Community - Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Workshop: Creating nature-friendly backyard habitats

Residents of Portola Valley and nearby communities hoping to nurture backyard habitats friendly to local wildlife will have a chance to hear and discuss informed opinions on the subject at a free workshop on the morning of Saturday, May 8.

The event, sponsored by the Conservation Committee, begins at 9 a.m. in the community hall at Portola Valley Town Center at 765 Portola Road. Mayor Steve Toben will open the proceedings, which will include refreshments, living examples of native plants, and a guided wildflower walk along Sausal Creek at Town Center.

Vital habitats can help the fight against local extinction of plants and animals, committee Chair Marianne Plunder said in a statement. This presentation will include successful strategies for living with wildlife and guidance on how to keep gardens healthy and free of pest infestations.

The speaker on insects and plants will be committee member and naturalist Paul Heiple. Bird habitats will be the topic for U.S. Department of Agriculture conservationist Jim Howard, and mammal habitats the topic for Mary A. Paglieri, the founder of Little Blue Society, a nonprofit based in Redwood City with a mission of "sustaining a healthy co-existence between humans and animals."

Call 521-1535 for more information