Workshop | Landscaping for Bird Diversity

Taught by Claudia Thompson, Founder & President Emerita of Grow Native

Saturday June 8, 2019  |  9:30am - 11:30am

Jennison Hall at Bentley University, 175 Forest Street in Waltham, MA

CEUs Available - APLD (1 credit); NOFA-AOLCP (2 credits)

Do you aspire to create landscapes with genuine ecological value for a wide array of avian species— from songbirds, to raptors, owls, woodpeckers, and more? Claudia will lead an in-depth exploration of the principles and practices for achieving this objective, based on understanding the essential habitat requirements for bird survival. Our examination starts with the importance of native plants. Then we will take a deeper look at the value of different canopy layers, preferred planting strategies, techniques for providing water, and the critical role of active ecological systems to avian survival. We finish by considering our human interactions with birds. What are the pros and cons of feeding birds directly through seed and suet? Do nest boxes really help our native songbirds to breed? And given the threats from both human activity and non-native bird species, how can we tilt the balance in favor of our native songbirds?

Claudia Thompson founded Grow Native Massachusetts in 2010. She is nationally recognized as a leader in the native plant movement, and was featured as one of the “Wild Ones” in Garden Design magazine along with Doug Tallamy, Darrel Morrison, and others. She has had an extensive career as an ecologist and environmental educator. Claudia’s happiest moments are spent in her own garden where she has recorded 80 species of birds—including woodpeckers, migrating songbirds, and even rare woodcocks— all using the habitat she and her husband have created on their small urban parcel in Cambridge.

Why your membership is so important...

• Your membership gift provides vital funding for all of our programs. To thank you for your support, you receive workshop discounts and other benefits. Learn more on our membership page.​​​​​​​ If you have any questions, call 781-790-8921 or email Karen at kgibson@grownativemass.org.

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• When you sponsor a workshop, you make an additional tax-deductible contribution with your registration, which has a big impact on our ability to bring these programs to our community. Take the extra step to support an event and an organization you believe in!

• If you are not already a member, sponsorship makes you one. It includes BOTH the cost of your workshop registration and gives you membership benefits at the Advocate/ Family level.