2008 International Urban Parks Conference - Monday
7:30    EARLY BIRD OPTIONS

Point State Park Landscape History Walking Tour
 
Marion Pressley, FASLA, Principal, Pressley Associates

This tour will be worth 0.1 CEUs (1 contact hour).

Point State Park Management Issues Walking Tour

Mike Gable, Deputy Director, City of Pittsburgh Department of Public Works
Edward Patton, Director of Capital Projects, Riverlife Task Force
Phil Gruszka, Director of Park Management and Maintenance, Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy

This tour will be worth 0.1 CEUs (1 contact hour).

Point State Park Cultural History Walking Tour

Doug MacGregor, Education Director, Fort Pitt Museum
Laura Fisher, Senior Vice President, Allegheny Conference on Community Development

This tour will be worth 0.1 CEUs (1 contact hour).

Conference on the Move: Group Walk
John M. Jakicic, Ph.D.
, Associate Professor and Chair, Department of Health and Physical Activity and Director, Physical Activity and Weight Management Research Center, University of Pittsburgh

8:45    
GENERAL SESSION
Catherine Nagel, Executive Director, City Parks Alliance and National Association for Olmsted Parks
Luke Ravenstahl, Mayor, City of Pittsburgh

The Future of Livable Cities
The necessity of parks and how today’s most livable cities are preparing to meet future challenges. Panelists consider how economic development is tied to plans to reduce urban sprawl and combat global warming, while promoting green systems, amenities and infrastructure.
 
Will Rogers, President of the Trust for Public Land
Bruce Katz, Vice President and Director of Metropolitan Policy at the Brookings Institution
Rohit T. Aggarwala, Director of the Mayor's Office of Long Term Planning and Sustainability, City of New York
Carol Coletta, President and Chief Executive Officer, CEOs for Cities; host of public radio's Smart City

This session will be worth 0.175 CEUs (1.75 contact hours).

10:30 - 11:00 BREAK
               
11:00 BREAK OUT SESSIONS
 
1. What the Olmsteds Knew: Rediscover the Prescient Vision of Frederick Law Olmsted and Sons for 21st Century People and Their Cities
As our touchstone for the urban parks movement, Frederick Law Olmsted’s grasp of the intertwining of the designed landscape with human health, scenic beauty, civic development, and social equity continues to inspire best practices for parks.
 
Moderator: Susan Rademacher, Parks Curator, Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy
Charles Beveridge, editor of The Papers of Frederick Law Olmsted and co-author of Frederick Law Olmsted: Designing the American Landscape
William Gilchrist, Director of Planning, City of Birmingham, Alabama

This session will be worth 0.125 CEUs (1.25 contact hours).
 
2. Moving Parks Up the Public Policy Agenda
News from the front lines -- how citizens, non-profits and parks agencies are working together to shape expectations, advocate for public dollars, and get results. 
 
Moderator: Dick Dadey, Executive Director, Citizens Union, New York, NY
Richard Dolesh, Director of Policy, National Park and Recreation Association
Timothy J. Mitchell, General Superintendent, Chicago Park District
Christian DiPalermo, Executive Director, New Yorkers for Parks

This session will be worth 0.125 CEUs (1.25 contact hours).
 
3. From Menace to Amenity: Transforming Degraded Places into Parks
Battlefields, garbage dumps, and post-industrial husks -- what it takes to turn a no-man’s-land into everyone’s park. 
  
Moderator: Curtis Cravens, New York State Division of Coastal Resources
Eloise Hirsh, Staten Island Fresh Kills Park Project Administrator
Herbert Dreiseitl, Landscape Architect, Atelier Dreiseitl, Uberlingen, Germany
Julie Bargmann, Associate Professor, University of Virginia

This session will be worth 0.125 CEUs (1.25 contact hours).

4. Prescriptions for Parks
Healthcare providers and public health officials are putting parks at the heart of massive campaigns to promote healthy, active lifestyles.
 
Moderator: Liam Kavanagh, First Deputy Commissioner, New York City Department of Parks and Recreation
Diane P. Holder, President and CEO, UPMC Health Plan
Stuart Ord, Melbourne Regional Manager, Parks Victoria, Melbourne, Australia
Joseph (Jody) Brooks, Independent Consultant, Brooks Consulting

This session will be worth 0.125 CEUs (1.25 contact hours).
 
5. Building a Truly Democratic Urban Parks Movement
Leaders from diverse communities will discuss groundbreaking efforts to engage all members of urban centers to become active in community revitalization through parks and green spaces.
 
Moderator: Mindy Fullilove, MD, Professor of Clinical Psychiatry and Public Health at Columbia University
Vernice Miller-Travis, Executive Director, Environmental Support Center
Jarid Manos, Founder and President of the Great Plains Restoration Council
Charlie Lord, Director, Urban Ecology Institute, Boston College

This session will be worth 0.125 CEUs (1.25 contact hours). 
 
6. Park Ecology and Global Climate Change
How will we manage our parks in the face of global warming, and how can today’s best science shape management decisions?
 
