Traveling Talks — Our Speakers Bureau

Amy Meltzer       Contact Amy

Amy is co-chair of the steering committee of the Massachusetts Pollinator Network, and is an active member of Grow Native Massachusetts and Elders Climate Action. She has been researching and growing native plants for over thirteen years. She has been researching and growing native plants for fifteen years. She gardens in two ecoregions of Massachusetts: in hot, dry urban Cambridge, and in the cooler rural hilltowns east of the Berkshires.

• In-person & online talks available.

• Based in Cambridge and Goshen, MA; will drive to all MA counties except Barnstable and Dukes.

Presentation Topics:
 

• Gardening For Biodiversity With Native Plants: Providing habitat for pollinators, birds and other essential wildlife

Amy will discuss the current biodiversity crisis; the evolutionary history among native plants, insects, birds and fungi, and how these interdependent relationships among diverse species are necessary for their survival. She will show how growing native plants and using ecological landscape practices can simultaneously reverse biodiversity loss, increase resilience in our landscapes, and slow climate change - all while creating a beautiful garden!

• Creating an Ecological Garden: Supporting pollinators, birds and other species year-round

Learn how to create habitat that provides year-round food, shelter, and support for pollinators, birds, and other beneficial species. Learn to provide food, water, shelter and nesting sites; build healthy soil, remove invasive plants, avoid chemicals, minimize nighttime light, and reduce lawn. See the visual beauty of a thriving habitat through the seasons.

• Choosing Plants for a Native Garden

Create a beautiful thriving native garden suited to your site conditions. Explore the diverse world of native plants and learn how to select species that will flourish in your garden and require low maintenance once established. Get guidance and multiple resources for how to research, select, and source affordable native plants, from nurseries to community plant swaps and sales. 

Heidi Dollard       Contact Heidi

Heidi is a co-chair of the steering committee of the Massachusetts Pollinator Network. She has a MS in Biology, is a Master Gardener, a member of the Garden Club of Amherst, and has been a consultant for the Hampden-Hampshire Conservation District Native Plant program, and an enthusiastic native plant gardener for many years.

• In-person & online talks also available

• Based in Belchertown, MA; will drive to Hampshire, Franklin, Hampden counties, plus Berkshire and Worcester counties for day-time programs.

Presentation Topics:
 

• Gardening for Biodiversity with Native Plants

The “little things that run the world” are in big trouble: Insect populations are plummeting, and many species are headed for extinction. This spells disaster for our food supply, our ecology, and indeed, life on earth. The good news is that we can turn this around, starting in our own yards. By planting native plants, and other simple steps, we can restore vital insect populations. Come learn what you can do, and be inspired!

• Transform Your Yard to Support Pollinators: A 12 Step Program

Many people now realize the importance of pollinators and other essential wildlife. They want to make their yard pollinator-friendly, but don’t know where to start. This talk will step you through the process of evaluation, planning, and implementation, with many options for large and small changes.

• Environmentally Friendly Lawns and Lawn Alternatives

Lawns are ecological dead zones. 40 million acres are devoted to lawn in this country; the largest irrigated crop. Mowers emit at least 16 million tons of CO2 per year. At the same time millions of species are headed for extinction, in large part due to habitat loss. So, changing the way we manage lawns and/or reducing their size presents a huge opportunity both to save species and address global warming- right in your own yard! This talk covers many ideas on how to convert your lawn to an ecological benefit.

• Designing with Native Plants

Do you want to use native plants in your yard, but don’t know how to find, choose, and place them in your landscape? This talk will cover how to use them in your garden to best effect for both humans and biodiversity, with examples from historic styles and current garden trends.  

• Managing Invasive Plants - the Why and How

Invasive plants are one cause of declining pollinator populations, loss of native plants, and are hastening the extinction of many animal species. Learn which plants are invasive and how to manage them to preserve and enhance wildlife habitat.

• Garden Clean-up: Less is More

How you clean up your yard all year has a great environmental impact! By doing less, you can do more to address the biodiversity crisis, reduce global warming, build your soil, and save work and money while still maintaining an attractive landscape. 

• Pollinator Powerhouse Plants

Some native plants are especially valuable ecologically because they feed many species of caterpillars and/or specialist bees. Because caterpillars are essential food for most baby birds, these plants feed animals up the food chain, too. Learn about these “keystone plants,” and how to use them in your landscape.

Meredith Gallogly       Contact Meredith 

Grow Native Massachusetts’ own Operations Manager, Meredith has a passion for helping others get to know native plants, and how to use them in gardens to add beauty and biodiversity. She also runs our Plant Sale, manages this website, and is our database systems administrator. She received her BA from Smith College in Biological Sciences. An avid plant observer, she has been exploring the flora of metro Boston's region for much of the past decade.

• Online talks available.

Presentation Topics:
 

• The Diversity & Ecological Value of Native Shrubs

Planting native shrubs in our gardens is a valuable way to create habitat, but many of these beautiful and adaptable species are still little known or underutilized in horticulture. Join Meredith to learn about the diversity and ecological value of native shrubs that are common in woodlands, wetlands, and field edges in southern New England, and see how they can be incorporated into managed landscape settings. This online presentation covers a wide array of species from different natural communities, and includes visual examples of these shrubs growing in gardens, parks, and other planted landscapes.

• Identifying Invasive Plants

Learn how to discern the key characteristics of common invasive plants and the best ways to distinguish them from native look-alikes. Meredith will also discuss the history behind the term “invasive,” and why these plant species are particularly harmful to our ecosystems. In learning how to identify invasive plants, you will be empowered to remove them when you see them, contributing to the health of our insects, birds, and other animals that rely on the native plants in our ecosystem.

• Sustaining Healthy Food Webs with Keystone Plant Species

When it comes to their ability to host the larvae of moths and butterflies, not all native plants are created equal. According to research led by Doug Tallamy and Desiree Narango, just 5% of our native plant genera host roughly 75% of our caterpillar species— insects that play a critical role in sustaining ecosystems, particularly bird populations. These super host plants are keystone species, which have an out-size impact on the health and biodiversity of their ecosystems. Join Meredith to learn about the top keystone trees, shrubs, and perennials of the northeast. She will highlight the best species for a variety of landscape conditions and scales, with tips on establishing and managing these plants, to help you maximize the ecological value of the places you steward.