Learn How to Make Your Land Wildlife Friendly
Sustainable Charlotte and the Charlotte Conservation Commission will host a walk and talk with Conservation Biologist Mark Labarr at the Charlotte Park and Wildlife Refuge on on Wednesday, August 16 at 5 pm.
Living in Charlotte we all know the thrill of seeing a bobcat or spotting an elusive warbler or watching a beautiful dragonfly dance above a water source. We often recount these stories to our friends and neighbors and feel a sense of excitement about sharing the planet and our little piece of it with these wild creatures. How can we make these events happen more often? How do we steward our land to make it more hospitable to wildlife?
It’s becoming clear that the conservation of public lands is not enough to stem the tide of mass species extinction. In our modern lives it’s easy to forget that our lives depend on the survival of the natural world. Most of us don’t know enough about how to steward our land to increase biodiversity and ecosystem health. We have bought into the idea that lawns sprinkled with beautiful exotic plants originating from foreign lands are aesthetically pleasing. They actually don’t do much to support the native species that we love to encounter or support the natural cycles we depend upon.
Fortunately, there are resources and people to guide us in taking better care of our land. Mark Labar, a conservation biologist with Audubon Vermont, will lead the walk sponsored by Sustainable Charlotte and co-hosted by The Charlotte Conservation Commission. He will discuss efforts made by the Park Oversight Committee to combat invasives and restore habitat health. Maggie Cittarella, Chair of the CCC will be on hand to answer questions and give a CCC update. Mark Dillenbeck, our town tree warden, will also be available to share information and his personal experience dealing with invasives.
Please join us for this free event. Bring good walking shoes and bug protection. For more information, contact Cathy Hunter, 802-355-0439.
Additional resources:
To find native plants for our area: https://www.nwf.org/Garden-for-wildlife/about/native-plants
To learn more about rewilding: www.rewilding.org
Pollinator Pathways: https://www.pollinator-pathway.org/
Books and talks by Douglas Tallamy, including “Natures Best Hope” and
“Bringing Nature Home,” are available at the Charlotte Library.