Curated for professionals + enthusiasts: expert speakers, garden tours, farm-to-table meal, excursions to local permaculture & food farms.

APLD San Diego District presents:

SHARPEN YOUR VISION 20/20–KEEP THE ENVIRONMENT IN FOCUS!

"Sharpen Your Vision 20/20–keep the environment in focus! " is a 2-day event to be held on Saturday, February 22 at the San Diego Botanic Garden in Encinitas, and on Sunday, February 23 at various locations in North San Diego County.

The conference will showcase expert speakers, a garden tour of the renowned San Diego Botanic Garden, a farm-to-table brunch, and tours of local permaculture and food farms. This event is curated for landscape designers, contractors, green industry professionals, and garden enthusiasts.

Two Days: Saturday & Sunday, February 22–23, 2020

Multiple Locations:

DAY 1 - SATURDAY 2/22/2020 FROM 8 AM TO 5:15 PM

• San Diego Botanic Garden, 230 Quail Gardens Drive, Encinitas, CA 92024

DAY 2 - SUNDAY 2/23/2020 FROM 7:45AM TO 4:45PM

• Sky Mountain Permaculture, 2855 Cordrey Dr, Escondido, CA 92029
• Leichtag Foundation (Coastal Roots Farm & The Hive), 441 Saxony Rd, Encinitas, CA 92024
• Finch Frolic Garden Permaculture, 390 Vista Del Indio, Fallbrook, CA 92028

Schedule:

DAY 1 - SYMPOSIUM & TOUR AT THE SAN DIEGO BOTANIC GARDEN

Receive 6.25 APLD CEU's for the day.

8 am ⎮ Sign-In

8-9 am ⎮ Breakfast, Meet our Industry Partners, Silent Auction

9-9:15 am ⎮ Welcome Remarks from APLD-SD President Andrea Doonan

9:15-10:50 am ⎮ Josh Robinson- Permaculture for the Future: Utilizing Permaculture in Landscape Design to Create a Regenerative Ecological Future

10:50-11:00 am ⎮ Break

11:00-12:15 pm ⎮ Matt Ritter- California Tree Selection: Factors to Consider in an Era of Climate Chaos and Decreasing Diversity

12:15-1:45 pm ⎮ Lunch, Meet our Industry Partners, Book Sale, Silent Auction

1:45-3:00 ⎮ Doug Kent- Firescaping: Creating Fire Resistant Properties and Communities

3:00-5:00 ⎮ Docent-led Tour of San Diego Botanic Garden

5:00-5:15 ⎮ Silent Auction Winners Announced

DAY 2 - TOURS & BRUNCH IN NORTH SAN DIEGO COUNTY

Receive 3.25 APLD CEU's for the day.

7:45 am ⎮ Sign-in for Day 2, meet directly at Sky Mountain Permaculture

8-10 am ⎮ Tour of Sky Mountain Permaculture with Alden Hough

10-10:30 am⎮ Travel time

10:30-11:30 am ⎮ Farm-to-Table Brunch at The Hive, an initiative of the Leichtag Foundation

11:30 -1:00 pm⎮ Tour of Coastal Roots Farm

1:00-1:45 pm⎮ Travel time

1:45-4:45 pm ⎮ Tour of Finch Frolic Garden Permaculture with Diane and Miranda Kennedy

Details:

• You may choose to attend Day 1 or Day 2 only, or both! Be sure to click and scroll to see all available options.
• The symposium, tours and brunch will occur rain or shine. Please dress accordingly.
• Must present Student ID at check-in for discount.
• Earn APLD CEU's on both days.
• Refund Policy: please note that your ticket is transferable but not refundable.

DAY 1 - SYMPOSIUM

About our Speakers & Lectures

Josh Robinson- Permaculture for the Future: Utilizing Permaculture in Landscape Design to Create a Regenerative Ecological Future

Josh Robinson, owner of Ecology Artisans and Director of The San Diego Sustainable Living Institute will discuss how permaculture can be used as a tool for landscape designers, architects, and other design professionals and land managers to help them design and push for more ecologically resilient landscapes that can reverse the negative effects of climate change. Permaculture applies the observations and patterns found in living systems ecology to create landscapes that heal and regenerate the land. In this presentation, Josh will discuss how to work with soils, water harvesting, and plants to create functional living ecosystems.

Josh is a father, gardener, farmer, teacher, and ecological instigator. He holds a Master’s Degree in Ecological Landscape Design from Prescott College. Josh has over 19 years of experience in the field designing, installing, and teaching about creating ecological abundant gardens, home, farms, and businesses. Josh has been teaching permaculture to hundreds of people since 2005. His work has received multiple awards as well as being featured in Toby Hemenway’s Gaia’s Garden and Art Ludwig’s Create an Oasis with Greywater. Currently Josh is working with his family and friends in developing the 17 acre permaculture farm and education center at Terra Corazón in Valley Center, California. Click below to learn more about Josh's work at the San Diego Sustainable Living Institute and Ecology Artisans.

