Creating a Bird-Friendly Yard

Looking for ways to attract birds to your yard? You can help birds thrive right where you live by making your yard more bird-friendly. In this hands-on workshop, you will pick up expert tips on how to attract birds to your yard as pollinators, nutrient spreaders, seed disbursers, and year-round singers. You will learn the basics of natural and less-toxic gardening methods, including choosing native plants and shrubs that local birds love, bird-friendly approaches to managing pests, and light fixtures that limit light pollution at your home. Presented by Marca Leigh, of the Longbrook Park Pollinator Garden, and Meredith Barges, of Lights Out Connecticut. **Free seed packets courtesy of the UConn Home & Garden Education Center. 

 Presenters:

Marca Leigh is a native gardener and co-creator of the Longbrook Park Pollinator Garden. She brings years of experience with nature-friendly gardening and planting to her role in developing vibrant suburban landscapes. She is a performing artist, visual artist, and glass-fusing artist who incorporates her love of nature into her work. 

Meredith Barges is a bird-friendly building advocate and co-chair of Lights Out Connecticut. She helps people to appreciate the complex lives of birds, how birds interact with built environments, and how our decisions about buildings, green spaces, and lighting affect birds. She loves watching American Goldfinches tiptoe their way across a blooming flower bed, picking up seeds and bugs.