Native Plants and Beneficial Insects
June 29, 10:00 – 12:00
 

Would you like your garden to be filled with butterflies, bees, and birds? Come and learn how from Sandra Linnell as she presents “Native Plants and Beneficial Insects,” June 15 beginning at 10:30 AM.  Ms. Linnell will discuss what native plants occur and thrive in our area and how they support local ecology. The growth of cities and their accompanying urban sprawl have fragmented and transformed ecologically productive land to lush lawns with decorative ornamentals to enhance property values. Plants available in nurseries are often species chosen for their exotic interest and they not only sever the food web, but some have shown invasive behavior, outcompeting native species and degrading habitat in remaining natural areas impacting wildlife.  Hopefully that trend is turning with the reintroduction of native plant species. Research by the entomologist Doug Tallamy has found that native oak trees support over 500 species of caterpillars whereas ginkgo, a commonly planted landscape tree from Asia, host only five species of caterpillars.
Sandra Linnell is the Community Horticulture Program Coordinator at the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Columbia and Greene Counties. She has experience in growing natives, herbs, and flowers from seed from her previous employment working on farms and greenhouses.
This program will be held outside in the back garden of the North Chatham Free Library, weather permitting.  If necessary we will meet upstairs in the Library.  Signup for this event at email: registerNorthChathamLibrary@gmail.com.