Peak to Prairie Landscape Symposium Track Schedule

Peak to Prairie Landscape Symposium Presentation Descriptions

Friday, February 26, 2010

8:00-8:15 a.m.
Colorado Water: Our Shared, Finite and Coveted Resource
Perry Cabot, Extension Water Resources Specialist, Colorado State University
Colorado water is not an inherently limited resource, but it what causes it to be finite is the fact that it must be shared among greater and growing numbers of people. The issue of water conservation, therefore, invariably raises questions at the locus of policy and philosophy. How much water consumption is right for this place or this time? How should water be utilized among multiple interested parties? What are the upsides and downsides of water conservation? These questions may seem academic to day-to-day water users but the answers to them will affect our lives as Coloradoans to much greater degrees in the future. For instance, how can something as seemingly intuitive as rainwater harvesting or graywater reuse require such careful consideration? This presentation will discuss the state of various water conservation programs in Colorado and provide some humorous aphorisms on water use in the context of Colorado water law.

8:15-9:15 a.m.
Beautiful Resurrection: The Unexpected Blessings of Restoring Wildness Right at Home
Susan Tweit, Author, Commentator & Garden Designer
Imagine this: After decades away, you move back home to a small town in the rural Rocky Mountains and find the perfect piece of vacant land to build the home of your dreams. It has mountain views, a southern exposure, a creek flowing nearby, and it’s even affordable. The catch? Your dream property is a half-block of abandoned industrial property, a wasteland sprouting only unidentifiable industrial junk and invasive weeds. You buy the place anyway and spend the next decade learning urban land restoration; wildflowers and hummingbirds slowly replace the weeds, and your kitchen garden flourishes where oil tanks formerly stood. This is the story that writer Susan J. Tweit tells as she describes her "accidental" metamorphosis into the steward of an award-winning wild yard and kitchen garden on the formerly blighted property where she and her husband, sculptor Richard Cabe, now live. Join Tweit for a look at the perils and gifts of restoring the community of the land right at home--wherever you live.

9:15-10:15 a.m.
Turning Drains Into Sponges and Water Scarcity Into Water Abundance with Rainwater Harvesting
Brad Lancaster, Consultant, Author and Educator
This inspiring power point presentation shares eight universal principles of water harvesting, along with simple strategies that turn water scarcity into water abundance. These ideas will empower you to create integrated, water-sustainable landscape plans at home and throughout your community. Rainwater harvesting is the process of capturing rain and making the most of it as close as possible to where it falls. You'll see examples enhancing local food security, passively cooling cities in summer, reducing costs of living and energy consumption, controlling erosion, averting flooding, reviving dead waterways, minimizing water pollution, building community, creating celebration, and more.

10:15-10:45 a.m. Break

10:15 a.m.-3:45 p.m.
ALCC "Ask An Expert" Roundtables
Between 10:15 a.m. and 3:45 p.m., members of the Associated Landscape Contractors of Colorado (ALCC), will host Roundtable discussions on a variety of landscaping issues. Symposium attendees are welcome to stop by anytime, whether to ask a quick question or for a more extended discussion. Questions on any topic are welcome; specialists will be available at tables focusing on hardscape, irrigation, maintenance, plant selection, renovation, and lawn care.

10:45-12:00 p.m.
Wild Mountain Gardening
Cord & Penn Parmenter, Blacksmith, Artist and Gardeners
The presentation will cover the many challenges of horticulture in the mountains, with an emphasis on growing food all the way up to the highest elevations. The Big Five – Wind, Hail, Deer (Elk), Bear, and Cold Night Temperatures will be addressed, along with ‘Bearless Compost,’ Home Made Hoops, Covers and Cloches, and water-storage Solar Greenhouses. Bio-intensive beds, equidistant spacing, mulching, the use of thermal mass and covers/double covers keep food in production year round at 8,000 ft. These techniques apply to all elevations. Additional information will include the practices of crop rotation and companion planting, as well as cultivating large perennial gardens.

