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TALE #3 How to landscape a Campus 101, and how it was done at the University of Alberta: A real-time lesson from Hugh Knowles, Professor of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, transforming Parkland bush to campus serenity using his iconic tree collection
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TALE #3 Professor and Landscape Architect Hugh Knowles transforms original Parkland bush to the elegantly landscaped North campus, University of Alberta, featuring his iconic tree collection
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- Author(s) / Creator(s)
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The North Campus land of the University of Alberta was established on 258 acres of land known as River Lot # 5, purchased in 1907 as the site for the University to be developed in south Edmonton. At that time it was 90% uncleared bush with scrubby willow, a few small cropped fields with winding foot trails, one decrepit log barn and ‘a profusion of Alberta wild rose bushes’. By 1912 there was a ‘grand plan’ University design on paper that could create a dramatic campus landscape, and this was partly followed as buildings and a few roads were added until 1945. The campus site was then described as ‘muddy fields, scrub, boardwalks and muddy roads ’. Other comments indicated ‘that there was no or little financial ability (especially during the war years) to address landscaping needs that would make the property more ‘people friendly’, except for the planting of some rows of elm shelter-belts ’. By 1945 some research fields had also been opened where Faculty of Agriculture conducted extensive field-crop research trials to assist local farm settlers with their crop production decisions. This early pause in attention to campus design ended with Mr. Hugh Knowles arrival in 1948 and was corrected by his career long landscape architectural efforts, following his appointment as University Grounds Manager
and Lecturer in Horticulture.The luxuriously landscaped courtyards and pedestrian areas that are now found throughout North Campus, plus the notable collection of mature trees that he identified as being locally adapted, are the result of his landscaping development plan carried out until his retirement in 1984. Some of those trees are now >75 years old, and some are rare species. Professor Knowles’ activities are described in detail in this TALE but were dominated by his continual search for plant species, including trees, that could survive the harsh growing conditions of the Northern Alberta ecozone. The campus itself was his outdoor test laboratory for testing trees, woody ornamentals and ground cover species. Many of his findings were published in his iconic W. Canadian horticultural reference ‘bible’ entitled ‘Woody Ornamentals for the Prairies’. Professor Knowles was an extremely well-liked and effective instructor of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, and graduates from the Horticulture program during his time went on to occupy many very senior positions in the W. Canadian industry, Government and private sectors. Examples of those graduates are described in this TALE. The author contacted a number of them, and some quotations of theirs highlighted below attest to the high reputation he achieved as an instructor. (In recognition of his excellence in teaching, research and technology transfer. Professor Knowles was elected Fellow of the Canadian Society of Landscape Architects in 1984).’Hugh was an inspiring and effective, feet on the ground teacher who made the learning interesting, participatory, and fun too’………’Hugh was a great Professor who made us work hard’….’Hugh challenged his students to analyze, evaluate and create….to develop their research and problem solving skills and their imagination’…….’Students learned to put maximum effort into a project, and thus gained the personal confidence and abilities needed in their future careers, in horticulture and elsewhere’……’Hugh was a profound influencer and all around helpful kind of guy’ (a quote from M. Gabor Botar, his technical assistant for many years).
Professor Knowles’ most visible legacy of his ‘Northerly adaptation research’ is found in the tree collection that he established on North Campus. North Campus has over 4,500 trees with an estimated value of $22.5 million. Beyond the additional aesthetic value the Knowles tree collection within it consists of 51 different tree species found in this unique W. Canadian Urban Forest Collection. A self-guided tour of these trees is described in this TALE, and is also used by Professor Vic Leiffers and others for instruction of students in the Forest Science and Natural Resources specialization. Information about the favorite trees of Professor Knowles, this author, and the designated Alberta Provincial and Canadian Federal trees (lodgepole pine and sugar maple, respectively) is also included in this TALE.
Professor Knowles had a wide range of research interest during his lengthy campus career, but became especially well-known for the following: 1. Development of ‘Banff’ Kentucky Bluegrass variety (widely used for many years, earning seed sale Royalties enough for a student scholarship); 2. Best management practices for lawn grasses, golf greens and fairways; 3. Use of artificial hills and berms in flat landscape areas, and choice of suitable plant species for integration into hilly landscape designs.
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- Date created
- 2023-08-02
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- Type of Item
- Research Material
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- License
- Public Domain Mark 1.0