New Pioneers had an amazing night at our relaunch of Moving Forward Forums this September! Moving Forward Forums are a unique opportunity for adults to come together to learn about various ecological and environmental topics, ultimately leading our community to a more sustainable future. These forums were very popular in the past, and we are so grateful to kickstart the program again with the topic of "Native Plants and Ecosystems"!
At this forum, three native plant enthusiasts joined us to share their experiences and knowledge with the community:
Carolyn Cromer: Carolyn is Director of Ecological Sustainability for the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth. Studies in ecology and forestry led her to manage nature preserves in Kentucky and California, as well as work on programs to improve water quality in Oldham County streams. As executive director at Blackacre State Nature Preserve, she led an environmental education program for k-12 students and developed nature-based programming. Carolyn lives in Louisville with her husband and two boys and enjoys planting trees in her spare time. Check out Carolyn's presentation here.
Gary Libby: Gary owns a small business (Skybax Ecological Services, LLC) with headquarters in Berea, Kentucky, opened in 2005. They are a small, but specialized, company that does wildlife and botany surveys, management plans, invasive species control, native plant installations (trees, shrubs, grasses and wildflowers), stream and wetland restoration, natural areas maintenance, and trail construction. Check out Gary's presentation here.
Nachie Braga: Nachie is an agroecologist, urban designer, and the founder of Geomancer Permaculture. He works with visionary communities to regenerate ecological function and address ancestral trauma in the landscape. Check out Nachie's presentation here.
We are so grateful to host informative and collaborative forums like this for the community! New Pioneers plans to host another Moving Forward Forum on Tuesday, October 22nd from 6-7:30 PM with the topic of Composting (Location TBD). Join us to learn all the tips and tricks of creating healthy compost!
