About me
Hi there! I come from the lovely town of Kalamazoo, MI, where my love for taking care of nature through horticulture first took root. In 2019, I made my way down to Gainesville, FL, enticed by the opportunity to join the respected University of Florida's Environmental Horticulture program. Although my initial studies at Western Michigan University didn't focus on plants, I discovered my true calling at Kalamazoo Valley Community College. There, I became a certified Master of Rain Gardening and got into sustainable homesteading.
As my path unfolded, I dedicated myself to learning all about environmental horticulture. I mixed formal education, community classes, and my own research. My days are a balancing act between school and work, but whenever I get a little free time, you'll spot me fully immersed in my garden, tending to my beloved collection of plants.
My dreams are big and centered around nature: I envision having my very own nursery for native plants. It won't just be a place to pick pretty flowers and herbs but also a hub for native landscape plants. Sharing knowledge is super important to me, so I plan to offer the community fun classes on gardening techniques and eco-friendly landscaping. My biggest hope is to spark the same love for the environment in others that drives me forward on this journey.
I am currently working on several studies related to climate change, which has become a growing concern over the past five decades. The projections from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) suggest that average global surface temperatures are likely to increase by 1.5°C (2.7°F) to 2°C (3.6°F) within the next century. One current study aims to assess the impact of rising temperatures on various commonly used urban tree species in Gainesville, Florida. I am using a greenhouse to expose selected tree species to temperatures ranging from 37°C (100°F) to 43°C (110°F) to simulate potential future global temperature scenarios. A second Study looks at Urban heat islands (UHIs) which are a noticeable consequence of climate change. The study aims to develop an assessment system to evaluate how effective parking lots are at mitigating the effects of urban heat islands. Subsequently, I will propose suitable parking lot designs to minimize these effects in Gainesville, Florida. After creating this assessment, I will analyze parking lot tree canopy regulations, past and current parking lot codes, and municipal codes.