May 1, 2018 WELCOME TO ISCBC S WEBINAR SERIES: How to Inspire Gardeners to Grow Native Plants - Bringing Back the Natives Garden Tour" Presented by Kathy Kramer This webinar will begin at 12:00 pm Pacific Time. Please allow a few moments at 12:00 pm for the webinar to begin, as we allow time for everyone to join the meeting. You can adjust your speakers by clicking on the speaker icon at the top of your screen, and by checking your computer s audio settings. If you have trouble hearing the webinar, please note that it will be recorded and a PDF of the presentation will be available online when it is complete. There are 5 webinars scheduled during May for BC Invasive Species Action Month 2018. Visit bcinvasivesmonth.com to see all the events! Enjoy the Webinar!
Bringing Back the Natives Garden Tour
What is the Bringing Back the Natives Garden Tour, anyway?
More than just a garden tour Designed using behavior change principles The goal: inspire and help people include native plants in their gardens
There is no clear relationship between providing information and changing behavior. Must address the barriers to changing behavior.
People will listen first to their friends or relatives, or others they see as credible. Role models are important. (A few people in a group will typically adopt innovative ideas and behaviors first, and spread them through the group.)
The Bringing Back the Natives Garden Tour and accompanying events Self-guided garden tour, held on the first Sunday in May, and Spring and Fall events Native Plant Sale Extravaganzas Workshops
Self-guided garden tour 37 gardens in Alameda and Contra Costa counties 50 talks 150 volunteers Between 3,000 and 5,000 registrants $19,000 worth of natives sold through the Native Plant Sale Extravaganzas 10,644 garden visits were made
The Tour teaches the public how to garden while: using less water eliminating pesticide use generating less green waste keeping rainwater on site attracting wildlife
No invasive plants
Advantages of Natives Evolved to live in our climate! Garden with natives, and you ll save money and time! Lower your water bill Natives are hardy: reduce or eliminate pesticide / fertilizer use Low maintenance Generate less green waste than many non-natives The best for attracting wildlife
garden/garden results over 9 years: The native garden used: 83% less water generated 56% less green waste required 68% less maintenance than the traditional garden
Conserving water
Our water use has decreased by about 75% since the garden was transformed Ted Shapas, Alamo
Our water bill has been dramatically reduced since removing the lawn and replacing it with natives." Barbara Leitner, Orinda
Reducing pesticide use
No synthetic pesticides are used in this or any Tour garden
The trees and shrubs she chose are native to California, suited to hot summers, and they don t require the pesticides and fertilizers that many non-natives do.
In addition to losing their lawn, Richard and Sandy also lost the pest control and lawn care companies, with their pesticides, fertilizers, and associated costs.
Frannie is passionate about the beneficial insects that visit the garden go ahead, ask how you can attract them, too! (Hint start by setting aside your pesticides, permanently. )
Healthy Garden Pledge Between 1,500 and 1,800 people signed each pledge, promising to reduce or eliminate the use of: Weed and feed Rodenticides Insecticides or to Reduce my lawn, eliminate pesticide use and create a wildlife habitat
Stormwater retention
Swale and mounds retain water in El Cerrito
Stormwater retention basins, Walnut Creek
Sedge meadow, Lafayette
Vernal pool and willows watered by graywater, 9,000 gallon tank flushes toilets and washes clothes, Berkeley
Gardening for Wildlife
Why not just garden with drought-tolerant plants from the Mediterranean, Australia, and South Africa?
Noah s Garden by Sarah Stein The Chickadee s Guide to Gardening: In Your Garden, Choose Plants That Help the Environment by Douglas Tallamy
Chances are, you have never thought of your garden indeed, of all of the space on your property as a wildlife preserve that represents the last chance we have for sustaining plants and animals that were once common throughout the U.S. But that is exactly the role our suburban landscapes are now playing and will play even more in the near future. What will it take to give our local animals what they need to survive and reproduce on our properties? NATIVE PLANTS, and lots of them. Douglas Tellamy
Encourage gardeners to to think of their gardens as potential habitat for native bees, birds, and butterflies
Each garden description (on website, in garden guide) has a Gardening for Wildlife section
Numerous talks on gardening for bees, birds, and butterflies (and more!) are offered on the day of the Tour
OK! I ll go on the Tour! How do I choose what gardens to see?
Day of the Garden Tour!
VVolunt
Music in the Gardens! Appalachian dulcimer, lutes, flutes, banjos, guitars, Renaissance and folk music, and the a cappella Berkeley Community Chamber singers
Art in the Gardens!
Children s Activities Native American games Acorn pounding Make-and-take home nature crafts
What else can I do on the Bringing Back the Natives Garden Tour?
Native Plant Sale Extravaganzas
Workshops How to design a native plant garden for color and interest throughout the year Sustainable gardening Introducing the New California Lawn How to propagate native plants How to select native plants for your garden
What do you want to learn from the tour? (survey) 71% select native plants 62% reduce water use 46% garden for wildlife 33% replace a lawn with a garden 25% reduce or eliminate pesticide use
Behavior Change 86% of repeat registrants have changed their gardening practices because of their participation in the Tour.
Repeat visitors had 20% incorporated natives 17% grouped plants of similar water needs 15% encouraged wildlife 14% increased the density of plants 10% tolerated some insect damage 8% reduced or eliminated pesticide use 6% reduced the size of their lawn
Repeat visitors planned to 47% increase the density of plantings to out-compete weeds 26% reduce the size of their lawn 25% incorporate native plants 24% encourage wildlife 13% tolerate some insect damage 11% compost 9% minimize hardscapes
First-time registrants planned to 52% increase the density of plants; thus outcompeting weeds 51% incorporate natives 33% reduce the size of their lawns 45% encourage wildlife 30% tolerate plant damage 25% reduce or eliminate pesticide use 15% planned to reduce hardscape
Quotes from Evaluations We have changed our gardening practices since attending our first tour a few years ago. Every time we're inspired to do more. Love this tour. Took out my front lawn and planted native, drought tolerant plants as a result of the Tour. It opened a new world. It's inspiring and motivating.
2006 National Wildlife Federation s Conservation Achievement Award Awards
2008 Governor s Environmental and Economic Leadership (GEELA)
2010 Department of Pesticide Regulation s Environmental Innovator Award
2013 Jefferson Award
Exploding the Myth
Well, but aren t native plants, um, unattractive?
Joe McClintock s garden, Oakland
Kate Sibley s garden, Richmond
John Latto s garden, El Cerrito
Al Kyte s garden, Moraga
Al Kyte s garden, Al front garden, Moraga Moraga
Meg and Dave McShannic s garden, Walnut Creek
Nalani Heath-Delaney s garden, El Cerrito
Questions?