Nature Expert Doug Tallamy to Speak at BACT’s Annual Meeting
Learn About Sustaining Wildlife with Native Plants

BARRINGTON, Ill. (March 15, 2017) – A “guru” in the insect and nature world, Doug Tallamy will speak at the Barrington Area Conservation Trust (BACT) Annual Meeting, to take place Tuesday, April 18 from 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. at Barrington’s White House, 145 W. Main Street in Barrington. His talk will center on the plight of monarchs, and how each of us can help these butterflies, and other insects, by supporting biodiversity in our backyards and open spaces.

BACT encourages anyone interested to attend—you don’t have to be a member. Tickets are free to BACT members and students, $15 to nonmembers by calling BACT at 847.387.3149.

Doug Tallamy is a noted entomologist and native plant advocate. 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.

“We can save nature,” says Tallamy, “but only if we learn to live with nature.” Tallamy suggests each of us can play a role by saving biodiversity where we live.

Tallamy’s talk to BACT will feature the monarch butterfly. This butterfly, familiar to all of us in the Midwest, undertakes an amazing 2,000-3,000 mile migration from Canada and the U.S. to a wooded butterfly sanctuary in Angangueo, Mexico. The monarchs leave North America in fall, winter in Mexico and begin their travel back in spring, taking several generations to reach their original nesting grounds.

Yet, sadly, the numbers of monarchs are dropping, due in part to the destruction of their natural habitats. The monarch caterpillar eats only milkweed, and butterflies maintain their sustenance from nectar and water.

“We know monarchs are declining because we can count them,” says Tallamy. “But monarchs are an indication of how so many other moths, butterflies and bees are fairing as we remove native plants from our landscapes.”

Doug Tallamy is professor in the Department of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology at the University of Delaware. He has authored 85 research publications and two books—Bringing Nature Home: How You Can Sustain Wildlife with Native Plants and The Living Landscape, (co-authored with Rick Darke). Tallamy is a regular columnist for Garden Design magazine. His awards include the Garden Club of America Margaret Douglas Medal for Conservation and the Tom Dodd, Jr. Award of Excellence. Doug will sign copies of his books for meeting attendees.

The 2017 Annual Gathering has been generously sponsored by MidWest Groundcovers, LLC., supplier of Natural Garden Natives, a program of carefully selected, easy to grow species of wildflowers and grasses that are good partners in traditional gardens.

The Barrington Area Conservation Trust preserves our community’s rare and exceptional open spaces for current and future generations. The Conservation Trust permanently preserves open space through conservation easements and land donations, restores natural habitats and inspires future generations of conservation stewards. Our outreach efforts engage homeowners, businesses and schools through education, consultation and hands-on opportunities.

We achieve our goals through the support of members, family foundations and businesses that embrace our vision of a sustainable, beautiful environment.
Your efforts can make a difference. To learn more, check out our website at www.bactrust.org or call us at 847-387-3149.
PHOTOS:
Doug Tallamy (Credit: Doug Tallamy)
Monarch Butterfly (Credit: Doug Tallamy)

Contact: Emily Solberg, Project Coordinator     847-387-3149    emily@bactrust.org