Wishing you had a recap of what you learned at the 2026 Parks & Greenspace Conference? Now you do! Continue reading to find links to the presentations.
Morning Keynote: Landscapes of Abundance
Gena Wirth, RLA, FASLA – Design Principal and Partner, SCAPE
Listen to presentationResilience in the Hot Zone: Community Storytelling and Data Mapping with UrbanHeatATL
Community-driven data and storytelling reveal extreme heat’s impacts on health and resilience. Participants explore UrbanHeatATL maps and lived experiences to develop solutions that position parks as vital climate infrastructure. Learn how heat data and narratives can advance cooler, healthier neighborhoods.
Dr. Na’Taki Osborne Jelks, Spelman College and West Atlanta Watershed Alliance; Destinee Whitaker and Quanda Spencer, West Atlanta Watershed Alliance; Ashley Boone, Georgia Institute of Technology
Building Climate Resilient ATL
Atlanta’s Mayor’s Office of Sustainability and Resilience is developing Climate Resilient ATL, the city’s first community-led, data-driven Climate Resilience Action Plan. Hear more about how resilient parks support resilient communities when building healthy, connected, and climate-resilient neighborhoods.
Chandra Farley, Mayor’s Office of Sustainability and Resilience, City of Atlanta; J. Olu Baiyewu, City of Atlanta; LaToria Whitehead, LS Whitehead Group
From Metrics to Meaning: Using Community Engagement to Shape Purposeful Park Design
Landscape architects and a community engagement expert explore how humanizing data fosters connection and shapes beloved parks. Drawing on work across the U.S., speakers will share how building trust, elevating voices, and advancing equity result in culturally relevant, better-loved parks.
Mandi Fung, DAVID RUBIN Land Collective; Candy Isabel, Khamai Strategies; Brian Staresnick, DAVID RUBIN Land Collective
Unlocking Park Power: Using the Landscape Performance Series to Measure What Matters
Landscape Performance Series (LPS) is a national initiative helping practitioners measure and communicate the environmental, social, and economic benefits of built landscapes. Learn how the LPS case studies, metrics, and evaluation tools can be applied to projects.
Adam Williamson, TSW Design; Peyton Peterson, TSW Design; Samantha Rosado, Parks & Recreation, City of Douglasville, GA
Ecological Resilience in Atlanta
Hear from local experts on Atlanta’s urban ecosystems—why they matter locally and statewide, how wildlife relies on our natural areas and what they show us about resilience, and ways to better manage natural spaces.
Lisa Kruse, Georgia Department of Natural Resources; Michel Kohl, University of Georgia; Taryn Heidel, Parks & Recreation, City of Atlanta
Mid-day Keynote: Building a More Sustainable Future for Urban Centers: A Detroit Story
Anika Goss – Chief Executive Officer, Detroit Future City
View presentationCollective Ground: Co-Creating Resilient Public Spaces
Parks thrive when shaped by community voices. This session highlights how designers, academics, land managers, and local stewards collaborate with residents to create equitable public spaces. Learn community-driven approaches that align civic, economic, and environmental goals for lasting impact.
Revonda Cosby, Arabia Mountain Heritage Area Alliance; Kofi Boone, North Carolina State University; Jennie Lynn Rudder, Gresham Smith; Carley Rickles, Martin Rickles Studio (MRS)
State of the Climate: Climate Change 101
Building resilient communities starts with understanding our changing world. Learn about the science of climate change—how long we’ve known about it, what the science says has already happened, what could happen next, and what we can do about it.
Mark Papier, Certified Consulting Meteorologist
Mapping Water, Mapping Risk: Can Parks Build Flood-Resilient Communities?
This panel explores how buried creeks, flood history, and resident experiences can shape stronger greenspaces. Learn how parks can manage stormwater, reduce heat, build resilience, and strengthen civic life as climate impacts intensify.
Hannah Palmer, Author; Genia Billingsley, Canopy ATL; Daniel Krasner, Data Urbanist; Mariann Martin, Canopy ATL
Collaborating with Youth Corps to Advance Park Resilience
The Student Conservation Association’s Atlanta Urban Green Program has created a space for Black women to build skills and explore conservation careers: the African American Women Crew. Crews complete projects—from habitat restoration to trail work—that strengthen the resilience of Atlanta’s parks, communities, and 30 emerging environmental leaders.
Jonathan Johnson, Student Conservation Association; Anamarie Ngala-Bey, West Atlanta Watershed Alliance; Tierney Mountain and Matt Gray, Youth Members, Student Conservation Association
Art as Infrastructure: Resilience Through Tactical Urbanism in Atlanta Parks
How can art-driven tactical urbanism build community resilience in public parks? Art In The Paint revitalizes recreation spaces through artistic resurfacing, youth co-design, partnerships, and activations—reducing blight, fostering stewardship, and strengthening trust. Discover how to activate parks for belonging and public health.
Arelious Cooper, Jr., Art In The Paint; Aaron L. Weiner, PLA, PMP, National Park Service; Shelton Hawkins, Project Backboard; Victor Emerson, Anheuser-Busch
Growing Urban Forests – Beyond 2026: Jurisdiction, Capacity, and Landscape Performance
Urban forestry today is about more than canopy counts—it’s about how well trees deliver real benefits. Hear from leaders from Atlanta (large city), Madison (mid-sized), and Brownsville (small) about how governance, scale, funding, and local priorities shape urban forestry strategies.
Tiffany Giacobazzi, Parks & Recreation, City of Atlanta; Ian Brown, City of Madison, WI; Hunter Lohse, City of Brownsville, TX; Gaylan Williams, Parks & Recreation, City of Atlanta
Nurturing Nature in Neighborhoods: Design Strategies for Cultivating Community Resilience
This interactive session highlights design strategies that support outdoor learning, inspired by CoOL Schoolyard Challenges and Georgia Outdoor Learning Demonstration Grants. Learn how innovative designs contribute to community resilience by empowering learners as environmental stewards.
Karan Wood, Environmental Education Alliance; Aubrey Sabba, Starr Whitehouse Landscape Architecture & Planning; Janelle Wright, West Atlanta Watershed Alliance
Afternoon Keynote: My Park, My Planet: An Auto-Park-ography
Melvin Carter – former Mayor of Saint Paul, Minnesota
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