On Weeds: The Social-Ecological Role of Informal Urban Plant Communities

2220 Barton Springs Road,Austin TX 78746

10 January, 2022

Description

This talk will draw from recent urban ecology research to highlight emerging questions about how to effectively manage, co-exist, and find.. This talk will draw from recent urban ecology research to highlight emerging questions about how to effectively manage, co-exist, and find kinship with informal urban plant communities we typically label as weeds or pests. We will look at case studies from urban areas around the world, noting recent advances in ecological restoration, regeneration, and conservation discourse. What can we learn from life along the margins, and can informal green spaces provide a new model for urban resilience? ABOUT THE SPEAKER Christopher Kennedy is the assistant director at the Urban Systems Lab, The New School and lecturer in the Parsons School of Design. Kennedy’s research focuses on understanding the socio-ecological benefits of spontaneous urban plant communities, and the role of civic engagement in developing new approaches to environmental stewardship and nature-based resilience. Kennedy is now based in Austin, TX, where he creates site-specific projects that examine conventional notions of “nature,” interspecies agency, and biocultural collaboration. BECOME A MEMBER All of our events are FREE and we are always looking for new members to help us support our mission. Visit AustinOrganicGardeners.org to become a member of the oldest organic garden club in America. Memberships are only $10 a year and 100% of dues go to the Zilker Botanical Garden.