Guest post by Dan Buckley
I
met Bob Grese two years ago while researching master’s programs in landscape architecture
(MLA). After a few back-and-forth emails, Professor Grese graciously invited me
to his office at Matthaei Botanical Gardens to discuss the MLA program at the
University and, of course, to give me a tour of the grounds. I applied to the
University’s MLA program a month later with the request that he be my advisor. Since
then, Bob—as he prefers to be called—has been my advisor, professor and twice
my supervisor during my summer internships at Matthaei-Nichols.
Bob’s
passion for nature and the environment shows in every facet of his work—professor,
director, and author alike. With a rich portfolio inspired by the works of influential
landscape architects such as Jens Jensen and O.C. Simonds, Bob has been
exploring the aesthetic potential of ecosystem restoration and management at
Matthaei Botanical Gardens and Nichols Arboretum for over fourteen years. Through
the cataloguing and mapping of the various ecosystems and collections at each
of the Matthaei-Nichols properties, Bob says he hopes to create research
opportunities that will “exemplify the University as a leader in field research
and teaching and a model for land stewardship and conservation.”
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| Bob Grese in the Alex Dow Prairie, Nichols Arboretum. Photo courtesy Dave Brenner. |
As
the newly appointed Theodore Roosevelt Professor in Ecosystem Management, a
five-year appointment awarded to one professor in the School of Natural
Resources and the Environment (SNRE), Bob hopes to work with students and
faculty to develop a research and management framework for other natural lands at
the U-M. His ultimate goal, he observes, “is to enable much more active
integration of the University of Michigan’s natural lands for research and
teaching, to build effective programs of stewardship, and to engage neighbors
and other supporters who currently use these lands.”
Professor
Grese’s experience with ecological restoration in the field and the classroom
as professor of landscape architecture certainly qualifies him for this
professorship. He believes that landscape architects can play a critical role
in ecosystem management. “We have the potential to have much impact in how the
built landscape relates to broader ecosystem processes and can use creative
design to create a much more positive relationship,” he says.
SNRE
held an acceptance ceremony on Tuesday, December 3 at the School of Natural
Resources. Students, fellow faculty, and many friends attended a presentation
on the history of landscape architecture as it pertains to the Midwest region. Professor
Grese is very passionate about his work, and it shows in all that he does. I
personally look forward to witnessing the progression of his work over the next
few years.
Matthaei Botanical Gardens & Nichols Arboretum has just started a program of blog posts created by our student interns, work studies, and Arboretum caretakers. Today's guest post was written by Dan Buckley. Dan is a grad student in MLA – graduation deferred for detached study.
