Lean Into the Planting Plan
Karri Cecil Blackmon
Tyler O’Mara
Alan Peoples
Habitat Assessment and Restoration Professionals (HARP)
Charlotte, NC
Over the past 28 years, HARP vegetation specialists have reviewed 1000’s of stream and wetland restoration planting plans. Many plans have been well thought out, and others not so much so. In this presentation, HARP personnel will discuss pointers to an overall good planting plan with good biodiversity and some common sense species selection. We will address the form of plants that lend themselves to better success, i.e., live stakes, tubelings, bare roots, container planting, etc., and where within the landscape each form of plant should be utilized for the most favorable results. We will also address what not to do when creating planting plans and specs. HARP will address the need for more communication between designers and native nurseries to ensure the species that are spec’d are available. If time allows, HARP will discuss cost-saving measures in the selection of plants and the form of plants that are chosen.
About Karri Cecil Blackmon
Karri's background in agriculture and business which led her to pursue master’s course work in Plant and Soil science, a BS in Agricultural and BioSystems Engineering, and associate degree in Paralegal Technology. She attended Dr. Dave Rosgen’s stream assessment and natural channel design courses in North Carolina, Virginia, and Colorado completing levels 1- 4 in about 12 months’ time. She also completed training at the Waste Management Institute at NCAT University in 1998.
Karri is a Licensed Highway Contractor. Shei joined HARP in September 2006 with the intention of purchasing controlling interest from co-founder and mentor Dr. James “Jim” Matthews, this came to fruition in the summer of 2007. Under Karri’s guidance HARP has grown to include a respected environmental assessment, consulting and permitting division, a highly regarded natural resources restoration division, and the most recent addition to HARP is a native plant nursery at her grandparents’ farm where she was raised and upon their passing, inherited.
HARP performs a wide range of Natural Resources consulting and restoration services throughout North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and adjacent states. Services include Stream and Wetland Delineation, 404/401 Water Quality Permitting, Stream and Wetland restoration, Reforestation, Invasive Plant Management and Assessments, Threatened and Endangered Species Surveys, Endangered Plant Species Rescues, SHPO Surveys, and native plants sales.
Karri and her husband Randall of 23 years raised truly awesome twin sons Caleb and Gabriel who are pursuing degrees in emergency medicine and marine biology, respectively. They have three unique dogs, a small farm they call home where wildlife is allowed to thrive, and native plants abound.
About Tyler O’Mara
Tyler joined HARP in 2019 after working as a horticulturist in both public and private gardens. He serves as an adjunct instructor for a local community college’s horticultural department teaching primarily nursery production and operations. Tyler holds an AAS in Horticulture and a B.S. in Agriculture Education.
He has extensive experience in pesticide application and currently holds an arborist credential from the International Society of Arboriculture. At HARP Tyler oversees all plant material production and nursery operations. This includes everything from procurement of plant materials for HARP’s restoration projects to maintenance of infrastructure.
In addition to his work at HARP’s Nursery he spends time in the field conducting tree surveys, evaluating hydric soils in wetlands and designs pollinator meadows.
In his free time Tyler enjoys spending time with his wife Meg and son Asher, woodworking, fly fishing and developing a native pollinator garden at his home for birds and insects.
About Alan Peoples
Coming Soon