Join the Berkshire Botanical Garden for all four lectures in our ecology lecture series presented in partnership with Tower Hill Botanic Garden. Please note, all lectures are offered online and it is possible to register for individual lectures. The talks will take place Wednesdays, February 2 – 23 from 6:30 – 7:30 pm.
On February 2, the topic is Iconic Birds of Massachusetts and their Habitat. With a wide range of available habitats, Massachusetts is home to a fascinating array of birds. Join an experienced naturalist from Mass Audubon for an engaging talk about the noteworthy birds of Massachusetts and their incredible life histories. From migration to surviving the cold winters, we will explore the brilliance and challenges of our northeastern birds. This talk will include a captivating slideshow and discussion from a life-long naturalist with a passion for birds. Learn more about these avian friends and where to find them.
February 9 brings Building Healthy Soil in Harmony with Nature. Soil in many ways is the bedrock of successful environmental systems. Without good, healthy soil, these systems can collapse. Despite the importance of soil, we often don’t take the time to understand how it works, how we can cause it harm, and ways we can improve it. In this webinar we will explore the science of soil, learn what healthy soil is composed of and how it is created, and discover ways to prevent damaging soil. By the end you will begin to see how gardening in harmony with nature can build healthy soil, healthy plants, and rich ecosystems. Lecturer Duncan Himmelman, PhD, is the former Education Manager at Mt. Cuba Center, a consultant on garden design and plant selection, and a frequent lecturer on many horticultural topics. After earning his doctorate in Ornamental Horticulture from Cornell University and serving on the faculty of Olds College for 24 years, Duncan remains committed to nurturing the talents of people who share his love of plants, nature, and gardening.
February 16 is the date of Invasive and Non-Native Plants with Mark Richardson. A common topic when discussing habitat health is invasive and non-native species. Many of us know some species that we would refer to as invasive or non-native. Many of us have also been told how to think about or manage those species. However, rarely do we discuss what makes a plant invasive or non-native, if that criteria changed, what the data is currently showing about their presence if management practices adjusted with more data, and how climate change is impacting our view of invasive and non-native plants. These are just a few of the questions we should be asking. This lecture will discuss what classifies a plant as invasive or non-native and introduce some of those questions about a subject that touches all of our lives.
Mark Richardson has been the Director of Horticulture for Tower Hill Botanic Garden since 2018. He previously served as Botanic Garden Director for New England Wild Flower Society, where he oversaw Garden in the Woods and Nasami Farm native plant nursery. He has a passion for ecological horticulture and native plants and is co-author of Native Plants for New England Gardens (Globe Pequot, 2018).
The final talk on February 23 is Wildflowers of Massachusetts. This program will feature the native wildflowers of a variety of natural habitats in Massachusetts, including forests, meadows, and wetlands. The emphasis will be on the early-blooming ephemeral wildflowers that will be in bloom in late April and May …something to anticipate in the depths of winter!
Ted Elliman worked for many years for Native Plant Trust as a staff botanist, invasive species program manager, and instructor of botany, ecology, and conservation classes. His book, The Wildflowers of New England, an identification guide to the region’s native flora, was published in 2016 by Timber Press. In the 1980’s, Ted started and directed an environmental education and wilderness adventure center in the Berkshires. Since the mid-1990’s, he has periodically led natural history tours to southwest China, where he worked for two years as a teacher and forest ecologist.
$40 for BBG and THBG members, $60 for nonmembers. Register on either sponsor’s website. The link to the BBG registration is HERE.
