Join the Penn State Master Gardeners of Cambria County for a lecture and book signing by Dr. Doug Tallamy on April 11 at the Forest Hills High School Auditorium in Sidman, Cambria County from 5:30 to 8:00 p.m.

Recent headlines about global insect declines and three billion fewer birds in North America serve as a bleak reality check regarding the ineffectiveness of our current landscape designs in sustaining the plants and animals vital to us.

Such losses are not an option if we wish to maintain our current standard of living on Planet Earth.

The good news is that none of this is inevitable.

By choosing the right plants for our landscapes, we cannot only address the biodiversity crisis but also combat the climate crisis.

Dr. Tallamy will discuss simple steps that each of us can—and must—take to reverse declining biodiversity.

He will explain why we need to shift from an adversarial relationship with nature to a collaborative one and why we, ourselves, are nature’s best hope.

Who is this for?

-- Adults (Over 18)

-- High school students (Grades 9-12) with registered, attending adult

-- Anyone interested in designing a sustaining landscape

What will you learn?

-- How current gardening practices relate to the decline of insects and birds

-- Changes we can make in our gardening relationship with nature

-- Choosing landscape plants for biodiversity

Dr. Doug Tallamy is the T. A. Baker Professor of Agriculture in the Department of  Entomology and Wildlife Ecology at the University of Delaware, where he has authored 112 research publications and has taught insect-related courses for 42 years.

Chief among his research goals is to better understand how insects interact with plants and how such interactions determine the diversity of animal communities.

His books include Bringing Nature Home; The Living Landscape, co-authored with Rick Darke; Nature's Best Hope, a New York Times Best Seller; The Nature of Oaks, winner of the American Horticultural Society’s 2022 book award.

In 2021 he cofounded Homegrown National Park with Michelle Alfandari.

His awards include recognition from The Garden Writer’s Association, Audubon, The National Wildlife Federation, Allegheny College, Ecoforesters, The Garden Club of America, and the American Horticultural Association.

Click Here to register for this special event.

Visit the Penn State Master Gardeners, Penn State Master Watershed Stewards and Penn State Extension webpages to learn about many more educational opportunities in your county.

Resource Links:

-- Stroud Water Research Center: We Are Nature’s Best Hope - An Interview With Doug Tallamy

-- Feature: Recognizing The Value Of Native Plants For Pollinators - Doug Tallamy  [PaEN]

-- Non-Native, Invasive Plant Species Are Ecologically Castrating The Landscape, But There Is A Solution - Doug Tallamy  [PaEN]

-- Pollinator Gardens: How You Can Help Assure Our Food Supply, Encourage Ecological Diversity In Your Own Backyard  [PaEN]

Related Articles This Week:

-- DCNR, State Fire Commissioner Warn Of Increasing Risk Of Seasonal Wildfires; 1,900 Wildfires Burned 9,186 Acres, Caused 3 Deaths In 2023  [PaEN]

-- DCNR State Parks March Environmental Education Newsletter Puts Spring In Your Educational Steps!  [PaEN]

-- Penn State Extension, Partners Host April 16 Online Mini-Workshop - Choosing Native Plants [PaEN]

-- Penn State Master Gardeners Of Cambria County Host Dr. Doug Tallamy April 11 - Nature's Best Hope, A New Approach To Conservation That Starts In Your Yard  [PaEN]

-- Penn State Extension, Partners Host Volunteer Tree Plantings April 13 - Lebanon County, April 16 - Lancaster County  [PaEN]

-- Volunteers Needed For 24-Hour Tree Planting Relay April 5-6 Organized By The Alliance For The Chesapeake Bay [PaEN]

-- March 20 Penn State Extension Webinar On Defining Nature's Worth From A Health And Economic Perspective  [PaEN]

-- Penn State Extension Community Trees Update: 59th Annual Shade Tree Symposium March 25-26 In Lebanon  [PaEN]

-- Biorenewables Symposium To Be Held April 18-19 In State College On Biobased, Energy, Products, Materials  [PaEN]

-- Stroud Water Research Center UpStream: Student Stewardship; Stream Restoration Investments; World Environmental Ed Congress; Starting A Watershed Organization; World Water Day March 22; More!  [PaEN]

[Posted: March 15, 2024]

3/18/2024