Noted ecologist to speak on protecting neighborhood wildlife habitats

Published: March 7, 2012

CLEMSON — Noted ecologist Doug Tallamy makes a compelling case for the important role that humans play in protecting songbirds and other wildlife in their neighborhoods. The award-winning nature author will speak at Clemson’s Strom Thurmond Institute at 6 p.m. Saturday, March 17. The presentation is free and open to the public.

A dynamic speaker, Tallamy’s book "Bringing Nature Home" has sparked a national conversation about the link between healthy ecosystems and human health. He provides an important voice in understanding the role of native plants and insects in supporting wildlife in backyards and natural habitats.

As forests are cleared for neighborhoods and shopping malls, wildlife habitat is destroyed and wildlife populations are threatened. But there is an important and simple step individuals can take to reverse this trend. Everyone with access to a patch of earth can help sustain biodiversity by planting native plants, Tallamy says.

There is an unbreakable link between native plant species and native wildlife. Native insects cannot, or will not, eat alien plants. When native plants disappear, the insects disappear, impoverishing the food source for birds and other animals.  

Tallamy is director of the University of Delaware’s Center for Managed Ecosystems. His presentation is sponsored by the South Carolina Botanical Garden and the Strom Thurmond Institute at Clemson University.

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