Native Plant Symposium
Special Events2023 Winter/Spring - Recreation|#17837
Apr 29, 2023
16 yrs +, Mixed
Adult RecreationNature Education
Description
Do you want to attract more pollinators and other wildlife to your yard? Maybe change up a landscape design by replacing invasive plants with native ones? Plan for your spring and summer gardening season while getting inspired by the power of native plants!
Participants will enjoy a keynote address, breakout sessions, a catered lunch, and a sense of community amongst other native plant enthusiasts. Whether you are new to gardening or you’ve got the greenest thumb in town, there will be something for everyone at this event.
Attendees will also have the opportunity purchase native plants and seeds from Forever Green Nursery and Allendan Seed Company.
This year’s Symposium will feature a Keynote Address by Carol Davit, Executive Director of the Missouri Prairie Foundation. As executive director, Carol Davit oversees the operations of the Missouri Prairie Foundation, a 57-year-old land trust, including Grow Native!, its 23-year-old native plant marketing and education program. She has worked for 25 years in conservation and environmental communications, development, administration, and leadership for private and nonprofit conservation groups, and also municipal and state governments. Editor of the Missouri Prairie Journal since 1997, Carol writes articles on native gardening, has edited field guides, and enjoys speaking to groups about native gardening, prairie conservation, and related topics.
Breakout session topics and presenters are listed below.
Rainscaping and Bioswales: Municipal Homeowner Incentive Programs
- Chad Arp, Iowa City Stormwater Coordinator
- Amy Foster, Coralville Stormwater Coordinator
- Mike Wolfe, North Liberty Stormwater Coordinator
At Home with the Prairie: prairie plants home gardens
- Tyler Baird, Iowa City Superintendent of Parks and Forestry
Plants for Birds
- Emily Connor, Education Manager at Audubon Center at Riverlands (National Audubon Society)
The Ashton Prairie Living Laboratory (APLL)
- Mike Fallon, Adjunct Instructor, Dept. of Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of Iowa
- Andrew Forbes, Assoc. Prof., Dept. of Biology, Program Director, UI Environmental Sciences Program, The University of Iowa
- Stratis Giannakouros, Director, Office of Sustainability and Environment, The University of Iowa
- Tony Senio, Supervisor, Athletic Grounds, Dept. of Athletics, The University of Iowa
Designing Your Rain Garden
- Amy Foster, Coralville Stormwater Coordinator
- Sean Pearl, Owner of Sustainable Landscape Solutions
Redefining Your Lawn
- Karla McGrail, Linn County Master Gardener & Wild Ones Member
Planting Native: How to support and conserve pollinators at home
- Sarah Nizzi, Farm Bill Pollinator Conservation Planner, Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation
Invasive Plant ID & Removal
- Jason Taylor, Executive Director, Bur Oak Land Trust
Native Edibles for Your Yard
- Jean Wiedenheft, Indian Creek Nature Center
This event is made possible by our many collaborating partners and speakers, as well as sponsorships from Hills Bank, Phoebe Martin- Realtor, and Forever Green Nursery.
Activity meeting dates
Apr 29, 2023
Sat9:00 AM - 3:00 PM
More Information
SupervisorMichelle Wiegand
Number of sessions1
DepartmentRecreation
Registration dates
ResidentsDec 13, 2022 7:00 AM to Apr 21, 2023
Non-residentsDec 14, 2022 7:00 AM to Apr 21, 2023
Closed
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