Getting Wild: Using Native Plants to Restore Biodiversity

Most of us select plants for what they give us: perhaps the produce they provide or the beauty they bring. We may forget that other creatures depend on plants for food, habitat, and more, and that, unlike us, they can't grow what they need to survive. Opting for native plants that support and protect our local wildlife can enhance biodiversity and restore disrupted ecosystems, both of which benefit all life. This presenter will share seven steps you can take to create a healthy, productive garden or landscape that can help save our disappearing pollinators and birds.

Presenter: Lynn Kunstman is a Master Gardener and Master Food Preserver. She established and runs the native plants nursery at Jackson County's Southern Oregon Research and Extension Center (SOREC). Her recent focus has been on gardening for wildlife and pollinators, and the front yard of her quarter-acre lot in Medford is certified as a Monarch Way Station, Pollinator Garden, and Wildlife Habitat. She has a degree in Wildlife Management from Humboldt State University and a master's in Science Education from Southern Oregon University.