Planting season is here! Join us for this special webinar showcasing the power of plants in protecting our waterways from the impacts of road salt.
Winter salts applied to roads, parking lots, and sidewalks are finding their way into local streams, lakes, groundwater, and soils. Growing Halophytes, or salt-loving plants, has proven to be a viable method of restoring areas impacted by salt damage.
Researchers and practitioners from Toronto and Region Conservation Authority, Royal Military College, Queen’s University, and Ontario Ministry of Transportation, will share their research findings, resources, and expertise to inspire phytoremediation projects and implementation across the Greater Toronto Area.
The target audience for this webinar are municipalities, industrial, commercial, institutional, and multi-unit residential building sectors, property managers, landscapers, and sustainability professionals.
Join us June 4, 2024 from 2:00-3:00pm EST. Register Now!
Speakers
Dr. Lyndsay Cartwright, Sr. Research Analyst, Toronto and Region Conservation Authority
In addition to Dr. Cartwright’s work with the Ecosystem and Climate Science team at Toronto and Region Conservation Authority, she is also an Adjunct Professor at Queen’s University, Trent University, University of Waterloo, and University of Toronto. She is interested in applied ecological research related to current threats to biodiversity and the environment within the Toronto Region.
Dr. Barbara Zeeb, Professor & Canada Research Chair, Royal Military College of Canada
For 20 years, Dr. Zeeb has studied to remediate metal-, organochlorine-, petroleum hydrocarbon-, and salt-impacted sites in collaboration with government agencies and contaminated site owners. Dr. Zeeb is cross-appointed to the School of Environmental Studies and an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Biology at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario. As of May 2023, she is also the President of the International Phytotechnology Society.
Lauren Nawroth, Master of Environmental Studies, Queen’s University
Lauren’s thesis explored phytoremediation of saline soils using Canadian native grasses, specifically halophytes (salt tolerant plants). Coupled with a Bachelors of Honours Science majoring in Chemistry, Lauren hopes to pursue a career in environmental consulting.
Paula Berketo, Principal Landscape Architect, Ministry of Transportation
Paula is a full member of the Ontario Association of Landscape Architects. Since 2010, she has been guiding the Ministry with all aspects of planting, soils, tree preservation, native plants, and vegetative cover. This includes the selection of native seeds and plants that can survive and thrive in challenging conditions, including high volumes of salt, and if possible, remediate those difficult situations.
Daniel Filippi, Research Scientist, Toronto and Region Conservation Authority
Daniel Filippi is a Research Scientist with TRCA’s Sustainable Technologies Evaluation Program (STEP). He has over 10 years’ experience in the environmental field and has developed several flood and climate change-related training programs/courses educating homeowners, government staff, consultants and ICI/MUR owners on the importance of adopting appropriate Low Impact Developments (LID) and SWM BMPs.