Layering wildscapes: designing with plant communitiesJoyce Hostyn
When designing wildscapes, you need to think like a walnut, see like a squirrel, be like a bee and forage like a bird. Wildscapes replicate the layered structure of wild ecosystems to maximize biodiversity, habitat, resilience & beauty.
Layering wildscapes: designing with plant communitiesJoyce Hostyn
When designing wildscapes, you need to think like a walnut, see like a squirrel, be like a bee and forage like a bird. Wildscapes replicate the layered structure of wild ecosystems to maximize biodiversity, habitat, resilience & beauty.
The presentation shows how urban gardens that contain flowering perennial plants provide food, habitat, and sanctuary for native bees and other beneficial insects.
Integrating Native Pollinators into Wildlife Conservation PracticesNancy Adamson
This program was prepared by Nancy Lee Adamson (Xerces Society), many other Xerces Society staff, & Carol Heiser (VA Department of Game & Inland Fisheries), for Virginia Master Naturalists promoting meadow establishment for pollinator & upland game conservation, with input & support from Virginia Department of Game & Inland Fisheries biologists & the USDA-NRCS East National Technology Support Center. Notes to accompany the slides are available in a separate Word file.
Pollinator Conservation on Small Farms by Nancy Adamson at CFSA12 on 26-28 Oc...Nancy Adamson
Pollinator Conservation on Small Farms
Presenter Nancy Lee Adamson, Pollinator Conservation Specialist of the Xerces Society & NRCS East National Technology Support Center (at CFSA12)
This workshop highlights the role of native bees in fruit and vegetable crop pollination, a few of the most common crop pollinators, and ways to support bees and other beneficial insects on farms. The key components of supporting pollinators are providing nectar and pollen through the growing season, nesting sites, and protection from pesticides. Organic growers prize diversity; enhancing plant diversity for pollinators is an effective way to meet National Organic Program requirements to improve natural diversity. Common bee crop pollinators will be on display throughout the conference in the exhibit area.
NANCY LEE ADAMSON studied native bee crop pollinators in Virginia while earning a doctorate in entomology. Nancy has long been involved in ecological restoration, propagating native plants, and promoting ecologically-minded landscaping in the mid-Atlantic US. The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation works closely with the NRCS to support pollinators and other beneficial insects by promot- ing “farming for bees.” Nancy supports farmers and others interested in pollinator conservation through planting habitat, minimizing pesticide use, and increasing awareness of the importance of native bees in crop pollination.
2014 Nature Night: Attracting Native Pollinators by Mace VaughanDesLandTrust
Mace Vaughan from the Xerces Society presents at the Deschutes Land Trust's Nature Night on Attracting Native Pollinators. Learn all about native bees, challenges they face, and how you can help.
SSAWG 2018 Native Beneficial Insects for Pest Control & How to Enhance Habit...Nancy Adamson
Get to know some of the common beneficial predatory and parasitoid insects that help control pests on your farm or in your garden, along with the plantings and practices that help them thrive. Nectar, pollen, protection from pesticides, and shelter for nesting are the key components of a healthy farm or garden that will help keep insect populations in balance.
Ecologist Nancy Adamson is the East Region Senior Pollinator Conservation Specialist for the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation and the US Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service in Greensboro, NC. She promotes habitat restoration on farm lands and in community and home landscapes. She loves sharing her passion for native plants and all the wildlife they support. She earned a PhD in entomology from Virginia Tech and an MS in natural resource sciences from the University of Maryland. To learn more about conservation through planting habitat, minimizing pesticide use, and sharing awareness of how insects support a healthy world, visit www.xerces.org, e-mail Nancy@xerces.org or phone 336-370-3443.
Befriending Farm Allies by Nancy Lee Adamson, CFSA SAC 2016Nancy Adamson
Befriending Farm Allies—Pollinators, Predators, Parasitoids, (and Prey!)
