The Chesapeake Conservation Landscaping Council (CCLC) held its 10th Turning a New Leaf sustainable landscaping conference from December 6th – December 8th, 2023 in Kent Island, MD. Conference highlights: presentations by Black horticulture historian, Abra Lee, and pollinator conservationist, Heather Holm. Concurrent sessions in three tracks: Resilient Landscapes, Resilient Communities, Resilient Plants and Soils will include a wide range of topics from plant selection and landscape design through a cultural heritage lens, to urban forestry, green infrastructure, and carbon capture in grasslands.

The 2023 Marcy Damon Conservation Landscaping Award winner is Sylvan Kaufman. Sylvan Kaufman consults, writes and teaches about ecology, botany, sustainable landscaping, and restoration topics. Sylvan co-authored “Invasive Plants, Guide to Identification and the Impacts and Control of Common North American Species” published by Stackpole Books with a new edition in 2023. She taught as an adjunct professor for George Washington University’s Sustainable Landscapes Program, worked as the curator and land manager at Adkins Arboretum in Ridgely, MD, and as a postdoctoral researcher on invasive plant and climate change projects at Harvard University. She was one of the founding members of the Chesapeake Conservation Landscaping Council. She has a B.A. in Biology from Vassar College and a Ph.D. in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from Rutgers University. Sylvan now lives in New Mexico where she is the Conservation Committee Chair for the Native Plant Society of New Mexico, is active with the Santa Fe Native Plant Project as a Master Gardener, and volunteers with the Santa Fe Botanical Garden.

 

December 6, 2023

Pre-Conference Dinner

December 6, 2023

Presentation of the Marcy Damon Award. Guest Speaker Joel Dunn, Chesapeake Conservancy .  Dinner includes cocktail hour, appetizers, and full dinner, plus cash bar.

 

Pre-Conference Short Session for Certified Pros :Stormwater for Poets & Philosophers

December 6, 2023

No longer the sole purview of the engineering profession, stormwater management is about landscapes, resiliency, community-building, jobs, and, yes, clean water. The engineers have worked out the equations, but many who are curious about stormwater management still view these principles as an impenetrable black box. Stormwater Management for Poets and Philosophers will peel away the curtain and invite you in to a new understanding of the principles and practices of stormwater planning and design. Guest Dave Hirschman

 

December 7, 2023

It was nothing short of a grand affair when Blanche Hurston launched her Florida floral business during the roaring twenties. And when it came time to sell beautiful blooms, the mighty Mahalia Jackson made customers an offer they couldn’t refuse! From the ordinary to the extraordinary–join in as we shine the spotlight on these lady legends in horticulture who forged a path to economic and social freedom, providing inspiration for plant lovers today.