Boston Flora

Tag: Ecological Landscape Alliance

  • Wednesday, June 24, 9:00 am – 3:30 pm – Landscapes as Essential Groundwork for Our Future

    As we move into a new age of ecological landscaping, how do we rethink our residential and civic landscapes so that they actively support biodiversity, climate resilience, and community wellbeing? As horticulture professionals, we have an essential role in the future of our world. Drawing from real-world projects and community-based design work, this workshop will explore practical approaches to creating beautiful, functional gardens that wildly expand biodiversity while connecting the human spirit back to the natural world.

    Participants in this Ecological Landscape Alliance design workshop on June 24 at Stone Barns Center for Food & Agriculture in Pocantico Hills, New York, will gain inspiration and actionable strategies for transforming landscapes from resource consumers to ecosystem contributors, strengthening connections between people and the natural realm while centering a changing world, biodiversity, and community action. We will explore real-life challenges and strategies for maintaining these ecological gardens and how to better connect design and care professionals for long-term success. We will learn how to build healthy ecosystems while at the same time connecting people back to the rhythms of the seasons, healing spirit, and building community and equity along the way.

    Walking the property at Stone Barns mid workshop, participants will enjoy a guided landscape tour of the property with real-life success and challenges on plant choices and 10+ years of garden trails from in-house staff.

    Instructor Shanti Nagel is the founder of Design Wild, a landscape design firm working at the intersection of climate, humans, and community well-being.  She believes that the relationship between humans and the natural world is essential for individual health, the strength of communities, our ecosystems, and a future on Earth. She grew up gardening as a child in upstate NY, founded an organic vegetable farm at age 20, and later managed one of New York City’s largest urban farms. Shanti is a graduate of the School of Professional Horticulture at the New York Botanical Garden, a trained horticulturist, and a skilled landscape designer.  For the last decade, she and Design Wild have been designing naturally ferocious, beautiful, ecologically rich and incredibly durable landscapes in New York City and the greater Hudson Valley.

    $405 for ELA members (lunch included) and $480 for nonmembers (lunch included) Registration closed June 15. Register at https://www.ecolandscaping.org/new-events-calendar/

  • Wednesday, April 22, 12:00 noon – 1:30 pm Eastern – Crop Wild Relatives, Online

    Gardening and farming are challenging in the best of times- and even more so with a changing climate. In this Ecological Landscape Alliance online presentation on April 22 at noon, we’ll learn why the wild and weedy relatives of crops hold the key helping crops resist pests and disease, and tolerate drought and other climate challenges.

    Scientists conserve crop wild relatives in gene banks and elsewhere, but we’ll learn about many you can find in your native plant nursery, in natural areas, or even growing as weeds in your yard.

    In this talk, we’ll look at domesticated crops and their wild relatives as all part of a process across a spectrum. We’ll also learn about new crops that breeders are working on to bring us into more regenerative perennial polycultural systems, which provide ecosystem services while feeding us.

    Presenter Nan McCarry is an academic researcher at heart, collaborating with scientists across the country on the conservation of “plant genetic resources,” which you will learn about in this talk. She also enjoys how this work intersects with her gardening, sourcing seeds, and work at Watermark Woods Native Plants in Hamilton, Virginia. Nan received her master’s degree in Geography from the University of Texas at Austin, doing her thesis research in Guatemala on traditional home gardens. She has been converting three acres of lawn to a native food forest. She is a member of the Virginia Native Plant Society, the Society for Ethnobotany, and Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy. Nan is writing a book on plant domestication, or how our crops evolved to be our crops, a topic she will touch on in this talk.

    $10 ELA members, $20 nonmembers. Register at https://www.ecolandscaping.org/new-events-calendar/

  • Friday, March 27, 3:00 pm – 4:15 pm – How to Grow and Cook Native Edible Plants

    Join Dan Wilder for a two-part series sponsored by the Ecological Landscape Alliance dedicated to growing and cooking some of his favorite native edible plants. In the first session Dan will introduce viewers to various edible plants and discuss growing conditions, sustainable and seasonal harvest, and ecology. The following session will be centered around one or more in-season plants where Dan will guide viewers through various preparations. From scrambled eggs with wild leeks, to groundnut chips, to cocktails full of bee balm, viewers will learn how to create garden-to-table fare with native plants!

    You MUST register for each class separately. https://www.ecolandscaping.org/new-events-calendar/

    $10 for members
    $20 for non-members

    Dan Jaffe Wilder is an ecologist, horticulturist, and botanist with over fifteen years’ experience working with native plants and their associated ecology. His work has ranged from classrooms to nurseries to botanical gardens to wildlife refuges specializing in native plant ecology, propagation, wildlife habitat construction, and native edible landscapes. Dan is currently the Director of Applied Ecology for the Norcross Wildlife Foundation whose mission is to protect, enhance, and expand wildlife through conservation, education, and support. A prolific photographer and author Dan’s book Native Plants for New England Gardens was released in 2018.

  • Thursday, December 4, 8:00 am – 3:00 pm Eastern – 2025 ELA Season’s End Summit, Live and Online

    From the sky to the soil—learn cutting-edge strategies at the ELA Season’s End Summit! Innovative Stormwater Solutions: Jay Archer will share best management practices for residential watersheds. Green Roof Bus Shelters: Trevor Smith details the design and impact of North America’s largest green roof bus shelter installation.

