Tending Nature study group, Week 2

Last week in Tending Nature, we learned about the importance of insects in many natural functions known as ecosystem services.  Mary Gardiner walked us through insects’ roles as decomposers, pollinators and predators. She also highlighted the natural history some of these fascinating creatures. Remember that all Tending Nature webinar recordings will be posted (usually the same day) on our Recordings tab above.

This week we’ll consider the many functions of native plants. In our Friday webinar (1/14/22), author and biologist Doug Tallamy will discuss native plants and the food and habitat they provide for countless creatures in his webinar “Bringing Nature Home: The Importance of Native Plants.” Doug has been instrumental in spreading the word about native plants to gardeners and nature enthusiasts since the publication of his book Bringing Nature Home. Doug will share his insights and answer participant questions. As always, the session will be recorded and posted for those who can’t attend live.

We’ve linked to some of Doug Tallamy’s research and resources under the Learn With Us tab this week, including the native plant finder from The Nature Conservancy and a tool to identify regional keystone plants. If you’re keeping a Tending Nature journal, list “keystone plants” already growing in your garden site and make a wish list of species you may want to add this year.

On Thursday, January 13 from 12:00PM to 1:00PM EASTERN, Robin Wall Kimmerer will be presenting a free webinar sponsored by the City Club of Cleveland in partnership with Holden Forests & Gardens’ NEA Big Read Northeast Ohio (Links to an external site.) with Kent State University.

Good Medicine: A Conversation with Robin Wall Kimmerer

Robin Wall Kimmerer will discuss how we can repair not only ecological communities, but also the reciprocal relationship humankind has with land. Watch live on Thursday at the website below (click the link now to add your e-mail to get a reminder to join):

https://www.cityclub.org/forums/2022/01/13/good-medicine-a-conversation-with-robin-wall-kimmerer (Links to an external site.)

Hope to “see” you at Thursday’s lecture with Robin Wall Kimmerer or at Friday’s webinar with Doug Tallamy!

4 thoughts on “Tending Nature study group, Week 2

  1. I read (skimmed some parts) Brigitte Braschler, et al “Owners’ Perceptions…” Wouldn’t it be wonderful to repeat this here? I was amazed at their species list of ground-dwelling invertebrates. I need to learn more about these although I can usually tell them by their group names but not to genus and species- but is that very important in looking at basic diversity?

    I have been wondering where to do my check list- I live in an apartment. I am allowed to plant anything I want and have taken it upon myself to prune shrubs (one year), but the impact from deer would make any investment in plants frustrating and expensive- I live across the street from the Cleveland Metroparks and a deer herd frequently come to eat our grass and prune our flowers (the few left) and shrubs. I may go to my sister’s “farm” in Oberlin to do the checklist, but will have to define a space near the house and barn, rather than the entire property.

    • Hi Kathleen. Do you have a patio for hanging basket garden or window that could hold a flowerbox? Just an idea. Some native plants are deer resistance (milkweeds) and may work well around your building.

  2. I went out to do a winter (!) plant inventory of all the plants in my yard. It was really cold! Here’s the thing – my list is not complete – and I am up to over four pages of different plants. Weeds? not a lot going on this time of year. I am trying to come up with an organized way to list them. I’m thinking a spreadsheet: list then classify by fields. Because oh my! Someone seems to need all the plants in their yard!

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