The “State” of Nature in St. Joe County
Monday – October 2 @ 5:00 pm
*Presentation starts @ 5:30 pm
Pinhook Park Community Center
2801 Riverside Dr. South Bend, IN
Evie Kirkwood, long time director of St. Joseph County Parks, and host of PBS’s Outdoor Elements, will honor us with a presentation as we mark our birthday month (Wild Ones South Bend is 2!). Evie currently serves on the board of directors for Shirley Heinze Land Trust and volunteers for a number of non-profit, conservation related organizations.
How Native Plants Bring Your Garden to Life
Saturday – September 23 @ 3:00 pm
St. Joseph County Public Library, Centre Township Branch
1150 Kern Road, South Bend, IN
Local naturalist, Jan McGowan, will explain the many benefits of using native plants in our yards and gardens. Guests will learn what is a native plant, and the various ways natives support healthy soils, climate, pollinators, birds and humans. Guests will also discover how and why native plants save gardeners time, money and effort.
Unfortunately, most of the plants available in nurseries are not “native.” This presentation will explain how to find native plants for your landscaping needs. It will also share resources for garden planning, locally and on the internet. Hope to see you there!
You’ll Love Growing Native Plants!
Not only do native plants contribute to biodiversity, they flourish without fertilizers or pesticides and rarely need watering. Because of their deep roots, they absorb and filter excess rainfall—helping to provide clean water for everyone. Native plants help us celebrate the things that make our region unique, and teach us about the world of nature. Bring the tranquility, peace, curiosity, and connection you find in nature into your life by means of your immediate environment. I bet you’ll make some friends along the way…
“If suburbia were landscaped with meadows, prairies, thickets or forests, or combinations of these, then the water would sparkle, fish would be good to eat again, birds would sing and human spirits would soar.” Lorrie Otto (author, educator, environmental activist and Wild Ones founding member and Lifetime Honorary Director)