Tuesday, August 30, 2016

Free Organic Lawn Care Workshops hosted by Greenwich Conservation Commission

Explore Better Ways to Free Your Yard from Dangerous Chemicals and Heal Your Soil.
Several workshops will be hosted by Conservation Commission at the Town Hall Meeting Room
Greenwich Town Hall, 101 Field Point Road.
To register call (203) 622-6461 or email: amoch@greenwichct.org

Healthy soil is critical for clean air and good water quality as well as the health of our lawns and gardens. Workshop attendees will learn about how to use free organic materials such a leaves, grass clippings and kitchen scraps to restore soil health and benefit plants. Returning organic matter to the soil through mulching-mowing, composting and vermicomposting is the key to maintaining a well-balanced and healthy yard. This practice eliminates or limits the need for harmful synthetic fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides.
Learn how to properly manage your land and what to ask of landscape professionals to ensure proper maintenance.
Whether you care for your yard or provide landscape services for others you will receive a hands-on learning opportunity.

Property owners:                              Landscape professionals*:
Sept. 12 (Monday) at 7:00 pm                  Sept. 15 (Thursday) at 8:00 am
Sept. 14 (Wednesday) at 1:00 pm             Sept. 20 (Tuesday) at 8:00 am
Sept. 22 (Thursday) at 7:00 pm                  Sept. 27 (Tuesday) at 8:00 am**
Sept. 27 (Tuesday) at 7:00 pm                   Sept 29 (Thursday) at 8:00 am
Sept. 28 (Wednesday) at 1 pm            

*Landscape professionals who attend a workshop will be listed on the Town website, receive NOFA’s credit for Organic Land Care, and credits towards CT DEEP Pesticide Applicator Certification.

** Workshop will be given in Spanish

Creating Urban Oases for People, Wildlife and Watershed Health - Audubon Workshop - New Haven Sept 7th

Audubon Connecticut will offer a four hour workshop on September 7, 2016 from 9am-1pm on “Creating Urban Oases for People, Wildlife and Watershed Health” as part of a series of “Urban Refuge Academies” organized by the Stewart B. McKinney National Wildlife Refuge. This workshop is designed for municipal employees, land trusts and other land managers, as well as interested homeowners or teachers who want to learn more about creating bird-friendly habitat. It will be facilitated by Patrick Comins, Audubon Connecticut’s Director of Bird Conservation, Dr. Michellle Frankel, Director of Audubon Greenwich, and Dr. Michael Dietz, Director of the University of Connecticut’s NEMO (Nonpoint Education for Municipal Officials) program. The workshop will focus on the importance of native plant landscaping for native birds, butterflies and other wildlife; will provide technical guidance, tools and resources for managing land to benefit both wildlife and people; and will discuss how the creation of native plant rain gardens can benefit wildlife, provide stormwater filtration and improve watershed health. The workshop will include a visit to an Urban Oases site to demonstrate how these practices look on the ground, and how the project has been implemented through partnership between federal and municipal agencies, NGOs and local community volunteers.
When: September 7, 2016,  9am - 1pm
Where: Southern Connecticut State University, 501 Crescent Street, New Haven. Room 212 New Science Building 
Instructors:  Patrick Comins, Audubon Connecticut’s Director of Bird Conservation, Michelle Frankel, Director of Audubon Greenwich, Michael Dietz, University of Connecticut’s Nonpoint Education for Municipal Officials (NEMO) Program Director.
Please RSVP by 9/3/16 to Richard_Potvin@fws.gov