Floral diversity on farms supports pollinators and many other beneficial insects. But, who are they? Join Nancy to learn about some of our coolest farm allies--the most common types of bees, flies, wasps, and other wildlife that help ensure healthy harvests. The program highlight habitat needs of bees and other beneficial insects (food and nesting), farming practices that support them, and Farm Bill programs to enhance diversity on farms. Planting suggestions focus on structure and management, though some specific plants are highlighted. In a separate program, Debbie Roos focused more on the specific plants that support pollinators. To learn more about pollinator conservation and conservation biological control, visit www.xerces.org or www.nrcs.usda.gov. Contact nancy@xerces.org or 336-370-3443.
Nancy is a partner biologist with the Xerces Society and the USDA NRCS East National Technology Support Center (ENTSC). She loves sharing her understanding of our native bees, native plants, and other wildlife, and helping people appreciate how diversity supports our well-being. With Xerces and the ENTSC she supports pollinator conservation through habitat protection and restoration on farm lands. She earned her doctoral degree in entomology with research on bees important for crop pollination (view some of her videos on native bees and plants at https://www.youtube.com/user/MelittologyNancy). She ran the horticulture and Master Gardener programs for Frederick County, Maryland’s Cooperative Extension. She conducted botanical surveys for the New Jersey Natural Heritage Program and the wildflower seed company Bloomin’ Natives. She ran the educational programs and the native plant nursery at Adkins Arboretum after earning a master’s degree in horticulture with an emphasis on native plants. She worked as a farmhand at Wheatland Vegetable Farms, restored wetlands with Environmental Quality Resources, and taught at Echo Hill Outdoor School. A former Peace Corps volunteer in Tunisia, she also worked as an intern with the Nicaragua-U.S. Friendship Office and with Cultural Survival in Petén, Guatemala. To learn more about pollinator conservation through planting habitat, minimizing pesticide use, and sharing awareness of the importance of native bees, visit www.xerces.org. Contact: Nancy@xerces.org or 336-370-3443.
The presentation shows how urban gardens that contain flowering perennial plants provide food, habitat, and sanctuary for native bees and other beneficial insects.
Integrating Native Pollinators into Wildlife Conservation PracticesNancy Adamson
This program was prepared by Nancy Lee Adamson (Xerces Society), many other Xerces Society staff, & Carol Heiser (VA Department of Game & Inland Fisheries), for Virginia Master Naturalists promoting meadow establishment for pollinator & upland game conservation, with input & support from Virginia Department of Game & Inland Fisheries biologists & the USDA-NRCS East National Technology Support Center. Notes to accompany the slides are available in a separate Word file.
Pollinator Conservation on Small Farms by Nancy Adamson at CFSA12 on 26-28 Oc...Nancy Adamson
Pollinator Conservation on Small Farms
Presenter Nancy Lee Adamson, Pollinator Conservation Specialist of the Xerces Society & NRCS East National Technology Support Center (at CFSA12)
This workshop highlights the role of native bees in fruit and vegetable crop pollination, a few of the most common crop pollinators, and ways to support bees and other beneficial insects on farms. The key components of supporting pollinators are providing nectar and pollen through the growing season, nesting sites, and protection from pesticides. Organic growers prize diversity; enhancing plant diversity for pollinators is an effective way to meet National Organic Program requirements to improve natural diversity. Common bee crop pollinators will be on display throughout the conference in the exhibit area.
NANCY LEE ADAMSON studied native bee crop pollinators in Virginia while earning a doctorate in entomology. Nancy has long been involved in ecological restoration, propagating native plants, and promoting ecologically-minded landscaping in the mid-Atlantic US. The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation works closely with the NRCS to support pollinators and other beneficial insects by promot- ing “farming for bees.” Nancy supports farmers and others interested in pollinator conservation through planting habitat, minimizing pesticide use, and increasing awareness of the importance of native bees in crop pollination.
2014 Nature Night: Attracting Native Pollinators by Mace VaughanDesLandTrust
Mace Vaughan from the Xerces Society presents at the Deschutes Land Trust's Nature Night on Attracting Native Pollinators. Learn all about native bees, challenges they face, and how you can help.
SSAWG 2018 Native Beneficial Insects for Pest Control & How to Enhance Habit...Nancy Adamson
Get to know some of the common beneficial predatory and parasitoid insects that help control pests on your farm or in your garden, along with the plantings and practices that help them thrive. Nectar, pollen, protection from pesticides, and shelter for nesting are the key components of a healthy farm or garden that will help keep insect populations in balance.
