Donald J. Leopold is a distinguished teaching professor and department chair of at the College of Environmental Science and Forest Biology, State University of New York, Syracuse, where he has won numerous teaching awards and researches the ecology of old-growth forests and wetlands, the biology of rare plant species, and the biodiversity and restoration of ecosystems. He earned a PhD in forest ecology from Purdue University and an MSF in forest ecology from the University of Kentucky. Leopold has been recognized with awards from the Garden Writers Association and the NYS Nursery and Landscape Association. His research and speaking events focus on applying ecological principles from natural communities to the development of sustainable green systems and restoring badly degraded landscapes.