10:45-12:00 p.m.
How Trees Cope with Stress
Dr. Cecil Stushnoff, Professor of Horticulture, Colorado State University
This presentation will cover our understanding of environmental signals, physiological events and biochemical changes in trees, known to induce acclimation and their capacity to survive extreme stresses.

Because trees are fixed in place and cannot evade seasonal extremes like animals and birds, they must possess genetic capacity to perceive signals from the environment that will permit survival under extreme changes in temperature and water status. For example, while a cold hardy tree species in active summer growth can be killed by only a few degrees of frost, during mid-winter it can undergo remarkable acclimation to survive -40 or even -196 °C, the temperature of liquid nitrogen. Perception of signals from seasonal changes in day length, temperature and moisture status is essential to acclimation for normal survival, and especially unusual-stress winters. However, moisture stress during the wrong stage of tree development can interfere with cold acclimation, leading to winter injury. Some species can be damaged from desiccation during freeze-thaw events under severe winter water stress.

12:00 p.m.-12:45 p.m. Lunch (provided)

12:45-2:00 p.m.
Bullet Proof Plants…Tough Trees and Shrubs for Southern Colorado
Scott Skogerboe, Head Propagator, Ft. Collins Wholesale Nursery
Are you tired of sissy plants kicking the bucket, despite your best efforts? Come and hear about some of the best bullet-proof woody plants that grow in our Rocky Mountain climate. Learn about our region’s rough and tumble plants to grow in your yard which despite their toughness also have an ornamental soft side to satisfy the sensibilities of both the husband AND the wife.

12:45-2:00 p.m.
Successful Partnerships: Fountain Creek Restoration in Manitou Springs: A Return to Nature
Eric Billmeyer, Executive Director, Rocky Mountain Field Institute
This presentation will showcase the successful collaboration of multiple partners restoring Fountain Creek, a local natural water way, and preserving the systems that provide this most valuable resource. Fountain Creek will provide a sustainable fishery as it flows through Manitou Springs and be a healthy riparian habitat for aquatic and other wildlife. As urban systems have impacted waterways through development, urbanization, and human practices, this project highlights methods that address how we can live within and support ecosystems for all.

Rocky Mountain Field Institute (RMFI) is working in partnership with the City of Manitou Springs, Fountain Creek Restoration Committee, Fin-Up Habitat Consultants, and Trout Unlimited to complete this project. RMFI is providing the volunteer work force and expertise to complete on-the-ground restoration work, including constructing bank-stabilizing structures, re-vegetating degraded areas, and creating access paths.

2:00-2:15 p.m. Break

2:15-3:30 p.m.
Naturalistic Landscapes and Sustainable Meadows for Home Gardens
Dan Johnson, Denver Botanic Gardens
Lawns provide great spaces for outdoor activities and recreation, but without "life support" most would disappear within a year or less. Small and under-used areas are ideal candidates for creating flowery and sustainable native meadows, whether in the foothills or out on the prairie. The benefits are many: these meadows create attractive habitats for native birds and butterflies, thrive on natural rainfall alone, and once established, require minimal maintenance. They have a low requirement for pesticides or fertilizers, help conserve valuable resources, save money, and create a visual link to surrounding natural landscapes.

2:15-3:30 p.m.
Emerging Trends in Sustainable Design
Frank Kinder, Sustainability Planner, Fort Carson Sustainability, and EcoGoods, Inc.
The Federal Government, Department of Defense, and United States Army have adopted continually aggressive sustainability goals. Military installations in our own backyard are ahead of the curve with their own goals of becoming cleaner, higher-performing, environmentally sound operations, and have embraced many of the most innovative designs and technologies in pursuit of these. As water is our most precious resource, modern designs help reduce its use, protect its quality, and ensure that enough exists for future generations. Learn about the newest trends and designs in the Pikes Peak region that address storm water, master planning, green building, and low impact development. Examples such as green roofs, permeable pavement, bioswales, rain gardens, and other exciting technologies will be discussed.

