Trees Matter Presents: Green Cities Summit
December 4, 2019 | 8:00AM – 5:00PM
Kellogg Conference Center
800 Florida Ave NE, Washington DC
Montgomery Parks and Casey Trees, Washington D.C., present the eighth annual conference — Trees Matter Presents: Green Cities Summit. Presentations will focus on the health and welfare of trees in our increasingly developed landscapes. Learn from some of the country’s leading experts about innovative efforts to plant, protect and preserve trees in urban and suburban settings.
Trees provide many benefits: they clean and cool our air, stabilize our soils, provide wildlife habitat and beautify our urban and suburban areas. We encourage all arborists, landscape industry and environmental/green industry professionals, engineers, designers, housing developers, and interested citizens to take advantage of this opportunity to learn new techniques and concepts on what can be done to ensure the survival of trees in our built environment
Think you have something to share? We’re looking for engaging, innovative presentations from all realms of the urban environment! Keep in mind your 20-minute presentation should fit within one of the breakout themes: Livable cities through Engaging Citizens, Urban Trees and Changing Landscapes: Planning for the Future, and ReTree: Expanding Canopies in Growing Cities. Here’s our call for presenters to submit your proposal.
The Green City Summit is made possible by generous financial and in-kind contributions from our sponsors. Join the ranks of the community-minded businesses working towards a collective mission by becoming a Sponsor today. For more information please contact:
Thomas Berry
Urban Forester
Thomas.Berry@MontgomeryParks.org
301-670-8061
Program
Registration & Breakfast |
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Opening Remarks |
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Keynote: Michael Dirr |
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Superior Selections for Landscapes, Streetscapes, and Gardens Professor emeritus at the University of Georgia, Michael Dirr, is widely acknowledged as one of the leading experts on trees and shrubs for landscapes and gardens. Dirr has introduced over 200 woody plants to cultivation and holds 29 patents with the UGA Research Foundation. It’s with this impressive background that he’s put together his most recent book The Tree Book: Superior Selections for Landscapes, Streetscapes, and Gardens. Featuring trees widely available in the nursery trade, some new and promising choices, and a selection of overlooked options that deserve renewed interest, Dirr will discuss this must-have resource for landscapes architects, city foresters, horticulturists, and enthusiastic home gardeners.Michael Dirr | PhD | Professor emeritus, horticulture, University of Georgia |
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Break |
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Concurrent Sessions: Group 1 |
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Creating Data Driven Decisions in Urban Forestry + Panel Questions |
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Mini-City: the urban university campus as a demonstration of city ecosystems
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The Digital Urban Forest: Diverse Applications of Modern Mapping Technology
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Residential housing segregation and urban tree canopy in 37 US Cities
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Engaging Diverse Stakeholders + Panel Questions |
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Diversity, Equality and Inclusion (DEI) In The Tree World
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Maintaining Presence: Recognizing Outreach as Project Maintenance
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Food Forests in the City
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Planning Green Spaces + Panel Questions |
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Moving Beyond Complete Streets – Trees in Urban Landscapes
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Reflecting Community Priorities in Sustainable Park Planning
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Great Streets without Trees: assessing quality over quantity in urban tree canopies
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Poster Session + Lunch |
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Concurrent Sessions: Group 2 |
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Climate Adaptation & Resiliency + Panel Questions |
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Building Resilient Canopy and Community with Climate Adaptive Yard Trees
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Bio-diversifying the Washington Region with Trees, Meadows and WetlandsThe pre-colonial landscape of the Washington, D.C. region was primarily deciduous forest and wetland. Forest was logged and wetlands were filled for agriculture, roads, industry and development. The remaining forest is fragmented. A few remaining wetlands are found along the banks of the Anacostia and Potomac Rivers. Should land managers revert back to forest when possible, or emphasize other landscapes such as meadows or wetlands? When considering biodiversity, which species should be prioritized? Conservation organizations such as Partners in Flight prioritize species that are not generalists; for example cardinals can adapts to nesting in woody shrubs such as the non-native bush honeysuckle, while the Arcadian flycatcher requires deciduous forests to nest. Dozens of insects use the Swamp White Oak as a host plant including