Moderator: Carol Franklin, Principal, Andropogon Associates, Ltd., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Paul Bramhill, Chief Executive, GreenSpace, United Kingdom
Margaret Carreiro, Ph.D., University of Louisville
Shawn Norton, NPS Climate Friendly Parks Program, Climate Leadership in Parks (CLIP) Tool
Shabih-ul-Hassan Zaidi, Dean, Faculty of Architecture and Planning, University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore, Pakistan
 
This session will be worth 0.125 CEUs (1.25 contact hours).

7. Seeing Green: Building a Unique Urban Parks Culture in Contemporary Korea
An array of leadership partners brings interconnected perspectives on Korea's urban parks movement to light.  Featured among a number of projects is Seoul Forest Park, a massive effort which reclaimed an arterial highway as a new park.

Moderator:
Kathy Blaha, Principal, Kathy Blaha Consulting, LLC
Kang-Oh Lee, Secretary General of Seoul Green Trust, Seoul
Kyung-Jin Zoh, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Seoul National University, Seoul
Byoung-E Yang, President, Seoul Green Trust, Seoul
Seung il Ahn, Ph.D., Director of Green Seoul Bureau, Seoul Metropolitan Government

12:30 LUNCHEON TOURS

Ride the Rivers: Pittsburgh’s Waterfront Transformation
Board a riverboat docked at Point State Park and see the city’s landscape from the water while you hear the story of the greening of Pittsburgh.

Lisa Schroeder
, Executive Director, Riverlife Taskforce
Kelly Rabenstein, Communications Manager, Riverlife Taskforce

This tour will be worth 0.1 CEUs (1 contact hour).
 
Pittsburgh Cultural Trust Park Projects and Downtown Redevelopment
In the heart of downtown's Cultural District, explore important public spaces and their transformations, including historic Market Square's balancing act of preservation and redevelopment.  Lunch and learn about Cultural Trust initiatives at the Cabaret at Theatre Square, then visit the new Katz Plaza, recent residential developments, Michael Van Valkenburgh's Allegheny Riverfront Park, and the mid-century icon, Mellon Square, by Simonds and Simonds and Mitchell and Ritchie.

Kevin McMahon
, President and CEO, Pittsburgh Cultural Trust
Michael Edwards, President and CEO, Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership
John Mumper, Facilities Manager, Pittsburgh Cultural Trust
Marc Fleming, Vice President for Marketing and Communications, Pittsburgh Cultural Trust

This tour will be worth 0.1 CEUs (1 contact hour).
 
2:45 - 4:00 BREAK OUT SESSIONS

1. Greening the Green: At the Leading Edge
Learn how visionary landscape architects are developing new techniques and refining old ones to make parks more environmentally sustainable, including creative approaches to making the most of stormwater and making the most of the inherent qualities of historic parks.
 
Moderator: Timothy Gallagher, Superintendent, Seattle Parks and Recreation
Herbert Dreiseitl, Landscape Architect, Atelier Dreiseitel, Uberlingen, Germany
Marion Pressley, ASLA, Pressley & Associates
Laura Solano, Principal, Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates

This session will be worth 0.125 CEUs (1.25 contact hours).
 
2. Management Strategies for Historic and Natural Areas
Restoring parks often seems to bring historic and natural values into conflict. Take a look at how to navigate thoughtfully through best practices for controlling invasive species while restoring design intent, developing resources for restoration, and developing a citywide approach to managing natural areas.
 
Moderator: Steven Schuckman, Parks Superintendent of Planning and Design, Cincinnati Parks
Patricia O'Donnell, FASLA, Principal and Founder, Heritage Landscapes, Charlotte, VT
John Swintosky, ASLA, Louisville & Jefferson County Parks and Recreation, Louisville
Tupper Thomas, Administrator, Prospect Park; President, Prospect Park Alliance; Board Chair, City Parks Alliance

This session will be worth 0.125 CEUs (1.25 contact hours).
 
3. Getting the Big Picture: Parks Shaping New Development
Creating a green parks infrastructure can drive developers to shape new and better neighborhoods and cities.
 
Moderator: Lisa Kunst Vavro, Assistant Professor and Director, Landscape Architecture/Landscape Studies, Chatham University
Alexander Garvin, President & CEO, Alex Garvin & Associates, Inc.; Adjunct Professor of Urban Planning and Management, Yale University; author of The American City: What Works, What Doesn’t
John Hopkins, Landscape Architect; Urban and Environmental Planner; Project Sponsor for the London Olympic Parklands and Public Realm at the Olympic Delivery Authority, London
Dan Jones, Chairman and CEO, 21st Century Parks, Louisville, Kentucky

This session will be worth 0.125 CEUs (1.25 contact hours).
 
4. One Step at a Time: Promoting Physical Activity in the Park
Innovative strategies and programs can encourage people to use parks to improve their health.
 
