Chapter Events

When most of us live in urban communities, we face many environmental challenges creating healthy, functional living spaces. However, if we plant a diversity of native plants around our homes, these natives furnish valuable ecosystem services to people and native animals. This presentation will explain why native plants are more beneficial than non-native plants, why biodiversity is healthy, and what groups of native animals can be attracted to home landscapes with natives. Lastly, we will discuss what habitats can be created around our homes by planting certain species of wildflowers, shrubs and trees (many of which will be offered at the native plant sale on Saturday, May 21). 

Speaker Bio: Dave Tylka is a semi-retired Professor of Biology at St. Louis Community College at Meramec, where he taught full-time for over 20 years. He still teaches native landscaping and Ozark ecology courses. When not in the classroom, he and his wife are outside enjoying their home native landscape, where they grow over 200 different species of native plants. Dave was the first St. Louis Urban Biologist for the Missouri Conservation Department, a position he held for 14 years. In 2002, he wrote the Missouri Conservation Department book, Native Landscaping for Wildlife and People, which he then revised in 2009 for the second edition. Dave has also written many popular pamphlets and articles on backyard landscaping, bird feeding, and butterfly gardening. As an educator, biologist, nature author, and photographer, he brings together a wealth of information on native species and ideas that can inspire any gardener.