"Berry Prairie" Green Roof

The green roof, dubbed the Berry Prairie, is a popular destination for both amateur and professional scientists.  Its unique composition, 63 species of native flowers, grasses and shrubs, make for an intriguing and conveniently-located representation of Wyoming's prairies.  There are many opportunities for classes to use the green roof for study, ranging from plant identification to synthesizing the connections between plants and pollinators, soil content and nutrient cycling to biodiversity conservation in urban settings.

Class Opportunities on the Green Roof:

• Study plant identification and plant community structure of Wyoming prairie plants. 
• Count the number of insects, arachnids, birds and other non-plant organisms you find in the Berry Prairie.
• Compare types of plants (grasses v. flowers v. shrubs v. cacti) to examine adaptations to hot, dry, sunny, windy environments.
• Question how green roofs impact urban environments (heat island effect, habitat conservation, connections between green spaces and psychology, water run-off, energy use, etc.).

Get Started:

Contact the Biodiversity Institute at 307-766-6240 or biodiversity@uwyo.edu to discuss with Dorothy Tuthill, Associate Director, what your class can do this school year!

Need more context? Click here for a poster describing more, and a handy postcard summarizing the opportunities.  Contact Dr. Dorothy with any questions or to get your class involved.

>>Provide feedback on this and other programs the Biodiversity Institute offers.