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Rakow, Don
Cornell Faculty Member
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Positions
- Associate Professor, Cornell Plantations
- Academic Director, Cornell Plantations
In addition to serving as the Elizabeth Newman Wilds Director of Cornell Plantations, I conduct research, write, and speak on the history, management, and social dimensions of public gardens in Europe and North America.
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- Affiliations
- Research
- Publications
- Teaching
- Service
- Background
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Affiliations
member of graduate field
other Cornell affiliations
Research
research overview
- I research the rise of public gardens in Europe and America, and how these movements reflect societal developments in science, technology, religion, and cultural attitudes. I am currently conducting research for a book on public gardens as agents of social change in their communities.
principal investigator on
- INTERPRETATION PROJECT FOR CORNELL PLANTATIONS awarded by STANLEY SMITH HORTICULTURAL 2011 - 2012
- ZOOS, BOTANICAL GARDENS AND AQUARIUMS - 2010-2013 awarded by NYS PARKS & RECREATION 2010 - 2013
submitted impact statement
Publications
individual publications
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academic article
- Public Garden Design: Perspectives from the Field. Public Garden. 26:29-31. 2011
- What is a Public Garden. Public Garden. 26:7-11. 2011
- Starting a botanical garden or arboretum at a college or public institution. Part I. The Public Garden. 21:33-37. 2006
- Starting a botanical garden or arboretum at a college or public institution. Part II: Moving from planning to reality. The Public Garden. 21:32-35. 2006
- Paths to the Community: How Public Gardens Link to Their Neighborhoods. The Public Garden. 20:35-37. 2005
- The evolution of college and university gardens. The Public Garden. 18:7. 2003
- Professional training in public garden management launched at Cornell. The Public Garden. 13:14-16. 1998
- The Effect of Wood Mulch Type and Depth on Weed and Tree Growth and Certain Soil Parameters. J of Arbor. 21:225-232. 1995
- Strategies for reducing water input in woody landscape plantings. J of Arbor. 18:165-171. 1992
- Containerized trees in urban environments. J of Arbor. 13:294-298. 1987
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article
- Gardens of Fabulous Flowers. Publication #141-L-9. . 1992
- Grow with the Flow: Hydroponic Gardening in the Classroom. Cornell Cooperative Extension. . 1992
- Pruning: An Illustrated Guide to Pruning Trees and Shrubs. Publication #IB23. :28. 1992
- Container Gardening. Department of Floriculture and Ornamental Horticulture, Cornell University. . 1991
- Garden in the City. Publication #141-L-8. . 1991
- Water: When a Little is Enough 1991
- Cornell Home Grounds Guide for Ornamental Trees and Shrubs. Publication #S-112. :12. 1990
- Choosing ornamental trees for dry urban sites 1989
- Dry Sites for Ornamental Trees. Grounds Maintenance. :129. 1989
- Techniques for Tree Planting 1987
- Life in the Pits 1985
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book
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chapter
- The Growth of Children's Gardens. National Institute for Play. 161-174. 2008
- Survival of Trees in Metropolitan Areas. Integrated Pest Management of Turf and Ornamentals. 1994
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conference paper
- Management Options for Water Conservation in Landscape Plantings. Environmental Responsibility: Taking Root in Public Horticulture. 1989 Longwood Graduate Program Seminars, University of Delaware, Newark. DE, 5-9. 1991
- Determining Adequate Rooting Space for Trees in Planters or in the Ground. Proceedings of the 6th METRIA Conference, Mentor, OH, 100-107. 1989
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document part
- Project LEAP: A Conceptually Based Biological Sciences Curriculum for Elementary Grades K-6. 725. 1991
- The Effect of Sodium Chloride Concentration on Hydrogen Water Holding Capacity and on Hydrogel’s Ability to Reduce Water Stress. 747. 1991
- A comparison of a direct transpirational measurement method with a predictive meteorological method. 675. 1986
- Sizing Tree Containers: A Comparison of a Direct Transpirational Measurement Method with a Predictive Meteorological Method. 675. 1986
- Determining adequate dimensions of permanent street tree containers based on transpirational demand. 96. 1985
- Edging Materials and Their Use in the Landscape 1992
- Soil Amendments in Landscape Plantings 1992
- The Types and Uses of Mulch in the Landscape 1989
featured in archived article
Teaching
teaching overview
- CRP 3950, Museums and the Public: full afternoon class on the role of public gardens in the museum community.
