Draft Agenda

Landscaping with Native Plants: An Evaluation of Environmental and Social Benefits

This will be a working conference. We will be hearing a series of presentations by academics and researchers summarizing the state of knowledge on the benefits of native landscaping. Conference

participants will be asked to participate in gap analysis sessions, by providing information not reflected in the presentations, and in identifying data gaps and research needs. The input of the participants in this conference will be reflected in the final papers.

Day 1

8:00 - 8:30 Registration and Continental Breakfast

8:30 - 8:50 Introduction

      John Rogner, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

8:50 - 9:10 Definitions

      Liam Heneghan, DePaul University

9:10 - 9:50 Biodiversity benefits of native landscaping

      Liam Heneghan, DePaul University

9:50 - 10:20 Gap Analysis - Identifying data gaps and research needs relating to the biodiversity benefits of native landscaping

10:20 - 10:40 Break

10:40 - 11:20 Air quality benefits of native landscaping

      David Nowak, U.S. Forest Service

      Steven Rosenthal, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

11:20 - 11:50 Emissions during controlled burns

      Joseph Vaughan, Washington State University

11:50 - 12:20 Gap analysis - Identifying data gaps and research needs relating to the air quality benefits and emissions during controlled burns from natural landscaping

12:20 - 1:30 Lunch - food will be provided

      Lunchtime speaker - William Jordan III Ethical and aesthetic context of native landscaping

1:30 - 2:10 Economics of native landscaping

      John Haugland, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region V

      Hale Thurston, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Research and Development

2:10 - 2:50 Public perception of native landscaping

      Joan Nassauer, University of Michigan

2:50 - 3:20 Gap Analysis - Identifying data gaps and research needs relating to the economics and public perception of native landscaping

3:20 - 3:35 Break

3:35 - 4:50 Case Studies and Research Opportunities: The leaders or designers of successful native landscaping projects will present case studies and lead discussions regarding the benefits and challenges of their projects, and research opportunities associated with these projects.

      Speakers TBD

5:00 Adjourn

5:00 - 6:00 Cocktails

6:00 Banquet

Day 2

8:15 - 8:30 Introduction

8:30 - 9:10 Hydrologic benefits of native landscaping

      James Montgomery, DePaul University

      Marshall Eames, DePaul University

9:10 - 9:50 Reduction in pesticide and fertilizer impacts through native landscaping

      James Montgomery, DePaul University

      Marshall Eames, DePaul University

9:50 - 10:20 Gap Analysis - Identifying data gaps and research needs relating to the hydrologic benefits, and reduction in pesticide and fertilizer impacts through native landscaping

10:20 - 10:40 Break

10:40 - 11:20 Phytoremediation using native plants

      Cristina Negri - Argonne National Laboratory

11:20 - 12:00 Carbon Sequestration using native plants

      Michael Miller - Argonne National Laboratory

12:00 - 12:30 Gap Analysis - Identifying data gaps and research needs relating to phytoremediation and carbon sequestration using native plants

12:30 - 1:40 Lunch - food will be provided

      Lunchtime speaker - Suzanne Malec, City of Chicago Department of Environment

      Topic - Key issues of the conference - - where do we go from here?

1:40 - 3:00 Case studies and research opportunities: The leaders or designers of successful native landscaping projects will present case studies and lead discussions regarding the benefits and challenges of their projects, and research opportunities associated with these projects.

      Speakers TBD

3:00 Adjourn