Planning, Measurement, and Implementation: Climate Action in a Historic Urban Park - 1.25 PDH (LA CES/HSW)

Steve Bopp, ASLA, PLA, is Studio Director for Planning at the Central Park Conservancy, overseeing planning for the continued restoration and long-term stewardship of the Park as part of the Conservancy’s Capital Projects team. His career has focused on the ecologically informed design of public spaces, from site-scale landscape renovations to parkwide planning initiatives throughout Central Park’s 843 acres and in prior work in the Midwest with parks, educational spaces, and transportation systems. He holds degrees in Landscape Architecture from the University of Illinois and the University of Georgia.

Jennifer Wong is a Project Manager at the Central Park Conservancy. During her twenty years with CPC, she has shaped public places that balance historical precedent, contemporary values, and the needs of future generations. She has restored landscapes, playgrounds, athletic fields, waterbodies, visitor and staff facilities, and streetscapes throughout Central Park. In striving to elevate the beauty and functionality of an iconic park, Jennifer appreciates designing for and with people. She graduated from Barnard College with a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Science and received her Master's in Landscape Architecture from the University of Pennsylvania.

Nicholas Koster is a landscape architect and architect with extensive experience in public space projects and sustainable landscapes. As Vice President for Design at the Central Park Conservancy, he leads the in-house design team, ensuring excellence in the execution of the park’s capital program while advancing long-term sustainability initiatives. Previously, Nicholas was a Landscape Director at Snøhetta, where he managed projects such as the Times Square Reconstruction and the site design of the Ford Campus Transformation. His work integrates ecological responsibility with innovative design, shaping vibrant and enduring public spaces.