Grow Native! Native By Design: Landscape Challenges and Native Plant Solutions Workshop February 23 in Edwardsville, IL

EDWARDSVILLE, IL—During this Grow Native! Native By Design: Landscape Challenges and Native Plant Solutions workshop at Lewis & Clark Community College in Edwardsville, Illinois, featured speakers will explore how native plants can be used to address a myriad of landscape challenges.

Alan Branhagen, the Executive Director of the Natural Land Institute in Rockford, Illinois, will be the keynote speaker. His presentation will focus on how to utilize native plants to address challenging landscape situations—from streetside hellstrips to poorly drained swales to under power lines to steep banks.

The keynote talk will set the stage for plenary speakers Insiyaa Ahmed, Leslie Gittemeier, Scott Moss, Emily Ehley, and Cody Hayo, who will share their experiences using native plants in a variety of situations to address a range of landscape challenges. Topics include the Rivers Project Greenhouse, a new facility located at the Riverlands Migratory Bird Sanctuary in West Alton, Missouri, that will grow native plants for habitat restoration; how to address backyard drainage issues by establishing a dry creek garden from seed; native garden design for small urban yards; lawn alternatives; and landscaping with small native trees.

“Most homeowners and land managers have experienced landscaping challenges at some point,” said Ethan Braasch, Director of Sustainability at Lewis and Clark Community College, “and as the host for the 2024 Grow Native! Native by Design Workshop, we are pleased to welcome an expert lineup of speakers to share practical information on native plant solutions for virtually any landscaping challenge.”

This morning workshop will be held from 8:00 a.m. to noon. A breakfast buffet will be provided at 7:30 a.m. Registration, including breakfast: $30/person for non-members, $25 for MPF members and Grow Native! Professional members, $15 for students with a valid student ID. Download the event flyer.

WHEN: Friday, February 23, 2024, 7:30 a.m.-12 p.m.

WHERE: LeClaire Room at Lewis and Clark Community College, NO Nelson Campus 600 Troy Rd., Edwardsville, IL 62025

Registration: $30 (for non-members), includes breakfast; $25 (for MPF and Grow Native! Professional members, includes breakfast; $15 (for students with valid ID, includes breakfast)

Register at Grow Native! Native By Design: Landscape Challenges and Native Plant Solutions by February 9, 2024.

Grow Native! is the 24-year-old native plant marketing and education program of the nonprofit Missouri Prairie Foundation, a 58-year-old conservation organization and land trust. The goals of Grow Native! are to increase the supply of and demand for plants native to the lower Midwest for use in developed landscapes—cities, farms, home landscaping, and more.