Some Guidance for Sustainable Gardeners
Podcasts, Videos, & Classes
Native Plants with Dr. Doug Tallamy, author of Bringing Nature Home
Dr. Douglas Tallamy is a Professor and Chair of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology at the University of Delaware and the author of Bringing Nature Home: How Native Plants Sustain Wildlife in Our Gardens. In addition to native vs. non-native plants and the impact they have on the environment, this interview also looks at the movement of flora and fauna due to climate change, invasion biology versus conservation or restoration biology, the evolutionary time-line for animals to adapt to introduced plants (which is much slower than you might expect), the role of science in education in understanding these issues, and some resources for learning more about how you can find out more about plants native to the region in which you live.
The Soil Food Web with Jeff Lowenfels
Jeff Lowenfels is the co-author, along with Wayne Lewis, of Teaming with Microbes: the Organic Gardener's Guide to the Soil Food Web. His work is important because whether you are a gardener, farmer, attorney, or Permaculturist who works with the earth, you need to have an understanding of the soil food web and the inter-actions and inter-relationships of the life in the soil. Building soil builds life.
Growing a Greener World's Backyard Composting in the 21st Century
It happens naturally, though with some scientific know-how we can further enhance the best soil amendment on earth: compost! In this episode, we dig deeper into some of this work to find out how modern science has improved on nature’s perfection, and learn how we can apply this information to our own gardens for even better results. This episode includes the plans for an open 3-bin compost system made of repurposed shipping pallets, some do’s and don’ts of composting, and Joe shows us which items from the kitchen, office and yard to include and exclude from your compost pile.
Introduction to Permaculture, taught by Will Hooker
Permaculture means "permanent culture," (or "permanent agriculture") and ..."is the conscious design and maintenance of cultivated ecosystems that have the diversity, stability, and resilience of a natural ecosystem (Bill Mollison)." This free online course offered by NC State explores, through lectures, discussions, and field trips, a design/thinking methodology that seeks to provide for our physical needs, food, water, shelter, energy, etc., in an environmentally friendly, sustainable manner.
Books and Articles
Bringing Nature Home: How Native Plants Sustain Wildlife in Our Gardens, by Doug Tallamy
Noah's Garden: Restoring the Ecology of Our Own Backyards, by Sarah Stein
Planting Noah's Garden: Further Adventures in Backyard Ecology, by Sara Stein
Silent Spring, by Rachel Carson
A Sand County Almanac, by Aldo Leopold
Teaming with Microbes: the Organic Gardener's Guide to the Soil Food Web, by Jeff Lowenfels & Wayne Lewis
Butterflies in Your Backyard, by NC Cooperative Extension
Landscaping for Wildlife with Native Plants, by NC Cooperative Extension
Managing Backyards and Other Urban Habitats for Birds, by NC Cooperative Extension
Gaia's Garden: A Guide to Home-Scale Permaculture, by Toby Hemmingway
Native Trees, Shrubs, and Vines for Urban and Rural America, by Gary Hightshoe
A Field Guide for the Identification of Invasive Plants in Southern Forests, by James Miller, Erwin Chambliss, & Nancy Loewenstein
Edible Forest Gardens, by Dave Jacke & Eric Toensmeier
From Garbage to Gold: A Step by Step guide to Indoor Worm Composting, by Jeanette Stewart
Energy-wise Landscape Design, by Sue Reed
Design with Nature, by Ian McHarg
Tracking the Causes of Sharp Decline of the Monarch Butterfly, Yale Environment 360
Introduction to Permaculture, by Bill Mollison
Permaculture: Principles & Pathways Beyond Sustainability, by David Holmgren
Projects & Plant Websites
NC Native Plant Society
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center Native Plant Database
USDA Plants Database
Bat Conservation International's Guide to Installing a Bat House
Citizen Science Projects
National Tree Benefit Calculator
Local Nurseries Selling Native Plants
Rachel's Native Plants (Pittsboro)
Mellow Marsh Farm (Siler City)
NC Botanical Gardens (Chapel Hill)
Hoffman Nursery (Rougemont)
Carolina Habitats (Chapel Hill)
Native Plants with Dr. Doug Tallamy, author of Bringing Nature Home
Dr. Douglas Tallamy is a Professor and Chair of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology at the University of Delaware and the author of Bringing Nature Home: How Native Plants Sustain Wildlife in Our Gardens. In addition to native vs. non-native plants and the impact they have on the environment, this interview also looks at the movement of flora and fauna due to climate change, invasion biology versus conservation or restoration biology, the evolutionary time-line for animals to adapt to introduced plants (which is much slower than you might expect), the role of science in education in understanding these issues, and some resources for learning more about how you can find out more about plants native to the region in which you live.
