2ND ANNUAL
Think Natives First™
Plant Conference 2026
presented by Native Forest Nursery
sPECIFY iT rIGHT.
nATIVE pLANTS FROM pLAN TO pERFORMANCE
Tuesday, August 11
8:30a – 5:30p
Gwinnett Technical College
5150 Sugarloaf Parkway, Lawrenceville, GA 30043
2026 Conference Schedule
We’re proud to present a lineup of sessions led by experts and industry leaders, covering timely, insightful topics for a full day of learning and inspiration.
Times and breakout offerings are estimates. Lineup and content is subject to change.
| Time | Activity |
|---|---|
| 8:30a | Registration begins Check-in and Coffee, Exhibits/Expert Stations Open Busbee Center Foyer |
| 9:00a – 9:50a | Morning Workshop: Plant This, Never That: Native Alternatives to Harmful Invasives Hanna Medford, Mellow Marsh Farm Busbee Banquet Hall |
| 10:00a – 11:00a | Welcome & Opening Remarks Ashley Frasca, Conference Emcee & Host of Green and Growing with Ashley Frasca, 95.5 WSB Lee Dalton, Executive Director, Root Local Chad Casselman, Presenting Sponsor, Native Forest Nursery __________________________ Keynote: Infusing Native Flora Into Commercial Landscape Designs Steve Sanchez, HGOR Busbee Banquet Hall |
| 11:00a – 11:10a | Break |
| 11:10a – 12:00p | Morning Sessions Session A: From Turf to Meadows: Site Preparation and Establishment Strategies for Native Plantings Dr. Heather Kirk-Ballard, Ph. D., University of Georgia Busbee Banquet Hall _________________________ Session B: Designing Living Landscapes: Using SITES & Living Building Challenge to Inspire Clients and Regenerate Ecosystems Lauren Martin, Epsten Group Culinary Dining Hall __________________________ Session C: Where Art Meets Advocacy: The Transformative Power of Bee Photography Clay Bolt, World Wildlife Fund Room 1203 |
| 12:00p – 1:00p | Lunch in Busbee Banquet Hall Networking, Exhibits Open |
| 1:00p – 1:50p | Afternoon Keynote: Nursery Stock Selection & Sourcing: How to Stack the Deck in Your Favor Chad Casselman, Native Forest Nursery Busbee Banquet Hall |
| 1:50p – 2:00p | Break |
| 2:00p – 2:50p | Afternoon Session Block #1 Session D: Strong Processes Lead to Powerful Partnerships: A Discussion Leadership Panel featuring Tyler Wayland (Roundstone Native Seed), David Hoffman (Hoffman Nursery), Emma Rose Neigel, PhD (UGA), and Heather Alley (UGA) Busbee Banquet Hall _________________________ Session E: Native Plants as Functional Infrastructure Alfie Vick, University of Georgia Culinary Dining Hall __________________________ Session F: Smart Stormwater: Practical Solutions for a Resilient Future Brandy Hall, Shades of Green Permaculture Room 1203 |
| 2:50p – 3:00p | Break |
| 3:00p – 3:50p | Afternoon Session Block #2 Session G: Innovative Approaches to Native Plant Integration in Urban Landscapes Jacob Lange & Aubrey Sabba, Starr Whitehouse Busbee Banquet Hall _________________________ Session H: Setting the Stage for Success: Preparing Sites for Native Plant Establishment Dr. Bethany Harris, University of Georgia Culinary Dining Hall __________________________ Session I: The Importance of Saving Native Biodiversity for Future Generations Jake Brown, The Native Habitat Project Room 1203 |
| 3:50p – 4:00p | Break |
| 4:00p – 4:50p | Closing Keynote: From Spec to Reality: Your Role in the Native Shift Steve Nygren, Serenbe Busbee Banquet Hall |
| 4:50p – 5:00p | Appreciation & Closing Remarks Ashley Frasca, Host of Green and Growing with Ashley Frasca, 95.5 WSB Johanna Ellis Reisinger, Root Local Co-Founder & Board Chair Butch Whitfield, Root Local Co-Founder & Vice Chair |
| 5:00p | Conference Concludes & Exhibits Close |
| 5:00p – 6:30p | Networking Get-together Location announcement coming soon |
© 2026 Root Local, Inc. All rights reserved.