Kate Shirley

Kate Shirley is a landscape designer by training and currently manages the Green Infrastructure Program at the Illinois River Watershed Partnership, a conservation nonprofit based in Northwest Arkansas. In this role, she works with landowners, municipalities, and community partners to implement Low Impact Development practices that reduce urban runoff, improve water quality, and create more resilient landscapes. She also serves on the City of Fayetteville’s Urban Forestry Advisory Board, where she advocates for protection of our vital urban canopy. Kate deeply believes that urban development and ecological stewardship are not inherently at odds. Instead, she sees thoughtful design as a way to help communities grow while protecting the natural systems they depend on.