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(Photo: Joy Swenson) |
Show Me Help Me Tours
Our Show Me Help Me tours give us a chance for some of our members to SHOW their habitat gardens and also a chance for us all to HELP if the host has some landscaping dilemmas. Aug 8: Starting and Growing a Habitat Garden in the 'Burbs - Diana's Yard in Onondaga Hill
Being inspired by Janet Allen's photographs of native flowers, birds and monarchs, Diana converted half of her front yard into a Habitat Garden two years ago. What additional plants would fill out this garden and keep out the weeds? No RSVP necessary. WHEN: Sat. Aug. 8 at 10 am WHERE: 4304 Abbey Rd. on Onondaga Hill Abbey Rd. runs off W. Seneca Turnpike (175) across from the Inn of the Seasons restaurant. Coming from the city: go West on Seneca Turnpike (175) past OCC. Turn left on Abbey Rd. and go about a mile. The road goes up a hill, plateaus, then descends. Diana's house is a light cedar-sided ranch on the left at the base of the descent, just past a culvert. Coming from Camillus: south on 173, right on Split Rock at the 4-way light, then immediate left on Harris Rd. to Left on W. Seneca Trnpk., then right on Abbey Rd. Try carpooling because parking in the driveway is limited, although you can park on the road.
Our Habitat Garden / Our Edible Garden tours
If you'd like to tour Janet's yard, feel free to contact me and arrange a tour BY APPOINTMENT (email me at [email protected] to set up a time). FREE Presentations open to the public
Sat. Aug. 22 at 10:00 am Habitat Gardening for LifeUpper Onondaga Park Fire Hall. NOTE: This is in the Strathmore area at Roberts and Crossett Roads, NOT Onondaga Lake Park in Liverpool. ANNUAL Plant sale Sat./Sun. Sept. 13/14 Please get your Northeast-native plants ready for donation! More information in the story below.
Janet Allen, President
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Get ready for our annual plant sale
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Cedar waxwing enjoying pagoda dogwood (Cornus alternifolia) berries
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The annual HGCNY Northeast-native plant sale will be held Sat., Sept. 12 9:30 am to noon. Plants not sold Saturday will be available Sun., Sept. 13 from 1 - 3 pm. Location: The Allens ( directions). We'll have an assortment of plants from local vendors in addition to plants donated by HGCNYers. I f there are particular plants that you want please let us know and we'll try to acquire them and hold them for you. Email your requests to John. Special note on shrub and tree seedlingsTree and shrub seedlings will also be available ONLY by ordering in advance no later than August 31 (details below). These pre-orders will be available at the sale. (The reason for the early ordering date is that our vendor White Oak Nursery must deliver the plants before September 3.) To see what shrubs and trees are available go to www.whiteoaknursery.biz and click on "Potted Seedlings". To cover the additional costs of the container, the delivery, and a small HGCNY contribution, our price is $5 more than the price listed on the White Oak Nursery website. To order the seedlings, email John listing the name of the tree or shrub, the quantity, and the price, i.e. the White Oak Nursery price + $5. (And if you have White Oak Nursery pots from last year, bring them along and Jim will credit us for them!) If you're not able to pick them up during the plant sale on Sept. 12 or 13, indicate that you need to arrange another time/date for pickup. Plant donationsIf you have Northeast-native plants to donate, you can bring them between 8 am and 9 am the day of the sale. Please pot them up and label them. It is best if they are potted at least a week before the sale. Contact John if you want to bring plants before Sept. 12. Please be sure your plants are Northeast-native. If you're not sure, check at The Biota of No. America Program. (Green is native range; blue is non-native.) People who bring plants to donate between 8 am and 9 am on the day of the sale will have the opportunity to buy plants prior to the 9:30 am starting time. Thank you for participating in our plant sale! It not only gets native plants planted in CNY to benefit both people and wildlife, but also funds this newsletter, our programs, and other projects!
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Monarchs mating - a hopeful sign of a population increase!
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We're reaching the time when the migratory generation will emerge!
August news from Journey North: Monarchs produce four generations during the typical breeding season and the population grows with each new generation. Monarch numbers reach their peak by fall migration. At no other time of year is the population larger. The generation that's developing now will be the great-great-grandchildren of the monarchs that left Mexico last spring. These butterflies have a long and challenging life ahead: they will migrate to Mexico this fall, survive the winter, and return in spring 2016 to begin the breeding season anew. Read more at Journey North and learn how to report your sightings... SAVE THE DATE! Learn more about monarchs and their migration at our September meeting! We're pleased to have Dr. Ernest Williams as our first speaker of our 2015-2016 program year on Sunday, September 27 at 2:00 pm at Liverpool Public Library. Dr. Williams, a biology professor at Hamilton College, is the author of The Nature Handbook and is on the Board of Directors of The Monarch Butterfly Fund.
