Events

Doug Tallamy points out that there are an estimated 40 million acres of lawn in the US - lawn which provides little to no benefit for wildlife, especially our native pollinators.

Join us to learn how the homeowners of this property near Gardiner, NY are transforming their suburban-style landscape - large lawn with a few scattered trees - into a habitat-friendly ecological landscape. Starting with a master plan, the owners will be approaching this as a mostly DIY operation and phasing in a variety of different projects as budget and time constraints allow.

Meadow - During this first phase we will help prepare an area approximately 20’x100’ for a native wildflower meadow by smothering the existing lawn with plastic tarp. After a full season of smothering, the meadow will be seeded late this fall to start growing in 2025.

Pond - The first phase also includes a small (12’x7’) “natural pond” currently under construction. We will learn how natural ponds use plants instead of chemicals to clean and filter the water. Fish, including exotic koi, will be kept out of this pond to allow frogs and other native amphibians to safely inhabit the waters.

Forum - We will exchange ideas and strategies for converting lawn to productive habitats and build community with like-minded neighbors.

This is a free, public event on private property. Registration is required with a limit of 20 people. Address will be sent to all who register. In the meantime, if you have any questions, please contact [email protected].

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