leafhoppers, beetles and gall wasps, while the caterpillars of butterflies and moths feed on the leaves. These insects are favorite food of woodpeckers, warblers, and flycatchers. Acorns are eaten by Blue Jays, Grackles, Red-Headed Woodpeckers, raccoon, mice and squirrels. According to research by entomologist Doug Tallamy who studied Lepidoptera, the caterpillars from butterflies and moths, sycamore provide food for 45 species of caterpillars, and tulip poplar, 21. Both tree species seed themselves readily in the region, but have less wildlife value than oaks (532) cherry (456) and willow (455.) Likewise, open sunny areas are an important source of biodiversity for many species in this region. The nectar and pollen of the Wrinkle-Leaf Goldenrod attracts bees, wasps, butterflies, skippers, and beetles. A variety of insectivorous birds feed on the insects while Indigo Bunting and Eastern Goldfinch feed on the seeds. Meanwhile, the widely planted English Boxwood and the butterfly bush attract one species of Lepidoptera while Nandina attracts none. (Tallamy, Conservation Biology, 2009 Aug 23.) When land owners are considering how to manage their land, be it a few hundred square feet to hundreds of acres, should they plant trees, meadows or wetland? This presentation will share professional experience aquatic habitats, meadows and reforestation projects and consider how research in conservation biology can be utilized to increase biodiversity at a local level. Jane Padelford | Program Director, Dumbarton Oaks | Landscape Architect, Padelford Landscape Architecture |
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Neighbors Owning Change: How to Engage the Community to Combat Climate ChangeThis workshop will focus on the lessons learned from the ongoing environmental work in the neighborhood of Hunting Park in Philadephia. In the last seven years, Esperanza has worked on the implementation of the Hunting Park Neighborhood Strategic Plan which focuses on many areas, including protecting our open spaces and the environment. Through a targeted community engagement strategy, Hunting Park has become a model in community greening efforts. Through this workshops, attendees will learn the importance of community engagement, how to reach underserved communities, and how to develop a strategy to allow residents to own the change in their communities. Gabriel Paez | Education and Community Development Coordinator, Nueva Esperanza, Inc |
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Engaging and Retaining Volunteers + Panel Questions |
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Empowering Citizens to Expand the Chicago Region Canopy by 2050Canopy summaries and accessible technology are effective tools to assess urban forest health and foster informed action through citizen science and public participation. Compiling the data that informs these public-facing tools is most effective when launched from a collaborative, partner-based approach. Trinity Pierce | Stewardship Coordinator, Chicago Region Trees Initiative |
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People Powered-RestorationLivable cities require a combination of effective policies, systems changes, and shifts in daily behaviors of its residents. Washington, DC’s and Montgomery County’s MS4 permits and policies strive to foster voluntary behaviors to improve sustainability. Non-profit organizations like Rock Creek Conservancy leverage these policy incentives to cultivate individual environmental stewardship. For example, the Conservancy’s Downspout Disconnection program, in partnership with DC Water’s Clean Rivers Program, has shifted social norms such that green infrastructure is increasingly adopted by (diverse) homeowners. Rock Creek Conservancy (RCC) restores Rock Creek and its parklands as a natural oasis for all people to appreciate and protect. 5,000 RCC volunteers per year engage in direct restoration service drawn to the work by the appeal of these unique, urban natural spaces. RCC’s model of people-powered restoration uses those volunteer experiences to build a sense of place and community, affirm and build volunteers’ identity as ‘a Rock Creek person,’ and, in combination with other social marketing efforts, an understanding of how to protect Rock Creek in daily life (environmental action). By mobilizing volunteers with the tools to become good neighbors to public lands, Conservancy programs create livable cities providing health benefits for all people to enjoy. This presentation will walk through the theory of change that underlies this work. Jeanne Braha | Executive Director, Rock Creek Conservancy
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Engaging Citizens and enriching programmatic environmental stewardship with University District of Columbia Master Naturalist Program
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Chesapeake Bay: Quantifying the Benefits of Trees + Panel Questions |
