschinger
Jennifer Gillrich
Keith Bowman
Catherine Landis

Former Graduate Students

Daniela Shebitz 2001 Population trends and ecological requirements of sweetgrass, Hierochloe odorata (L.) Beauv.: integration of traditional and scientific ecological knowledge

Dave Kubek 2000 The effect of disturbance history on regeneration of northern hardwood forests following the 1995 blowdown.

Tom Touchet, thesis topic: Regeneration requirement for black ash (Fraxinus nigra), a principle plant for Iroquois basketry.

Marcy Balunas, thesis topic: Ecological restoration of goldthread (Coptis trifolium), a culturally significant plant of the Iroquois pharmacopeia.

Aimee Delach, thesis topic: The role of bryophytes in revegetation of abandoned mine tailings.

Mauricio Velasquez, thesis topic: The role of fire in plant biodiversity in the Antisana paramo, Ecuador.

Amy Samuels, thesis topic: The impact of Rhamnus cathartica on native plant communities in the Chaumont Barrens

Selected Publications

Book
Kimmerer, R.W. 2003. Gathering Moss: A Natural and Cultural History of Mosses. Oregon State University Press. **Winner of the prestigious 2005 John Burroughs Medal for outstanding natural history writing!** Click here for more information on this book.

Dr. Kimmerer in the New York Times!
click here to read the article

Articles
Kimmerer, R.W. and F.K. Lake 2001. Maintaining the Mosaic: The role of indigenous burning in land management. Journal of Forestry 99:36-41.

Kimmerer, R.W. and M.J.L. Driscoll 2001. Moss species richness on insular boulder habitats: the effect of area, isolation and microsite diversity. The Bryologist 103(4):748-756

Kimmerer, R.W. 2001. Traditional Ecological Knowledge: a resource for cross-cultural education in biology. BioScience in press

Kimmerer, R. W. 2000. Native Knowledge for Native Ecosystems. Journal of Forestry. 98(8):4-9

Kimmerer, R.W. 1998. Intellectual diversity - bringing the Native perspective into natural resources education. Winds of Change 13(3):14-20.

Kimmerer, R.W. and C.C. Young (1996) Effects of gap size and regeneration niche on species coexistence in bryophyte communities. Bulletin of the Torrey Botanical Club 123:16-24.

Kimmerer, R.W. (1994) Ecological consequences of sexual vs. asexual reproduction in Dicranum flagellare. The Bryologist 97:20-25.

Kimmerer, R.W. 1993. Disturbance and dominance in Tetraphis pellucida: a model of disturbance frequency and reproductive mode.The Bryologist 96(1):73-79.

Kimmerer, R.W. (1991) Reproductive ecology of Tetraphis pellucida: Differential fitness of sexual and asexual propagules. The Bryologist 94(3):284-288.

Kimmerer, R.W. (1991) Reproductive ecology of Tetraphis pellucida: Population density and reproductive mode. The Bryologist 94(3):255-260.

Projects and Programs

Director of Undergraduate Mentoring in Environmental Biology (UMEB)
Research assistantships for minority high school students (RAMHSS)
Curriculum Development: Development of Traditional Ecological Knowledge curriculum for General Ecology classes
Chair, Traditional Ecological Knowledge Section, Ecological Society of America www.esa.org/tek
Advisory Board, SEEDS program www.esa.org/seeds

And don't miss these links as well. . .

Profiles of Ecologists at Ecological Society of America http://www.esa.org/education/ecologists_profile/EcologistsProfileDirectory/