2013 GRCA Brown Bag Lunch and Learns
Birmingham Botanical Gardens
Wednesday, April 17
11:30 am – 12:30 pm.
Go Native with 21st Century Landscaping
See how you can bring innovative mobile technology to your front door with an emphasis on native plants.
Instructor: Andrew Cole-Tyson, (mobile)land & garden design
Andrew has intentionally surrounded himself with nature since the age of 10 when his mother and uncle began to expose him to their family’s natural preserve in West Alabama. From that day forward he began to orient his hobbies around spending time in nature and became fascinated with all the ecological systems at work in our native landscapes. His logo is derived from an American Beech(Fagus grandifolia) leaf, which is his favorite tree remembered from the family land hunting trips as a child with his uncle.
Andrew holds a bachelors degree in Landscape Horticulture from Auburn University as well as a Masters Degree in Landscape Architecture from Auburn and is a Licensed Landscape Designer in the State of Alabama. He was a leader in graduate school with his emphasis in Urban Design and merging Urban and Natural systems to create pockets of intentional green space for respite from the psychological rigor of Corporate America in our urban centers. He firmly believes that intentional exposure to nature directly increases psychological healing. Prior to launching Cole-Tyson Land & Garden Design Studio, he spent many years working for nurseries and landscape companies across the state of Alabama and most recently spent 2.5 years in a Mixed Use Architecture firm in Montgomery, AL. During this 2.5 years in Montgomery he lead teams to launch 2 Urban Farming Projects on formerly contaminated vacant lots, traveled to Burkina Faso, Africa to design the first 1000 Acre Christian University in that Country, launched Montgomery Pedicab Company as an Urban Transportation experiment, and won the Max Community Credit Union City Wide Sustainability Leadership Award for 2010.
Andrew is most passionate about designing spaces that encourage people to spend more time outside of their homes and in touch with nature. He believes that it is our moral and ethical responsibility to educate our youth of the importance of incorporating nature into our daily routines. As a designer he is most interested in Custom Residential Outdoor Living Spaces, Urban Green Space Design, Horticultural Therapy and interactive healing gardens, and encouraging homeowners and restaurant owners to integrate food growing/cooking practices into their outdoor living rooms. Aside from this venture, Andrew is a founding partner of Cahaba Farms (Organic Wholesale Plant Nursery in Helena, AL), and Founder of Birmingham Pedicab Company with the support of his wife Ashley. At Cahaba Farms, Andrew grows several of the plants he designs with in a continued attempt to learn each plant’s seasonal characteristics. His focus now is ornamental grasses, and fern and perennial varieties.
Free and open to the public. Drinks and dessert provided.
Each household that attends a Lunch & Learn receives a free first aid kit provided by Forrestry Suppliers and Tecnu (a $60 value).
PAST EVENTS INCLUDE:
June 13
Creating a sustainable landscape plan for lawns/gardens (existing or planned) including how to design your space and how to choose your plants
Andy Portera, Portera Landscape Design, LLC
June 27
The case for using native plants in your landscapes; learn why there is such a robust interest in the use of native plants
John Manion, Kaul Wildflower Garden Curator, Birmingham Botanical Gardens
July 11
Rainwater harvesting and reuse
A. Dealing with water in your landscape with rain barrels and gardens
Sallie Lee, Jefferson County Extension Agent, ACES
B. Rainwater catchment and greywater reuse
Scott Kubiszyn, Nature’s Tap
July 25
Turning your kitchen waste and yard debris into nutrient rich materials to add to your soil that will enhance your lawn and garden
A. How to create a compost pile and what to add
B. How to use vermiculture to cut down on your household waste while creating a nutritious free additive for your lawn and garden
Vasha Rosenblum
August 8
Sustainable Management for Turf, Trees and Shrubs
Learn the timing and techniques needed to maintain your landscape!
Fred Kapp, Education Director, Alabama Green Industry Training Center
August 22
Urban Forestry
a. Learn how to choose the proper location, variety, planting and care of trees either for replacing trees lost or damaged by storms or adding new ones to your landscape
Matt McCullough, Clifford Hawkins, Urban Forestry Coordinator
Alabama Forestry Commission
January 23
To Prune or Not to Prune?
Learn about the correct way and right time of year to prune and fertilize your plants and trees.
Instructor: Fred Spicer, Executive Director, Birmingham Botanical Gardens
Wednesday, February 13
Spring into Cleaning with Recycling
From purchase to purge, identify free disposal methods for many household items and discover how to reduce the amount of daily waste you generate.
Instructor: Dana Gray, Jefferson County Household Cooking Oil & Grease Recycling Program
Instructor: Alan Gurganus, Recycling Director, Alabama Environmental Council
Wednesday, March 27
Four-Legged Gardening
Discover how to create a safe space for pets by learning the difference between pet-friendly and unfriendly plants.
Instructors: Sallie Lee, Jefferson County Extension Agent, ACES and Dr. Beth Taylor, Doctor of Veterinary Medicine.
Sustainability Discussion Courses
We have become a partner with the Northwest Earth Institute, and are excited to offer their unique discussion courses on sustainability.
There are several different topics available, ranging from 5 to 8 sessions each. The classes work best in groups from 8 to 12 people, and the only cost for the class is the $20-$35 course booklets. If you would like to start a group, we can help.
Contact us at info@greenalabama.org and a volunteer will get in touch with you about the details. Also, visit the Northwest Earth Institute’s website www.nwei.org to learn more about the courses, and to purchase books.
To order your course booklet click here and when prompted to select which organization you are affiliated or referred by please remember to select the Green Resource Center for Alabama.
