SUSTAINABLE LANDSCAPE CONFERENCE MERCER BOTANIC GARDENS. Bower Power! Utilizing Trees to Transform the Houston Landscape

Transcription

1 4TH SUSTAINABLE LANDSCAPE CONFERENCE MERCER BOTANIC GARDENS ANNUAL Bower Power! Utilizing Trees to Transform the Houston Landscape April 8, a.m. to 3:45 p.m. Big Stone Lodge at Dennis Johnston Park 709 Riley Fuzzel Road Spring, Texas For more information, call or visit

2 Introduction Bower Power! Utilizing Trees to Transform the Houston Landscape Discover ways to bring tree-lined streets and leafy greenery back to our cities during this one-day conference featuring local experts. While trees add natural beauty and shelter from the sun as well as reduce heat, buffer noise, and offset pollution, many cities weren t built with trees in mind. Urban environments pose numerous challenges that plague trees including intense heat, soil compaction, restrictive root runs, wind tunnels, air pollution, and chemical contamination. Trees also compete for space with overhead and underground utilities, pedestrians, and vehicles. Despite these obstacles, it s possible to transform our cities into leafy oases by choosing the proper planting site and following careful planting and maintenance techniques. Anyone interested in learning how to help trees thrive in Houston s extreme municipal climate is invited to attend. Professional attendees qualify for a total of six CEU credits, approved by LA CES.

3 Big Stone Lodge at Dennis Johnston Park This newly-renovated facility serves as headquarters for Harris County Precinct 4 Parks Department staff and features programming through Precinct 4 s Community Center/ Senior Adult Program. From Downtown Houston: Travel north on the Hardy Toll Road, exit Riley Fuzzel Road and turn right. Travel approximately 1/4 mile and turn left into Dennis Johnston Park. From the entrance, follow the road to Big Stone Lodge at the back of the park. Directions Traveling North on I-45: Exit FM 2920 and turn right onto Spring Cypress. Continue on Spring Cypress through Old Town Spring. At the end of Spring Cypress, turn left onto Hardy Road followed by a right onto East Noble Street. Then turn left onto Aldine Westfield and turn right at the traffic light onto Riley Fuzzel Road. Pass under the Hardy Toll Road and look for the entrance into Dennis Johnston Park on the left. From the entrance, follow the road to Big Stone Lodge at the back of the park. Traveling South on I-45: Exit Spring Stuebner East and keep right to travel under I-45. Stay straight on Spring Stuebner until the dead-end and curve at Hardy Road. Follow the curve at Hardy Road across the railroad tracks onto Riley Fuzzel Road. Pass under the Hardy Toll Road and look for the entrance into Dennis Johnston Park on the left. From the entrance, follow the road to Big Stone Lodge at the back of the park.

4 Presentations Soil Strategies, Landscape Lessons, and Performance Pressures Ethan Beeson, Landscape Architect and ISA Certified Arborist, Hermann Park Conservancy Many landscaping sites use post-construction soils that may not be appropriate for high performance landscapes. This discussion includes information and concepts on green infrastructure in urban construction sites that bring together many fields of study and skills. Tree Selection and Care Mickey Merritt, Regional Urban Forester, Texas A&M Forest Service What are some common obstacles when planting trees in an urban setting? Mickey Merritt will share urban tree planting best practices, including tree and site selection strategies, common root problems for containerized trees, planting techniques, and proper pruning after planting. Large-scale Urban Forestation in the Gulf-Houston Regional Conservation Plan Deborah January-Bevers, President & CEO, Houston Wilderness The Gulf-Houston Regional Conservation Plan (Gulf-Houston RCP) is a long-term collaborative of environmental, business, and governmental entities working together to create and implement the first ecosystem continuity and connectivity plan for the Gulf-Houston region. This eight-county RCP is comprised of every known environmental/conservation project in the region and collectively identifies our region s most pressing environment needs, organized into five key initiatives. Largescale tree planting is a critical part of the initiatives, covering riparian corridors and other green spaces throughout the eight-county region.

