2027 Habitat Hero Conference

13th Annual Habitat Hero Conference: Saturday, February 13th, 2027

Registration Information Coming in Early December!

Cost: $ 35.00 per person, includes lunch.

Keynote Speaker: Thomas Peterson, Manager of Conservation Programs for Ducks Unlimited.

Tom Peterson is the Manager of Conservation Programs for Ducks Unlimited in Wyoming and Nebraska where he leads conservation initiatives focused on wildlife management, habitat conservation, and natural resource stewardship.

Originally from Minnesota, he earned degrees from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point and Mississippi State University. His conservation career has included waterfowl research across North America, from Alaska’s North Slope to the bottomland hardwood forests of Mississippi.

Since joining Ducks Unlimited in 2015, Tom has focused on building partnerships and advancing habitat restoration and protection projects that deliver lasting benefits for wildlife, wetlands, and working lands. In his current role, he works with landowners, agencies, and conservation partners to develop and implement science-based conservation solutions that support healthy ecosystems and sustainable land management.

Katelynn Martinez, OneCanopy

Katelynn Martinez is President and founding partner of OneCanopy, a Colorado native plant nursery growing trees, shrubs, and forbs for ecological restoration across the Mountain West. She brings more than a decade of experience in forest management, conservation, and ecosystem restoration in the Rocky Mountain region.

At OneCanopy, Katelynn works with restoration practitioners, landowners, and community partners to connect restoration needs with regionally sourced native plants. She holds a B.S. in Forest Management and an MBA in Corporate Sustainability from Colorado State University, along with certificates in Carbon Management and Permaculture Design. A seventh-generation Coloradan, her work is deeply rooted in reverence for arid landscapes and the communities who have stewarded them across generations.

Chrissy Land, Western Nebraska Community Forester

Chrissy Land is the Western Nebraska Community Forester for the Nebraska Forest Service, going on 8 years. She covers the western half of the state, working with communities to help develop green spaces and manage public tree canopy.

As a native of the Nebraska Panhandle, Chrissy shares her experience of more than 15 years designing and managing landscapes in some of the toughest environments. She designed the City of Gering’s Civic Plaza and Ever Green House, has a bachelor’s in landscape design; a master’s in community and regional planning from the University of Nebraska – Lincoln and is an International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) Certified Arborist with the Tree Risk Assessment Qualification.

Chrissy will share how to work with plants that thrive in the high-plains region and will share tips and tricks to make your gardens beautiful in our challenging environment.

Join us and you will also hear and meet our six “Lightning Round” speakers: Rachel Crowther (Soil Sampling), Jacki Bakker (Water Harvesting), Kathleen King (Entomologist), Nancy Loomis (Native Plant Salvaging), Jeff Cowley (Colorado River Compact), and Isaiah Smith (Garden Design).