With a variety of scenic areas and a diversity of natural habitats, Radnor Lake Natural Area is one of the largest wilderness areas in the United States near a major city. Spread over twelve hundred acres of water and woods, it has some of the highest hills in the Nashville Basin. In fact, at certain parts of its six miles of trails, the you can see the Nashville skyline. Radnor’s location and diverse habitat provide valuable research opportunities for scientists studying the changes brought about by nature and humans on an urban forest. Wild Side Guide Alan Griggs introduces us to a teacher who has made it his lifelong work to study such changes while introducing students to the natural world outside of their textbooks.
Dr. Loeb’s work at Radnor Lake is part of a forty-year research program on long-term vegetation changes in urban forests located in six states and the District of Columbia. The information he gathers on how human activities affect forests change will be a valuable tool for future researchers.
Meanwhile, one thing is definite about the forest at Radnor: it can only survive in such an urban setting if people continue to care for it.
To learn more about Lipscomb University’s involvement in the study, visit their website.
You can learn more about Dr. Loeb on the Penn State University website.
From show 2502.
