Rooted in Place: Strategic Plant Selection for Ecological Performance - 1.0 PDH (LA CES/HSW)

María is a licensed landscape architect and horticulturist who designs public landscapes where ecological function and community access are inseparable. Raised in Patagonia and Buenos Aires, Argentina, she learned early, and in her body, how nature sustains well-being, health, and social cohesion. After leading award-winning work at esteemed design firms, she founded SUR Landscape Architecture in Kansas City, where her practice centers on native plant design, urban watershed restoration, and accessible public space. She teaches visual communication to planning and urban design students at UMKC, serves on ASLA’s Biodiversity & Climate Action Committee and as VP of Advocacy for its Prairie Gateway Chapter, and leads Missouri Stream Team #7112. Across design, horticulture, and advocacy, she challenges assumptions about what urban landscapes can be, crafting places with health, prosperity, and joy at their core.

Uli Lorimer serves as the Director of Horticulture for the Native Plant Trust, a leading non-profit dedicated to preserving the native flora of the Northeastern United States. In this role, he oversees the acclaimed Garden in the Woods in Framingham and Nasami Farm in Western Massachusetts, which focuses on native plant propagation and research. Uli’s impressive career includes positions at the National Arboretum, Wave Hill, and as the Curator of Native Plants at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. A lifelong enthusiast of plants and biodiversity, Uli continues to study the region’s ecosystems, collect seeds from the wild, and introduce new plants to gardens. He is also a prolific author and speaker, well-known to audiences across the horticultural community. His publications include Tough Natives for Tough Places and A Native Plant Reader. His latest work, The Northeast Native Plant Primer, reflects his deep commitment to native plants and their ecological value. Uli currently writes the Ask the Gardener column for the Boston Globe, sharing ecological horticulture guidance with the region. With a science-based approach and a passion for biodiversity, Uli offers invaluable insights into selecting plants that maximize the ecological impact of our gardens while celebrating the beauty of native flora.

Dawn Dyer, PLA, ASLA, LEED AP, is a Principal at Studio‑MLA with over 20 years of experience. Trained first as an architect, she discovered the expansive creative and ecological potential of landscapes, ultimately shaping a career that bridges both disciplines. Her work reflects this progression—integrating architectural clarity with sensory‑rich, resilient landscape design. Dawn was integral to the Nature Gardens at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, transforming an asphalt lot into a living urban ecology, and contributed to the renovation of the historic John Anson Ford Theatres. Her practice centers on sustainable, adaptive, community‑connected public spaces.

Kelly D. Norris is one of the leading ecological horticulturists of his generation. In his practice, he explores the narrative of place through site-specific plantings and landscape interventions. An award-winning author and plantsman, Kelly’s work in gardens has been featured in The New York Times, Better Homes and Gardens, Martha Stewart Living, Fine Gardening, Garden Design, and numerous television, radio, and digital media appearances. His latest book is Your Natural Garden from Cool Springs Press.

Amy Syverson‑Shaffer is the Sustainability Lead at Landscape Forms, where she advances environmental stewardship and responsible manufacturing. With a background in landscape architecture, she brings a designer’s perspective to industry and collaborates across disciplines to drive meaningful change, She progresses the company's long-term sustainability roadmap through initiatives in product life cycle assessment, zero‑waste manufacturing, renewable energy, ecological restoration, and more. Amy serves on the ASLA Biodiversity and Climate Action Committee and the Landscape Architecture Foundation Board, frequently presenting on sustainability strategies. She was recently honored with ASLA’s Outstanding Service Award in recognition of exceptional leadership in sustainability and industry collaboration.