Climate Week 2023 Symposium: Cultivating Resilience

As leaders from around the world convene in New York City for Climate Week, NYBG will host a symposium to examine ecological restoration: its history, current trends, and the crucial work that needs to continue on a global scale. Jennifer Bernstein, CEO and The William C. Steere Sr. President of The New York Botanical Garden, will welcome symposium guests. The keynote address, Wild by Design: Caring for Biodiversity in a Changing World, will be given by Dr. Laura J. Martin, followed by a panel discussion on The Promise of Ecosystem Restoration with distinguished scientists and practitioners.

Wild by Design: Caring for Biodiversity in a Changing World
Keynote Address by Dr. Laura J. Martin
9:30–10:30 a.m.

Many wild species will not survive climate change without acts of human care, and today ecological restoration is a global pursuit. Restoration began as the pastime of a few wildflower enthusiasts, including scientists at NYBG. Dr. Laura J. Martin, author of Wild by Design, will discuss how the history of restoration should guide its future, calling for restoration as a means of collaborating with other species and as a form of social justice.

The Promise of Ecosystem Restoration
The 2nd Annual Thomas E. Lovejoy, Ph.D., and Edward O. Wilson, Ph.D., Panel
Moderated by Dr. Mauricio Diazgranados
10:45 a.m.–12 p.m.

Centuries of human activity have degraded the biodiversity and ecological function of natural ecosystems everywhere—from our most populous cities to our most remote wildernesses. Recognizing that it will take significant work to prevent, halt, and reverse this degradation, the United Nations has named 2020–2030 the decade of ecosystem restoration. A panel of distinguished scientists and practitioners will discuss the goals and challenges of the restoration of ecosystems, ranging from urban natural areas to expansive prairies to tropical forests.

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