SUNY Adirondack offers Native Plants Symposium

QUEENSBURY, New York (March 10, 2026) — SUNY Adirondack’s Agricultural Business program is proud to offer Adirondack Native Plants Symposium: Building Resilient Landscapes from noon to 4:30 p.m. Thursday, March 26.

This event will explore how native plants serve as a living infrastructure that supports biodiversity, strengthens climate resilience, reduces maintenance costs and enhances community well-being.

“Native plants are more than just a landscaping choice; they are part of the ecological foundation that supports pollinators, wildlife and healthy communities,” said Kim London, chair of the college’s Business division and an assistant professor. “This symposium brings together experts and community members to explore practical ways we can incorporate native plants into our gardens, campuses and public spaces to build landscapes that are both beautiful and resilient.”

Adirondack Native Plants Symposium will feature two tracts, one geared toward home gardeners and those overseeing small-scale projects and a second for those interested in broader community impact. Presenters include representatives from ITECA/University at Albany, New York State Department of Transportation, University of Vermont and keynote speaker Shanti Negal, founder of Design Wild.

Topics of discussion will also include:
•    Native bee conservation
•    Demonstration of building a native tree nursery by SUNY Adirondack’s Farm team
•    Designing functional native plant gardens
•    Growing and using native plants as wild foods and medicine
•    Regenerative agriculture
•    Climate forest and urban tree systems
•    Ecology and highways
•    Urban green spaces and mental health

This event is open to the public. Registration is $25 per person for the general public and free for any SUNY student, faculty or staff member with ID. Preregistration is required.

Adirondack Native Plants Symposium will be held in Northwest Bay Conference Center, 640 Bay Road. Participants are invited to bring a brown-bag lunch.

Learn more; email London at londonk@sunyacc.edu with any questions about content or sponsorship; and conted@sunyacc.edu with questions about registration.

About SUNY Adirondack’s Agricultural Business degree program

SUNY Adirondack’s Agricultural Business program melds business and science, focusing on the field of farm and food systems. Students complete an internship and have opportunities to work on the college’s on-campus fully functioning organic farm, further reinforcing classroom concepts with real-world applications. Graduating students might start agricultural businesses or manage workforces in agriculture-related fields. Students can also transfer to a bachelor's degree program in a compatible field.