51����’s Office of Sustainability and the Michael Schwartz Library are bringing researchers and local practitioners together to talk about sustainability efforts and innovations. The “Celebration of Ecological Resources and Culture of Cuyahoga County” series is being presented in support of the 2019 Sustainable Cleveland initiative, a ten-year effort to engage the Cleveland community in building a resilient, forward-thinking city.

The series’ first event of 2019 is “Invasive Plants and Ecological Restoration,” where 51����’s Emily Rauschert and the Cleveland Metroparks’ Jenn Hillmer will discuss efforts to address invasive species and restore local ecology. Rauschert is an assistant professor in the Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences at 51���� and Hillmer is the invasive plant coordinator for the Metroparks.

The presentation, which is free and open to the public, begins at 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 26 in Rhodes Tower, Room 502.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Cuyahoga River catching fire. While devastating, this event sparked the creation of the US Environmental Protection Agency, the Clean Water Act and the creation of a strong local effort to promote environmental sustainability. This speaker series was created in an effort to capture some of the great work happening at 51���� in relation to the region’s broader efforts to continue to promote sustainability in all its forms.