Native Plant Society of New Mexico Native Plant Society of New Mexico

Ecology for Gardeners

Every garden is part of a larger ecosystem.  Find out how understanding some basic ecological principles can help you make better design, planting and management decisions for your garden.  From learning what ecosystem you live in to how food webs work Sylvan will introduce you to concepts that explain how a designed landscape will interact with its surroundings and how it can be made to be more sustainable.  Whether you are new to sustainable landscaping practices or a long-time practitioner, you’ll learn the science background you need to understand how your landscape can support clean water, improve wildlife habitat, and lower maintenance costs while providing a healthy, beautiful environment for you to live in.

Dr. Sylvan Kaufman is an ecologist who taught in the Sustainable Landscape Design program at George Washington University and was a founding member of the Chesapeake Conservation Landscaping Council.  She has worked and gardened in New Mexico for more than a decade now.