“Community Landscapes Symposium” at DCH

The 2018 Community Landscapes Symposium was held on March 24 at the Delaware Center for Horticulture in Wilmington. This was the first of what is expected to be an annual “Delaware Regional Symposium” centered on the theme “Working Models in Sustainable Landscapes.”

This inaugural event was open to all land managers looking to be more effective stewards of their open spaces. The challenges of cultivating safe and effective landscapes within the constraints of budget, ordinances, and technology are complex. Whether an HOA, town manager, municipality, or property owner, attendees learned from real world experiences and current research in tree canopy development, natural lands stewardship, and tree ordinances. Discover the models and tools you can use to create your own unique solutions.

Featured Speakers:

  • Susan Barton, Phd is an extension specialist and professor in the Plant and Soil Sciences Department at the University of Delaware. She teaches Plants and Human Culture, Farm to Table, Landscape Architecture Symposium and coordinates the Landscape Horticulture Internship.  She has also worked with partners to develop the Plants for a Livable Delaware Program, designed to provide alternatives to known invasive plants species and to promote sustainable landscaping.
  • Bill Graham is a certified arborist, educator, and has been serving the Delaware region for 12 years. He grew up on the grounds of the Morris Arboretum where is father was the Head of Grounds and a renowned consulting arborist. He has a passion for helping people make informed decisions about their trees, through science and experience.
  • Greg Gagliano owns Red Tail Restoration and has worked in the field of ecology for over 15 years.  With a degree in wildlife conservation from the University of Delaware, he has worked across the mid-Atlantic region with invasive species, aquatic ecosystems, endangered shorebirds, wildlife diseases, wildlife population surveys, deer management, wetland and salt marsh quality assessment, youth environmental education, community outreach, and land management.  Greg is currently a board member of the Delaware Invasive Species Council, and member of the DNS Land and Biodiversity Management Committee.
  • Ash J. Gillis is a graduate student in social psychology at The Pennsylvania State University and Graduate Research Fellow at Mt. Cuba Center. Ash is broadly interested perceptions of the natural environment and interventions aimed to build hazard- and disaster-resilient communities.
  • Sara Stevenson is the Director of Public Engagement at Mt. Cuba Center, where she oversees marketing and outreach. Sara believes native plants are the answer to any of your landscaping questions.

The Delaware Center for Horticulture and the Delaware State Urban and Community Forestry Program are pleased to include a continental breakfast, lunch, and information packet with the registration cost.

Schedule:

8:15 a.m. Check-in/breakfast

9:00 a.m. Welcome

9:15 a.m. Providing Ecosystem Services in Public Landscapes – Sue Barton will highlight regional landscapes that utilize sustainable design elements and management practices.

10:00 a.m. Tree Risk Assessment and How to Systematically Evaluate Trees in Your Neighborhood – Bill Graham Learn comprehensive strategies managing your trees for health, safety, and beauty. From tree structure, construction impacts, and inventories, discover the methods professionals use to manage trees.

10:45 a.m. Break

11:10 a.m. Getting the Neighborhood to Go Native: Encouraging Ecologically Sustainable Residential Landscaping Practices – Ash Gillis and Sara Stevenson will present on encouraging sustainable practices at the individual and neighborhood level. Mt. Cuba Center is working with Pennsylvania State University’s Psychology Department to conduct research in the neighborhoods surrounding Mt. Cuba Center. The goal of their current research is to develop community-based programs to motivate behavior change.  Join us to learn more about research findings to date and the application of research planned for the spring.

12:00 p.m. Lunch

1:15 p.m. A model for natural lands management in suburban communities – Drawing on both professional and homeowner experiences, Greg Gagliano & Paul Wilson will discuss the development of the stewardship model that guides Fairthorne’s conservation and development efforts.

2:00 p.m. Lightning Round

  • Steve Hauss, the CAPS Program Coordinator of the Delaware Department of Agriculture will provide background information on the spotted lantern fly, a pest threatening many trees and crops. He will discuss a check list of actions that will aid in the detection of these populations.
  • Sam Seo of the Delaware Center for Horticulture will describe OpenTreeMap, an online tree inventory tool.
  • Julianne Schieffer of the Penn Extension will discuss various types of tree and plant ordinances that participants can integrate into their own local laws.

2:45 p.m. Kesha Braunskill, the state Community and Urban Forester will give an overview of state forestry programs that participants can take advantage of, including an annual grant program and the Tree City USA program.

3:00 p.m. Wrap

Date Saturday, March 24, 2018
Time 8:30 AM – 3:00 PM
Location Event held at TheDCH
Registration cost General Admission:  $30.00
Contact Samuel Seo