Posts Tagged ‘Nature’

Walkabout to Talk About Urban Forests with Tree Expert R. Bruce Allison

Madison arborist and author R. Bruce Allison will lead an hour-long walkabout through the natural areas at Troy Gardens on Sunday, October 3 at 10:00 a.m. Dr. Allison will share tree stories, encourage stewardship of natural resources and discuss threats to our forests such as Emerald Ash borer (EAB). Emerald Ash Borer is a deadly pest insect affecting all ash trees and is moving toward our area. Homeowners and community members are encouraged to learn about trees, support urban forests and discuss EAB strategies.

Dr. Allison holds a master’s of science in forestry and a PhD in land resources from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He is the author of several books and articles about trees, the most recent being a revision of “Wisconsin’s Champion Trees: A Tree Hunter’s Guide” and “Every Root an Anchor: Wisconsin’s Famous and Historic Trees.”

Please gather at the yellow shed at Troy Gardens, along the 500 block of Troy Drive.  All ages are welcome. Coffee and treats will be provided.

The Troy Gardens Walkabout is sponsored by Community GroundWorks and is funded in part by an urban forestry grant from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Forestry Program.

For further information, visit http://www.communitygroundworks.org/

About Community GroundWorks, Inc.

Community GroundWorks is a nonprofit organization that connects diverse communities to nature and local, healthful food. Through hands-on education, children and adults learn gardening, urban farming, healthy eating, and natural areas restoration. Organized in 2001 as The Friends of Troy Gardens―in Madison, Wisconsin―Community GroundWorks serves communities and schools across the region. For more information, visit www.communitygroundworks.org or call (608) 240-0409.

Check out these dates for some nature walks at the Benedictine Life Foundation at Holy Wisdom Monastery (see dates, times and location below).

This evening, Tuesday, June 1, 2010, will be the first in a series of nature walks for all ages at Holy Wisdom Monastery led by conservation biologist Susan Foote-Martin and other guest guides.

Come for one or more of the walks. The first walk will focus on invasive species. Future walks include:

Invasive Species: Susan Foote-Martin on Tuesday, June 1

Kid’s Walk: Frogs, Bugs and More on July 13

Prairies in Bloom on August 17;

Indian Mounds, Geology and History on September 7

Fall is in the Air on October 5.

The walks begin at 6:00pm and finish by 7:30pm. Meet at the new monastery building entrance, 4200 County Road M, Middleton, WI, to begin the walk. Walks are canceled in the event of heavy of heavy rain or dangerous weather.

For more information, click here to download a flyer or contact jlottig@benedictinewomen.org, or (608) 836-1631, ext. 123. There are no costs for these walks, but donations are always welcome.

Take them to Family Horticulture Day at the West Madison Agricultural Research Station, 8502 Mineral Point Road (out past Menards and Steve’s Liquor on Mineral Point). When: May 15th from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

You and your family can choose from many learning activities relating to growing fruits and vegetables, insects, and how our ecology system works; everything from the importance of bees for pollinating our plants, to why worms are so important for growing plants (vermiculture).

Your kids can take home some squash and pumpkin seeds to plant or take home some tomatoes, peppers, or herb plants to try out in your garden.

IT’S FREE! And a great family outing. Please see the Family Hort Day Flyer for inside and outside activities.

Let me know how you liked it.  Have Fun!

Your friendly Master Gardener Volunteer and Ganshert Office Manager,

Sharon