Blackbrook Audubon plans program on native plants
Feb. 18—Blackbrook Audubon will illustrate how everyone can make their yards more bird-friendly when they host "Native Plants that Feed the Cats Birds Love!" at 7 p.m., Feb. 21, at Penitentiary Glen Reservation, 8668 Kirtland Chardon Road in Kirtland.
Native plants "grow" the caterpillars that baby birds eat in summer. They also provide seeds and berries for adult birds in the fall. Amy Goletz, a Master Gardener volunteer for Ohio State University Extension and owner of a local nursery, will describe the benefits of adding native plants over exotic ones, such as less need for care since they are adapted to local weather and soil, according to a news release.
During this free program, Goletz will also match the plant species to the butterflies or birds that homeowners would like to attract. By choosing a range of diverse plants, everyone can contribute to a healthy food web in all seasons, the release stated.
The information she provides can help attendees plan which trees and shrubs to add to their properties ahead of the native plant sales by local soil conservation districts in March.
The program will also be livestreamed on Blackbrook Audubon's YouTube channel. In-person attendees to the native plant talk are asked to bring their own mugs for coffee.
Homeowners can plug their zip codes into National Audubon Society's native plant database to see which plants are native to their area that provide food and shelter for birds.
Blackbrook Audubon covers Ashtabula, Geauga and Lake Counties as the local chapter of National Audubon Society. For more information, email blackbrookaud@aol.com. The group announces event cancellations due to weather on the iAlert system.
