Celebrating Douglas Tallamy

By Chris Weber

Summer is almost here, and most of us have been planning our gardens for months. Whether we hire landscape companies or plan gardens ourselves, we all want our yards to be welcoming. Last March, I had the opportunity to do an author event in Oxford, Ohio with Douglas Tallamy. Mr. Tallamy is an entomologist and a professor at the University of Delaware. He is the co-founder of the Homegrown National Park Foundation, an educational nonprofit organization. According to the New York Times, “The ecologist Douglas Tallamy says your landscape can help manage the watershed, support pollinators, bolster a viable food web, and sequester carbon.” 

Three things we can all do:

1. Switch your night lighting to yellow light bulbs and use motion detectors. Bright night lights are a hazard to insects, especially moths.
2. Skip all mosquito-fogging treatments. Even the “safe” pyrethrin fogs indiscriminately kill all pollinators. If you wonder where the fireflies have gone, look to your neighbor who uses mosquito treatments.
3. Eliminate invasive plants, such as honeysuckle, from your lawns. They prevent native plants from growing. Go to the National Wildlife Federation’s website to find a list of plants native to our area.

Here is a list of his newest books:

How Can I Help? Saving Nature with Your Yard – by Douglas Tallamy:

Interest in landscaping with native plants is at an all-time high. Many people have read his books and attended his nationwide lectures over the years, including a talk at the Cincinnati Zoo last year.  In this book, the author discusses many topics of his expertise: ecology/ evolution, biodiversity, conservation, restoration, native plants, oaks, invasive species, pest control, home landscapes, and supporting wildlife at home. Pick up a copy today! 

His other books are Nature’s Best Hope, The Nature of Oaks, and Bringing Nature Home.

Chris Weber is a partner of The Bookshelf, Madeira’s only small, independent bookstore, where every book is carefully selected to meet both contemporary literary trends and bestsellers.

The Bookshelf is open 10-5 Monday-Saturday and Sunday 1-5.