Ecologist Nancy Adamson is the East Region Senior Pollinator Conservation Specialist for the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation and the US Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service in Greensboro, NC. She promotes habitat restoration on farm lands and in community and home landscapes. She loves sharing her passion for native plants and all the wildlife they support. She earned a PhD in entomology from Virginia Tech and an MS in natural resource sciences from the University of Maryland. To learn more about conservation through planting habitat, minimizing pesticide use, and sharing awareness of how insects support a healthy world, visit www.xerces.org, e-mail Nancy@xerces.org or phone 336-370-3443.
Befriending Farm Allies by Nancy Lee Adamson, CFSA SAC 2016Nancy Adamson
Befriending Farm Allies—Pollinators, Predators, Parasitoids, (and Prey!)
Floral diversity on farms supports pollinators and many other beneficial insects. But, who are they? Join Nancy to learn about some of our coolest farm allies--the most common types of bees, flies, wasps, and other wildlife that help ensure healthy harvests. The program highlight habitat needs of bees and other beneficial insects (food and nesting), farming practices that support them, and Farm Bill programs to enhance diversity on farms. Planting suggestions focus on structure and management, though some specific plants are highlighted. In a separate program, Debbie Roos focused more on the specific plants that support pollinators. To learn more about pollinator conservation and conservation biological control, visit www.xerces.org or www.nrcs.usda.gov. Contact nancy@xerces.org or 336-370-3443.
Nancy is a partner biologist with the Xerces Society and the USDA NRCS East National Technology Support Center (ENTSC). She loves sharing her understanding of our native bees, native plants, and other wildlife, and helping people appreciate how diversity supports our well-being. With Xerces and the ENTSC she supports pollinator conservation through habitat protection and restoration on farm lands. She earned her doctoral degree in entomology with research on bees important for crop pollination (view some of her videos on native bees and plants at https://www.youtube.com/user/MelittologyNancy). She ran the horticulture and Master Gardener programs for Frederick County, Maryland’s Cooperative Extension. She conducted botanical surveys for the New Jersey Natural Heritage Program and the wildflower seed company Bloomin’ Natives. She ran the educational programs and the native plant nursery at Adkins Arboretum after earning a master’s degree in horticulture with an emphasis on native plants. She worked as a farmhand at Wheatland Vegetable Farms, restored wetlands with Environmental Quality Resources, and taught at Echo Hill Outdoor School. A former Peace Corps volunteer in Tunisia, she also worked as an intern with the Nicaragua-U.S. Friendship Office and with Cultural Survival in Petén, Guatemala. To learn more about pollinator conservation through planting habitat, minimizing pesticide use, and sharing awareness of the importance of native bees, visit www.xerces.org. Contact: Nancy@xerces.org or 336-370-3443.
Historically cities emerged around centralised marketplaces on the intersection of supply infrastructures.
But as most transactions are shifting online and our perception of value changes, these infrastructures become obsolete. What will shape the city of the future? How will our buying choices, whether we buy from Amazon or we visit farmers markets impact the city of the future?
This talk explores three urban scenarios based on existing trends and discusses what we can anticipate from each one.
The One-Line City - A place where people live exclusively through online lives at home. All transactions take place online, physical meeting places and the high street have disappeared, there is limited requirement for mobility, augmented reality reduces the need for furniture and fashion; we are left with a city built along the connectors between hubs for distributing the few remaining physical goods.
The HyperLocal City - Where people live and thrive in their local communities which are enhanced through social and sensor based networked technologies. The city becomes a collection of neighbourhoods, booming in themselves, but isolated from each other.
The Aspirational City - A global network of city zones that are identical despite being geographically distant. Lifestyle and opinion, and the amplification of those via global social networks create environments of identically branded communities thriving on shared experiences.
