Events

For those wanting to make positive environmental change, join us at the SALT Conference to learn about planting native trees to make our landscape more biodiverse and ecologically resilient while supporting social and environmental justice. In person presentations and lunch included. 

Co-Sponsored by Connecticut College Arboretum

Presentations: 

Native Trees for Northeast Landscapes
Heather McCargo, Founder, Wild Seed Project
Planting a diversity of native trees into our human dominated landscapes is a powerful act that each of us can take in our communities to support diverse wildlife and buffer local ecosystems as the climate changes. In this presentation Heather will help you think like a forest with its layers of vegetation above ground to the diverse soil community below, and to also understand the importance of planting seed grown trees to support the genetic diversity of our native plants as we bring more of them into our landscapes.

Keystone Trees for the Songbird and Pollinator Conservation
Desiree Narango, Conservation Scientist, Vermont Center for Ecostudies
Across every ecosystem, trees vary in the resources they provide and the wildlife they support. In this talk, Desiree will speak about coevolutionary relationships between plants, insects and birds. She'll provide information about which native trees are the 'power plants' that support local food webs based on her research across New England and beyond. Desiree will also speak about steps you can take to conserve biodiversity at home and how your backyard observations can contribute to advancing our understanding of plant-animal interactions.

Forest De-vining
Chris Ozyck, Associate Director, Urban Resources Initiative
Chris has been leading the charge with invasive removal in New Haven and has been involved in native tree plantings in parks. He invites volunteers to identify and prune invasive vines that, when cut back, will promote a healthy forest canopy. This hands-on approach to “de-vining” our trees is intended to empower everyone to help maintain natural areas, public greenspaces and your own backyard.

Leafed Out: Growing Connecticut’s Urban Canopy through Community Leadership
Drew Goldsman, Urban Conservation Director and Tim Clark, Southeastern CT Program Director, The Nature Conservancy in Connecticut
Within the past year alone, over $1.5 billion has been made available to communities to steward and expand their urban forests. The Nature Conservancy and partners will discuss urban forestry initiatives across Connecticut, including in New London and Bridgeport, to engage the audience in a discussion of the future of trees in our communities.