Saturday, August 16, we enjoyed a lively and informative presentation by members of the Cheshire Pollinator Pathway group on the joys and challenges of working with their municipality to install pollinator gardens adjacent to the Lock 12 greenway. After the presentation and tour, we convened for a brown bag lunch in the greenway pavilion where we had a great time connecting with fellow native plant activists. If you are in the neighborhood, we encourage you to visit the two gardens on either side of N Brooksvale Road whenever it’s convenient. Parking is free at the Lock 12 lot.
Upcoming on Sunday, Sept 14, 1pm-3:30, is the annual Mariposas del Mundo event in New Haven. Details will be posted as soon as they are available.
Please help us by sharing YOUR local native plant activities or events with us so we can share them with a larger community. We’re also eager to co-sponsor programs you or your organization hosts or by developing a program for the Wild Ones membership that features your organization and the work you are doing. Please contact Robin Parsons, [email protected], Jim Sirch, [email protected], or Sue Stark, [email protected] with your ideas and suggestions.
Fairfield County Hub
Maggie Dobbins enjoyed having fellow Wild Ones member tour their property. She says she got so many great suggestions from experienced gardeners—plants were recommended for tough areas, and suggestions for why some plants were thriving and others were dying. She got so much out of having people here as they are in year 3 of eradicating invasives and planting natives. She would encourage anyone else who wants input to consider opening up your property for advice and encouragement! See some photos below from her tour.
Member Tyler Adams gave us a very educational and inspiring tour of his property on August 23. I was so happy to see the state of his wildflower meadow in Year 2, full of vibrant beautiful pollinator flowers, gave me enormous hope! And the tour was educational in so many respects—his succession planning, his emphasis on unique edible plants, his construction of a greenhouse, his minimal electric fences to keep critters away.
There will be a private tour of The Hickories in Ridgefield coming up on September 20th. If you know The Hickories, they need no introduction…..if you don’t know them, you are in for an experience. They are a long standing organic farm of produce and proteins. And yet so much more. Dina Brewster has been involved in the movement to localize our native plants to our specific Eco-Region and getting more people to farm with seeds from our Eco Region 59 and then to collect those seeds for resale and/or grow plugs for us to plant. I am looking forward to learning more about this aspect of their operation in particular. Sign up here soon as this should be popular and we are limiting it to 20 attendees.
Maggie recently learned about the Norwalk River Watershed Association and the work they do in restoration. They offer some great events too, so have a look here. She is thinking of going on the butterfly walk with Victor DeMasi.
Maggie recently got a series of four very well organized books on Plants for Climate Resilience from the Wild Seed Project. Check out this link if interested.
Wild Ones is teaming up with Aspetuck Land Trust to offer a Book Club on a new well reviewed book titled “The Lost Trees of Willow Avenue” by Mike Tidwell. The facilitator will offer two zoom sessions and one in person session in November. This well reviewed book can be purchased at your favorite bookstore or consider buying online at www.Bookshop.org as they make a donation to your choice of local bookstore for every purchase. Or buy online at WildOnes.org and they are the beneficiary! Stay tuned, more info coming soon.
Please reach out to Maggie Dobbins, [email protected], if you have ideas for programs or know of events that others may be interested in.