The future city is up to you; the choices between your day to day online and offline transactions, not a master plan, will shape the cities to come.
presented at TEDx London, City 2.0
6 December 2013
http://tedxlondon.com/portfolio/alexander-grunsteidl/
http://youtu.be/xhn8kdg3Rg8
This is our prop planning for our final task (film opening). This slide share has been created as an alternative presentational feature for my blog- http://jessgoodaleasmedia.blogspot.co.uk/
Gardening for Wildlife; by Vegan Organic Network
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For more information, Please see websites below:
`
Organic Edible Schoolyards & Gardening with Children
http://scribd.com/doc/239851214
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Double Food Production from your School Garden with Organic Tech
http://scribd.com/doc/239851079
`
Free School Gardening Art Posters
http://scribd.com/doc/239851159`
`
Companion Planting Increases Food Production from School Gardens
http://scribd.com/doc/239851159
`
Healthy Foods Dramatically Improves Student Academic Success
http://scribd.com/doc/239851348
`
City Chickens for your Organic School Garden
http://scribd.com/doc/239850440
`
Simple Square Foot Gardening for Schools - Teacher Guide
http://scribd.com/doc/239851110
Our beautiful wild pollinators need help! Support bees, butterflies and other pollinators by converting your lawn into a meadowscape or let your lawn grow wild!
1. Kottinger Creek, Pleasanton CA
Habitats, Ecosystems, and the Natural World
by Britney Cooper
What kinds of things are kept in your house? Why do you need them?
o Elaborate specifically about each thing and what service it provides to us.
What would you do if, one day, some very big, strong, and scary animal came to your
house, destroyed your refrigerator, took away all of your beds, blankets, pillows,
furniture, and money, and told you to find a house somewhere in another city? How
would that make you feel, and do you think it would make getting food, going to school,
getting sleep, and being happy with your family very hard?
o “yes”
This is what has happened to animals all across the world. There are lots and lots of
people on the planet, more than the planet is supposed to support, and we have displaced
animals’ habitats for our homes, supermarkets, highways and shopping centers.
o Take our wonderful class. Each one of us probably has a very, very nice home, or
in animal version, habitat, to live in. Think of all of our homes in this group and
add those together; that’s a lot of space for our homes! Then think of your whole
grade, your whole school, our whole city, and the whole world! There are 8
billion people on the earth, that’s a lot of habitats transformed into human space!
(where do the animals go?)
o We are only one species, or type of animal, that takes up space. But there are
more than 8.7 million types of animals that need homes too, but we have taken
their homes away.
People have started to realize that we need to share our planet with all of the squirrels,
mountain lions, birds, fish, etc. and are working to give them back their homes that have
been destroyed by us.
o Today, we will talk about what a wonderful home Kottinger Creek is for native
animals, and how this habitat came to be here. Kottinger Creek is an example of
this, which we will talk more about soon. But before this, I’d like to invite you
into this natural home, and encourage you to feel how great a home it is for the
local animals and plants.
o Walk through with students. Tell them to quietly observe the natural world with
voices off and feather feet because we are in someone else’s home. No picking up
2. sticks, no pulling on leaves (remember, that plant is a life), and think about what
you see, hear, and observe. How does it all make you feel?
Kottinger Creek in history
o Where we stand, and this stream we see here, is very, very old. Kottinger creek
has been a natural creek since 11,000 years ago, predating human existence!
Nature carved it as a small tributary stream connecting to bigger streams around
California.
So, as it is today, what did we see? List off.
Kottinger creek restoration project
o Creek was damaged due to agriculture, livestock grazing, logging, and
urbanization or residential development
o Now is a good example of how humans are rebuilding habitats and sharing
resources and land with the natural world. It’s increased access to animals for
mating and has kept them from becoming isolated which is good for their health.
o All of the plants we see here are native. What does that mean? And these native
plants were either here before this creek was restored, or rebuilt, by people, or
have been planted within the last 10 years. Most are very young just like us.
o At one time, though, there many of what is called “invasive” plants here. If native
means naturally growing, what do you think invasive might mean? Invasive is
plants that are not supposed to be growing here, and they are bad for ecosystems
like this one here. Invasive make life hard for native species to live happily
because they make it hard for them to grow, reproduce, find food, and survive.
They have no naturally occurring predators so they grow too much. But all of
these were removed from Kottinger Creek when it was restored, and guess what?
The city of Pleasanton regularly comes back our to this very creek we are
standing in to pull our any intrusive invasive species that come back.
