Ernst Conservation Seeds, headquartered in Meadville, Crawford County, Monday announced it will sponsor a premier lecture series this spring at Hawk Mountain Sanctuary, Berks County featuring  three renowned experts in the native plant movement: Ann Raver, Bill Cullina, and Mark Fiely.

“Hawk Mountain is thrilled to partner with Ernst Conservation Seeds and it’s a natural fit as we work to expand and improve the Native Plant Garden at the Sanctuary, to educate visitors to the importance of natives, and to get more people outside and experiencing nature,” says President Jerry Regan.

“The annual series continues to grow and we thank Ernst Seeds for helping us to connect visitors with experts in the field … people who cater to a gardening and conservation audience,” he adds.

The first lecture begins May 2 at 5 p.m. and will feature author and New York Times garden columnist Anne Raver who will present “My Life in Gardens: Stories from Around the Globe,” followed by a chance to have Anne sign copies of her book, Deep in the Green: An Exploration of Country Pleasures. Raver has been published in Country Gardens and Landscape Architecture magazines in addition to her column in the New York Times.

During her talk, she will take participants on a photographic journey across the country and beyond, sharing her favorite gardens and public spaces from the Amazon River to the Arctic Circle and from North Carolina woodlands to the Brooklyn Bridge Park.

On May 16, William Cullina, author and director of the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens, will present “Why You Can't Buy a Forest in a Can,” at 1 p.m. in the Hawk Mountain Education Building. Cullina is an award-winning gardener, acclaimed lecturer, and author of several books.

During his talk, he will explain how the forests of eastern North America are remarkable considering their 400 years of logging, plowing, pollution, and invasive pests, but that as human populations grow, so too, does continued pressure.

Cullina argues that individuals, communities and nations must take action now to curb this degradation and will share ways in which participants can use their own backyards and communities to restore the diversity of our woodlands.

Later that day, Cullina will present the third lecture in the series, “Sugar, Sex, and Poison:  Shocking Plant Secrets Caught on Camera,” at 5 p.m in the Visitor Center gallery.

During this lecture, Cullina will outline the amazing array of adaptations that plants use to avoid being eaten but to also attract and nourish other, helpful animals that pollinate, disperse seeds or otherwise benefit the plant. He will explain how understanding this world of pollen, pigments, pheromones, sugars, and sex translates to sound organic practices from which everyone can all benefit.

Mark Fiely, horticulturist with Ernst Conservation Seeds, will present, “Establishment and Maintenance of Wildlife Friendly Meadows” on May 17 at 1 p.m. in the Hawk Mountain Sanctuary Education Building.

Fiely will cover natural grasslands in Pennsylvania with a focus on a large area of little bluestem (Andropogon girardii) at Fort Indiantown Gap in Pennsylvania. The lecture will explore meadows with tall and short statured grasses and diversity.

 "Diversity of flora begets diversity of fauna. Grass height can affect the type of diversity that will occur in the landscape," he explains. Fiely has been the horticulturist at Ernst Conservation Seeds since 1995 and has focused on diversifying the natural ecotypes available at the company. He also works to fulfill the company's mission by educating customers on the value of using native species.

Ernst Conservation Seeds grows, processes and sells more than 400 species of native and naturalized seeds and live plant materials for restoration, beautification, reclamation and conservation. Natives are critical in the restoration of North American ecological health, and are the best choice for use in almost every scenario.

Ernst Seeds identifies, collects and propagates new species and ecotypes that meet its clients’ needs, from eastern Canada to the southeastern United States. The company’s native seeds are produced from species considered the most significant foundation of an effective native restoration or reclamation project.

“It is widely known that Hawk Mountain Sanctuary is an international leader in raptor research, education and conservation. But the Sanctuary’s programming and facilities provide a much more far-reaching and expansive benefit by driving a renewed public interest in conservation and ecological restoration,” said Randy Ferguson, director of marketing and communications for Ernst Seeds.

“Hawk Mountain actively advocates the importance of native plants by continually developing its own native plant garden and associated grasslands, by offering its annual native plant sale and by presenting this high-caliber lecture series for what is now the second year in a row. Ernst Seeds is proud to support these remarkable community outreach efforts.”      

All Ernst Conservation Seeds Native Plant Lecture Series sessions are Free to Hawk Mountain Volunteers and Members. Presentations are free for Hawk Mountain members and $5 for non-members and registration is available at 610-756-6961.

For more information, visit the Hawk Mountain Sanctuary and Ernst Conservation Seeds websites.  Click Here for other upcoming Hawk Mountain programs.

4/20/2015