When
As a long-time birding enthusiast, Becky Laboy is passionate about creating bird-friendly landscapes. Her passion for birds dovetails nicely with Becky’s other passion, native plants. Native plants are the key to attracting birds. Native plants provide the food, shelter, and nesting places essential to the survival of birds.
In this presentation, Becky will discuss different plant species native to the “northeast” that are appropriate for back (and front!) yards, and will point out the many ways these species provide essential services to birds.
In an ecologically holistic approach, Becky will also discuss landscape features and practices that support birds, such as leaf litter, brush piles, dead trees, nest boxes, and water features. She will share lots of photos of colorful migratory warblers and other backyard favorites such as chickadees, woodpeckers, and robins eating berries, pulling worms from the soil, and raising their families. In this presentation there will be an emphasize on the importance of planting natives as a sustainable approach to gardening.
Becky Laboy is the full-time Education Outreach Specialist with Ocean County Soil Conservation District. She is also an adjunct professor at Kean University, she instructs the Barnegat Bay Volunteer Master Naturalist course through Ocean County College, and she leads birding tours with Ocean County Parks and Recreation. In total, Becky has over 20 years of experience as a formal classroom teacher and informal environmental educator. She serves as co-leader for the Jersey Shore Chapter of the Native Plant Society of New Jersey. She co-authored “The Kid’s Guide to Exploring Nature,” published by Brooklyn Botanic Garden. When not teaching about soil conservation, botanizing, or leading people on outdoor adventures, Becky can usually be found behind a pair of binoculars as an avid and devoted birder. She enjoys landscaping her own yard to attract and support birds, and strives to inspire others to make small but positive changes in home landscaping practices that benefit both wildlife and humans.
More info: https://www.ecolandscaping.org/event/webinar-expanding-biodiversity-att…