2024
Check back often. Program requests come in throughout the year. We continue to add them here.
July 2024
July 25 (Thursday) — 6:00 p.m. “It’s a Jungle Out There: LIFE & DEATH in the Wildlife Garden,” by Pat Sutton
Pat will present this program at the Cumberland County Library in Bridgeton, NJ, at 800 E. Commerce Street, as part of their “Summer Reading Program.” Park in the library’s lot reached via Wells Lane (which is off Rt. 47 / E. Commerce Street). Registration is required. Click Here to Register: https://forms.gle/Eyx4sEYuN1rP7NZCA
ABOUT THE PROGRAM:
Pat and Clay Sutton have witnessed some amazing natural history happenings in their 47-year old wildlife garden, some heart-warming and some heart-stopping. Be prepared for an eye-opening view into the natural world, occurrences that happen every day out in the wild but are rarely seen, unless you’ve created a wildlife garden so welcoming that wildlife feels quite at home! Folks will be encouraged to put the garden hose away when Oleander Aphids appear on their milkweed and instead take a seat and watch Mother Nature at work as a number of natural predators resolve one garden issue after the next.
August 2024
August 16 (Friday) — 2:30 – 4:30 p.m. “Landscape Design with Birds and Pollinators in Mind,” by Pat Sutton (also offered on Friday, June 14)
Pat Sutton will teach this two hour indoor class in Avalon at the Avalon Free Public Library, 235 32nd St, Avalon, NJ 08202. Registration is required. Avalon property owners may register beginning July 19. All others may register beginning August 2. To register, please call the Avalon Library at 609-967-7155 or stop by their circulation desk. Space is limited to 20.
At registration, participants will receive Pat Sutton’s handout, “Landscape Design with Pollinators and Birds in Mind,” which includes instructions on creating a sketch of their property required for the class. Be sure to read this handout over prior to the class so that you get as much as possible out of the class. This handout includes instructions on how to create your property sketch, required for this class. This does not have to be a detailed diagram, just a basic sketch of the area that you would like to transform into a native plant habitat.
The property sketch should be emailed to Pat by the end of the day on Tuesday, August 13th for this class. The property sketch should have the registrant’s name in large, bold letters on the sketch in a spot that will be included when it is photographed or copied and sent to Pat. Photograph the property sketch (so that your name on the sketch shows up), and e-mail the jpg or pdf scan to Pat Sutton (Pat’s e-mail is at the top of her Landscape Design HANDOUT received upon registration). In the e-mail subject line registrants should enter: “Landscape Design – August 16 – their full name.” If you feel more comfortable sending Pat a few photos of the area you would like to transform into a native plant habitat, by all means send photos instead, but please don’t crash her computer with many HUGE photos.
This class is co-sponsored by the Avalon Library and the Avalon Environmental Commission. The first half of the class will cover resources and a slide program about the topic. During the second half of the class the group will brainstorm the projected images of each participant’s rough sketch. This brainstorming session should result in participants heading home with ideas and plans to enhance each of their properties for pollinators and birds.
August 26 (Monday) — 7:00 p.m. “I Know You’re Very Busy but … I want to learn more about nature gardening,” by Doug Tallamy
Location: Avalon Community Center, 3001 Avalon Ave, Avalon, NJ 08202. FREE, no preregistration needed.
ABOUT THE PROGRAM: Nearly every day I get emails from people who have read my books and heard my talks and yet still have questions about ecological landscaping. These are good, thoughtful questions about ecology and evolution, biodiversity, invasive species, insect declines, native and non-native plants, conservation and restoration, residential and city landscapes, urban issues, oak biology, keystone plants, Homegrown National Park, monarchs, supporting wildlife at home, and more. In this talk I address as many of these queries as I can with hope that my answers will further motivate people to help restore ecosystem function where they live, work, play, worship, and farm.
Doug Tallamy is the T. A. Baker Professor of Agriculture in the Department of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology at the University of Delaware, where he has authored 111 research publications and has taught insect-related courses for 41 years. Chief among his research goals is to better understand the many ways insects interact with plants and how such interactions determine the diversity of animal communities. His books include Bringing Nature Home, The Living Landscape, co-authored with Rick Darke, Nature’s Best Hope, a New York Times Best Seller and The Nature of Oaks, which won the American Horticultural Society’s 2022 award. In 2021 he cofounded Homegrown National Park with Michelle Alfandari. His awards include recognition from The Garden Writer’s Association, Audubon, The National Wildlife Federation, Allegheny College, Ecoforesters, The Garden Club of America and The American Horticultural Association.
This program is sponsored by the Avalon Environmental Commission.
September 2024
September 17 (Tuesday) — 11:00 a.m. “How and When to Clean Up the Winter Wildlife Garden,” by Pat Sutton
Pat will present this program for the Rutgers Master Gardeners of Cumberland County, NJ at their Cooperative Extension center at 291 Morton Avenue in Millville, NJ; (856) 451-2800, x-4 (contact them directly to learn if you can sign up for this Master Gardeners program and how to join the Rutgers Master Gardeners of Cumberland County).
ABOUT THE PROGRAM: As fall unfolds and frosts occur, many are itching to clean up their wildlife gardens. Pat Sutton will showcase the role still-standing wildlife gardens play all winter long. Come spring overwintering insects that have survived in these safe havens will repopulate our gardens, favored plants will have thrived and multiplied, and unwelcome plants can be spotted and dealt with. Pat will share how she step-by-step cleans up her own 47-year old wildlife garden, as well as many special wildlife-friendly tips, like sparing sizable and sturdy winter plant stems as native bee nurseries.
September 23 (Monday) BIRDS AND BIRDING AT CAPE MAY
Pat and Clay Sutton will present this program as part of the September 22-27, 2024, Birding Cape May Road Scholar program (formerly Elderhostel), led by Cape May Bird Observatory leaders and based at the Inn of Cape May. Registration required.
September 23 (Monday) — HAWKS IN FLIGHT
Clay Sutton will present this program as part of the September 22-27, 2024, Birding Cape May Road Scholar program (formerly Elderhostel), led by Cape May Bird Observatory leaders and based at the Inn of Cape May. Registration required.
October 2024
October 7 (Monday) BIRDS AND BIRDING AT CAPE MAY
Pat and Clay Sutton will present this program as part of the October 6-11, 2024, Birding Cape May Road Scholar program (formerly Elderhostel), led by Cape May Bird Observatory leaders and based at the Inn of Cape May. Registration required.
October 7 (Monday) — HAWKS IN FLIGHT
Clay Sutton will present this program as part of the October 6-11, 2024, Birding Cape May Road Scholar program (formerly Elderhostel), led by Cape May Bird Observatory leaders and based at the Inn of Cape May. Registration required.
November 2024
November 21 (Thursday) — @ 4:00 – @7:00 p.m. — “Raptor Tour & Program (How to Spot Hawks & Eagles) for CU Maurice River,” led by Clay & Pat Sutton.
Clay and I are leading this tour (and program) for CU Maurice River. Program write-up and fees are still being worked out. Further details will be shared when they are available.