Casey Johnson, pollinator ecologist, University of Rhode Island

George Christie, entomologist & plant propagator, Rhode Island Natural History Survey

Nick Ernst, habitat restoration practitioner, United States Fish and Wildlife Service

Climate change is scrambling the ecosystems we know as “normal” in Rhode Island. Even if we manage to leave our richest ecosystems alone, that may no longer be enough to sustain them in their familiar form.

More and more, conservationists need to be explicit about the species and communities they are trying to save—and about when and how to intervene. They are looking at active measures such as pollinator pathways, ecosystem-based adaptation, and assisted migration.

Monitoring change and increasing the number of native plants in our landscape projects matter—but what more focused strategies can we use to help?

Field data and practical experience are more important than ever. Join three experienced practitioners for short presentations on their work in the field: what they are seeing, learning, and doing; how they are deciding when and where to intervene; and the lessons emerging from their work. A moderated discussion and questions from the audience will follow.

The Lisa Lofland Gould Native Plant Program is sponsored annually by the RI Natural History Survey, RI Wild Plant Society, and URI Master Gardener Program in honor of Lisa Gould, a founder of the Wild Plant Society and the Natural History Survey, and a long-time master gardener resource. Underwritten by the Lisa Lofland Gould Native Plant Program Fund.