The UW Botanic Gardens is hosting the 8th annual Urban Forest Symposium on May 17: "Sustaining the Urban Forest During Densification."
Explosive population growth is underway in the Puget Sound Region. The 2016 Urban Forest Symposium will explore approaches to sustaining the urban forest in the face of this rapid densification. Speakers will introduce the tenets of Smart Growth initiatives which have been widely adopted by policy makers, influencing land use decisions and the urban forest in Seattle and around the world. Case studies of successful approaches from Seattle and other cities will offer insights into ways to creatively address our local challenges.
The symposium will be held at the Center for Urban Horticulture, 3501 NE 41st St., on Tuesday, May 17, from 8:45 a.m. to 4 p.m., with a reception to follow.
Speakers include:
- David B. Williams, freelance writer and naturalist. Author of Too High and Too Steep, and The Seattle Street-Smart Naturalist
- John McNeil, past Manager of Forestry Services, Oakville, Ontario
- Laurie Reid, Urban Forestry Supervisor, Charlotte, North Carolina
- Shelley Bolser, Land Use Planning Supervisor, Seattle Department of Construction & Inspections
- Roger Valdez, Director, Smart Growth Seattle
- Shane DeWald, Senior Landscape Architect, Seattle Department of Transportation
- Cass Turnbull, Founder of PlantAmnesty
- Peg Staeheli, FASLA, PLA, LEED AP, MIG/SvR Design Company
Registration is $85, or $45 for students and Washington Conservation Corps members. The first 100 registrations will receive a free lunch.
To register and for more information, go to bit.ly/urban-forest