5 Highlights Special Remarks Commissioner R. Jack Cagle, Harris County Precinct 4 Keynote Speaker Barry Ward, Executive Director, Trees For Houston Trees For Houston: The Ups and Downs of Practical Planting Barry will present a history of Trees For Houston interwoven with project successes, failures and in-depth observations on where we are, where we need to be, and how to get there. Interactive Panel Discussion The conference s expert presenters will conduct an interactive discussion covering highlights of the day as well as issues related specifically to the interests of conference attendees. Questions submitted from attendees in advance will be selected and put before the panel during this 75-minute forum. The International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) and LACES will offer continuing education units (CEU). LACES will offer 6 approved CEUs. ISA will offer the following credits: Certified Arborist: 5.25 Board Certified Master Arborist Science: 1.5 Board Certified Master Arborist Practice: 3.75 Municipal Specialist: 2.25

6 Speakers Ethan Beeson, Landscape Architect and ISA Certified Arborist, Hermann Park Conservancy, was a Landscape Architect and ISA Certified Arborist for the Houston District of the Texas Department of Transportation for 19 years, where he was responsible for implementing landscape and aesthetic masterplan guidelines. In his new position with the Hermann Park Conservancy, he provides support for landscape development, infrastructure enhancements, multimodal facilities, and vegetation management, and researches sustainable roadside programs. More than 1.7 million trees have been installed on public right-of-ways through his efforts. Mickey Merritt, Regional Urban Forester, Texas A&M Forest Service, works with communities and organizations in the bayou region to develop long-term sustainable forestry and tree care programs. His projects include the Houston Green/American Forests Citygreen UEA, the Houston Regional Forest UFORE study, TreePrint Working Group, Galveston Hurricane Ike tree recovery, and local community inventories. He is involved in programs that demonstrate the value of using trees to help meet the Houston area s air and water quality requirements. Deborah January-Bevers, President & CEO, Houston Wilderness, has been involved with public policy and civic projects in and around Houston and the State of Texas for over 30 years. She received her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Texas in 1985 and her J.D. from the University of Houston Law Center in She has worked in Congress, in the Texas Legislature and with various city mayors and council members. She helped create, develop, and implement a variety of policy initiatives to improve the Houston region s quality of life, including: the Freeway Forestation initiative; the Stop Trashing Houston campaign; the Million Trees + Houston tree planting initiative; the Bayou Greenways Initiative and numerous local, state, and federal funding projects for the Houston region.

7 Speakers Commissioner R. Jack Cagle, Harris County Precinct 4, has served as Harris County Precinct 4 commissioner since 2011 after being appointed to the position by Harris County Judge Ed Emmett. He is now serving his second four-year term, following his re-election on November 4, Before his appointment, Cagle served 11 years as judge of Harris County Civil Court-at Law No. 1 and 19 years as an attorney in Precinct 4. Harris County voters elected him to the bench countywide in 2000 and re-elected him in 2002, 2006, and Commissioner Cagle is a graduate of Rice University with triple majors in economics, history, and managerial studies, as well as a graduate of Baylor Law School. Barry Ward, Executive Director, Trees For Houston, has worked as executive director of Trees For Houston since 2008, following a 25-year career in cultural and resource preservation. In his current position, he manages a planting operation that grows, plants, and maintains tens of thousands of trees in public spaces each year throughout southeast Texas. Darrin Duling, is the Director of Mercer Botanic Gardens in Humble, Texas. His education and career as a botanical horticulturist, environmentalist, and landscape designer has taken him to Borneo, Brazil, Crete, Peru, Oman, Singapore, Thailand, and the United Kingdom. He holds The Royal Horticultural Society Certificate of Gardener Training, The Royal Botanic Gardens Kew Diploma of Horticulture, and a MSc Plant Taxonomy from the University of Reading, Whiteknights, England.