- Cornell Plantations Seminar Series: dedicated to education and awareness of horticultural and public gardens issues. Average of 68 students.
- New Directions in Public Horticulture: graduate level reading and discussion course for students with high level interest in this field. Facilitator. Last offered Fall 2007.
- Public Garden Management: a senior/graduate level course on all aspects of planning, curating, managing and supporting public gardens; developed concept of course, serve as primary instructor, average of 20 students.
teaching activities
- HORT-4850: Public Garden Management - Spring 2013
- HORT-5900: Master of Professional Studies (Agriculture) Project - Spring 2013
- HORT-6970: Graduate Individual Study in Horticulture - Spring 2013
- HORT-7000: Graduate Teaching Experience - Spring 2013
- HORT-4800: Plantations Lecture Series - Fall 2012
- HORT-5900: Master of Professional Studies (Agriculture) Project - Fall 2012
- HORT-6970: Graduate Individual Study in Horticulture - Fall 2012
- HORT-7000: Graduate Teaching Experience - Fall 2012
- HORT-5900: Master of Professional Studies (Agriculture) Project - Spring 2012
- HORT-6970: Graduate Individual Study in Horticulture - Spring 2012
- HORT-7000: Graduate Teaching Experience - Spring 2012
- HORT-4800: Plantations Lecture Series - Fall 2011
- HORT-5900: Master of Professional Studies (Agriculture) Project - Fall 2011
- HORT-6970: Graduate Individual Study in Horticulture - Fall 2011
- HORT-7000: Graduate Teaching Experience - Fall 2011
Service
outreach overview
- Land-Grant Mission: Plantations serves as a knowledge base for county-based Cooperative Extension personnel. We also disseminate information related to horticulture, stewardship of natural areas, and environmental practices through our publications, website, classes, and special events.
service to the profession
- NSF Informal Science Education Review Panel Committee Member 2011 -
- Association of Directors of Large Gardens Member 2000 -
- American Association of Botanical Gardens and Arboreta/American Public Garden Association, Awards Committee Chairperson 2000 - 2004
- Northeast Regional Meeting of the American Association of Botanical Gardens and Arboreta, planning committee member, panelist Committee Member 2004
- ASHS Climate Change Symposium; planning committee Committee Member - 2003
- Sullivan Co. (NY) Renaissance, Community Beautification Contest Judge - 2003
- Longwood Graduate Program Task Force Outside Reviewer - 2003
- American Association of Botanical Gardens and Arboreta/American Public Garden Association Board of Directors 1999 - 2002
- American Association of Botanical Gardens and Arboreta/American Public Garden Association, Standards and Professionalism Task Force Chairperson 2000 - 2001
- Sullivan Co. (NY) Renaissance, Community Beautification Contest Judge - 2001
- American Association of Botanical Gardens and Arboreta/American Public Garden Association, College and University Gardens Committee Chairperson 1999 - 2000
- International Society of Arboriculture, Arboricultural Research and Education Committee Committee Member - 1993
- International Society of Arboriculture, I.S.A. Certification Exam Committee Committee Member - 1993
reviewer or editor for
Background
education and training
- Ph.D. in Ornamental Horticulture, Cornell University 1987
- Cornell University 1977
- B.A. in English, State University of New York at Albany 1973
awards and honors
Other
college
- CALS
name prefix
- Dr.