Name: Healthy Hedges: Buckthorn Removal and Getting Folks to Care
Start: 2025-03-01T16:15:00-0600
End: 2025-03-01T17:00:00-0600

The Wild Things Conference Returns Saturday, March 1, 2025 - SOLD OUT

We’re thrilled to welcome you again to learn and share your expertise with our community. We’ve put together an exciting lineup of workshops and sessions from regional and national experts, plus meet & greets, video content, exhibitors, and sponsors. With over 140 presentations and discussion panels to choose from, the in-person program engages a diverse range of topics, research, and skills, and plenty of opportunities to meet with friends, old and new.

Thank you as well to our sponsors, scholarship supporters, and exhibitors who are all helping to make this another tremendously successful Wild Things.

Tickets for Wild Things 2025 are sold out. For additional information on the 2025 conference, visit wildthingscommunity.org.

**PLEASE NOTE: Some details are subject to change.**

NOTICE: Please be advised that photos and videos will be taken during Wild Things 2025. By attending, you consent to be photographed, filmed, and/or otherwise recorded. Your attendance on this event constitutes your agreement to the use of any resulting media by Friends of Illinois Nature Preserves for promotional, marketing, or any other purpose in perpetuity, without further approval or any compensation.

Saturday March 1, 2025 4:15pm - 5:00pm CST

Room 28

It's a problem you can't unsee. The invasive species common, or European, buckthorn is the most abundant tree in Lake County, Illinois and the Chicago region. As an issue that spans public and private lands, community engagement is vital for conservation agencies to make long-lasting progress on buckthorn removal.

Since 2015, the Lake County Forest Preserves has crafted methods and messages to inspire private landowners to remove and replace buckthorn with native plants. Environmental Communications Specialist Brett Peto and Matt Ueltzen, manager of restoration ecology, share best practices and tried-and-true resources to help the public. 35-minute presentation with 10–15 minutes for Q&A.

Presenters

Brett Peto

Environmental Communications Specialist, Lake County Forest Preserves

Environmental Communications Specialist Brett Peto has worked for the Lake County Forest Preserves since 2017. A graduate of Elmhurst University in 2015, he uses many communications tools—writing, graphic design, photography, public speaking and more—all in the service of educating... Read More →

Matthew Ueltzen

Saturday March 1, 2025 4:15pm - 5:00pm CST
Room 28

Community Engagement, Intro

Session Session Block G: 4:15 - 5 PM

Wild Things 2025

Brett Peto

Matthew Ueltzen

Attendees (107)

Sign up or log in to save this to your schedule, view media, leave feedback and see who's attending!