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Person tending fire
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Goat chewing tree

WSU Invasive Species Control Symposium

The symposium will serve to connect our community with professionals in order to gain a working knowledge on how to start restoring their land and removing invasive species. The event will consist of speakers, booths and some onsite demonstrations at Garvin heights.

Community members should come prepared to discuss issues they may have on their own property and wear attire appropriate for walking around outside. Lunch will be provided.

Agenda

June 9, 10am - 4pm

  • 9am: Table set up for open forum
  • 10 - 10:15am: Welcoming and intro statements
  • 10:15 - 11:45am: Speakers will give 10-20-minute presentations (questions will be saved for table session)
    -Government agencies
    -Conservation Corps
    -Private land renovation companies
    -Arborists
  • 11:45am - 12:30pm: Lunch
  • 12:30 - 1pm: Open forum/table session
  • 1 - 1:15pm: Travel to Garvin Heights
  • 1:15 - 3pm: Station Exercise (30 minutes per station + 10 minutes for rotation)
    -Goat talk/anatomy demo
    -Tour of the grounds
    -Identifying and eliminating buckthorn
  • 3 - 4pm: Regroup and answer any lingering questions/sign up for more comprehensive workshop
  • Dustin Looman
  • Zack Reusch, Acer Forest LLC
  • Kaitlyn O’Conner - Kaitlyn O’Conner was born and raised in the Southeast Minnesota Driftless Region, a place she still calls home. Along with being the Education and Outreach Specialist at Prairie Moon Nursery, she also acts as a consultant to the Winona State University Arboretum. Before working in the private sector, Kaitlyn worked with the Minnesota DNR as a park naturalist and local non-profit organization Land Stewardship Project as a political organizer. Her educational background includes Environmental Science, Geoscience and Sustainability. She now homesteads in rural Winona County at Wiscoy Valley land co-op where she spends her free time foraging, gardening, cooking, playing frisbee with her dog, Indigo, and tending to a small flock of backyard chickens. 
  • Landspirit Design
  • Prairie Moon Nursery
  • Diversity Landworks
  • Prairie restorations, Inc.
  • Natural resources sustainability office, City of Winona