Accent on Natural Landscaping

Donna VanBuecken

Project Wingspan

This is the time of year our thoughts turn to collecting seed from our prairies. Project Wingspan could use our help. They are looking for enthusiastic seed collecting volunteers in Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin to help collect seeds from milkweed and other common forage plants.

Project Wingspan

Monarch butterfly on New England Aster (Symphotrichum novae-angliae).
Monarch butterfly on New England Aster (Symphotrichum novae-angliae).

Project Wingspan: Landscape Enhancement for Imperiled Pollinators of the Midwest (Wingspan) is a two-year project sponsored by a grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) through the non-profit Pollinator Partnership. The goal is to engage public land managers and private land stewards, throughout the eight state target region of Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Missouri, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, to enhance and secure 10,000, acres of high-quality Monarch, Rusty Patched Bumble Bee and other imperiled pollinator habitat.

Seed Collection

This short-term seed collection project is designed to increase the interest and skill in collecting seed to be used for restoration and enhancement efforts. Wingspan builds on the success Pollinator Partnership and its team of core partners have had in building a regional seed collection program in Ohio, Illinois and Indiana through a previously funded NFWF project, Monarch Wings Across the Eastern Broadleaf Forest.

All seed generated from this project will be used to support the development of geographically appropriate native plant materials for the enhancement of 10,000 acres of Monarch, Rusty Patched Bumble Bee and other imperiled pollinator habitat.

How To

Project Wingspan has developed a series of webinars and a training manual to assist volunteers who which to collect seed for this project to become certified Project Wingspan volunteers. The project has targeted twenty-nine plant species (Appendix A of training manual) and six states (Appendix J of training manual) for seed collection.

Download Project Wingspan: Landscape Enhancement for Imperiled Pollinators of the Midwest manual.

Download Plant Profiles for the 29 target species. Bloom Chart. Plant Structure Guide.

PowerPoint Training.

This post has been reprinted in part from the Pollinator Action Team newsletter dated 9/30/2019.

   Send article as PDF   

Monarch Festival Planning: A Guide for Everyone

The following is reprinted with permission from Monarch Joint Venture.

Interested in holding a monarch event or festival? This guide will help you on your way.

Monarch Festival Planning: A Guide for Everyone. Photo courtesy of Monarch Joint Venture

The monarch butterfly is one of the most recognizable species in North America and has long been a fascination of both researchers and the general public. Their amazing migration across three countries inspired citizen scientists to tag, track and observe this endearing insect for decades.

Now that monarch populations have dramatically declined and are being evaluated for listing under the Endangered Species Act (decision to be made in December 2020), even more people want to help. From citizen science to planting habitat, there is something for everyone to do. Monarchs are a charismatic insect which makes them ideal for rallying around in conservation efforts. They also make a great focal point for local events and festivals that motivate people to take action. The Monarch Joint Venture is pleased to release “Monarch Festival Planning: A Guide for Everyone” to help communities create their own monarch festivals.

If your organization or community is interested in holding a monarch event or festival, this guide will help you on your way. The guide contains a plethora of information on how to put on a monarch- themed event (small or large) in your community. We have tried to include everything you will need, but in the event that we have missed something, we include a list of resources and people you can get in touch with from all over North America to help you fill in the blanks.

Monarch butterflies bring people together from Canada, the United States and Mexico; they can bring people together in your community too!

This document was put together by an Ad Hoc committee of Monarch Joint Venture partners and is available for public use. Please share with your friends and networks that may be interested.

Download the Guide

Authors:
Katie-Lyn Bunney – Monarch Joint Venture
Susan Meyers – Monarchs Across Georgia
Sarah Weaver – Program Coordinator, Como Planetarium, St. Paul Public Schools

With input from various partners and organizations listed inside the front cover. Thank you to everyone who helped create this guide!

   Send article as PDF   

Registration ends soon – Where Ecology Meets Economy: Season 6

Reference my earlier post Where Ecology Meets Economy: Season 6. On-line registrations will end on September 20, 2019, but if you want to participate in the meals and find a place to sit, you’d better register by today, Friday September 13th. Don’t procrastinate any longer! Register now! SEWISC tells me they are near capacity.

When & Where

This year’s Where Ecology Meets Economy! hosted by the Southeastern Wisconsin Invasive Species Consortium Inc (SEWISC) and Johnson’s Nursery, Inc™ will be held on Wednesday, September 25, 2019 at the Boerner Botanical Gardens in Hales Corners, Wisconsin.

Forum Agenda & Speakers

Dr Doug Tallamy is the author of Bringing Nature Home and co-author of The Living Landscape with Rick Darke.

The forum features two presentations by Entomologist Doug Tallamy: Creating Living Landscapes and Treasures Among our Natives. Following his presentations, will be a Panel discussion held by Dan Wilson, Randy Powers, David Wanninger, Ron Gumz, Mike Yanney and yours truly, Donna VanBuecken.

Besides the day’s educational sessions, there will also be vendor booths, a silent auction, Mike Yanny poetry, Boerner Garden Tours, catered lunch and an afternoon social where attendees can mix with Green Industry and Land Management Professionals.

   Send article as PDF   

Where Ecology Meets Economy: Season 6

This year’s Where Ecology Meets Economy! hosted by the Southeastern Wisconsin Invasive Species Consortium Inc (SEWISC) and Johnson’s Nursery, Inc™ will be held on Wednesday, September 25, 2019 at the Boerner Botanical Gardens in Hales Corners, Wisconsin.

It is a forum to bring together Green Industry Professionals (nurseries, landscape architects, arborists, contractors) and Land Management Professionals (restorationists, natural area managers, environmental educators, conservationists) to share and to learn from from each other and forum speakers. The goal is for attendees to develop working relationships which should lead to opportunities to help improve the state of our ecological communities.

Registration is now Open

Where Ecology Meets Economy: Season 6 registration is now open, so please register now and also share the link and the date with anyone you think should attend. Early bird registration is $99 for the entire day (includes meals and garden tours).

Forum Agenda & Speakers

Dr Doug Tallamy is the author of Bringing Nature Home and co-author of The Living Landscape with Rick Darke.

The forum features two presentations by Entomologist Doug Tallamy: Creating Living Landscapes and Treasures Among our Natives. Following his presentations, will be a Panel discussion held by Dan Wilson, Randy Powers, David Wanninger, Ron Gumz, Mike Yanney and yours truly, Donna VanBuecken.

Besides the day’s educational sessions, there will also be vendor booths, a silent auction, Mike Yanny poetry, Boerner Garden Tours, catered lunch and an afternoon social where attendees can mix with Green Industry and Land Management Professionals.

   Send article as PDF