We are going now to walk through this creek and talk about the wildlife we see. We will
quietly observe the native plants, the animals, and brainstorm ways we can continue
taking care of this precious home for the local animals we care about.
3. Native Plants at Kottinger Creek
Coyote Brush
deer-resistant
drought tolerant after maturity, requiring watering once a week until
established, and then about once per month during the first summer
seedling growth is poor in the shade
whitish flowers are the females; yellowish flowers are the males
seeds are whitish on females, which looks like coyote fur
The shrub has many stems that arise from clumps near the ground,
forming dense vegetative cover preferred by many small mammals and
low nesting birds. nectary sources for most of the predatory wasps,
native skippers(small butterflies) and native flies
Being evergreen, this cover is present year-round.
fall and winter blooming period, provides an important late-season
nectar source that attracts many bees, butterflies, predatory wasps and
other insects — which are in turn food sources for other wildlife.
honey-like fragrance which attracts many butterflies.
Grows very well after fires
Western Rosebud
Flowers provide nectar to bees and the young shoots, leaves
Seedpods are browsed by goats, and to a limited extent by deer, sheep,
and cattle
The striking sweetpea-like flowers appear before the leaves, in small
clusters along the branches.
Pollination is by bumble bees (Bombus sp.) and orchard mason bees
In gravelly and rocky soils along streams where it is never flooded
Plant is drought tolerant, sun-loving, and grows in a wide variety of
soils
Grows mostly singly, but sometimes, in sheltered situations, in shrubby
clumps.
Highly valued by Native American basket weaver
Redbud also re-sprouts vigorously after fires.
4. California Poppies
Flowering from February to September
The petals close at night or in cold, windy weather and open again the
following morning, although they may remain closed in cloudy
weather.
Dies completely in colder climates
Drought-tolerant, self-seeding, and easy to grow in gardens
Leaves were used medicinally by Native Americans,
Recognized as a potentially invasive species in the United States, with
no ill effects reported for this plant where it has been introduced
outside of California
Been displaced in large areas of its original habitat, such as Southern
California, by more invasive exotic species, such as mustard or annual
grasses
Limited direct wildlife value, comprising less than 5% of small
mammal diets and providing minor cover for small birds
Important link in the food web
Pollination services of insects for reproductive success
Common pollinators include bumble bees, sweat bees, mining bees,
and European honey bees
Rich pollen provides food source for a wide variety of insects
Arroyo Willow
Grows in Canyons and valleys, along pond shores, and in marshes and
wetlands
Thrives along the edges of streams where it enjoys the moist soil it
requires.
Willow bark or flowers was used to cure a variety of ailments from
fevers to itchiness to diarrhea
Insect pollinated
Leaves are frequently consumed by insects in early spring
Great food sources of insects for birds
Lateral branching creates cover and nesting structure for wildlife.
Deer, elk, and rabbits browse the stems and foliage
Its male catkins are a source of pollen for beneficial insects
catkins and buds are food for small game and songbirds in spring
Large willows along a stream will benefit fish by increasing food
availability and reducing water temperatures through shade.
5. Coast Redwood
Especially dependent upon fog for moisture to grow and survive
Largest carbon storage systems on the planet
Plants growing on redwoods produce food and microhabitats for many
species of animals, including beetles, crickets, earthworms, millipedes,
mollusks, arthropods and amphibians
Birds and mammals nest high in the canopy of redwood trees like the
peregrine falcon, bald eagle, and northern spotted owl
Species of bats nest and roost inside old, hollow redwood trees
Valley Oak
90% of valley oak woodland has been cleared for agriculture and urban
development (vineyard development)
tolerate both long term flooding and periods of drought
large branch are multiple small stems that during the spring and
summer provide good cover for nesting birds and other wildlife such
squirrels and ringtails.
