Monthly Program Presentation — 2nd Wednesday of the Month

Wednesday, December 8, 2021

Dr. Desirée Narango presents — Native Plants for Native Wildlife in LA and Beyond

Dr. Desirée Narango - Native Plants for Native Wildlife in LA and Beyond

Wednesday, December 8, 2021

Online 7:00 PM–8:00 PM

Because plants form the foundation of food webs, the small management choices you make in your yards and gardens can have far-reaching impacts on habitat for wildlife. In this talk, Desirée will speak about her research studying birds and pollinators in urban green spaces across the US (including LA!). She will also discuss how plant-animal interaction data can help us decide what plant species might best support people and wildlife.

Dr. Desirée Narango is a David H. Smith Conservation research fellow currently based at the USDA Forest Service Northern Research Station and the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Her research focuses on species interactions and habitat relationships of plants, insects, and birds in human-dominated landscapes such as yards, urban forests, and farmland. Desirée has not yet had the opportunity to visit LA but hopes to admire your exceptional hummingbirds someday.

The presentation will be online at: https://bluejeans.com/816050899/7195


Dr. Naomi Fraga presents — Plant Conservation in Southern California

Wednesday, November 10, 2021

7:30 PM–8:30 PM

Dr. Naomi Fraga will present ongoing research by the California Botanical Garden to support rare plants in the Amargosa River Basin, their seed banking in collaboration with other botanic gardens to protect the genetic legacy all the rare plants of California, and why that is effort is so urgent, and finally her work in plant conservation advocacy to get Endangered Species Act listing status for Tiehm's buckwheat and the conflicts we face towards achieving a renewable energy future (e.g. lithium mining and solar).

Naomi Fraga is Director of Conservation Programs at California Botanic Garden in Claremont, CA; she received her Ph.D.in Botany from Claremont Graduate University, and she also holds a M.S. in Botany from Claremont Graduate University and a B.S. in Botany and Biology from California Polytechnic University, Pomona. Naomi serves as Secretary for the Southern California Botanists, is a chair of the Environment and Public Policy Committee for the American Society of Plant Taxonomists and is Treasurer for the Amargosa Conservancy.

The program will be online, at: https://bluejeans.com/432568808/4291