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Wild Ones has hit a 4,000-member milestone, but to keep us at this level and grow members need to renew their memberships and we need more people to join. This is a milestone for Wild Ones to celebrate, even though compared to many national organizations, we're still very small. (For example, National Wildlife Federation has more than 4,000,000 members!) But we have an out-sized impact. The advantage we have compared to most large organizations is our chapter structure that fosters person-to-person contact as we work together to create a new style of landscaping that supports life. In addition, Wild Ones is a valued partner in networks of organizations such as the Monarch Joint Venture, Monarch Watch's Bringing Back the Monarchs, Catherine Zimmerman's Hometown Habitat documentary, The Nature Conservancy's Go Wild with Native Gardening, and the National Pollinator Garden Network. Help keep Wild Ones strong and growing living landscapes all over the United States. Renew or join today on the Wild Ones website or by calling toll-free (877) 394-9453!
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2015 Native Plant Shopping Guide
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The most common question people have asked over the years is "Where can we get native plants?" Central New York does seem to be behind other areas of the country in making native plants available, but each year there are more plants available, and our Native Plant Shopping Guide will tell you where to find them. Download it for free on our websiteThe Guide is in three parts:
Or you can download the complete Guide (Introduction, List by scientific name, and List by common name). Please read the introduction! In addition to information about the vendors, it suggests guidelines for choosing plants. For example, it's beneficial to choose species rather than cultivars. The Introduction provides additional information. New this year is a link (the asterisk in the left hand column) to a map of each plant's distribution county by county as part of the Biota of North America Program at http://bonap.net/NAPA/Genus/Traditional/County. If you're looking for a particular plant, be sure to call ahead to be sure the vendor has them in stock on any particular day. Thank you to our vendors for taking the time and effort to provide a list of their native plant offerings. Special thanks to Randy Nonenmacher, Carol Biesemeyer, and Randi Starmer for their assistance. And THANKS to all of you who choose native plants!
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Boost your Bird ID Skills
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Birding Basics See how to work through the puzzle of bird identification by sight and sound and learn how to use bird ID field guide books. You'll get instruction on using binoculars and spotting scopes and then take a guided walk to look and listen for birds. Bring your own binoculars and field guides, if you have them. Some books and binoculars will be available for your use. Presented by Julie & Michael Fishman. Sat. Aug. 8: 6:30-8:30 pmGreat Swamp Conservancy 8375 N. Main St. Canastota. To register call 315-697-2950 or email. $3 donation. (Rain Date Aug 15) Sat. Aug. 15: 7-9 am Green Lakes State Park Fayetteville; Tulip Hill Shelter. Free with park entrance fee.
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Asian Longhorned Beetle Photo: US Forest Service
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NYS's Dept. of Env. Conservation is inviting pool owners to be citizen scientists. Pool monitoring is a simple, economical alternative to traditional procedures for surveying Asian Longhorned Beetles (ALB) in the state. It also has the potential to become New York's most effective method for detecting ALBs. Learn more and find out how to participate...
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Barefoot Bats at Baltimore Woods
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Well, not actually barefoot bats, but a chance to be barefoot in the woods and also a chance to learn more about bats. Sat. Aug 22 1-3 pm Barefoot Hike Free your feet! Come feel the earth under your soles at Baltimore Woods, as Barefoot Bob reconnects you to this underutilized and healthy mode of transportation. Join Bob for a half-mile barefoot hike along the Valley Trail over grass, wooden bridges, leaves and soil. For ages 4 and up. Sat. Aug 29 7-8:30 pm Bats! Misunderstood by many, repulsive to some, and feared by others, come spend and evening, indoors and out, as we find out why bats are truly beneficial creatures, with undeserved reputations. Meet at the lower parking lot. For ages 5 and up. Each program: $6 for B. Woods members; $9 for nonmembers. For more info and to register for any August program ...
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Baltimore Woods Summer Nature Day Camps
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You can be part of this
Wildflower Workshop
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You're invited to join Geoff Griffiths, an ESF student and Baltimore Woods Nature Center staff for a two-part workshop and training session on native woodland wildflower restoration. Part I, Sat. Aug. 8 Participants will explore the diversity of native plants at Baltimore Woods Nature Center, learn proper planting techniques, and discover how they can participate in an ongoing restoration project as "citizen scientists." Part II, Sat. Aug. 15 Attendees will plant native seeds and rootstocks of wildflowers under the guidance of ESF students in a restoration area. Attendance at Part I is recommended, but not required for participation in Part II. If you have any questions, or would like to sign up, please contact Geoff Griffiths at [email protected] or call (631)241-2009.
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Since HGCNY is a chapter of the national organization Wild Ones, when you become a member of Wild Ones, you're automatically a member of HGCNY, too. And since Wild Ones is an official not-for-profit, your membership is tax-deductible.
It's easy to become a member, receive the bimonthly Wild Ones Journal, and support our mission.
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As more of us participate on our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/hgcny, this will become a useful resource for asking (and answering!) local HGCNYers' questions about habitat gardening.
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Visit Our Habitat Garden website for information on providing habitat, earth-friendly gardening practices, plants, and various creatures here in Central New York.
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Visit Our Edible Garden website to see an example of a local vegetable and fruit garden. An edible garden is a perfect complement to your habitat garden. Email me if you want to receive a vegetable gardening e-newsletter.
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