Chapters in New York

Join Buffalo Audubon and Wild Ones WNY for our first partnership event!

Native plants, insects, and birds are connected through an extraordinary food web—but how does it work, and how can we support it in our own landscapes? Native Plant Nerd Nathan Huff, Director of Horticulture and Grounds at the Buffalo Zoo and a Wild Ones WNY board member, will explore why native plants are essential to wild birds throughout the year.

You’ll also learn about cultivars and nativars, why fall is an excellent time to plant native perennials, and where to find native plants in Western New York.

Dear Gardening Friends,

Unfortunately, we need to postpone our Saturday workshop until this spring. We’ll keep you updated on this wonderful opportunity to learn more about reducing your lawn and nurturing nature. Anyone who is currently registered will be contacted and a refund issued. 

See you in the Spring!

This presentation, created and presented by Master Gardener and teacher Martie Teumim, will show you how to settle your garden in for a good winter and a vigorous start to spring. It includes information about supporting well-being of plants, pollinators and birds. You will leave with written information on these gardening practices. 

This 400 acre preserve is mostly meadow and grassland, with a riparian forest buffer along the Coxsackie creek at the East end of the property. The plants here are managed primarily to benefit threatened bird species, but we can also practice identifying sedges, grasses, and rushes.

Meet at the kiosk just beyond the parking area, which is itself behind some industrial properties. 

Everyone is welcome, with no need to RSVP. To get reminders and be informed of any last-minute changes, sign up for meet-and-hike updates.

HGCNY Presents: Meadow Creation by Sam Quinn

An overview of meadow creation for private landowners in Central New York: timelines, nativity, costs, establishment methods and other guidance

Today, many landowners are interested in meadows as a way to benefit wildlife and reduce some of their lawn area, which can save money long-term compared to typical lawncare.  But, this process can be daunting with so many factors to consider like how to remove the lawn or other vegetation, how to design meadow plant composition, where to buy seeds and other materials, how to monitor to ensure the meadow is functioning as intended, and numerous other questions.  Upland meadows in the northeastern US are an example of an artificial ecosystem, i.e., a plant community created and maintained by people to meet certain objectives, like supporting pollinators in our rapidly changing landscape.   Many of these upland meadows trace back to the land-management practices of Native Peoples, who created and maintained these open spaces in landscapes that would otherwise be wooded.  Sam is a conservation biologist who has been creating meadows since 2010 and has recently expanded this effort through his company, Meadowcraft Ecological Services.  He will present on the meadow creation process and share practical guidance geared toward landowners interested in learning about this multi-year process.  

Sam Quinn is a conservation biologist who helps clients design, establish and manage meadows, as well as other natural features of their land.  He is the co-owner of Meadowcraft Ecological Services, a company focused on working with landowners to enhance their property's ecological function and habitat quality for pollinators, birds, soil biota and other elements of biodiversity.  He has helped create thousands of acres of meadows throughout the US, primarily in the Northeast.  In addition to establishing these plant communities, Sam’s biggest motivation is to help landowners become confident stewards of their land.

Schedule
• 1:00 p.m. — Refreshments and conversation with fellow native plant enthusiasts
• 1:30 p.m. — Presentation begins

Location
This meeting is both in-person at the Liverpool Public Library and online via Zoom. Zoom attendees will be able to hear the speaker, view their slide presentation, and ask questions during the Q&A at the end.

Registration is required for Zoom attendance only.

Recording
Meetings are typically recorded and posted on our YouTube channel.