Building Healthy Habitats at Home: a Panel Discussion

Curious how your own yard can support wildlife, protect water quality, and thrive with less maintenance? Building Healthy Habitats at Home is a community-focused panel discussion designed for homeowners who want practical, approachable ways to create healthier, more resilient gardens and landscapes.

Local experts will share simple, actionable steps homeowners can take to improve their outdoor spaces, from choosing the right native plants and managing invasive species to designing landscapes that benefit pollinators, birds, and local ecosystems. Whether you have a large property or a small backyard, you’ll leave with ideas you can put into practice right away as you plan for the 2026 planting season.

The discussion will feature professionals with hands-on experience in forest stewardship, ecological restoration, and horticulture, all with deep knowledge of our region’s landscapes and home gardening challenges.

Featured Panelists:

• Jessica Alba, Watershed Forest Stewardship Educator, Watershed Agricultural Council
• Jessica A. Schuler, Program Coordinator of Natural Resources and Director of Lasdon Public Gardens, Westchester County Department of Parks, Recreation, and Conservation
• Dr. Linda Rohleder, Director and President of Wild Woods Restoration Project

North Salem Open Land Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving the character and natural beauty of the town of North Salem, NY and the area around it by establishing land areas free from exploitation, development, and deterioration and by maintaining the environmental and ecological integrity of the area. Visit www.nsolf.org to learn more about the organization and to become a member.