Matt Ritter- California Tree Selection: Factors to Consider in an Era of Climate Chaos and Decreasing Diversity

Dr. Matt Ritter, professor at Cal Poly, will discuss native and exotic trees planted in the California urban forest. Dr. Ritter will discuss patterns and trends in tree selection and considerations for helping to ensure a healthy urban forest for California cities in a time of climate change and decreasing biodiversity. What should we consider when choosing a tree species for planting? Carbon sequestration potential, aesthetics, water use, provenance, and culture all play a role.

Matt is a professor in the Biology Department at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, a noted expert on the genus Eucalyptus, and a fiction and science author. His publications, including his latest book, California Plants: A Guide to Our Iconic Flora, attempt to foster a sense of appreciation for California’s unique flora and reveal to his readers the natural wonders around us. As a college professor, he helps young people cultivate their curiosity and learn more about the organisms in our world. Click here for more information about Matt.

Doug Kent- Firescaping: Creating Fire Resistant Properties and Communities

As California’s population and temperatures continue to grow, so grows the ferocity and frequency of wildfires. The ten most costly wildfires in U.S. history have all occurred in California — the top two in the last two years. Join Douglas Kent, author of Firescaping, as he highlights the essential qualities of a protected property and community. Doug will be focusing on roads, structures, defensible space, and the path forward.

Douglas Kent is an expert at ecological land management. He has been gardening since 14 years old and has been creating Firescaped properties since 1994. He holds two master degrees in land management, has participated in hundreds of landscape projects, and has written 7 books, over 50 articles, and four statewide public education campaigns. Doug teaches at California Polytechnic University, Pomona, within the departments of Landscape Architecture and Regenerative Studies. Click here for more information about Doug.

DAY 2 - TOURS

About the Tours & Farm-to-Table Brunch

Tour of Sky Mountain Permaculture with Alden Hough

Join us at Sky Mountain Permaculture to see how six acres of scorched earth—burned during the 2014 Cocos Fire, was restored into a fire safe, drought tolerant, rainwater harvesting and permaculture demonstration garden. During the tour you will see how erosion prone areas were turned into water saving solutions by using permaculture techniques such as swales, infiltration ponds, hugelkultur beds, and terraces to significantly reduce the need for supplemental irrigation. You will see how permaculture gardens integrate habitat and food for birds, butterflies and bees with an abundance of edibles for people. In addition, an earthbag dome strong enough to withstand fires and earthquakes and a beautiful riparian area with the Escondido Creek running through it will be observed.

Alden Hough is a permaculture designer, educator, and program director of the non-profit organization Sky Mountain Permaculture in Escondido, where he teaches people how to regenerate the earth and live more sustainable lives. He has created a seven acre rainwater harvesting demonstration site where he has integrated California native plants with fruit trees to create an agro-ecological system that feeds people and wildlife. He is one of the founding members of the San Diego Pollinator Alliance and owns his own landscaping business specializing in creating sustainable landscapes. Alden graduated from the Center for Agro-ecology and Sustainable Food Systems program and has a geology degree from the University of California, Santa Cruz. Check out Sky Mountain Permaculture on Facebook.

Farm-to-Table Brunch

Here is the tentative menu:

• Winter veggie frittata with cheddar cheese and crema (vegetarian & gluten free)
• Crusty French bread toast with whipped butter and farmhouse made pear spice jam (can be made vegetarian & vegan)
• Seasonal fruit salad with fruits such as apple, pear, persimmon, pomegranate, and fresh mint (vegetarian & gluten free)
• Tea, water, and coffee

Tour of Coastal Roots Farm

Coastal Roots Farm is a nonprofit Jewish community farm and education center. We cultivate healthy, connected communities by integrating sustainable agriculture, food justice, and ancient Jewish wisdom.

We share organic produce with those who need it most and connect people to compelling Jewish ideas and traditions through farming and food. We distribute food through our on-site pay-what-you-can Farm Stand, pop-up mobile farm stands, and direct donations to local hunger relief organizations. We offer hands-on education and experiences through School and Group Visits, Farm Camp, Farm Tours, Volunteer Opportunities, Jewish Agricultural Festivals, and other community events, inviting our neighbors to connect to the land, Jewish tradition, and each other.

Coastal Roots Farm is part of the Leichtag Commons located in Encinitas, CA on approximately 17 acres of land. The Farm consists of vegetable production fields, education farm and gardens, a food forest, chickens, and compost operations. Click here for more information about Coastal Roots Farm.

