Create a Beautiful Landscape while Conserving Natural Resources
This presentation will review landscape management practices that can help gardeners create beautiful landscapes that conserve natural resources. Many of the practices shared are based on the Florida-Friendly Landscaping Principles taught by Florida Extension Agents.
Mark Tancig has been the Commercial & Residential Horticulture Extension Agent with UF/IFAS Extension Leon County since 2016. In this role, Mark shares research-based best practices for sustainable landscape management with green-industry professionals and residential homeowners. Mark also coordinates the Leon County Master Gardener Volunteer Program.
Prior to joining UF/IFAS Extension, Mark worked for Leon County’s Public Works Department for six years and Growth and Environmental Management Department for three years. His first job in Tallahassee was as a Field Biologist with Florida Natural Areas Inventory.
Mark holds two degrees from the University of Florida, a bachelor’s degree in Botany and a master’s degree in Soil and Water Science.
Ferns of South Georgia
Connie Gray, Athens-East Piedmont Chapter, Georgia Native Plant Society
Conservation of Native Plants in the Coastal Plain
Jennifer Ceska is Public Service and Outreach Faculty and has been serving as Conservation Coordinator for the State Botanical Garden of Georgia, Athens, since 1995. Her specialty is creating project driven professional networks and facilitating projects for endangered species recovery. While serving as project manager for the Georgia Plant Conservation Alliance, she is also coordinating the Georgia Native Plant Initiative for native plant materials development, the Georgia Milkweed Initiative for ethically and locally sourced Asclepias for Monarch recovery, habitat restoration, and gardening with purpose. Jennifer is passionate about connecting people and plants, is an animated teacher and presenter, and sees outreach as her mission and teaching her calling. She and colleagues partnered to develop educational programs for schools, home gardens, public landscapes and natural areas, such as Connect to Protect, building gardens and habitats for biodiversity – for Georgia native plants and the animals that rely upon them for survival.
Feathers & Flora
Why plant native? For millennia, birds have evolved across all continents and biomes. Within, birds have become specialists – some are even dependent on a single plant species. Sarah will explore the relationships between native plants and southeastern bird species and what you can do to attract them.
Sarah Manning is the Coastal Conservation Coordinator for Birds Georgia. She manages the statewide Wildlife Sanctuary Program, Project Safe Flight, and assists with habitat restoration, monitoring, and other initiatives along Georgia’s coast. Sarah enjoys exploring the natural world.