2026 TCNC Regional Workshop Series – Dorothea Dix Park Walk-and-Talk

Join us for an interactive walk-and-talk workshop exploring the intersection of managed turfgrass lawns and native Piedmont prairies. While these two landscapes are often viewed as opposites, establishing and managing both relies on the same applied science and field techniques. Discover how turf and prairie management can work together to enhance public spaces, support local ecology, and create new business opportunities.

• Continuing Education Credit Notice: Continuing education credits (CEUs) are currently pending approval from NCBOLA, NCLCLB, and state pesticide credit boards.

Schedule of Events

• 1:00 PM – 1:30 PM | Welcome & Networking Connect with fellow industry professionals before the session begins.

• 1:30 PM – 2:20 PM | Feature Presentation: Southeastern Grasslands – Turfgrass Lawns and Piedmont Prairies

  • Featured Speaker: Preston Montague, PLA, ASLA

  • Session Breakdown: Landscape architect Preston Montague highlights his work alongside turfgrass specialists and golf course superintendents at Dorothea Dix Park. Attendees will learn practical management overlaps that improve public grounds, foster local wildlife, and open new revenue streams for land managers.

• 2:20 PM – 2:30 PM | Interactive Q&A Ask questions and discuss real-world applications with the speaker.

About the Speaker

Preston Montague, PLA, ASLA

Preston Montague is a licensed landscape architect, artist, and educator who uses art, horticulture, and design to help people connect with the natural world. In addition to operating his own environmental design studio, he teaches landscape architecture at North Carolina State University and North Carolina A&T State University.