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Quantifying the ability of urban trees and forests to mitigate stormwater runoff in the Chesapeake Bay watershedTrees and forests are critical for sustainability, resilience, and well-being in cities, yet remain under-appreciated as formal green infrastructure elements. Managing and conserving urban forests to provide ecosystem services requires an improved understanding of the ecological functional of forests across urban contexts. For example, trees mitigate stormwater runoff in cities, but the amount of stormwater that trees can remove through hydrological functions in real urban settings is not well characterized. This limits the use of trees and forests as strategies to manage stormwater runoff. To address this gap, we introduce a novel research framework that uses ecohydrological approaches to assess the stormwater retention benefits of urban trees in different management settings. Using this framework, we have established monitoring sites in Montgomery County and Baltimore City, MD. Monitoring sites include patches of urban forests, a cluster of trees over mowed grass, and single trees over mowed grass and along a street. At these sites, we use sensors to measure tree sap flow and soil moisture dynamics along with local environmental conditions. We compare these ecohydrologic variables for different tree species and management contexts using data collected in summer and fall 2018 and explore how environmental drivers of transpiration vary across urban forestry site types. Management context strongly drives stormwater ecosystem services provided by trees (transpiration rates) by influencing the physical environment, including temperature, relative humidity, and VPD as drivers of tree water use. We discuss the interaction of environmental drivers and management context in light of socio-ecological factors of the surrounding managed landscape that inform a typology of urban forests. These data will ultimately help to inform guidelines for practitioners using urban trees and forest patches to manage stormwater flows. Our results will contribute to policy and practice by defining a nutrient reduction credit for urban tree canopies across different management settings in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Nancy Sonti | Ecologist, US Forest Service |
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Forest fragmentation in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed: Effects of urbanization and land-use change through timeHabitat loss and fragmentation are leading threats to biodiversity and ecosystem function worldwide. Forests in the Chesapeake Bay watershed provide valuable ecosystem services, such as wildlife habitat, clean air and water, carbon storage, and recreation opportunities. However, forest area and connectivity have decreased with increasing development. As urban and suburban areas continue to grow in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, it is increasingly important to identify areas most affected by development and ways to mitigate potential negative changes. We ask, first how do expanding urban areas contribute to fragmentation, and second, how does this fragmentation affect biodiversity and ecosystem services? We are revisiting forest fragments surveyed in the 1970s from three Maryland counties to examine plant diversity and structure, songbird diversity, and a variety of ecosystem services. The forest fragments span an urban to rural gradient, vary in size and connectivity, and are surrounded by different land-uses. Our initial efforts suggest that forests in more urban areas have decreased in size and connectivity, whereas fragments in more rural areas have either maintained or increased in size. Initial re-surveys of vegetation suggest that invasive plant species have increased in all forest fragments. Additional vegetation and songbird surveys will be conducted in Summer 2020, and we predict that bird populations will be influenced by various fragmentation metrics, such as connectivity, size, and the proportion of forest edge. We are continually seeking to work with local partners to combine data collection efforts and synthesize existing data from forest fragments in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, with the goal of using these data to develop models forecasting potential ecosystem outcomes to provide information to managers, stakeholders, and policy makers alike. Amy Hruska | Postdoctoral Fellow, Smithsonian Environmental Research Center |
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Value in Urban Wildland CanopyAboveground forest carbon sequestration is known to be a function of allometric relationships, stand history, and edaphic conditions. We investigate how the heterogeneous edaphic conditions, within two well-document naturally assembled urban brownfields influence the allometric relationships of the dominant species Betula populifolia Marsh and Betula pendula Roth. Diameter at breast height (DBH), height, mass and age of B. populifolia on four plots that exhibited considerable differences in soil metal load at the first site (Liberty State Park, New Jersey USA) were measured to demonstrate carbon sequestration potential.In addition, we also measured DBH and height of Betula pendula Roth a closely related European species at a similar brownfield in Germany (Landschafts Park, Duiesberg Nord). Site conditions did not appear to impact total tree mass to diameter relationships. However, mean DBH at the various sites ranged from 6.7 to 9.8 cm and the mean height from 637.4 to 911.8 cm. In addition, above ground woody biomass ranged from 40017 to 71935 kg ha-1. Apparently resource allocation between growth and maintenance within the heterogeneous edaphic conditions of the urban context clearly results in considerably different growth rates and stocking densities. In addition, DBH/Height relationship of B. pendula were statistical equivalent(p ≥ .001, two sample equivalency test) those of the B. populifolia. In conclusion, since resource allocation between growth and maintenance within the heterogeneous edaphic conditions clearly results in considerably different growth rates and stocking densities, it will have significant impacts on C models for urban areas. However, having demonstrated similarity between growth rates of analogous species from the USA and Europe broad scale modeling is viable. Frank Gallagher | Director – Environmental Planning Program, Rutgers Department of Landscape Architecture |
