PURPOSE
This event helps students develop an interest in a wide variety of plants that are important habitat components for wildlife and domestic livestock. This program is taught in the agriculture curriculum to help enhance the higher thinking skills of its participants. The Plant Identification CDE and its supporting instruction helps students recognize a significant number of specific plants and their fundamental growth characteristics as well as understand the importance of plants as a component of the environment in which animals exist. This event provides opportunity for mastery of the foundational knowledge and understanding contributing to future learning and success in college level coursework related to plant identification, understanding of growth parameters, and economic importance of plants.