Shrublands to Living Fences: Dynamics of Rural Landscapes

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Join horticulturalists Ethan Dropkin (Larry Weaner Landscape Associates) and Peter Del Tredici (Harvard University), along with Assistant Professor Michael Luegering, for a panel discussion on adaptive management techniques for nature-based infrastructure. The panelists will explore how dynamic ecological systems, particularly shrublands and living fences, can inform strategies for rural adaptation and resilience.

Dr. Del Tredici will highlight the remarkable ability of plants—both native and non-native—to thrive in urban environments despite challenging conditions, offering insights into their ecological roles and adaptability. Dropkin will focus on the ecological significance of shrublands and heaths, discussing their overlooked biodiversity and their potential as living infrastructure. Together, the panelists will consider how pre-adapted species, evolving ecological conditions, and historical land management practices can shape new approaches to ecological restoration and climate resilience.

Panelists:

Peter Del Tredici is a botanist and urban ecologist with decades of teaching and research experience. He spent 35 years at Harvard University's Arnold Arboretum and has conducted extensive fieldwork and seed collecting expeditions in China, Japan, and Korea. A leading authority on Ginkgo ecology, Dr. Del Tredici has published over 100 articles and authored Wild Urban Plants of the Northeast: A Field Guide. His work explores plant taxonomy, climate change, and urban ecology.
 

Ethan Dropkin is an associate and horticulturalist at Larry Weaner Landscape Associates, specializing in native plants and their role in ecological design. His projects include Riverwalk Park in Tarrytown, NY, and Kingsland Wildflowers in Brooklyn. With a background in horticulture and landscape architecture, he has worked with Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates, Cornell University, and the NYC Parks Department.
 

⁠Michael Luegering is a landscape architect, educator, and researcher focusing on nature-based infrastructure and vernacular landscapes. He is a founder of LVF Landscape Architects and Co-Director of the Natural Infrastructure Lab, leading a multi-million-dollar research initiative with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. At UVA School of Architecture, he teaches design studios and ecological technologies, with ongoing work in coastal resilience and civic infrastructure.
 

Supported by the Benjamin C. Howland Memorial Endowment.