In this presentation, Oliver López shares a community-centered approach to horticulture that bridges ecological stewardship, cultural knowledge, and urban forestry practice. Grounded in both field experience and storytelling, the talk explores how trees can serve not only as ecological infrastructure but as cultural anchors that foster belonging, resilience, and collective care.
Drawing from his work in New York City and Ecuador, Oliver presents three interconnected lenses: community-based reforestation (Sembratón), bilingual public engagement (Alas Latinas), and Indigenous ecological philosophy (Sumak Kawsay).
Together, these approaches demonstrate how inclusive programming and cultural frameworks can transform public green spaces into living classrooms.
The presentation will also introduce Nature and Resistance, a public program that positions green spaces as sites of cultural expression, healing, and collective memory. Participants will be invited to contribute to the development of an Indigenous Peoples Public Programs Toolkit, a collaborative resource designed to support culturally grounded programming across parks, gardens, and public landscapes.
Additionally, Oliver will share the Tree of Solutions framework, a practical tool for community-based environmental work that connects challenges (roots), interventions (trunk), and outcomes (canopy), centering both ecological function and human connection.
Attendees will gain actionable strategies for inclusive urban forestry, multilingual engagement, and community-driven stewardship, while being invited to help shape a more equitable and culturally rooted future for public horticulture.
Speaker: Oliver López
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Conference Schedule
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In this presentation, Oliver López shares a community-centered approach to horticulture that bridges ecological stewardship, cultural knowledge, and urban forestry practice. Grounded in both field experience and storytelling, the talk explores how trees can serve not only as ecological infrastructure but as cultural anchors that foster belonging, resilience, and collective care.
Drawing from his work in New York City and Ecuador, Oliver presents three interconnected lenses: community-based reforestation (Sembratón), bilingual public engagement (Alas Latinas), and Indigenous ecological philosophy (Sumak Kawsay).
Together, these approaches demonstrate how inclusive programming and cultural frameworks can transform public green spaces into living classrooms.
The presentation will also introduce Nature and Resistance, a public program that positions green spaces as sites of cultural expression, healing, and collective memory. Participants will be invited to contribute to the development of an Indigenous Peoples Public Programs Toolkit, a collaborative resource designed to support culturally grounded programming across parks, gardens, and public landscapes.
Additionally, Oliver will share the Tree of Solutions framework, a practical tool for community-based environmental work that connects challenges (roots), interventions (trunk), and outcomes (canopy), centering both ecological function and human connection.
Attendees will gain actionable strategies for inclusive urban forestry, multilingual engagement, and community-driven stewardship, while being invited to help shape a more equitable and culturally rooted future for public horticulture.