Native plant “geeks,” and those not so geeky, can connect with like-minded native plant professionals on Thursday evening at the 2019 Western.  The gathering is in partnership with the Kansas City Native Plant Initiative, with the support of Taylor Creek Restoration Nurseries and Walnut Creek Nursery.

Enjoy authentic Italian hors d’oeuvres at Lidia’s, located in a former railroad house, it evokes the warmth of an old Italian Farmhouse. Trolley service will be provided. Cash bar.

Featured Geeks to rub elbows with include:

• Bob Berkebile, Worldwide Influential Environmentalist; Principal Emeritus BNIM
• George Coombs, Manager of Horticultural Research Programs, Mt. Cuba Center
• Elise Hubbard, Landscape Architect & Founder, Hubbard Studio
• Tom Jacobs, Director of Environmental Programs, Mid-America Regional Council
• Joann Schwarberg, Owner, J Schwarberg Landscape Architecture

Preceding the gathering at Lidia’s learn about “Knock Out Natives” when George Coombs presents at The Western.  George manages the horticultural research programs at Mt. Cuba Center, including the trial garden where he evaluates native plants and their related cultivars for their horticultural and ecological value.

On Friday at The Western take part in discussions on The Grow Native! track of education:
Invasive Plants & the Horticulture Industry: An interdisciplinary presentation and panel discussion
Non-native plants that are invasive in nature are the second leading cause of the loss of biodiversity. Conservation professionals and other land managers devote increasing financial and human resources to invasive plant control, but the horticulture industry—from which several of these species originate—has largely been on the sidelines of this race against time to conserve wild places. In this session, horticulture and conservation professionals discuss the impacts of invasive plants on the natural world and the horticulture industry’s role in helping stop the spread while also pursuing profitable opportunities to manage the invasion.

Panelists:

Carol Davit, Missouri Invasive Plant Task Force
Linda Lehrbaum, Kansas City WildLands
Pete Millier, Mizzou Botanic Garden
Nathan Muenks, Missouri Department of Conservation
Hank Stelzer, University of Missouri Forestry Extension

Native Alternatives to Standard Non-Natives and Invasives
The threat of invasive plants to the natural world is daunting and shifting away from the sale of these species will be an adjustment to the horticulture industry. However, this shift also presents an exciting economic opportunity for plant sellers to become suppliers of diverse and versatile native plants—including groundcovers, perennials, shrubs, and trees. Veterans from the world of native perennial and woody plant production share tried and true native alternatives to standard non-natives and invasive species.

Panelists:

Carol Davit, Missouri Invasive Plant Task Force
Elliott Duemler, Native Perennial Manager Taylor Creek Restoration Nursery/Applied Ecological Services
James Faupel, Restoration Ecology Coordinator, Litzsinger Road Ecology Center/Missouri Botanical Garden
Kim Lovelace-Young, Vice President, Forrest Keeling Nursery

Limited tickets are available to the Thursday evening gathering so register early at www.wnla.org.