3:30-3:45 p.m. Break

3:45-4:45 p.m.
The New Western Garden Style: An Experiment in Consilience (a "jumping together" of knowledge) with The Gardens at Kendrick Lake
Greg Foreman, Horticulture Supervisor, City of Lakewood & Western Garden Designer
A stirring of creative energy is vibrating in many Rocky Mountain west landscapes. Evolving out of this emergence is a consilience of information, driving a new and regionally unique landscape style. Can we have visually stimulating landscapes that reflect, promote and nurture the culture of living, breathing systems? You bet your cantholimon we can!

Saturday, February 27, 2010

8:00-9:00 a.m.
Planting the Rain: Principles, Practices, and Tips for Legal, Water-Harvesting Earthworks and Raingardens
Brad Lancaster, Consultant, Author and Educator
Plant the rain before you plant your trees to boost production, reduce flooding, conserve water, and create sustainable oases around your homes and community infrastructure. Raingardens and other small-scale earthworks quickly infiltrate rainfall into the soil where less is lost to evaporation, while reducing erosion. Living 'pumps' of vegetation then enable us to access that water. Come learn simple principles and tips to leverage greater success as you implement these simple and effective passive systems. This presentation builds on Brad's basic water-harvesting talk, while offering more specifics and case studies. Working examples and case studies will be highlighted.

9:00-10:00 a.m.
Using Vegetables as Ornamentals in your Garden
Ebi Kondo, Senior Horticulturist, Denver Botanic Gardens
Colorful vegetables are not only used in vegetable gardens as crops, but are excellent plant material for ornamental gardens as well. Vegetables add color and texture when incorporated into an ornamental garden and eliminate the need to create a separate space for a vegetable garden.

10:00-10:30 a.m. Break

10:30-11:30 a.m.
Growing Small Fruits
Joel Reich, Horticulture Agent with Boulder County Extension
Learn about what small fruits will grow successfully in Colorado. Raspberries, blueberries, strawberries and other small fruits will be discussed during the presentation. Pruning, soil preparation and new fruit varieties will be covered and a question and answer session will complete the lecture.

11:30-12:30 pm
Plant Select®: Tips and Tricks
Pat Hayward, Executive Director, Plant Select®
Plant Select®, a non-profit collaboration with Denver Botanic Gardens, Colorado State University, and growers from more than 50 nurseries, has been recommending beautiful and regionally-adapted plants since 1997. The goal is to help gardeners and horticultural professionals transform the American landscape into a vibrancy inspired by the canyonlands, mountain peaks, and prairies of our western regional landscape.

After nearly 14 years, there are now more than 90 plants in the program, many so new to horticulture that it’s hard to find reliable information on their culture. This presentation will offer design and maintenance tips for this unique palette of plants, leading to greater success in your own gardens and landscapes. Learn which plants in the program prefer specific soil types, high altitudes, warm microclimates, and more. Pat will also offer detailed care instructions, and suggest combination plantings inspired by public and private gardeners.

On-Site Workshops*

1:00-2:30 p.m.
Practical Hands-On Shrub Pruning Demonstration Workshop
Al Wegner - Mountain High Tree Care
Learn how to prune deciduous shrubs and evergreens as the proper techniques are demonstrated. Covered topics and methods include hand pruning vs. shearing, rejuvenation techniques and the appropriate timing for pruning various kinds of shrubs.

1:00-2:30 p.m.
The Gardener's Body Workshop: An Ergonomic Approach to Gardening & Landscaping
Peak Performance Physical Therapy
This workshop is designed to inform and educate gardeners & landscapers in proper body mechanics and ergonomics to avoid injury. The workshop will be based on the insights and theories of a physical therapy model, the Feldenkrais method, and Laban movement analysis. Group participation in movement awareness will be encouraged; ergonomic gardening tools will be demonstrated.

* Please note: On-site workshops have an additional registration fee of $25.00 (lunch included). Space is limited so register early.