Everything Nac

Thirteen students from Stephen F. Austin State University’s Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture recently traveled across the Netherlands to explore the country’s natural resources and robust horticulture industry through SFA’s study abroad program.

The trip, led by Dr. Brian Oswald, Joe C. Denman Distinguished Professor of Forestry, and Tina Oswald, SFA research librarian, spanned two weeks and exposed students to different natural resource perspectives as well as the origins of many of the cut flowers imported into the U.S.

According to data from The Observatory of Economic Complexity website, the Netherlands exported more than $4 billion in cut flowers in 2020 alone, making it the world’s largest cut flower exporter.

In addition to visiting the country’s national parks and floral production facilities, students toured museums, historic sites and the iconic canals of Amsterdam.

Due to restrictions from the COVID-19 pandemic, this is the first time since 2019 the course has been offered, which came as a welcome relief to students.

“I have always wanted to visit the Netherlands and get an up-close look at how they manage their relationship with the environment and their natural resources,” said Paige Graham, SFA environmental science major who participated in the course.

In addition to this study abroad program, multiple SFA forestry students also have had the opportunity to conduct research throughout the Netherlands as a part of Brian Oswald’s past collaboration with the country’s public safety agencies to address the growing threat of wildland fires.

To learn more about this and other student experiences, visit sfasu.edu/atcofa.

Stephen F. Austin State University’s SFA Gardens will host the monthly Les and Theresa Reeves Lecture Series at 7 p.m. July 14 in the Brundrett Conservation Education Building at the Pineywoods Native Plant Center, located at 2900 Raguet St.

Steven Chamblee, executive director for the Longview Arboretum and Nature Center, will present “The Longview Arboretum: The Good, the Bad and the Muddy.”

As executive director, Chamblee uses his collective experiences to bring vibrant, artistic expression to the garden to inspire educational opportunities for local communities.

With more than 40 years in the horticulture field, Chamblee’s love for plants began when he would help his father transplant trees in the late 1970s. He soon formed Southern Lawn Care, a landscape maintenance company, and in 1986, he joined the Fort Worth Botanic Garden as a gardener.

Chamblee’s natural curiosity led him to enroll in Tarrant County College, where he earned his Associate of Applied Science in horticulture. Still working full time at the garden, Chamblee earned his Bachelor of Science in ornamental horticulture from Tarleton State University and a Master of Science in public horticulture administration from the University of Delaware.

After graduate school, Chamblee served as the native plant horticulturist for the Heard Natural Science Museum and Wildlife Sanctuary in McKinney before returning to the Fort Worth Botanic Garden as the grounds manager. He also served as education director for the garden, where he focused on developing a variety of self-sustaining educational programs. From 2006 to 2019, he served as chief horticulturist for Chandor Gardens in Weatherford.

Chamblee writes a monthly column in Neil Sperry’s eGardens newsletter titled “Native Son” and gives garden presentations that weave together hard science, humor and matters of the heart.

The Les and Theresa Reeves Lecture Series is held the second Thursday of each month and includes a rare plant raffle after the program. The lecture is free and open to the public, but donations to the Les and Theresa Reeves Lecture Series fund are always appreciated.

Parking is available at the PNPC and Raguet Elementary School, located at 2428 Raguet St.

For more information, call (936) 468-4129 or email sfagardens@sfasu.edu.