Want to make your yard into a refuge for birds and other wildlife? Join bird and tree experts, Dana McCoskey and Vincent Verweij, to learn about how gardening with native plants and selecting the right tree species can help support resident and migratory birds and wildlife communities. A short lecture will cover some key tree species and types of garden spaces to include in your yard for maximum benefit to attract and support birds. We will then head outside to identify trees and birds on the Fernwood nature trails. Bring your binoculars!
About the Instructors:
Dana McCoskey is an Environmental Technologies Manager at the Energy Department in Washington, D.C., leading a research portfolio to enable renewable energy deployments with avoided and reduced impacts to fish and wildlife. She works with recently conducted environmental DNA (eDNA) studies on the St. Joseph River to understand fish migration across the Berrien Dam fish ladder. She is also a volunteer permitted bird bander for Occoquan National Wildlife Refuge in Virginia working to collect scientific data on spring migration and provide experiential community learning to the public. She holds degrees in Biology and Environmental Science and Public Policy and has spent more than 10 years conducting field ecology research with owls, songbirds, trout, and salmon in eight states and Costa Rica.
Vincent Verweij is an urban forest manager at Arlington County, Virginia. He has worked with the ~750,000 trees in the County for 12 years. His work manages this urban forest through maintenance, planning, and planting. Vincent leads tree walks and teaches forest ecology and dendrology for the local Master Naturalist chapters. He has a Master’s degree in Natural Resources Management from Virginia Tech, and a Geography and Forestry Bachelor’s from Ohio State University. In his free time he plays music with friends, and works in his native plant garden.
Suggested Audience: Adults and teens
Location: Flora Wing of the Sims Education Center and Fernwood Grounds
Cost: $15/person ($12 Fernwood members) - Please register by August 25.
*To receive your member discount, please be sure to sign-in by clicking the button in the upper right-hand corner of the registration screen.
