Build conservation practices at home by adding native plants to your landscape. Learn from local experts through a new Native Plant Series. Johnson County Conservation will host four native plant sales and a speaker series in the spring and fall of 2024: May 5, June 2, Sept. 8, and Oct. 6. Native plants vendors are local Iowa companies, including Allendan Seed Company and Trout Leaf Native Plants. Vendors will be selling plant plugs. The Sept. 8 event will feature Troutleaf Native Plants.
\nThe Johnson \nCounty Soil Health Program was launched in 2022, first providing residents of \nthe unincorporated area and smaller communities of Johnson County partial \nfunding for implementing soil quality restoration on private property. \nThis program has evolved to include both a pocket prairie grant program \n(launched summer 2024), as well as soil sampling in the County ROW (will launch \nfall 2024) to assess the impacts of land management on soil health. The \nSoil Health Program is intended to support residents in improving soil health, \nprovide education on the importance of soil health, explore how soil health can \nbe supported and improved and to use this information for development of future \nprogramming. The soil health program helps support the County’s mission \nof preserving and protecting natural resources, and complements the \nenvironmental regulations that are applied to private developments in the \nunincorporated area.
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\nIowa \nis best known for its prairie landscape, but the sheltered hills and river \nedges, mainly in the eastern part of the state, have been historically covered \nwith dense woodland. Here is where the native shade plants thrive. Karla \nwill share information about some interesting Iowa native woodland plants that \nwould be excellent choices for growing in shady areas of your yard.
\nKasey has \nheld the position of Environmental Regulations Coordinator with Johnson County \nPlanning, Development, and Sustainability for the last six years. In her \nrole with the County, Kasey oversees compliance with the County’s stormwater \nmanagement, sensitive areas, and erosion and sediment control \nrequirements. She also supports and helps develop external-facing \nprogramming in support of preserving and improving the County’s natural \nresources. In addition to her work with the County, Kasey has worked at \nevery level of government as well as the private sector, mainly in the capacity \nof permitting and compliance, with focus on water quality and stormwater \nmanagement. Kasey holds a B.S. in Environmental Science, and an M.S. in \nEnvironmental Engineering, both from the University of Iowa.
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Karla McGrail has had a special love of woodland \n(shade) plants since she was a child exploring the woods around her home in the \nhills of eastern Tennessee. This love has continued with her 30 years of \ngardening on her partially wooded lot in Cedar Rapids. Karla has been an active \nLinn County Master Gardener for 20+ years, and a member of Wild Ones for 15 \nyears. She enjoys talking about native plants and natural landscaping to anyone \nwho will listen.
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The plant sales and speaker series are being supported by the Johnson County Master Gardeners of Iowa. Thanks also to Hills Bank for their sponsorship of the Native Plant event series.
SUMMARY:My County Parks - Native Plant Series- Shade Gardening w/Native Plants + Soil Health Program PRIORITY:3 END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR