WOS’s January 3, 2022 Meeting: Planting with a Purpose: To Bring Birds Back
How to Transform Our Yards into Bird-Friendly Habitat
Recent headlines have highlighted serious declines in the numbers of birds and of insects, including insects that pollinate our food and insects that are primary food sources for many birds. However, as our presenters at WOS’ Jan. 3 Monthly Meeting program will show, we are not doomed to stand by, helplessly, and watch these worrisome trends continue. We can take actions to turn them around.
Our first speaker will be Professor Doug Tallamy, an entomologist and author of the NY Times best-seller, Nature’s Best Hope, a New Approach to Conservation that Starts in Your Yard (2019). Speaking in a recorded video, Tallamy will describe specific steps we can take to create habitats in our yards where birds, insects and other wildlife thrive. Chief among these steps is planting native plants, particularly native “keystone plants” because the latter support 90% of the caterpillar species, mostly moths, that enable our terrestrial birds to reproduce.
Following Tallamy’s presentation will be moth enthusiast, David Droppers, who will explain why moths are key, not those pretty butterflies! He will address important questions such as 1) what are the keystone plants in Washington; 2) what are the challenges to selecting plants in the Pacific Northwest; and 3) how should we go about choosing plants. David will guide us through these plant choices while also sharing the natural history of moths.
Our third presenter will be WOS member Neil Zimmerman who will show photos of the beautiful, wildlife-friendly garden that he and his wife Carleen have created and he will share the principles that have guided them in creating and maintaining their garden.