March 2024 Program – Natives Rule! Converting your space into a bird sanctuary

Presented by Mackenzie Dey, Kathy Ross and Jessie Walthers

Join three native landscaping experts and view a Flathead Audubon produced video about how plants and animals become “native”, and how intricately woven the millions of relationships between natives form the balance of nature – especially those relationships between plants, insects, and birds. Popcorn optional!

Learn how to create a native plant garden and protect local waterways. The Flathead Rain Garden Initiative provides information, resources, and tools to help Flathead County residents create these beautiful and beneficial gardens. Rain gardens help filter and conserve water and attract native pollinators.

Jessie Walthers is the Conservation Program Manager at Flathead Conservation District. She loves working with people of all ages to explore and celebrate our amazing natural resources in Flathead County. Landscape and/or garden is an easy way to boost your land’s sustainability,

improve pollinator and bird habitat and maintain soil health. Jessie will discuss how to plan for success when planting natives. This includes mapping out where to plant your natives, what care they need and other tips and tricks.

Mackenzie Dey has her bachelor’s in botany and master’s in plant science. She is the MSU Agriculture Extension Agent and loves helping producers to home gardeners increase their sustainability in their practices and increase their knowledge to succeed. She has an affinity for the outdoors and for the fantastic flora that beautifies it.    

Kathy Ross is a volunteer naturalist, native habitat advocate, and consultant. She has 30+ years of landscape/gardening experience in the valley working in and around native habitats. She has worked extensively with native plants as well as non-native introductions and experienced their impact on the environment. Kathy will share valuable suggestions that will help you make good choices to support birds and all biodiversity in your landscapes, and also suggest a few of the best plants for this purpose. As native habitats disappear around us every day, never doubt that your landscape can make a difference!

We will continue our hybrid meetings this month and continue for the remainder of the year. For those coming to the meeting on March 11th, we’ll meet in Room 26 of the Gateway Mall (United Way building) at 7pm. This room is on the east side of the building along Glenwood Drive in Kalispell. Look for our banner hanging outside.

For those who wish to join virtually, email us at info@flatheadaudubon.org to get the link. Click on the link and you will be let into a “waiting room” where you will then be added to the meeting by the host. Please sign in with your name when you enter the room so we know to admit you. You will be muted when you first join the meeting. You can use your computer’s microphone and speakers (most computers have both), and this is the preferred way to join. You can also get an audio connection to the meeting without the Zoom visual capability by using your phone.

Videos of previous presentations are available on our Videos page.