Xerces Society Webinar: A Playful Nursery Gets Serious About Pollinator Safety - The Example of Harlequin’s Gardens
What: We are excited to invite Mikl Brawner, founder and co-owner of Harlequin’s Gardens in Boulder Colorado, to this webinar. Mikl will discuss Harlequin’s philosophy about plant health and their non-toxic pest management practices. Sharon Selvaggio, Pesticide Program Specialist at Xerces, will start off the webinar with an overview of why pollinator-safe nursery practices are important, and what plant buyers can do to identify and patronize pollinator-safe nurseries. Participants in this webinar will come away with an enhanced appreciation of the qualities to look for when sleuthing out pollinator-safe nurseries.
Sharon Selvaggio - The Xerces Society; Pesticide Program Specialist, Parks, Nurseries & Natural Areas Lead
Sharon assists Xerces staff, partners, and the public to reduce reliance on pesticides and understand pesticide risk to invertebrates. Sharon previously worked at Northwest Center for Alternatives to Pesticides, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the U.S. Forest Service, and integrates her focus on pesticides with her experience managing natural areas and agricultural lands. Sharon earned a Master of Science in energy and resources and a Bachelor of Arts in biology, both from the University of California, Berkeley. Sharon spends a lot of time in her vegetable garden, which has an always-buzzing insectary/pollinator patch, and she is a frequent visitor to the Pacific northwest's wildlands for recreation.
Mikl Brawner - Harlequin's Gardens; Founder and Co-owner
Mikl Brawner got his initial training along the creeks and woods of eastern Iowa. He studied biology at the University of Iowa, then went to India with the Peace Corps. Back in America, he managed a small organic apple orchard, and operated a tree care business. Studying plants, researching alternatives to pesticides, and developing a xeriscape garden led him from the treetops to a plant nursery. Now the evolving Harlequin’s Gardens is his lifework, helping the gardening community to bring nature into their personal lives and homes using sustainable plants, materials and methods. His current passion is soil health and energy-efficient greenhouses. He was honored with the 2009 PaceSetter Award for the Environment.
When: Thursday, June 15th; 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. (Mountain Time)
Where: Virtual webinar.
This webinar will be recorded and available on Xerces Society’s YouTube channel. Closed captions will be available during this webinar.