    Don’t miss this opportunity to advance your sustainable design knowledge on December 4th.

    ELA Member $ 129
    Non-Member $ 169
    ELA Member Virtual Registration $ 74
    Non-Member Virtual Registration $ 89

    Register now: https://ela.member365.org/public/event/details/d83044f615cd71cb12a76ad12bb74e0421ec139f/1

  • Sunday, November 2, 9:00 am – 5:00 pm – Seeds to Sustenance: Northeastern Nut Tree Symposium

    Explore the past, present, and future of the American chestnut in this full-day symposium at New England Botanic Garden, co-sponsored with the Ecological Landscape Alliance, on November 2 from 9 – 5 featuring expert talks, hands-on workshops—including natural dyeing—and a guided tour of the NEBG Chestnut Project. Cap off the day with the warm tradition of fresh roasted chestnuts. $95 NEBG members, $114 nonmembers, $99 ELA members. Register at www.nebg.org

  • Saturday, October 11, 10:30 am – 12:30 pm – Eco-Tour of Native Shrubs & Shrublands

    Join Dan Wilder for a tour of one of his favorite sites with fantastic shrub diversity in Brimfield, Massachusetts, on October 11. Free for Ecological Landscape members, $10 for nonmembers. Register at https://www.ecolandscaping.org/

  • Thursday, July 24, 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm Eastern – Power Up Your Yard: Switching to Electric

    Curious about battery-powered landscaping equipment but unsure if it’s right for you? Battery-powered landscaping equipment is transforming how we maintain our outdoor spaces, and it’s more accessible than ever. While many homeowners and commercial users wonder about performance and return on investment, Robert is here to showcase the options. He’ll explore the diverse range of battery-powered equipment, showcasing its powerful advantages and addressing common concerns. Plus, discover how trade-in programs, rebates, and new initiatives can make your switch to electric seamless and affordable. Register at https://www.ecolandscaping.org/new-events-calendar/

  • Friday, June 27, 1:00 pm – An Introduction to Botanic Gardens Conservation International and the Ecological Landscape Alliance

    Mark Richardson, Executive Director, US branch of Botanic Gardens Conservation International and Ecological Landscape Alliance, in addition to Director of Strategic Horticulture Partnerships for New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill, will present
    An Introduction to Botanic Gardens Conservation International and the Ecological Landscape Alliance on June 27 at 1 pm at New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill in Boylston, Massachusetts.

    This meeting will also include the option to tour New England Botanic Garden following the presentation, attend a field trip, and/or meet for dinner in the evening. Please visit www.nebg.org for a detailed schedule.

  • Tuesday, June 10, 12:00 noon – 1:30 pm Eastern – Science in Action: 10 Years of Restoring Native Plant-Pollinator Functional Diversity at Breakneck Hill, Online

    Plant-pollinator diversity is declining at an alarming rate worldwide. The continued loss of native plant-pollinator diversity poses a significant threat to health and integrity of terrestrial ecosystems due to the fundamental functional role that ‘pollination products’ play in supporting wildlife diversity across trophic levels. Habitat loss and degradation are widely thought to be significant drivers of pollination system decline; however, surprisingly few current habitat management plans focused on pollinator restoration are based on empirical data, making them ineffective at attracting and sustaining imperiled species. In this talk, Dr. Rob Gegear will discuss how he has used a data-driven, species-level ecological approach to successfully restore native plant-pollinator functional diversity at Breakneck Hill, a 40 acres of conservation land located in Southborough MA. He will also highlight how ‘eco-technology’ and crowdsourced data collection was used to dramatically reduce the amount of time required to develop and implement effective management strategies for imperiled systems. This Ecological Landscape Alliance webinar will be held Tuesday, June 10 at noon. Free for ELA members, $10 for nonmembers. Register at www.ecolandscaping.com

  • Saturday, June 7, 10:30 am – 12:30 pm – Eco-tour – Native Shrubs and Shrublands: Lessons from Nature

    The Ecological Landscape Alliance will sponsor a tour on June 7 at 10:30 am in Brimfield. Join Dan Wilder for a tour of one of his favorite (and unknown) sites with fantastic shrub diversity in Brimfield, Massachusetts. We will explore a shrub-dominated community to discuss the role of shrubs in natural landscapes and see what lessons we can employ in residential landscapes. Location will be confirmed after reservation. Dan Jaffe Wilder is an ecologist, horticulturist, and botanist with over fifteen years’ experience working with native plants and their associated ecology. His work has ranged from classrooms to nurseries to botanical gardens to wildlife refuges specializing in native plant ecology, propagation, wildlife habitat construction, and native edible landscapes. Dan is currently the Director of Applied Ecology for the Norcross Wildlife Foundation whose mission is to protect, enhance, and expand wildlife through conservation, education, and support. A prolific photographer and author Dan’s book Native Plants for New England Gardens was released in 2018.

    FREE for ELA members $10 for non-members. Register at https://www.ecolandscaping.org/event/eco-tournative-shrubs-and-shrublandslessons-from-nature/