Are you interested in reducing greenhouse gases, conserving water and expensive gasoline, reducing the use of toxic chemicals, guarding against flooding, providing habitat for birds and insects, and at the same time enjoying a beautiful and vibrant home landscape? Are you concerned about the accelerated pace of development and subsequent habitat destruction?  Everyone with access to a patch of earth can make a significant contribution toward healing our earth and sustaining it's biodiversity.  Everyone can make a difference and transform our yards from an environmental disaster to an environmental asset. To start learning how, attend the sixth annual Wild Ones' sponsored conference:

  Natural Landscaping with Native Plants on Saturday, October 15, 2011 from 8:00 A.M. to 3:45 P.M. at Cardinal Stritch University, (Glendale) Milwaukee.


We are proud and excited to have Douglas Tallamy as our keynote speaker this year.  Dr Tallamy is the author of Bringing Nature Home, one of the most important and compelling books on the benefits of natural landscaping that's been published this decade.  After Dr Tallamy's address, program choices will include a track designed for beginners including planning, preparation, propagation and plant selection.  Other topics include experiences in restoration ecology, storm water management, and pollinators & other creatures.  Vendors will also be on hand to display products and services.

The speakers’ schedule is as follows:

8:00 - 8:45  Registration

8:45 -10:15

Lorrie Otto Memorial Lecture

CHANGING THE LANDSCAPE PARADIGM WITH NATIVE PLANTS

Douglas Tallamy, author of Bringing Nature Home

Professor of Entomology and Director of the Center for Managed Ecosysytems at the University of Delaware

10:45 - 12:00

Designing a Native Landscape - What Do I Need to Know About the Plants?

Carol Bangs, Landscape Designer, teacher and owner of Carol Bangs & Associates

Or

Nature's Second Chance- Restoring the Ecology of Stone Prairie Farm

Steve Apfelbaum, owner of Applied Ecological Services, consultant and author 

12:00 - 1:00 Lunch

1:00 - 2:15

From Seed to Flower - Growing Your Own Native Plants

Connie Ramthun, naturalist & owner of Kettle Moraine Natural Landscaping

OR

Simple Stormwater Management Rooted in Native Vegetation

Breanne McDonald, project manager, Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District

2:30 - 3:45

Native Woodland Plants for Shady Areas

Dan Boehlke, nurseyman, woodland expert

 OR

Where the Bugs Are

Kate Redmond, environmental educator, writer and photographer

For further information on the speakers or their topics,

go to

www.wildones.org/conf

or call 414-299-9888, ext 3

Wild Ones: Native Plants, Natural Landscapes promotes environmentally sound landscaping practices to preserve biodiversity through the preservation, restoration and establishment of native plant communities. Wild Ones is a not-for-profit environmental education and advocacy organization.