Snags or dead branches of Valley Oaks are used by cavity nesters and
raptors will also nest in oaks. Many migratory songbirds nest in Valley
oaks, but these trees are especially important nesting sites for resident
bird
Acorns are a valuable winter food source for birds and mammals during
Oak Gall life cycle
Oak Gall Wasp female insect lays an egg on tree, releases a chemical
into plant to grow the oak gall
tree reacts to non-stinging wasps laying their eggs on its leaves,
branches, twigs or flowers
Hatching larvae nourish themselves with the nutritive tissue of the
galls, in which they are otherwise well-protected from external
environmental effects
Galls can grow on all parts of the tree, including the leaves, buds,
branches, and roots
Cause little or no harm to the health of a tree
Inside of the gall
is rich with protein and provides a source of concentrated food for the
developing larvae
Larvae grows after a few months
Gall attracts bees, ants, flies and beetles. When these insects feed on the
honeydew they discourage parasitoid wasps from disturbing the
developing wasp
Holes show emergence of gall wasp adult
6. Invasive species
Wood Strawberry
The fruit was eaten raw and not preserved by California Indian tribes
including the Coast Yuki and the Karok
A tea was made from the leaves
Wild Strawberries bloom from April to June.
Many animals eat strawberry fruits, including Common Crow, Gray
Catbird, sparrows, Wild Turkey, Cedar Waxwing, Red-bellied
Woodpecker, Blue Jay, Northern Mockingbird,European Starling,
American Robin, Northern Cardinal, Virginia Opossum, Striped Skunk,
Eastern Chipmunk, Meadow Vole, White-footed Mouse, and Eastern
Box Turtle.
Animals that eat strawberry leaves include Eastern Cottontail, White-
tailed Deer, nematodes, mites, slugs, stinkbugs, spittlebugs, weevils,
and other insects . Wild Strawberry flowers provide nectar and pollen
for many insect species, including bees, flies, ants, and butterflies.
Some common species which use flowers for food include Honey Bee,
Golden Northern Bumble Bee, Eastern Tailed Blue, Cabbage White,
and Clouded Sulphur.
The wood strawberry growth we see was not planted during the
restoration, it is thought that seeds were brought from upstream further
east of the stream and were deposited here. Seeds could have also been
brought by animals. How do you think the animals might have brought
them here?
Excellent cover for small animals throughout the Spring and Summer.
Toads, salamanders, centipedes, spiders, and many insects can crawl
and hide
Yellow Star Thistle
Out-competes native grasses and herbs by depleting soil moisture.
Sharp spines discourage wildlife and livestock foraging as well as
deterring people from using recreational areas.
Spanish Grasses
Bricks in the first Spanish missions, made from mud mixed with soil
from around the building site have very few seeds of these introduced
weeds. As the missions were built, the brick had ever increasing
amounts of seeds of these invasive, aggressive non-native plants
7. Reintroduction of these plants paired with the restored creek corridor and removal has
invited various insects and animals into the habitat who have now adopted this are as
their home once again.
o What types of wildlife do we see?
o Dragon flies, damsel flies
o Alligator lizard, western fence lizard
o Squirrels
o Robins, crows, red tailed hawk
o Rabbits hunted by barn owls
o Mountain lion came down to investigate food availability in the territory, but left
due to urban development
Creek is an ecosystem service in itself because the plants use it to relocate their seeds,
provides shelter for amphibians
Introduction of invasive species by humans post-restoration
o Release of exotic pets adopted/bought by humans poses a potential risk to the
restorations done at this creek. Exotic pets like bullfrogs, tortoises, etc. have no
natural predators therefore grow quickly and spread diseases to similar native
species. Eat up all of the native animals or plants, and destroy habitats.
o Very important to research animals you want to adopt prior to adopting, because it
may grow bigger than anticipated or may require more money than is available
for your family. If you adopt an exotic pet, you must not release it into the wild, it
needs to stay a pet. Please look into returning the pet back from the seller or find a
new purchaser who will adopt it instead.
“Graveyard” Activity: Sit down, listen to the natural world, observe what’s happening
around us, and think about all of the lives that have been enriched by this restoration
project. What did w hear? What kind of animals did we see? Why is biodiversity
important? Why should we care? Everything is a chain reaction.
How we can do our part as students
o Pick up litter with the supervision of a parent
o Encourage our families to plant native plants in our garden
o Never release exotic pets into the wild
o Start recycling programs in our neighborhood
o Learn more about the natural world as you grow up! Come outside, observe, and
really reconnect with the natural world. We are not as separate from it as it may
seem.