APLD & LASAN Present Los Angeles Biodiversity Symposium

APLD & LASAN Present the 2020 Biodiversity Symposium

Posted on October 11, 2020

November 16–November 20, 2020

Purchase tickets online at https://biodiversity-symposium.eventbrite.com.

Biodiversity is critical to the future of our planet. Human well-being and prosperity are intimately linked to our environment. Take action!

Biodiversity hotspots are home to unique flora and fauna, many of which are endemic to a particular environment. The City of Los Angeles is fortunate to be one of only 36 biodiversity hotspots on the planet.

Esperanza Elementary schoolyard habitat
(photo by Michelle Barton)

Biodiversity in the Los Angeles area is severely threatened by urban development, and we must develop and implement protective strategies to safeguard our area’s resilience and sustainability. Our symposium, which will unfold over the course of the week, will illustrate the vital importance of an integrated ecosystem of natural biodiversity and sustainable urban landscapes.

We are looking to provide a forum for leading area scientists to inform landscape designers and architects, builders, nurseries, growers, and homeowners on the significance of biodiversity in the Los Angeles area. We hope this forum will aid in building an understanding of how we can affect a change in practices and achieve the goal of a “no-net-loss” biodiversity strategy.

Our well-being fundamentally depends on nature. We can make a difference. Join this community and symposium to protect our biodiversity hotspot.

Please join us and help spread the word. Garden by garden, and park by park, we can take the steps to change the narrative of environmental degradation.

We are happy to be in partnership with Los Angeles Sanitation and Environment (LASAN) for this important endeavor.

The survival and well-being of the City’s residents also depend on ecosystem services provided by biodiversity, including air pollution reduction, strongly and rapidly mitigating and adapting to climate change, mental health and educational opportunities, water cleansing, and aesthetic benefits. These services are built directly from an integrated ecosystem of natural biodiversity and sustainable urban landscapes.

— LA Sanitation & Environment

: Carpenter bee on chilopsis tree
(photo by Carol Bornstein)

: Community science superproject training
(photo by Gina Cholick)

SYMPOSIUM DETAILS

What: Los Angeles Biodiversity Symposium

When: November 16–20, 2020. Sessions are from 3:00–5:00 p.m. daily.

Where: The Los Angeles Biodiversity Symposium is all-virtual

Cost: Several ticket options are available, but the full week is only $60, or $30 for students and educators. We are committed to making the symposium as financially accessible as possible.

Registration: Purchase tickets online at https://biodiversity-symposium.eventbrite.com.

SCHEDULE AT A GLANCE

November 16: The Los Angeles Biodiversity Index

3:00–3:15 p.m.	Councilman Paul Koretz, originator of LA’s Biodiversity Motion, will give a short introduction to the Biodiversity Symposium.
3:15–4:15 p.m.	Dr. Mas Dojiri & Michelle Barton: The Los Angeles Biodiversity Index.
4:15–5:15 p.m.	Dr. Isaac Brown: Los Angeles Ecotopes—A Framework for Managing Cities as Urban Ecosystems.

November 17: Urban Wildlife

3:00–4:00 p.m.	Lila Higgins: Connecting to Urban Nature Through Community Science.
4:00–5:00 p.m.	Dr. Eric Wood: The Importance of the Urban Forest to Our Regional Bird Life.

November 18: Wildlife and Plant Community Interconnectivity

3:00–4:00 p.m.	Kat Superfisky: Enhancing Wildlife Interconnectivity in Los Angeles.
4:00–5:00 p.m.	Carol Bornstein: Designing Gardens in Harmony with Nature.

November 19: Urban Resilience

3:00–4:00 p.m.	Dr. Natale Zappia/Don Larson: CSUN Pollinator Pockets—Reimagining a New, Green San Fernando Valley.
4:00–5:00 p.m.	Dr. Brad Shaffer, Dr. Joscha Beninde, and Dr. Erin Toffelmier: How Did the Lizard Cross the 10 Freeway? Genomics and Conservation Across the LA Basin.

November 20: Regenerate

3:00–4:00 p.m.	Dr. G. Eric Strauss: Building Resilience Through Biodiversity—The City as a Solution.
4:00–5:00 p.m.	Panel Discussion with Carol Bornstein, Dr. Isaac Brown, Dr. Eric Strauss, and Kat Superfisky.