2026 Annual Conference – from Gardens to Grasslands
Registration is open for IWF’s 2026 Annual Conference on Saturday, March 7, 2026! This year’s Annual Conference theme is the importance of native habitats at every level of conservation. From gardening at home with often strict rules to large-scale restoration projects, we will dive into the value of native plants over non-natives, the perils our native ecosystems face under the onslaught of unchecked invasives, and how you can get involved!
This year’s conference location is The Garrison at Fort Harrison, 6002 N Post Rd, Indianapolis, IN 46216. Registration will begin at 8:30am and the conference will start with opening remarks by Executive Director Dan Boritt at 9am. A light lunch will be served at noon. We will end at 2pm with time afterwards for socializing.
from Gardens to Grasslands Speakers
Keynote
David Mizejewski
Naturalist and Educator, National Wildlife Federation
David Mizejewski has been fascinated by our natural world for as long as he can remember. A lifelong naturalist, he spent his youth exploring the woods, fields and wetlands, observing and learning about the surprising diversity of wildlife that inhabits them. He is a naturalist and television host with the National Wildlife Federation. He holds a degree in Human and Natural Ecology from Emory University and is an expert on wildlife and our environment. He’s dedicated to using his knowledge and unbridled enthusiasm to help others understand and protect wildlife.
Dawn Slack
Project Manager, SICIM
Dawn Slack has been studying natural systems and rare, threatened and endangered species for over 25 years. She has worked as a biologist for our military and state governments, as well as for-profit and not-for-profit entities. Her work and military lifestyle has led her coast to coast in the U.S. and to Europe. She has been blessed to study and manage our natural resources alongside many professionals and laymen to include her husband, Ryan. She currently resides in Fayette County, Indiana on their farm, Mt. Eshcol Homestead.
Presentation: The Elephant In The Room: Community Level Awareness and Action Is Necessary for Wildlife to Thrive
Michael Spalding
Southern Indiana Sentinel Landscape Coordinator
Michael Spalding is the coordinator of the Southern Indiana Sentinel Landscape (SISL). Coordinated by the Conservation Law Center at Indiana University’s Maurer School of Law, the partnership includes Federal agencies, state and local governments, and private organizations who work with private and public landowners. The Southern Indiana Sentinel Landscape is a collaborative partnership advancing the pace and scale of conservation and military mission support across a 3.5-million-acre swath of south-central Indiana. Michael has over 20 years of full-time experience in the conservation field with public and private lands and is a Certified Forester© with a BS in Forestry from Purdue University. Michael has been involved with prescribed fire and wildland firefighting for over 18 years.
Presentation: Indiana's Fire Dependent Oak Ecosystems
Alyssa Nyberg
Kankakee Sands Preserve Coordinator, TNC
Alyssa Nyberg recently stepped into the role of Preserve Coordinator at The Nature Conservancy’s Efroymson Prairie at Kankakee Sands. Alyssa has had the joy and honor of working at Kankakee Sands for 27 years with a focus on plants, seeds, community outreach and land management.
Presentation The Transformative Power of Bison
Max Gerke
Stewardship Specialist, CILTI
Max joined CILTI's stewardship crew in 2025 after helping out as a seasonal staffer for a few years. He was born in Fort Wayne and grew up in Milwaukee. While studying economics at the University of Kentucky, his appreciation for the outdoors began to take root. After graduation he lived in Denver for five years, and his passion for nature blossomed in proximity to the Rocky Mountains. He then earned a GIS Certificate from Colorado Mountain College with the intent to use these skills for nature preservation. After moving back to the Midwest with his wife to be closer to family, he worked with the DNR Division of Nature Preserves and the Indiana Heritage Data Center. He brings that experience with land management to CILTI, helping keep our natural areas natural.
Presentation: How Native Pollinators Affect Our Food System
2026 Conference Registration