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Break |
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Concurrent Sessions: Group 3 |
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Local Roots, Global impact + Panel Questions |
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Beyond TreesLiza Paqueo, Urban Outreach and Partnership Specialist, will discuss Beyond Trees, a network that aims to link like-minded partners working in cities across the globe and provide a means for exchanging best practices, latest research and a platform for collaboration. Liz Paqueo | Urban Outreach and Partnership Specialist |
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Connecting the Dots: Creating Larger Conservation Networks by Engaging People where they liveMike Rizo will focus on how USFS-IP builds conservation awareness by starting at the household level. By fostering an appreciation for nature in one’s home, a strong foundation is set family by family. However, awareness is not enough. Families are encouraged to take action in their own way. Most of the communication is done by word of mouth, and the results are almost magical. Household networks become part of larger community networks, which in turn continue to tier up to regional, national, and international levels. These networks are created through specialized training that incorporate vehicles such as monarch butterflies and other cultural elements to draw families into the conservation. Awareness that leads to action is key. Maximum impact happens when the dots are connected. Mike Rizo | Urban Community & Program Specialist, US Forest Service |
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Using iTree for advocacy and planningRachel Sheridan, Latin America and Caribbean Specialist, will discuss the build-out of i-Tree Eco in Mexico and how it is now being used for advocacy and planning by NGOs in the country. Rachel Sheridan | Latin American and Caribbean Specialist, US Forest Service |
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Threats to the Urban Forest + Panel Questions |
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Balancing pests, pathogens, and a warming climate in the City of TreesWashington DC’s Urban Forestry Division (UFD) directly manages public trees on the street, in parks and schools, while indirectly managing trees on private property through a tree ordinance. Urban Forestry Division manages the urban forest for existing pests and pathogens, while also employing a variety of proactive strategies to address new and emerging forest health issues. UFD employs traditional and novel methods for early detection of non-native forest insect pests in collaboration with the US Forest Service and USDA APHIS. Planning ahead for future forest health issues includes partnerships with university researchers to ensure the District’s urban forest is resilient to emerging pests and pathogens, as well as urban warming. Lastly, UFD employs an annual survival study to determine which trees are thriving. This study can be used to incorporate and assess new tree species and cultivars better suited to future conditions. Kasey Yturralde | Forest Health and Community Outreach Specialist, DDOT Urban Forestry Division |
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The Future of the Urban Forest: Anticipating Impacts to Forest Health in Fairfax County, VA“The Fairfax County Urban Forest Management Division (UFMD) has been overseeing tree preservation and planting efforts related to construction sites for many years on a site by site basis, in addition to monitoring and managing outbreaks of destructive insects and diseases in an effort to preserve the urban forest. County wide efforts to assess tree cover extent and forest composition have occurred over time in the form of one-time I-tree surveys, tree canopy estimates generated using remote sensing technologies, and public park system-wide assessment of invasive plant communities. These efforts are significant and beneficial, however they offer only snapshots of the urban forest, whether that be loss and replacement of tree canopy in development projects, or single measurements of the extent of canopy at a point in time. Feasibility studies, pilot programs, and additional mapping/modelling efforts provide important information for more comprehensive management of the urban forest. Armed with information including forest composition, extent, and relative health, potential loss could be modelled for any threat to the urban forest, allowing managers time to prepare for insects, diseases and plant species that could cause negative impacts to our forests, begin work to improve the health of forested areas that are already protected in the long term, and to develop new mechanisms for helping ensure the success of tree canopy following development activities. Greater detail about forest composition and changes over time will better inform management of preserved forests, while opportunities may also be found for cooperation with the development community to locate new building and infrastructure in areas that will be less impactful to existing forest resources. “ Rachel Habig-Myers | Urban Forester, Fairfax County Urban Forest Management Division |
