Irises’ Tale of Conservation and Adaptation
Saturday, January 28, 2023
8:30am - 1:00pm
Featuring: Patrick O'Connor, Charles Perilloux, and Dana Nunez Brown
Sponsored by the Arlene Kestner Educational Fund
EBRP Main Branch Library Conference Room
7711 Goodwood Blvd
Baton Rouge, LA 70806
Registration Fee
Early Bird pricing through January 15, 2023:
$50 for Members/$65 Non-Members/$25 Students
Free for Members Cypress Level ($500) and above. Please register so we know you're
attending.
CEU’s for master gardeners and landscape architects!
After January 15th, ticket prices are: $60 for Members/$75 Non-Members/$35 Students
Program
Louisiana irises are a critical part of Louisiana natural heritage that have been greatly impacted by land use and climate change. During this symposium, iris experts, Patrick O’Connor and Charles Perilloux, will discuss iris species found in Louisiana, their discovery, natural history, and how iris distribution has changed over time - weaving in stories of human-plant interactions. They will also discuss the future of irises and what is needed for their conservation and adaptation. Expanding on her book, Using Plants for Stormwater Management, architect Dana Nunez Brown will focus on how irises and other species provide important ecosystem services and can be critical plants for stormwater management. After presentations from the speakers, an interactive panel discussion will be open to questions from attendees.
Speakers
Dana Nunez Brown has 43 years of experience as a landscape architect and planner, managing large projects
with construction budgets over $30 million as well as small park projects with construction
budgets as low as $100,000. Dana holds a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture degree
from Louisiana State University and Master of Landscape Architecture degree from the
Harvard Graduate School of Design. She is a licensed Landscape Architect in Louisiana,
Alabama, Mississippi, and Texas, a LEED Accredited Professional, a Certified Planner
with the American Institute of Certified Planners, and a Fellow of the American Society
of Landscape Architects. Dana’s work in Louisiana focuses on urban design, park design,
stormwater management, and community engagement. She has been complimented by officials
of New Orleans, Gretna, Hammond, Lafayette, Baton Rouge, Lake Charles, Houma, and
others for her authentic interaction with stakeholders and members of the public.
Dana pioneered stormwater management in Louisiana beginning in 2004, writing new ordinances
that require developers to implement green infrastructure.
As President of Dana Brown & Associates, she pioneered design of green infrastructure throughout Louisiana. Dana is a licensed trainer for the National Green Infrastructure Certification Program (NGICP) and a founding member of Water Wise Gulf South, which trains and educates residents in implementing green infrastructure in their neighborhoods. She is the author of “Using Plants for Stormwater Management: A Green Infrastructure Guide for the Gulf South,” LSU Press, April 2014.
Patrick O’Connor has a broad interest in plants native to Louisiana and the Gulf South with an emphasis
on Louisiana irises and ferns. He has registered around 120 Louisiana iris hybrids
with the American Iris Society. Patrick has twice won the Society’s Mary Swords DeBaillon
Medal, the highest award given to a Louisiana iris cultivar, for his hybrids ‘Deja
Voodoo’ (2018) and ‘When Pigs Fly’ (2021). He is past president and charter member
of the Greater New Orleans Iris Society, past officer and board member of the Society
for Louisiana Irises, and former board member of the Louisiana Native Plant Society.
Patrick is active in the Louisiana Iris Species Preservation Project sponsored by
both the Society for Louisiana Irises and the Greater New Orleans Iris Society. For
ten years, ending in 2013, Patrick operated an online commercial nursery selling Louisiana
irises called Zydeco Louisiana Iris Garden. Patrick retired from the LSU Health Science
Center where his principal work was in the administration of Louisiana’s public hospital
system. He has a Ph.D. in Political Science from Indiana University.
Charles Perilloux is a retired chemical engineer passionate about conservation of native species of
iris. Born in Lafayette, Louisiana, Charles earned a B.S. and Ph.D. in chemical engineering
at LSU and Rice University, respectively. He worked for DuPont chemical company (Nylon,
Kevlar, Teflon, Nomex) during which time he traveled extensively in Europe, Singapore,
and China. Charles also worked as a part-time consultant in the abatement of greenhouse
gas, nitrous oxide, in Texas and China. Since retiring in 2013, Charles has been active
in the iris community. Charles is one of five stewards of the Louisiana Iris Species
Preservation Project with others based out of New Orleans, LA, Savannah, GA, Houston,
TX, and Chattanooga, TN. He is also active in planning and zoning issues related to
the preservation of the historic Highland Road. Charles has been married to his wife
and landscape architect, Kathleen Mills, for 56 years.