ACM Forestry student John Brundege, of Ohio Pyle, Pennsylvania identifies black cohosh seed materials under the direction of Dr. James Howell, Professor of Botany at ACM. Mr. Brundege is a Forest Fire Specialists for the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and is continuing his education for car eer advancement.

ACM Forestry Faculty assists the National Arboretum’s Germplasm Repository Collection

ACM Forest Technology Program has partnering with the US Department of Agriculture’s Woody Landscape Plant Germplasm Repository located in Beltsville, Maryland to collect various species of ash (fraxinus spp.) and black cohosh (Cimicifuga racemosa) germplasm for incorporation into the national woody plant collection repository at the National Arboretum.

This genetically unique material will be stored for future needs.  “Biothreats are having a devastating effect on our ecosystems. Pests such as the Emerald Ash Bore, a non-native insect are threatening our ash populations, said John Jastrzembski, Professor of Forestry at ACM.  “Fortunately ACM students are helping to stock the germplasm repository should the genetic material be needed for future stocking”. 

“This is a very specialized are of biotechnology” said Dr. James Howell, Professor of Botany at ACM, “Our forestry students are in a unique career path that is often overlooked by high school students”.    “The botanical and geospatial computer skills of our students place them in very high demand for projects such as this one”, said Professor John Jastrzembski, Coordinator of the fraxinus germplasm collection. 

Kevin Conrad, Curator of the Repository indicated that ash stock is very difficult to store because of weevils that infest the material and ruin it.  Next month the ACM Forestry Students will visit the Germplasm Repository to meet with the curator and learn more about  plant biotechnology efforts underway by the National Arboretum and potential career options.

Back to main