On a recent Saturday morning, our Salmon Protection and Watershed Network (SPAWN) program hosted a special workshop to teach people how to attract and support native pollinators in oak woodlands through gardening and landscaping. This workshop was one in a series intended to provide information and experiences in how to garden for wildlife where you live.

In this workshop we focused on native pollinators, highlighting practices and techniques for supporting habitats in our developed landscapes. Charlotte Torgovitsky with Home Ground Habitats Nursery in Novato, California was the guest speaker. She conveyed her deep understanding of native pollinators and their relationships to plants in oak woodland environments. Charlotte provided workshop participants with expert advice in gardening with native plants and using landscaping habitats to attract native butterflies, moths, and birds.

Oak workshop

Following Charlotte’s presentation, SPAWN staff and interns demonstrated their habitat gardening work around the Turtle Island Restoration Network office. SPAWN began restoring the area around the office, once known as the town of Jewel, back into a wildland environment that started with the removal of buildings, lawns, and invasive species. Participants were also shown the restoration practices used to enhance a tributary to Lagunitas Creek where cattle exclusion fencing and wildlife habitat gardening were implemented to restore the degraded creek environment. Workshop participants then got hands-on experience with native trees and shrubs, selecting areas within our ongoing restoration sites to plant pollinators.

oak workshop

Our next workshop is on November 4 from 10 AM to 2 PM at our office located at 9255 Sir Francis Drake Blvd. Olema, California 94950. This workshop will focus on gardening for wildlife in riparian habitats. Workshop participants will learn how to construct a willow wall and other methods for improving riparian wildlife habitat while reducing erosion in creeks. If you plan to attend please RSVP to Audrey Fusco, audrey@tirn.net.

To learn more about our opportunities for habitat restoration and our native plant nursery visit our Event Calendar or email our staff to find out details about where we will be working and how you can get involved.