EDTalks 2025

Friday, Mar 28, 2025 at 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM CDT

The Urban Ecology Center at Phil Hardberger Park, 8400 NW Military Hwy, San Antonio, Texas, 78231, United States

Event sold out

1. Select Seats

2. Review and Proceed

Friday, Mar 28, 2025 at 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM CDT

The Urban Ecology Center at Phil Hardberger Park, 8400 NW Military Hwy, San Antonio, Texas, 78231, United States.

EDTalks 2025: Making connections between land management and the sustainability of water resources

The Edwards Aquifer Authority and Southwest Research Institute are pleased to announce our second EDTalks on March 28, 2025. EDTalks is a new take on our previous lecture series with a more topic-based approach that will explore current and existing issues, relevant research, and the application of research to the Edwards Aquifer and other aquifer systems of south-central Texas. 

This year EDTalks will feature presentations focused on land management and nature-based solutions in the context of sustainable water resource management for our region. Speakers will cover topics ranging from the water quality and quantity drivers for nature-based solutions to observations of how land surface and groundwater systems interact and examples of specific land management techniques, applications, and results.

As a bonus, there will be an optional opportunity to take a stroll through the Phil Hardberger Park Savanna Restoration on EDWalks. Learn from expert guides about the restoration process, the importance of native plants, and how the savanna ecosystem supports soil health and water conservation. The walk is approximately 1/2 mile through ADA accessible trails in the Savanna area adjacent to the Urban Ecology Center. 

To close out the day, we invite you to stick around for a social networking hour.  Open bar and hors d'oeuvres will be served, sponsored by Southwest Research Institute.

Edwards Aquifer Authority

Roland Ruiz
General Manager
Edwards Aquifer Authority

About Roland Ruiz

General Manager
Edwards Aquifer Authority
Bradford Wilcox, PhD
Professor in Ecohydrology
Texas A&M University

About Bradford Wilcox, PhD

Professor in Ecohydrology
Texas A&M University
Matthew Berg, PhD
CEO & Principal Scientist
Simfero

About Matthew Berg, PhD

CEO & Principal Scientist
Simfero
Michael Young, PhD
Associate Dean for Research
The University of Texas at Austin

About Michael Young, PhD

Associate Dean for Research
The University of Texas at Austin
Andrew Sansom, PhD
Executive Director
Meadows Center for Water and the Environment

About Andrew Sansom, PhD

Executive Director
Meadows Center for Water and the Environment
Mollie Walton, PhD
Restoration Ecologist
MW Restoration Ecology

About Mollie Walton, PhD

Restoration Ecologist
MW Restoration Ecology

About Southwest Research Institute

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Sessions on Mar 28, 2025

09:00 AM

Check in, coffee/tea service

09:00 AM - 09:30 AM
09:30 AM

EAA’s Next Generation and sustainability of the Edwards Aquifer: Improving certainty in uncertain times

09:30 AM - 10:00 AM
    Roland Ruiz
    General ManagerEdwards Aquifer Authority
    10:00 AM

    Forwards, Backwards, Edwards: (Choosing?) The Road Ahead: Part 1

    10:00 AM - 10:30 AM
      Matthew Berg, PhD
      CEO & Principal ScientistSimfero
      10:30 AM

      Ecohydrology of the Edwards Plateau: Implications for Water and Soil Conservation

      10:30 AM - 11:05 AM
        Bradford Wilcox, PhD
        Professor in EcohydrologyTexas A&M University
        11:05 AM

        Understanding Water Movement in Near-Surface Soils

        11:05 AM - 11:45 AM
          Michael Young, PhD
          Associate Dean for ResearchThe University of Texas at Austin
          11:45 AM

          Lunch (included)

          11:45 AM - 12:30 PM
          12:30 PM

          Forwards, Backwards, Edwards: (Choosing?) The Road Ahead: Part 2

          12:30 PM - 01:00 PM
            Matthew Berg, PhD
            CEO & Principal ScientistSimfero
            01:00 PM

            Working with Natural Landscape Processes to Repair Ecosystem Function

            01:00 PM - 02:00 PM
              Mollie Walton, PhD
              Restoration EcologistMW Restoration Ecology
              02:00 PM

              Tales of a Life on the Green Highway

              02:00 PM - 03:00 PM
                Andrew Sansom, PhD
                Executive DirectorMeadows Center for Water and the Environment
                03:15 PM

                EDWalks: Tour of Savanna Restoration at Hardberger Park

                03:15 PM - 04:00 PM
                03:30 PM

                Social Networking Hour

                03:30 PM - 05:30 PM