Hi! 👋 I am a field botanist and Certified Ecological Restoration Practitioner working in the Chicago region. At Northwestern University, I studied environmental sciences with a focus on plant biology and conservation. After that, I worked for 8 years at an ecological consulting firm with projects for government agencies, non-profits, and private clients located throughout the Midwest. I now work for the Chicago Park District as part of the Environmental Conservation & Engagement team.
Aside from studying and restoring natural areas, one of the things I most enjoy is helping the average person realize that natural spaces, even in urban areas, are diverse, beautiful, and worthy of our protection and care.
Looking for a speaker?
I am taking a bit of a break from speaking engagements for the first half of 2022. If your event is past that timeframe, feel free to get in touch!
I can speak or teach works on the following topics:
- habitat restoration → planning, implementing, and monitoring prairie, wetland, savanna, and woodland restoration projects in the Midwest United States; performance standards for ecosystem restoration assessment; seed and plant mix design
- plant identification → intro to botany; Midwest US flowering plants including native and non-native species, invasive species, tree and shrubs; tools for plant ID; taxonomy; botanical terminology
- iNaturalist → intro to iNaturalist, all-day indoor/outdoor iNaturalist workshops, using iNaturalist for citizen science projects, advanced iNaturalist tools
If you’ve got ideas or opportunities, shoot me an email!
—cassi
![Kankakee mallow Iliamna remota](http://www.cassisaari.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/large-1024x1024.jpg)
![cassi saari Palmisano Park Chicago Park District Natural Areas](http://www.cassisaari.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/20170717_190938-1024x768.jpg)
![Elymus canadensis Rainbow Beach](http://www.cassisaari.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/IMG_2993-1024x683.jpg)
![](http://www.cassisaari.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Verbena-hastata-paul-sweet.png)
![](http://www.cassisaari.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/silph-1024x401.jpg)
![cassi saari Vegetation monitoring with Bella](http://www.cassisaari.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/IMG_20190612_133006_415-1024x1024.jpg)
![](http://www.cassisaari.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/desierto-de-tabernas-cassi-saari-1024x576.jpg)
![](http://www.cassisaari.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/a-hab-woodland_20170530_114348-1024x576.jpg)
![](http://www.cassisaari.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/20160720_180700-1024x768.jpg)