Tour of Finch Frolic Garden Permaculture with Diane & Miranda Kennedy

Finch Frolic Garden Permaculture is the only food forest and habitat garden of its kind open to the public in Southern California. It serves as an educational facility as well as a poison-free refuge for hundreds of species of wildlife, and as a food bank for the owners Diane and Miranda Kennedy. On 1.6 acres, this 8-year-old garden uses permaculture design to grow with limited water and no chemical fertilizers, insecticides or herbicides. Fruit, vegetables, herbs, timber bamboo, ornamentals and lots of native plants work together to form a thriving, useful and regenerative garden community.

Diane Kennedy has certificates in permaculture design, irrigation, QWEL, and is completing her AA in Landscape Architecture. She has been designing, consulting and lecturing on permaculture since 2015. Miranda Kennedy has a BS in Fisheries and Wildlife Science, specializing in songbirds and collecting data on and identifying wildlife, plants and native habitats. Both volunteer with the Native Plant Restoration Team on the Fallbrook Land Conservancy.

Check out Finch Frolic Garden Permaculture on Facebook or their website.

SUPPORT OUR INDUSTRY PARTNERS

Thank you to our partners who made this event possible!

Manzanita Partner

Southwest Boulder & Stone is a landscape rock and supply superstore servicing commercial and residential customers since 1989. We specialize in drought-tolerant landscaping and building materials such as boulders, cobble, pebbles, crushed rock, flagstone, ledgestone, decomposed granite, custom fountains and more!

Sage Partners

Aggretex Systems offers a cutting edge portfolio of concrete products –giving you the ultimate in design flexibility, control, and performance in exposed aggregate floors. Whether being placed as a fresh pour using our patented wet on wet system, or placed as a self-leveling polishable topping, Aggretex Systems offer the right product for the right applications.

Beautiful Plants & Inspired Designs since 1954: Anderson's La Costa has been partnering with landscape designers for more than 65 years. Leading designers choose Anderson’s for their expertise, customer service, trade discounts, and exceptional plants, which are often unique and/or hard to find.

Bamboo Pipeline is the single source supply solution for landscape professionals, delivering wholesale nursery plants and trees along with a full range of other landscape materials directly to your job site, anywhere in California – often within 24-48 hours.

Netafim is the world’s leading irrigation company that drives mass adoption of smart irrigation solutions to fight scarcity of food, water and land.

Mission Hills Nursery is San Diego’s oldest garden center, a combination of culture and class. We have refined the garden shopping, we make it easy, fun, and educational. We want you to succeed in the garden. Visit our location in the heart of Mission Hills and take a stroll, discover paradise in the middle of the city.

At its roots, PlantMaster is an online plant database. But with tools to find the perfect plants, create projects, and share beautiful presentations - it's designed to save you time and help you wow your customers!

Buckwheat Partners

Agriservice supports organic sustainability in our local communities by producing products that control erosion, improve the soil and reduce fertilizer and pesticide pollution, while reducing landfill disposal. Agri Service, Inc. provides recycling services and operates full service compost facilities in Southern California. Working with local and state government agencies, the Agri Service, Inc. team develops green waste facilities to meet the needs of communities, professional growers and hobbyist gardeners.

Backyard X-Scapes specializes in thatch and bamboo products for all of your backyard, resort, and decorating needs. You’ll find absolutely everything you need from artificial rocks, outdoor lighting, garden statues, bamboo products, water fountains, planters, pottery, tropical décor, and more.

At Belgard, their passion is to bring your outdoor vision to life. Design perfectly coordinated outdoor living spaces with Belgard pavers, walls and accessories grouped by texture and style.

FX Luminaire is an industry-leading manufacturer of landscape and architectural lighting products with a focus on the advancement of LED Landscape Lighting technology and digital lighting control with zoning, dimming and color adjustment capabilities.

San Marcos Growers is a wholesale plant nursery located in the eastern Goleta Valley in Santa Barbara, California. This year they celebrate forty year of growing plants appropriate to California's mediterranean climate, including many California native plants, as well as trees, vines, shrubs, perennials, ferns, succulents, ornamental grasses and grass-like plants from other areas around the world.

VICINITY

Where to Stay & What to Do in Encinitas

For attendees looking to stay in Encinitas, or who are looking for dining and shopping destinations, please visit the Encinitas 101 MainStreet Association. There are many places to stay in the Encinitas and surrounding areas. Check out these two hotels near the San Diego Botanic Garden for their good reviews and amenities: Best Western Encinitas Inn and Suites, and the Inn at Moonlight Beach.