Event Detail




Virtual Learning Workshop - Sustainable Landscapes in Everyday Life

How often do you experience a sustainably designed, environmentally forward landscape in your daily routine? Join our presenters as they share their expertise on sustainable, native Florida landscapes. They will share opportunities and constraints in utilizing native plantings along with three key initiatives being developed by the City of Groveland.

  • Gain a better understanding of native planting approaches and plant material (successes and challenges).
  • Learn about Groveland's initiative to become a leading example in the development of sustainable landscapes.
  • See examples and understand lessons learned as part of two case studies being implemented in Groveland.

Location: Virtual via Zoom
Date: February 12, 2026 @ 11:00 - 12:00 PM
Fee: $25 - This is a member-only opportunity

Registration Deadline: February 5, 2026

CEUs: .1

Cancellation deadline: Cancellation requests and transfer requests must be made in writing to brad@ncrpa.net.  Please view our Refund Policy here.

Speaker Information: 

Andrew Landis is the Conservation & Strategic Initiatives Division Manager at the City of Groveland, Florida and an Adjunct Professor of Environmental Studies at Rollins College in Winter Park. The Conservation Division works across city departments to foster sustainable native landscapes in Groveland, known as the City with Natural Charm. Downtown blocks have been revitalized and showcase native trees and plants. A wildflower rain garden has been installed at historic Lake David Park to help filter stormwater. Working with partners Dix.Hite, Cherrylake, Green Isle Gardens, Life Soils, and the Florida Wildflower Foundation, the city is pursuing native landscapes along state roadways. A complete rewrite of Groveland’s landscape code prioritizes tree preservation, water conservation, reduced sod coverage, native plants, and soil amendments.

Stacey Matrazzo joined the Florida Wildflower Foundation in 2015 as its program manager. Before that, she worked for the Foundation for several years as a contractor. She is the co-author of Native Plants for Florida Gardens, which she wrote with botanist/restoration ecologist Nancy Bissett.
Stacey is an environmental educator with a bachelor’s degree in environmental studies and a master’s degree in liberal studies from Rollins College, where she is also an adjunct professor. A native Floridian and certified Florida Master Naturalist, she spends much of her free time kayaking, hiking, birding and photographing Florida’s amazing natural environments.
A registered landscape architect in the State of Florida, Kody Smith serves as CEO of Dix.Hite + Partners and has lived and practiced in Central Florida since 2008. Kody’s intense respect and passion for the environment and culture of the places he designs is recognized by his teammates, colleagues, and clients, informing his approach and promising excellence in his finished work. His focus on parks, large-scale master-planning projects, and urban design stems from this passion for people, culture, and the power of shared environments. Kody works to transform the perspectives surrounding Florida’s landscapes by demonstrating all that its natural ecologies have to offer. His knack for transforming an existing space into something new, special, and usable shines through with each passing project.

Special Accommodations Requests: This program will be hosted via Zoom and will have closed captioning (CC) provided as an option in the meeting. If you need to explore additional accommodations, please reach out to charla@frpa.org at least a week before the scheduled session.

NCRPA Contact: Brad Foster at 919-832-5868 or brad@NCRPA.net

We are happy to partner with the Florida Recreation and Park Association to bring you convenient Virtual Education sessions. You will receive log in information no less than two days before the event from charla@frpa.org. If you do not receive this information by then, please email charla@frpa.org. To access the event, click on the link provided. Make sure your full name is included in your title as you enter the session so that the host can be sure you are allowed to be let in. You will be required to sign in via the chat box once the class begins. If you are unable to access the chat feature, you will be given further instruction during the session on how to record your attendance. FRPA would like to collect your feedback after the event so please be sure to complete the follow-up evaluation and instruction. 

Refund Policy and Code of Conduct