Native Plant Salvage and Last Naturescaping Workshop announced

Help Salvage Native Plants!
Dig in with other volunteers digging up trees and shrubs from this site scheduled for clearing. In the afternoon, we’ll be potting up the salvaged plants so they can recuperate before going to King County habitat restoration sites. Once replanted, these native plants will help reduce erosion, shade streams and provide habitat. Volunteers also needed at our Native Plant Holding Facility from 12:30 until 4:00 to help pot up the salvaged plants.

When: Saturday, November 1, 2008
9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. salvage at site
12:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. potting at Holding Facility
Where: Maple Valley

As always, volunteers that dig for us for at least a couple hours in the morning are welcome to stay after and dig additional plants to take home. Volunteers that help pot up plants in the afternoon will be able to take some plants home also.

More info including directions: http://www.kingcounty.gov/environment/stewardship/volunteer/plant-salvage-program.aspx

FREE Naturescaping Workshop and Native Plant Salvage
Learn how to create a wildlife friendly landscape using native plants in your own backyard. Native plants require less maintenance and water than non-native ornamentals and local wildlife love a native landscape. You will also learn many helpful tips on controlling the weeds that may threaten your project.

November 12, 2008
Rock Creek Elementary
25700 Maple Valley-Black Diamond Road SE (Highway 169)
Maple Valley, WA 98038
7:00PM-9:00PM

BIG Bonus: Participants at the workshop are welcome to travel to a site scheduled for development to dig up native plants for their personal habitat and landscaping projects.

The native plant salvage for naturescaping participants will be on Saturday, November 15th, 9am until 1pm. Directions to the salvage provided at the workshop. If you have previously attended one of our Naturescaping workshops, you are welcome to just attend the salvage. You do not need to retake the workshop. Simply email me your name and the approximate date you attended the workshop. I will email you directions to the site before November 15th.

More info:
http://www.kingcounty.gov/environment/stewardship/volunteer/plant-salvage-program.aspx

Space is limited so reserve your spot now!
To register, contact Greg Rabourn at 206-296-1923 or greg.rabourn@kingcounty.gov

WDFW Living with Wildlife forums

Learn all about the lives and behaviors of urban wildlife: what to do when you encounter wildlife and how you can help wildlife and humans coexist peacefully.

• Wednesday, October 15th: Bitter Lake Community Center Annex
• Tuesday, October 21st: Camp Long
• Wednesday, October 29th: Meadowbrook Community Center

7:00 pm - 7: 45 pm: Russell Link, author of Landscaping for Wildlife in the Pacific Northwest and Living with Wildlife in the Pacific Northwest speaks on peaceful urban coexistence with common urban species and a general ‘how-to’ make your property and your behavior wildlife-responsible.

7:45 - 8:30 pm: representatives from Seattle Parks and Recreation, Woodland Park Zoo, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Progressive Animal Welfare Society, Seattle Audubon, the National Wildlife Federation and the Marine Mammal Stranding Network are available to provide materials and answer questions.

For more information, please call 206-684-7415

FREE: Savvy Gardener Fall Classes

Dazzling Dry Shade Combinations
Saturday, September 13 10 – 11:30 am
Swanson’s Nursery, 9701 15th Ave NW, Seattle
Taught by Peggy Campbell

Discover plants that grow in dry shade under trees, eaves, and in areas you are tired of watering. Peggy Campbell will show some of her favorites to brighten shady spots. In this 90 minute class, you’ll gather simple solutions for bare areas, lawn alternatives, and seasonal color. And you will learn easy steps to help these plants thrive.


Fall Plant Palettes for a Drought Tolerant Garden
Saturday, September 27 10 am – noon or 1 – 3 pm
Shoreline (directions will be sent to registered students)
Taught by Stacie Crooks, Crooks Garden Design

Experience Stacie Crooks’ colorful garden and learn first hand how to transform a resource-intensive lawn into tapestries of drought tolerant plantings. Using plants that lend color and structure year round, Stacie has created a garden that not only gets national attention for its beauty, but also fits her busy schedule. Look for photos of Stacie's garden in the October issue of Fine Gardening.

Pre-registration required. Attendees must reside in the Saving Water Partnership service area. Click here to see service area: http://savingwater.org/about_partners.htm. Please note that this class is for gardeners who have a basic knowledge of plant types and their names. Since we have a small class size, please register if you have not seen Stacie's garden before.

Register via the Garden Hotline by calling (206) 633-0224 or emailing help@gardenhotline.org. Please provide your address, email and phone number to receive the class location and confirmation.

Fall Backyard Habitat Workshop!

Join Woodland Park Zoo, National Wildlife Federation, Seattle Audubon Society and Washington Native Plant Society for this informative workshop on creating a backyard wildlife habitat. Meet experts and get hands-on experience that will show you how to attract birds and other wildlife to your backyard, select and care for native plants, recognize and remove invasive plants species, conserve water, manage your backyard without the use of chemical herbicides and pesticides, place feeders and bird houses, get your yard, schoolground or community garden certified as a Backyard Habitat.

This is a four-part workshop:

• Monday, September 22, 2008 from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m.
• Monday, September 29, 2008 from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m.
• Monday, October 6, 2008 from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m.
• Saturday, October 11, 2008 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Cost: $75 (or $140 for couples); $50 for Phinney Neighborhood Association members

To register, see the zoo's website: http://www.zoo.org/educate/adult/workshops.html
For more information , please contact us at 206.548.2424 or jenny.mears@zoo.org.

10% off native plants at Pipers Creek Nursery!

Go Natives! specializing in native plants for the Puget Sound is now located at Pipers Creek Nursery and will have more natives for your garden. Now available on their website, a downloadable coupon good for 10% off your entire order of plants and trees!

Record the Ribbit! Saturday, May 3rd

Leap into spring with your family and friends by celebrating FrogWatch 2008: Record the Ribbit on Saturday, May 3rd. This one-day event is easy, free and a perfect way for people of all ages to learn about the frogs and toads that live in our region. To participate, just visit www.nwf.org/ribbit, to learn about amphibians in our region by listening to their calls and viewing photos of local species. Then head outside on a nature walk – ideally, right around dusk when frogs are most likely to be calling. When you’re finished, come back to the Record the Ribbit website to share your sightings online.

Record the Ribbit is a special event of FrogWatch USA, the popular citizen-science amphibian monitoring program managed by the National Wildlife Federation in partnership with the United States Geological Survey. By participating in this long-term amphibian study, you have the opportunity to be directly involved in gathering information that can ultimately lead to practical and workable ways to help stop the decline of these important species.

Native Plant Appreciation Week: April 27th - May 3rd

This week is a celebration of the amazing diversity of Washington’s over 3000 native plant species that inhabit deserts, rain forests, high alpine environments, river valleys, and even backyard landscapes. Native plant ecosystems are critical to sustaining our native wildlife and the quality of Washington’s environment. The Washington Native Plant Society provides a website highlighting events scheduled for the week and links to other participating organizations’ websites.