8 Schedule 8 a.m. 8:30 a.m. Registration and Continental Breakfast 8:30 a.m. 9 a.m. Welcome Darrin Duling, Director, Mercer Botanic Gardens 9 a.m. 9:50 a.m. Soil Strategies, Landscape Lessons, and Performance Pressures Ethan Beeson, ASLA, Landscape Architect and ISA Certified Arborist, Hermann Park Conservancy :50 a.m. 10:05 a.m. Q & A with Ethan Beeson :05 a.m. 10:20 a.m. Morning Break 10:20 a.m. 11:10 a.m. Tree Selection and Care Mickey Merritt, Regional Urban Forester, Texas A&M Forest Service :10 a.m. 11:25 a.m. Q & A with Mickey Merritt :25 a.m. Noon Lunch Noon 12:30 p.m. 12:30 p.m. 1 p.m. Special Remarks Commissioner R. Jack Cagle, Harris County Precinct Keynote Speaker Barry Ward, Executive Director, Trees For Houston p.m. 1:50 p.m. Large-scale Urban Forestation in the Gulf-Houston Regional Conservation Plan Deborah January-Bevers, President & CEO, Houston Wilderness :50 p.m. 2:05 p.m. Q & A with Deborah January-Bevers :05 p.m. 2:15 p.m. Afternoon Break 2:15 p.m. 3:30 p.m. Panel Discussion :30 p.m. 3:45 p.m. Closing Remarks Maximum available LA CES CEU Credits

9 Payment Mercer s 2016 Sustainable Landscape Conference Continental Breakfast and Lunch included in price Professional Conference Fee. (includes CEU credits) General Conference Fee ( ) $ ( ) $ $ (does NOT include CEU credits) Exclusive Book Offer (see next page)......( ) $35.00 ea...$ Principles of Ecological Landscape Design Optional TMS memberships available: Qnty TMS Member TMS Membership Individual...( ) $ $ TMS Membership Family......( ) $ $ TMS Membership Supporting...( ) $120-$ $ Additional membership levels available. Memberships and donations are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law. TMS is a 501(c)(3) organization benefiting and supporting Mercer Botanic Gardens. Payment: Check ( ) Credit Card ( ) Total We are unable to process payments online or accept PO s at this time. Please make checks payable to The Mercer Society. If paying by credit card, please complete the following: Qnty Non Member ( ) $ ( ) $ $ $ Total of Each Line Name on card City Address on card ZIP Credit Card No. Exp. Date / CID # * * * Completed registration forms must be received by Friday, April 1, * * * Mail, fax, or completed payment form above with payment and registration (next page) to: The Mercer Society, Aldine Westfield Road, Humble, TX (fax) msociety@hcp4.net TMS must be notified of cancellation no later than one week prior to the Conference date in order to generate a refund. Refund requests received after this date will not be processed. Requests for refunds must be directed to the TMS office (msociety@hcp4.net). For more information:

10 Registration Mercer s 2016 Sustainable Landscape Conference Bower Power! Utilizing Trees to Transform the Houston Landscape Friday, April 8, 2016 Please complete form below for each participant and return with payment. Name Print your name as you want it to appear on your name tag Organization/Affiliation Address (work if applicable) City Phone (cell) Phone (work) ZIP fax * County Indicate if you would prefer a vegetarian lunch: ( ) yes *We will use your address to communicate with you regarding the status of the Conference. The Mercer Society periodically sends e-newsletters on upcoming classes, workshops and events. Indicate if you do not want to receive e-newsletters. ( ) do not send e-newsletters Exclusive Book Offer for Conference Attendees Principles of Ecological Landscape Design by Travis Beck $35.00 There is a growing demand for designed landscapes to be beautiful, functional and sustainable. This book explains key ecological concepts and their application to the design and management of sustainable landscapes. From biogeography and plant selection to global change, Travis Beck draws on real world cases where professionals have put ecological principles to use in the built landscape. Copies ordered during registration will be available for pick up at the conference registration table.