SUN-B08: The Home Landscape Lab: Unlocking Small Business Opportunities for a Biodiverse Future

Sunday, October 12, 2025

2:00 PM – 3:15 PM CT

1.25 PDH, LA CES/HSW

Speaker(s)

Wanjing Ji, ASLA, PLA

Founder and Principal
Ping Design LLC
SAINT PAUL, Minnesota
Emily A. Milliman, ASLA, PLA

Owner / Landscape Architect
Milliman Design Studio PLLC
Raleigh, North Carolina
Jessica Wolff, ASLA, PLA, LEED AP

Owner
Lupine Site Design, PA

Using their home landscapes as test plots, three sole practitioners showcase how everyday urban and suburban lots can drive biodiversity and environmental change. Discover lessons learned through hands-on experimentation and how to amplify them into business opportunities, scaling impact through advocacy and partnerships.

Learning Outcomes:

Learn how three landscape architects integrate biodiversity in their home landscapes across different urban and climate contexts, challenging the norm of the “perfect lawn” in everyday American residential properties.
Explore lessons learned through hands-on experimentation with planting and seeding native species, including documenting plant establishment, growth evolution, and maintenance efforts.
Learn how to apply these lessons to help clients navigate the process beyond design, including initial investment, funding opportunities, and maintenance requirements—ultimately setting the course for a successful business.
Explore how to scale the impact of pilot projects on biodiversity by leveraging partnerships with homeowners associations (HOAs), local environmental groups, land trusts, conservancy agencies, and contractors.