Lincoln University Hosts 2024 Grow Native! Professional Member Conference 

Callicarpa americana (American beautyberry) thrives on the Lincoln University campus, offering vibrant purple berries that nourish wildlife and brighten the landscape.

Around 130 participants gathered for the annual Grow Native! Professional Member Conference at Lincoln University of Missouri (LU) on November 13, 2024. Organized by the Missouri Prairie Foundation through its Grow Native! program, the event showcased the vital role native plants play in advancing conservation and education. Bringing together experts and advocates, the conference emphasized how native plants address ecological and agricultural challenges while fostering resilient landscapes. 

Audience members gathered in Lincoln University’s Scruggs University Center for the 2024 Grow Native! Professional Member Conference, connecting over the shared mission of advancing native plant conservation and sustainable practices.

“Hosting this conference at Lincoln University is a tremendous opportunity for us to showcase how our Specialty Crops Program (SCP) is making a difference in promoting native plants,” said SCP State Extension Specialist Nadia Navarrete-Tindall, Ph.D. Grow Native!, which promotes the use of native plants across urban, suburban and rural areas, aligns with LU’s Specialty Crops Program that integrates these plants into sustainable agricultural practices. Together, they set the stage for a conference that showcased groundbreaking research, innovative practices and meaningful collaboration in advancing native plant conservation.

The conference provided an invaluable platform for professionals to share their knowledge and insights. Missouri Prairie Foundation Executive Director Carol Davit highlighted the significance of the conference sessions. “We are purposeful in recruiting speakers on a diverse mix of topics to best serve the wide range of professionals represented in the Grow Native! program, which includes retail garden center managers, landscape architects, seed producers, educators, native landscape stewards and other related professionals," Davit said. "Our goal is for professional members to leave the conference equipped with both inspirational and practical information to help their businesses and organizations continue to thrive.”

Missouri Wildflowers Nursery Manager Michael Hoyle shared insights on sustainable design and collaboration during his presentation at the Grow Native! conference. 

Presenters and topics included:

• Rusty Schmidt (Keynote Speaker), Landscape Ecologist, Nelson Pope Voorhis. Presented "Stormwater Green Infrastructure Projects – Case Studies for Lessons Learned," focusing on using native plants for stormwater management and urban resilience.
• Sam Lord, Soil Scientist, University of Missouri. Presented "Native Flora in an Altered State: Soil Nutrients Affect Floristic Distribution," exploring the relationship between soil health and native plants.
• Pamela Conrad, Landscape Architect, Climate Positive Design / Harvard University. Presented "Nature-Based Site Solutions," highlighting climate-positive landscape architecture.
• Maria Landoni, Landscape Architect, Sur Landscape Architecture, & Michael Hoyle, Nursery Manager, Missouri Wildflowers Nursery. Presented "Working with Nature: Dialog Between Designers and Native Plant Producers to Sustain Original Plant Communities," focusing on collaboration for sustainable design.
• Kara Tvedt, Fisheries Biologist, Missouri Department of Conservation. Presented "Floating Wetlands: Old Concept – Revitalized Twist," discussing innovative applications of floating wetlands with native plants.
• Nadia Navarrete-Tindall, State Extension Specialist, Lincoln University. Presented "Extension Across Generations: Boys and Girls Club and Native Plants at Lincoln University,” highlighting educational initiatives connecting youth to native plant conservation.
• Joan and Andy Klingensmith, Owners, River Folk Flowers. Presented "Growing Natives for the Floral Industry," showcasing the use of native plants in floral design.

LU State Extension Specialist Dr. Nadia Navarrete-Tindall and Education STEM Specialist Donna Stallings from the Jefferson City Boys and Girls Club discussed their collaborative efforts to connect youth with native plants through hands-on educational initiatives.

In her presentation, Navarrete-Tindall emphasized the importance of engaging youth with native plants through hands-on activities such as planting pollinator gardens and exploring biodiversity. She highlighted how these activities foster a deeper understanding of environmental stewardship and empower the next generation of conservationists, specifically through her collaboration with Education STEM Specialist Donna Stallings of the Jefferson City Boys and Girls Club. Additionally, Navarrete-Tindall introduced the Urban Ag Learning Hub, an initiative funded by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). This innovative program integrates resources like the Native Plant Outdoor Lab, Finca EcoFarm, Teaching Greenhouse, International Community Garden, Farmers Market and Native Plant Nursery to provide training in sustainable agriculture and native plant conservation. It also promotes economic skills through opportunities to learn about growing and selling native plants. 

Missouri Prairie Foundation Executive Director Carol Davit spoke during the pre-conference tour of native plantings in Jefferson City, Missouri, where she highlighted the native plant initiative at McClung Park and shared examples from her own home to inspire attendees to incorporate native plants into their own spaces.

“Lincoln University was an ideal location for the conference because it is a leader not only in the state but also the country when it comes to a university campus that is committed to native plants and recognizes their many benefits,” Davit said. She added that the pre-conference tour of native plantings in Jefferson City, including LU’s Native Plant Outdoor Laboratory — a designated Garden of Excellence within the Grow Native! program — was a highlight for many attendees. By hosting the event, Lincoln University demonstrated its leadership in native plant education, research and conservation, offering participants not only an inspiring conference experience but also a closer look at how native plants are integrated into the university’s mission to promote sustainability and biodiversity.

Attendees of the pre-conference tour explored Lincoln University’s Outdoor Native Plant Laboratory, a Grow Native! Garden of Excellence located outside Allen Hall — home to Cooperative Extension.

To learn more about Grow Native! or to become a professional member, visit the Missouri Prairie Foundation's Grow Native! membership page. For information on Lincoln University’s Specialty Crops Program and upcoming events, contact Dr. Nadia Navarrete-Tindall at Navarrete-TindallN@LincolnU.edu or 573-681-5060.

Tour participants learned about the integration of native plants into sustainable landscapes and LU’s commitment to biodiversity and conservation.