Make Your Yard a Little Wilder

In celebration of Arbor Day on April 29, folks learned about the benefits of a more natural world ― and how we can make our own yards and towns more natural. Neuroscientist Susan Masino and naturalist Margery Winters shared simple changes you can start making that will be good for you and for the birds, bees, and other creatures that call Connecticut home. During the webinar, Susan and Margery shared their experiences collaborating on Simsbury’s Open Space Master Plan to ensure the long-term health and integrity of their town.

This webinar is part of the Berlin Land Trust’s ongoing work to help folks learn about, nurture, and protect our natural environment. To help you make your yards a little wilder, our presenters provided links for buying native plants, shrubs, and trees.

About the Presenters:

Margery Winters is Assistant Director of Roaring Brook Nature Center in Canton, Vice President of the Simsbury Land Trust, and a long-time member and Past President of the Simsbury Garden Club.

Susan Masino, Ph.D., is the Vernon Roosa Professor of Applied Science at Trinity College. Her biomedical research is focused on behavior and brain health and metabolism, and she has collaborated with other scientists to publish a seminal paper on the benefits of “proforestation” ― growing existing forest ecosystems to their ecological and structural potential. Susan serves on Simsbury’s Open Space Committee, is President of the CT State Grange Foundation, and is the spokesperson for Keep the Woods, a science and advocacy group focused on natural forests and clean water.