Growing for the Earth
Week of May 5, 2024 – May 11, 2024
by Katie McLaughlin, Environmental Educator
With the full arrival of spring we find birds returning, flowers blooming, and buds on trees seeming to burst open to leaves overnight. All of us at Baltimore Woods are out like busy bees with field trips, stewardship projects, fundraisers, camp preparation, and so much more!
What have you been doing to enjoy the beautiful weather? I have been helping my family clean up the yard and plan what new plants we want to add this year. We have been actively trying to remove non-native plants and create habitat for the local wildlife. This year we planted some cedar trees, which provide birds with sustenance year round. Or if you want to learn more about what our local birds may benefit from you can join our Gardening for the Birds program Friday May 10!
You may have already started your garden as well, or perhaps you are waiting for the upcoming annual Baltimore Woods Native Plant Sale. Growing your own vegetables and fruits when you can is also a great way to be healthy for both yourself and the planet! Most of our food has a long journey before it reaches our stores. Have you thought about where your food started? With Central New York weather patterns it’s true that we can not grow everything we eat. However growing your own or buying from farmers markets makes that travel from soil to table much shorter.
Every choice you make impacts the ecosystem, from what you plant to what you eat. What are you choosing to do to help other creatures or reduce your ecological footprint? If you are unsure of what to do, take this season to learn what you can do in your own yard to keep our planet healthy for future generations. (You can also email us your questions at [email protected]!)
We invite our members to enjoy a weekly blog written by our naturalists. Every blog will be uniquely different but always inspired by nature. We may share a memory from a recent hike at The Woods or teach you about an animal or plant that lives on the preserve. No matter the topic, we will be sharing with you our passion for nature and celebrating the connections we all have to the natural world. Each blog will be connected to a weekly set of activities and ideas to help you put nature in your hands, even if you’re at home!