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Zoom – 8th Keweenaw Native Plant Symposium
April 12 @ 9:00 am – 12:00 pm
Come enjoy a morning of fun and inspiring talks at the eighth annual Keweenaw Native Plant Symposium, set for 9 a.m. to noon, Saturday, April 12, on Zoom. Everyone is invited, and the event is free. To register, visit keweenaw.wildones.org.
Keynote speaker Kim Eierman will present “Selling Native Plants with Cues to Care.” Not all neighbors and city officials are on board with the look of natural landscaping. Kim will illustrate how to show intent in your native landscape and demonstrate to others that you are gardening with purpose.
Kim is the founder of EcoBeneficial LLC. She is an environmental horticulturist and ecological landscape designer specializing in native plants. Based in New York, Kim is an active speaker nationwide on many ecological landscape topics.
Kass Urban-Mead, a pollinator specialist with the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, will speak on “Pollinators in the Woods: Exploring the Many Ways Wild Bees Nest and Forage in Woody Habitats.” Join Kass for an adventure exploring how wild bees use the woods, from the leafy forest floor to the top of the canopy. She will connect these to some suggestions on forest stewardship for pollinators.
With the Xerces Society, Kass provides technical assistance on pollinator conservation. She assists with planning, designing, installing, and managing habitat for pollinators and other beneficial insects, particularly in forested habitats.
Michelle Wietek-Stephens, owner of U.P. Native Plants, in Marquette, will present “Butterfly Bonanza: U.P. Native Plants for U.P. Native Moths and Butterflies.” She will discuss the importance of moths and butterflies both as pollinators and as components of the local food chain; why what we plant matters; and specific pairings of native plants for U.P. moths and butterflies.
Michelle owns and runs the region’s largest fully native plant nursery, providing thousands of plants to major landholders and home gardeners alike. During her previous 15-year career as an environmental consultant, Michelle advised on environmental protection, site restoration, and wetland management.
The Keweenaw Native Plant Symposium is sponsored by Keweenaw Land Trust, Keweenaw Wild Ones, the Keweenaw Invasive Species Management Area (KISMA) and the Michigan State University Extension Service.