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SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Urban areas are expanding in many parts of Missouri and the U.S. This means that mowed lawns, channelized creeks and non-native ornamental plants are altering an increasing amount of wildlife habitat.
Author and wildlife ecology professor Douglas Tallamy says it's time to "redesign suburbia."
On March 28, Tallamy will present two programs at the Missouri Department of Conservation's (MDC) Springfield Conservation Nature Center that focus on restoring wildlife habitat in the urban area. "Bringing Nature to Your Home," from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. on March 28, will focus on what homeowners can do to restore specialized relationships between animals and plants to their landscape. Later that same day, from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m., "Creating Living Landscapes" will discuss how you can use native plants to accomplish habitat restoration in your yards and gardens without making them look unkempt and messy.
Tallamy is currently professor and chair of the Department of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology at the University of Delaware. He is the author of the book "Bringing Nature Home" and co-author of the new book "The Living Landscape." His books and talks focus on implementing sound conservation practices in the urban landscape, a step he says is vital to sustaining a number of our native wildlife and insect species.
Tallamy's programs are free, but registration is required. To register for these programs or to get information about other events at the Springfield Conservation Nature Center, call 417-888-4237. Information about the Nature Center can also be found at mdc.mo.gov/node/287. The MDC facility is located in southeast Springfield at 4601 S. Nature Center Way.
