KEYNOTE SPEAKERS
The Slow Water Team of Marianne Hartsong and Ryan Matson: Planting Rain
Slow Water Team’s strategies for planting water are based on bio-mimicry. We will introduce you to ways to determine what interventions would be best suited to your landscape, by teaching water harvesting through natural pattern recognition so that you can apply these on your personal property. We will provide a variety of examples and case studies. We encourage audience participation and questions so as to hone this presentation to your needs.
Marianna Hartsong, Ph.D., Awareness Educator, is an honors graduate of Harvard, and holds a doctorate in Clinical Psychology. Her interest in environmental conservation is life long; spent hours mesmerized watching storm water flow and making check dams. Studied Nature Observation with Tom Brown Jr., co-led for Canada’s Outward Bound. She gardens organically, plants water, composts, grows earth, veggies, fruit and nuts. Trained in Permaculture Design and Arid Low Impact Green Infrastructure. Member OCWC Conservation Team, Greening Harmony Steering Committee, and co-founder of Slow Water Team. Leads Meditative Hikes for OLLI. Is contract musician with Flagstaff Symphony and Verde Valley Sinfonietta.
Ryan Matson holds a B.S. in Community Development and Sustainability from PSU (Portland State University). A product of Seven Corners in SE Portland, Ryan served on HAND Neighborhood Association, the Southeast Uplift Neighborhood Coalition, the Council of the City Repair Project, involved with many student groups, and more. Awarded a Green Investment Fund grant in 2005 by the City of Portland, he co-championed a natural building installation in the Park Blocks by PSU. In 2009, Ryan moved to Cornville, becoming Director for non-profit outdoor art installation, Eliphante, Ltd., joining Oak Creek Watershed Council and co-founding the Slow Water Team in 2011.
http://www.slowwaterteam.com/
Jeff Schalau: Balancing Goals: Native Plants, Wildlife, Functional Ecosystems & Your Landscape
Attracting wildlife, birds, and beneficial insects through the use of native plants in our landscapes is a common goal for most people attending this workshop. Some of us want to get along with our human neighbors too (can you spell H-O-A?). After a while, we learn that it’s a jungle out there and not all creatures can coexist in blissful harmony. Trying to balance all of our hypothetical goals can lead to frustration. Sometimes we forget that native plant gardening is supposed to be fun too. This talk will explore some of the conflicting goals that we face as we work to create functioning native landscapes in the real world.
Jeff Schalau has been Agent, Agriculture and Natural Resources and County Extension Director for the University of Arizona Cooperative Extension in Yavapai County since 1998. He has a B.S. is in Forest Management and an M.S. in Natural Resources from Humboldt State University, Arcata, California. Jeff provides science-based information to Yavapai County residents in the areas of forest health, watershed management, noxious/invasive plants, range management, and horticulture. Jeff is also the author of the Backyard Gardener has spoken at KSB Native Plant Workshops for 15 years.