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Urban Tree Canopies in Florida: A Case for Tree Protection OrdinancesMany cities have set ambitious urban tree canopy cover goals with the expectation that urban forests will provide ecosystem services as functional green infrastructure. Several studies have explored how socioeconomic factors and urban form influence urban tree canopy within a city. Others have looked at links between local legislation and canopy cover. However, less is known about urban tree canopy and governance across multiple different cities. To address this gap, we compared the management practices of 43 municipalities in Florida (United States) to investigate their potential impact on tree canopy coverage. We analyzed differences in canopy cover between the cities based on 1) municipal forestry management practices, including whether the municipality had an arborist, tree ordinances, a municipal tree inventory, and a canopy cover goal, and 2) community sociodemographic data. We found two factors significantly predicted canopy coverage. Housing density had a negative relationship with tree canopy. On the other hand, municipalities with heritage tree protections had a 6.7% more canopy coverage. Our research suggests that heritage tree protections targeting old or large-stature urban trees have a measurable impact on tree canopy retention. This finding is important considering the state of Florida recently passed a law (FL HB 1159), which deregulates municipal and county control of tree trimming, pruning and removal on residential property when a tree is deemed ‘dangerous’ by a Certified Arborist or licensed Landscape Architect. Future research should evaluate the association between ordinances and tree cover in other states and regions, as well as look at changes in canopy over time within single communities. Deborah Hilbert | Biological Scientist & PhD Student, University of Florida Gulf Coast Research and Education Center |
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From Stories to implementation in the DC region + Panel Questions |
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Considering the existence values of legacy trees in the National Capital Region“An increasing number of tools exist to quantify the ecological services trees provide, however the cultural values of trees remain difficult to assess. Trees provide important cultural services known as existence values, intangible values assigned by people based on our beliefs, experiences, and perceptions. People engage these cultural services through recreation and tourism for our mental and physical health. Furthermore, trees offer aesthetic qualities and inspire culture and the arts, sometimes inspiring spiritual experiences and enhancing our sense of place. This presentation examines the existence values of trees in the national parks of the National Capital Region through individual tree stories. By telling the stories of significant trees in this context it is possible to appreciate many of the indirect values they provide. The focus is on legacy trees on the National Mall, in Rock Creek Park, and across Monocacy Battlefield. The trees have witnessed and made history. They anchor places and symbolize spiritual and political ideas. The presentation highlights 15 significant trees, including the Worthington white oaks at Monocacy Battlefield. These white oaks are the only above ground remains of an historic African American dwelling at the foot of Brooks Hill. Because trees have finite lives, telling their stories is a critical means of assessing and recording their cultural value. It is also important to fulfill the National Park Service’s goal of preserving the quality and character of landscapes for future generations. To remember these legacy trees in the future, their stories must be told now.” Nathan Heavers | Associate Professor of Landscape Architecture, Virginia Tech |
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The Right Tree, Right Place Program: Urban Forestry for Prince George’s CountyPrince George’s County DPW+T has managed county roadside trees for almost 20 years under the direction of Wayne Lucas. Since the Right Tree, Right Place Program’s inception as a Bradford Pear removal-and-replacement program a decade ago, Mr. Lucas has grown the program into a significant urban forestry initiative. With limited staff and modest funding, it now plants five times as many trees as it removes, focusing particularly on low-tree canopy streets across the County to gradually resolve the local distributional inequities in urban tree canopy. Even as Prince George’s County rapidly expands and densifies key urban areas, the Right Tree, Right Place Program is helping to make those areas livable in the long-term. And it does all of this with significant resident engagement and input: presentations at community meetings, a voluntary community approval process, postcard mailings to inform residents before tree work ever starts, and, above all, thousands of face-to-face interactions, phone calls, and emails with residents every year. Yasha Magarik | Program Director, Right Tree Right Place, Prince George’s County Department of Public Works & Transportation |
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20 years of Right Tree, Right Place – Ensuring Reliable TransmissionIn order to ensure reliable transmission, interventions were taking in regards to both pruning and planting under power lines. This presentation will explore from idea to implementation of the Right Tree Right Place mantra. Nathan McElroy | Right Tree Right Place |
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Break |
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Keynote: Sonja Duempelmann |
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Seeing Trees & the Forest
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Closing Remarks |
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Happy Hour |