August 2026
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Alan Branhagen, Executive Director of the Natural Land Institute, will explore the native annual, perennial and woody vines found in the Midwest and how you can utilize them in the home landscape. Vines can conform to tight spaces and cover structures to cool and enliven them.
As green curtains, they have a lot to offer in cooling buildings and urban spaces, reduce air conditioning, and lower heat islands. Learn how the flowers of various vines offer nectar and pollen, which have fruits for wildlife and foliage that host a wide variety of caterpillars. From beauty to ecosystem services, they are a vital component of a healthy landscape.
Alan Branhagen has been with the Natural Land Institute in Rockford, Illinois since July 2023, one of the nation’s first land trusts responsible for protecting more than 19,000 acres of natural land in Illinois and Wisconsin. He was Director of Operations at the University of Minnesota Landscape Arboretum in suburban Minneapolis-St. Paul from 2017-2023 where he managed Horticulture, Plant Curation, and Natural Resource Management of the 1,200-acre site as well as its over 200,000 square feet of Facilities. From 1996-2017 Alan was Director of Horticulture at Powell Gardens, Kansas City’s botanical garden where he oversaw all horticulture and site planning as well as resource management of the 915-acre site.
Alan has a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture degree from Iowa State University and a Master of Landscape Architecture from Louisiana State University. He is an all-around plantsman and naturalist specializing in birds, butterflies, botany, and planning and design with nature. Alan is the author of three books: The Gardeners Butterfly Book, Native Plants of the Midwest, and The Midwest Native Plant Primer. Copies of his books will be available for purchase at the event.