SAT-B04: From Pavement to Pollinators: Building Biodiverse Urban Habitats

Saturday, October 11, 2025

2:00 PM – 3:15 PM CT

1.25 PDH, LA CES/HSW

Speaker(s)

Isabel Castilla, ASLA (she/her/hers)

Associate Partner
Field Operations
New York, New York
Jeremy Jungels (he/him/his)

Senior Director of Horticulture
The Hort (The Horticultural Society of NY)
New York, New York
Kayla Murgo, ASLA

Business Development Lead
Vestre

Biodiversity is rapidly declining with urban densification. This panel explores interdisciplinary strategies for designing urban habitats that support ecological resilience and social equity. Through landscape architecture, institutional initiatives, and data-driven design—illustrated by case studies across diverse climates—we examine localized, collaborative efforts to foster urban biodiversity and environmental justice.

Learning Outcomes:

Explore how urbanization impacts biodiversity, the history of habitat loss, and how interdisciplinary coalitions can drive ecological and social change.
Learn how projects like Pollinator Ports and The Underline use community engagement, environmental justice, and partnerships to create thriving urban habitats.
Investigate how landscape architecture and product design foster biodiversity through localized adaptation, species-specific strategies, and ecological graphics for public engagement.
Discover how data-informed design, cross-sector collaboration, and adaptable product development create scalable, climate-resilient interventions that support biodiversity and community well-being.