Hybrid Online/In-person at BBG
Online, Wednesday, March 17, 5 pm - 7 pm
In-person at BBG, Saturday, March 20, at 1 pm - 3 pm
Although this class is fully registered, an online option has been added for those wishing to learn from afar. Click here for additional information and to register.
Owen Wormser will discuss the effect that lawns and meadows have on the environment. Collectively, mowed turf throughout the United States covers an area the size of Washington State. This makes lawns the largest irrigated 'crop' in the country, and the adverse impact of their ecological footprint is truly staggering. Meadows offer the opposite effect, providing myriad ecological benefits–including ongoing sequestering of carbon and significantly increased biological diversity. Meadows are more affordable than lawns, and with the right know-how, they're long lasting, low-maintenance and very beautiful. Owen will discuss the benefits of native meadows while also explaining how to create thriving meadowscapes, sharing tips and strategies drawn from research and over 20 years of on-the-ground experience.
Owen Wormser is a native of rural Maine. Since 1998, he has built hundreds of regenerative landscapes in Western Massachusetts, influenced by his study of horticulture, permaculture, organic agriculture and ecology. In 2010, he started Abound Design, which provides design and installation services with a focus on creating sustainability, regeneration and beauty. Six years later, he co-founded Local Harmony, a nonprofit that promotes local regenerative projects and has overseen the planting of many thousands of native perennials. His first book, Lawns Into Meadows: Growing a Regenerative Landscape, was released in July, 2020.
Advance registration is required.