The core mission of conservation organizations is to preserve plants, animals, and their habitats. How do we best go about this essential work at the level of your interest: state; local; or your own backyard? Participants in this New England Wild Flower Society course, to be led by Nancy Eyster-Smith, PhD, at Garden in Woods, Framingham, discuss the definition of biodiversity, why we care about it as a society, the pervasive threats, and on-the-ground solutions. Using power-point presentations and case studies, we cover protection strategies and stewardship tools and discuss how climate change alters our thinking about traditional conservation approaches. The intention is to provide a background in the principles of conservation biology in order to help you to become a more effective conservation advocate and/or steward of your own land. A series of articles and web links are provided to aid in the discussion. Fee $154 for NEWFS members, $182 for nonmembers. Dates are Saturday, January 11 and Saturday, January 25, from 10 – 3. Register at www.newfs.org/learn/catalog/bot5103.
