Hello Wild Side Readers,
If you are new to this blog, I share information on Ohio’s wildlife, but as an educator, I also create posts related to education events I present at. Recently, I presented at the 2021 Ohio Turf Foundation and Green Industry Short Course (OTF/GISC) annual conference. My topic was the title of this post – attracting friendly wildlife (those species that do not typically cause conflict or damage) into landscapes in our communities. That could mean commercial properties, public or recreation areas, park properties, and backyard spaces. The below are resources I shared during that presentation, as well as the slide set. For those of you that were not in attendance, never fear – this presentation (which is a recorded webinar) is very similar if you’d like to watch it.
Attracting Birds and Other Wildlife to the Landscape – Slide set from 2021 OTF/GISC Conference
Additional Resources:
Doug Tallamy webinar – Restoring Nature’s Relationships at Home (the connection between trees and caterpillars)
3 Billion Birds Lost Research and Website
Alternatives to Non-native, Invasive Plants Brochure and Website– Ohio Invasive Plant Council
Butterflies & Moths of North America
Nesting and Overwintering Habitat for Pollinators and Other Beneficial Insects
Ohio Trees for Bees – OSU Extension fact sheet
Enhancing Food (Mast) Production for Woodland Wildlife – OSU Extension fact sheet
Books:
Butterflies of Ohio Field Guide by Jaret C. Daniels
Good Garden Bugs by Mary M. Gardiner
Shrubs and Woody Vines of Indiana and the Midwest by Sally and Harmon Weeks
Native Trees of the Midwest by Weeks, Weeks, and Parker
Research papers:
Baker et al. 2020 – Suitability of native milkweed (Asclepias) species versus cultivars for supporting monarch butterflies and bees in urban gardens
Ricker et al. 2019 – Comparing Insect Pollination Visitation for Six Native Shrub Species and their Cultivars
Remember the power that our community green spaces can have – they foster an appreciation for nature and wildlife. Happy Wildscaping!
Marne Titchenell
Wildlife Program Specialist