08/07/2026
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Leading conservationist to discuss biodiversity crisis and what gardeners can do on Tuesday Aug 11 at Hageman Branch
In a video program entitled “What’s the Rush,” entomologist and conservationist Dr. Doug Tallamy will discuss the biodiversity crisis and what gardeners can do to restore native habitats, at 5 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 11, at the Hageman Branch of the Westchester Public Library, 100 Francis St., Porter.
Tallamy’s research and books—including “Bringing Nature Home” and “Nature’s Best Hope”—have inspired millions to see their own yards as part of the solution to the biodiversity crisis. Driven by the belief that everyone can play a role (indeed, has a responsibility to play a role), Tallamy co-founded Homegrown National Park to encourage people to plant natives in the spaces they care for.
What makes Tallamy’s work distinct is where it points. Most conservation efforts focus on protecting what remains. Doug's research asks larger questions: What do we lose when native habitats disappear? And can we restore what's been lost?
Tallamy’s answer is grounded in decades of data. Native plant communities provide the ecosystem with services that no human infrastructure can replicate: Clean water, flood control, pollination, natural pest regulation, climate stability, and more.
Strip them out and replace them with turf and ornamentals and the system quietly fails. Restore them and it quietly recovers.