The Soil Food Web with Jeff Lowenfels
Jeff Lowenfels is the co-author, along with Wayne Lewis, of Teaming with Microbes: the Organic Gardener's Guide to the Soil Food Web. His work is important because whether you are a gardener, farmer, attorney, or Permaculturist who works with the earth, you need to have an understanding of the soil food web and the inter-actions and inter-relationships of the life in the soil. Building soil builds life.
Growing a Greener World's Backyard Composting in the 21st Century
It happens naturally, though with some scientific know-how we can further enhance the best soil amendment on earth: compost! In this episode, we dig deeper into some of this work to find out how modern science has improved on nature’s perfection, and learn how we can apply this information to our own gardens for even better results. This episode includes the plans for an open 3-bin compost system made of repurposed shipping pallets, some do’s and don’ts of composting, and Joe shows us which items from the kitchen, office and yard to include and exclude from your compost pile.
Introduction to Permaculture, taught by Will Hooker
Permaculture means "permanent culture," (or "permanent agriculture") and ..."is the conscious design and maintenance of cultivated ecosystems that have the diversity, stability, and resilience of a natural ecosystem (Bill Mollison)." This free online course offered by NC State explores, through lectures, discussions, and field trips, a design/thinking methodology that seeks to provide for our physical needs, food, water, shelter, energy, etc., in an environmentally friendly, sustainable manner.
Books and Articles
Bringing Nature Home: How Native Plants Sustain Wildlife in Our Gardens, by Doug Tallamy
Noah's Garden: Restoring the Ecology of Our Own Backyards, by Sarah Stein
Planting Noah's Garden: Further Adventures in Backyard Ecology, by Sara Stein
Silent Spring, by Rachel Carson
A Sand County Almanac, by Aldo Leopold
Teaming with Microbes: the Organic Gardener's Guide to the Soil Food Web, by Jeff Lowenfels & Wayne Lewis
Butterflies in Your Backyard, by NC Cooperative Extension
Landscaping for Wildlife with Native Plants, by NC Cooperative Extension
Managing Backyards and Other Urban Habitats for Birds, by NC Cooperative Extension
Gaia's Garden: A Guide to Home-Scale Permaculture, by Toby Hemmingway
Native Trees, Shrubs, and Vines for Urban and Rural America, by Gary Hightshoe
A Field Guide for the Identification of Invasive Plants in Southern Forests, by James Miller, Erwin Chambliss, & Nancy Loewenstein
Edible Forest Gardens, by Dave Jacke & Eric Toensmeier
From Garbage to Gold: A Step by Step guide to Indoor Worm Composting, by Jeanette Stewart
Energy-wise Landscape Design, by Sue Reed
Design with Nature, by Ian McHarg
Tracking the Causes of Sharp Decline of the Monarch Butterfly, Yale Environment 360
Introduction to Permaculture, by Bill Mollison
Permaculture: Principles & Pathways Beyond Sustainability, by David Holmgren
Projects & Plant Websites
NC Native Plant Society
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center Native Plant Database
USDA Plants Database
Bat Conservation International's Guide to Installing a Bat House
Citizen Science Projects
National Tree Benefit Calculator
Local Nurseries Selling Native Plants
Rachel's Native Plants (Pittsboro)
Mellow Marsh Farm (Siler City)
NC Botanical Gardens (Chapel Hill)
Hoffman Nursery (Rougemont)
Carolina Habitats (Chapel Hill)
