FORREST KEELING Fall Field Day
Rooted in Natives
September 17, 2026
Forrest Keeling Nursery invites conservation professionals, planners, urban foresters, restoration practitioners, growers, and landscape leaders to a full-day educational Field Day focused on how native plants, native cultivars, and compatible non-invasive species perform in real-world systems.
Rooted in Natives explores how thoughtful plant selection and production quality directly influence:
• Habitat restoration success
• Pollinator and songbird corridors
• Soil health and hydrologic function
• Long-term maintenance costs
• Risk reduction and project reliability
• Profitable, scalable planting strategies
This practitioner-driven event is designed for professionals specifying, growing, installing, and managing plants at scale.
Registration is FREE, Advance registration will be required. Sign up now to save your place. We may send an occasional email update for this event.
2026 Fall Field Day Keynote: Kelly Norris
Forrest Keeling Nursery is honored to welcome Kelly Norris as keynote speaker for the 2026 Fall Field Day, “Rooted in Natives — Design Once. Perform for Decades,” on September 17 at our Elsberry, Missouri nursery.
A nationally recognized plantsman, designer, and author, Norris is known for his work at the intersection of ecology, horticulture, and design. His approach—often described as “new naturalism”—draws from native plant communities to create landscapes that are both ecologically functional and deeply expressive of place.
His keynote, “Rooted in Natives: Designing Living Landscapes for a Resilient Future,” will explore how native plant systems shape landscapes that are resilient, adaptive, and enduring—supporting wildlife, strengthening communities, and redefining what performance means in the built environment.
photo credit: Austin Hyler Day
This presentation sets the stage for a full day of learning designed for professionals across the green industry. From urban forestry and agroforestry to restoration and nursery production, the program moves from big-picture vision to real-world application, concluding with a capstone session on Native Plants as Urban Infrastructure.
As always, Fall Field Day is built around practical insight and usable takeaways, offering attendees not just ideas, but approaches they can implement in their own work.
We are excited to have Kelly with us and look forward to a day of meaningful conversation, connection, and forward-thinking exploration of native landscapes.
AGENDA
Rooted in Natives — Design Once. Perform for Decades.
7:45–8:30 AM
Early-Bird Nursery Production Tour (Optional)
8:30–9:00 AM
Registration, Coffee & Networking
9:15-9:30 AM
Welcome, Opening Remarks – Kim Lovelace, Wayne Lovelace
9:30–10:30 AM
Keynote — Kelly Norris
Rooted in Natives: Designing Living Landscapes for a Resilient Future
Explore how native plant systems shape landscapes that are resilient, adaptive, and enduring—supporting wildlife, strengthening communities, and redefining what performance means in the built environment.
10:45–11:30 AM
Morning Breakout Block — Choose One
1) Urban Forestry — Shane McQuillan, Wal-Mart Urban Forester Runway Group
Urban Forestry with Natives: Selecting Trees for Tough Sites and Long-Term Success
Using native trees as urban infrastructure for stormwater, heat mitigation, and long-term durability.
2) Agroforestry — Dr. Chung Ho-Lin, Lead Scientist for the Bioremediation, Natural Products, and Bioanalytical Programs, Center for Agroforestry at the University of Missouri
Food Forests & Agroforestry Systems Built on Native Foundations
Designing productive agroforestry systems that integrate native trees and shrubs for income and resilience.
3) Guided Nursery Production Tour
11:45 AM–1:15 PM
Farmhaus Luncheon & Networking
1:30–2:15 PM
Afternoon Breakout Block — Choose One
1) Specialty Crops — Dr. Nadia Navarrete-Tindall, State Extension Specialist, Lincoln University
Profitable Native Crops for Midwest Growers and Agroforestry Systems
Native fruit and nut crops with proven market potential.
2) Conservation & Restoration — Zack Miller, Leveraging Our Lands Strategy Lead, The Nature Conservancy
Designing Native Restoration for Durability, Not Just Installation Creating restoration systems that improve with age through plant quality and site alignment.
3) Guided Nursery Production Tour
2:30–3:15 PM
Capstone Session — Kim Lovelace & Judy Good
Native Plants as Urban Infrastructure: Designing for Performance
Launch of new Forrest Keeling book, a professional framework for designing resilient native landscapes as defensible green infrastructure.
3:15–3:45 PM
Cypress Grove – Happy Hour, Peer Networking, and book signing with Kelly Norris, author of ‘Your Natural Garden’ and ‘The New Naturalism’. Learn more about Kelly’s virtual school, ‘New Naturalism Academy’ for professionals.
Optional mini tours
Farmhaus Luncheon in the Cypress Grove
A special onsite lunch prepared by Kevin Willmann, chef/owner of Farmhaus, returning by popular demand. Seasonal, ethically and sustainably sourced local cuisine, served at Forrest Keeling’s Cypress Grove, provides space to connect, recharge, and continue conversations.
Cypress Grove Happy Hour & Peer Networking
Close the day with informal networking among peers, speakers, and Forrest Keeling staff in a relaxed outdoor setting.
Nursery Production Tours
Guided tours through Forrest Keeling’s production systems will highlight:
• Native tree and shrub propagation
• Container and bare-root production
• Quality control, grading, and handling
• Matching plant genetics and form to application
See how production decisions translate into field performance, survivability, and project reliability.
Who Should Attend
This Field Day is designed for professionals working at scale, including:
• Conservation and restoration practitioners
• Urban and community foresters
• Planners and landscape architects
• Agroforestry and specialty crop growers, landowners
• Nursery, landscape, and installation professionals
• Agency, NGO, and institutional land managers
