Boston Flora

Tag: SUNY

  • Wednesday, September 11, 7:00 pm – The Chickadee’s Guide to Gardening: Why Native Plants Matter to Songbirds and the Food They Eat Webinar

    Residential landscapes and gardening practices can have a positive (or negative) impact on wildlife. In this September 11 Ecological Landscape Alliance webinar, Dr. Desiree Narango will speak about her research studying plant and wildlife interactions. The talk will focus on her recent work comparing the contributions of native and non-native plants to food webs by studying breeding birds in Washington, D.C. suburban yards. In addition, she will talk about the relationships between plants and insects, why insects matter to birds, and steps you can take in your landscape designs or in your own yards to improve habitat for wildlife. Dr. Narango will also share resources to find more information about nature-friendly gardening and participating in community-driven science.

    Dr. Desiree Narango is a Postdoctoral Researcher at City University of New York and a visiting researcher at University of Massachusetts Amherst. Her research interests include urban/suburban ecology, plant-animal interactions, and community-driven science (to name a few). Desiree has a PhD in Entomology and Wildlife Ecology from University of Delaware, a M.S. in Natural Resources from The Ohio State University, a B.S. in Environmental Biology from SUNY: ESF and over 15 years’ experience studying wildlife. She’s also an active birder and gardener who really enjoys getting others excited about the natural world in their own yards. Free for ELA members, $10 for nonmembers. Register at www.ecolandcaping.org.

  • Saturday, March 30, 9:00 am – 12:30 pm – The American Chestnut: When Will It Flourish Again?

    The American chestnut could be the first tree ever restored to its native forest after suffering from a devastating airborne blight in the early 1900s that killed billions of trees.

    Join The Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University on Ssturday, March 30 from 9 – 12:30 for a thought-provoking gathering as experts share perspectives on the history of American chestnut (Castanea dentata), its significance as a forest species, and subsequent decimation by an invasive blight pathogen, Cryphonectria parasitica. Ongoing research in blight tolerance and the addition of blight-tolerant genes are the prognosis for this tree’s future.

    Special speakers include:

    • Dr. David Foster, Director of the Harvard Forest

    • Ms. Sara Fitzsimmons, Director of Restoration at The American Chestnut Foundation

    • Dr. William Powell, Professor and Director of Council on Biotechnology and Forestry at State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry

    • Dr. Jared Westbrook, Director of Science at The American Chestnut Foundation

    A panel discussion will follow the lectures:

    Introduction by Ms. Lisa Thomson, President and CEO of The American Chestnut Foundation

    Panel participants will include each speaker as well as Edward Faison, Senior Ecologist at Highstead Arboretum

    Fee $20 per person (Free for students).Event takes place at the Arnold Arboretum’s WELD HILL RESEARCH BUILDING, 1300 Centre Street, Roslindale, MA

    Register at my.arboretum.harvard.edu or call 617-384-5277.

    Image result for american chestnut tree

  • Monday, April 17, 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm – The New American Chestnut

    Much work has gone into attempting to bring back the American chestnut (Castanea dentata), decimated by the exotic chestnut blight fungus (Cryphonectria parasitica) beginning in the late 1800s. Breeding by crossing and back-crossing with Japanese and Chinese species has produced positive results, but genetic engineering is proving more viable. William A. Powell, MD, PhD, Director, Council on Biotechnology in Forestry, SUNY, Environmental Science and Forestry and Co-Director, New York State American Chestnut Research and Restoration Program, has been involved in transgenic research that has produced a tree that is 99.999% American chestnut, and will speak about this work and the possibilities for reviving a species once ubiquitous in eastern North American forests. The New American Chestnut lecture will take place Monday, April 17 beginning at 7 pm in the Hunnewell Building of the Arnold Arboretum.  Fee: Free for Arboretum members and students, $10 nonmembers. Register at my.arboretum.harvard.edu or call 617-384-5277.  Image from www.nature.com.

  • Sunday, February 1, 2:00 pm – 3:30 pm – Hope Floats on White: History and Future of the White Garden

    Tower Hill Botanic Garden will host an illustrated lecture on the history, design and future of the white garden beginning with Sissinghurst in England, then showing lecturer Carol Julien’s 1,000 square foot garden since 2001 and her theory for transferring the sanctuary of our gardens to the busy world beyond.

    For reasons known only to a seven year old, Carol began gardening in Canton, Massachusetts, when she asked her mother for a section of the perennial border that she could call her own. While at Massachusetts College of Art, Boston, (on scholarship from the Canton Art Association) she began working as an estate gardener in Sharon. Carol was graduated from S.U.N.Y., College of Environmental Science and Forestry, School of Landscape Architecture, with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1979. Carol’s core belief is that anyone can build a garden if they have spirit, energy and are willing to work hard. And none of this requires formal training. The key to gardening and design is to be a keen observer of much of what is around you.

    The February 1 lecture is free with admission and takes place from 2 – 3:30, but Tower Hill asks that you pre-register at https://dnbweb1.blackbaud.com/OPXREPHIL/EventDetail.asp?cguid=C7E2C131-AD0F-49AA-B073-5B92F8300A37&eid=50738&sid=530D164F-406E-4300-BB6E-37BEE61F8747.

  • Thursday, November 21, 6:00 pm – From Buffalo to Boston: Olmsted’s Evolving Vision of Urban Park Systems

    The Friends of Fairsted presents From Buffalo to Boston: Olmsted’s Evolving Vision of Urban Park Systems, a lecture by Francis R. Kowsky, PhD,  SUNY Distinguished Professor of Fine Arts Emeritus and author of the the book The Best Planned City in the World: Olmsted, Vaux, and the Buffalo Park System, on Thursday, November 21, at Wheelock College, 43 Hawes Street in Brookline.  The reception and book signing will begin at 6, with the lecture at 7.

    Beginning in 1868, Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux planned the first metropolitan park system in America for Buffalo, New York.  They designed three distinct parks linked by “parkways,” majestic, tree canopied boulevards that were linear parks in themselves.  Displaying a map of Buffalo at the Paris Exhibition in 1878, Olmsted called it the best planned city in the world.  That same year, he began to apply the concept he had pioneered in Buffalo to the Boston metropolitan area.  Here, he planned six parks stretching from the Charles River to the harbor, a remarkable chain of green spaces today known as the Emerald Necklace.

    Free and open to the public.  Seating is limited and reservations are required.  Email friendsoffairsted@gmail.com.  Limited street parking is available.  Public parking is not allowed in the Wheelock parking lot.

    http://www.buffalonews.com/storyimage/BN/20130819/CITYANDREGION/130818991/AR/0/AR-130818991.jpg&maxW=960