2026 Program
2026 Agenda
| Time | Session | Location | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8:30 a.m. | Registration | Grand Hall, Reynolds Center | |
| 8:45 a.m. | Welcome | Grand Hall, Reynolds Center | |
| 9:00 a.m. | Keynote | Grand Hall, Reynolds Center | Matt McCowan & Joel Glaze (AR Biochar Project, ExxonMobil) |
| 10:00 a.m. | Session 1A | REY GHB | Small Steps to Big Change Heather Runyan, Logoly State Park |
| 10:00 a.m. | Session 1B | REY 205 | Nighttime Outdoor Illumination – A Better Way Ned Skoog, Arkansas Natural Sky Association |
| 10:00 a.m. | Session 1C | REY 207 | Opportunities in Sustainability Florence Meadors, Startup Junkie / Lithium Regional Innovation Cluster |
| 10:00 a.m. | Session 1D | REY 210 | Sustainable Communities Emillie Vest (Abilities Unlimited) Kristyn Creel & Emily Gordon (SAU Service Learning) |
| Break | |||
| 11:00 a.m. | Session 2A | REY GHB | Empowering Arkansas’ Future April Ambrose, Arkansas Advanced Energy Foundation |
| 11:00 a.m. | Session 2B | REY 205 | How to Develop a Sustainable Garden Hannah Boyte, UA Division of Agriculture |
| 11:00 a.m. | Session 2C | REY 207 | Edible Landscapes Dr. Alan Wright |
| 11:00 a.m. | Session 2D | REY 210 | Sustaining Ourselves Through Nature Sophia Stephenson |
| 12:00 p.m. | Lunch & Awards | Grand Hall, Reynolds Center | SAU Farmstead: A Holistic View Dr. HicksAwards: • Good Steward Leadership Award • RCB Sustainability Award • New Generations Impact Award |
| 1:20 p.m. | Poster Session | REY Rotunda | Student Poster Presentations (Multiple presenters) |
| 1:20 p.m. | Outdoor Demonstrations | Reynolds Mall Area | Birding (1:35–2:05) Beekeeping (1:45–2:15) |
| Break | |||
| 2:20 p.m. | Outdoor Demonstrations | Reynolds Mall Area | Landscape Photography (2:10–2:35) Birding (2:45–3:15) Beekeeping (2:30–3:00) |
2025 Keynote
Heather Runyan
“From Appreciation to Conservation: Connecting to Nature to Build Awareness and Action”
Heather Runyan is the park interpreter at Logoly State Park. She served two terms as an AmeriCorps member at Garvan Woodland Gardens before joining Arkansas State Parks in 2006. In addition to Logoly State Park, she has also worked as a park interpreter at Crowley’s Ridge State Park and Village Creek State Park. For her, the best part of the job is getting to share a passion for Arkansas’ natural resources with guests and watch as they discover something new.