John M. Jakicic, Ph.D., Associate Professor and Chair, Department of Health and Physical Activity and Director, Physical Activity and Weight Management Research Center, University of Pittsburgh
Marlane Weslian, Neighborhood Development Officer, Slavic Village Development, Cleveland
Kevin E. Jeffrey, Deputy Commissioner for Public Programs, New York City Department of Parks & Recreation
Geoffrey Godbey, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus, Recreation, Park and Leisure Management, Penn State University

This session will be worth 0.125 CEUs (1.25 contact hours).
 
5.  Forging Funding Partnerships: Vision and Cultivation - The Pittsburgh Story
How are funders linking parks with other urban issues and how can these efforts help park groups connect with funders primarily active in public health, civic engagement, and economic development? What results are these funders looking for and why do they give to parks? Discover how parks directors can cultivate and sustain long-term funder support.
 
Moderator: Randy Worls, Chief Executive Officer, Oglebay Foundation, Wheeling, West Virginia
Sylvia Fields, Executive Director, Eden Hall Foundation, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Richard Reed, Executive Vice President, The Pittsburgh Foundation
Brian J. Hill, Program Officer, Richard King Mellon Foundation
James V. Denova, Vice President, Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation

This session will be worth 0.125 CEUs (1.25 contact hours).

6.  Global Green Space: An Emerging International Urban Parks Network
How an international urban parks movement is helping cities around the world adopt best practices in creating and managing new parks.

Moderator: Velma Monteiro-Tribble, Chief Operating Officer and Assistant Treasurer, Alcoa Foundation
Tony Genco, President and CEO, Parc Downsview Park, Inc., Toronto, Ontario
Marinela Servitje de Lerdo de Tejada, Director, Papalote Museo del Niño, Mexico City; Former President, Pro-Bosque de Chapultepec Trust
Russell Watkinson, Director of Parks, Conservation and Lands, Australian Capital Territory Department of Territory and Municipal Services

This session will be worth 0.125 CEUs (1.25 contact hours).

 
4:00 – 4:30 REFRESHMENTS IN EXHIBIT HALL
 
4:15 CONVERSATIONS ON EVERYDAY ISSUES IN PARKS MANAGEMENT AND MAINTENANCE 
Resource leaders kick off an open exchange of practical experience and advice.
 
1. GETTING CREDIT FOR TREES
Discuss innovative approaches and strategies for funding and implementing tree-planting initiatives.

John Swintosky, Landscape Architect, Louisville Metro Parks
Marijke Hecht, Director, Western Pennsylvania Conservancy's TreeVitalize program

This session will be worth 0.1 CEUs (1 contact hour).
 
2. GETTING THE DIRT ON SUSTAINABILITY
Explore how heavily used public spaces can enjoy longevity with minimal horticultural inputs by using constructed soil profiles, proper plant selection, and human-wise design.
 
John Buck, Soil Scientist and Project Manager, Civil & Environmental Consultants, Inc., Pittsburgh, PA
Phil Gruszka, Director of Park Management and Maintenance, Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy
Margaret Carreiro, PhD, Associate Professor, Department of Biology, University of Louisville

This session will be worth 0.1 CEUs (1 contact hour).
 
3. INCREASING COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT IN YOUR PARKS
Cracking the chicken and the egg – how to get people involved and how to get the City to be more receptive.

Steve Coleman, CEO, Washington Parks & People
Nathan Wildfire, Sustainability Coordinator, East Liberty Development, Inc., Pittsburgh

This session will be worth 0.1 CEUs (1 contact hour).
 
4. USING MODERN TECHNOLOGIES IN DESIGN AND MANAGEMENT
Artificial turf, wi-fi, GIS for starters – what works and what doesn’t.

Tessa Huxley, Executive Director, Battery Park City Parks Conservancy
Duane Ashley, Director of Parks and Recreation, City of Pittsburgh

This session will be worth 0.1 CEUs (1 contact hour).
 
5. IDENTIFYING PRESERVATION TRAINING NEEDS FOR THE MAINTENANCE AND STEWARDSHIP OF HISTORIC URBAN PARKS
What are the training needs related to the knowledge and skills of maintenance staff in caring for historic urban landscapes? Audience members are encouraged to share their experience, helping the National Association for Olmsted Parks (NAOP) and the City Parks Alliance (CPA) identify training needs and develop a maintenance training program. Presented by NAOP and CPA.

Moderator:
Michael Boland,
Chief Planning, Projects, and Program Officer, The Presidio Trust, San Francisco, CA
Tim Almaguer, Executive Director, Friends of Patterson Park, Baltimore, MD
Christian Zimmerman, Vice President for Design and Construction, Prospect Park Alliance, Brooklyn, NY

This session will be worth 0.1 CEUs (1 contact hour).
 
6:00 CASH BAR RECEPTION IN EXHIBIT HALL
 
7:00 KEYNOTE ADDRESS AND DINNER 
Urban Parks: The Places That We Dream
 
Welcome and Introductions: Meg Cheever, President & CEO, Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy
 
Teresa Heinz, chairman of the Heinz Family Philanthropies and The Heinz Endowments and co-author of This Moment on Earth: Today’s New Environmentalists and Their Vision for the Future

This session will be worth 0.1 CEUs (1 contact hour).