“It’s easy for most gardeners to notice when birds aren’t chirping, but what will often happen long before the birds are gone is the bugs in the soil are missing.”

That’s the warning from Erica Thetford, the Lycoming County Master Gardener Coordinator.

On March 15, the local chapter of Penn State Master Gardeners will host a symposium entitled “Bringing Nature Back: One Yard at a Time.”

National and local experts will discuss how home gardeners can promote biodiversity and restore natural ecosystems.

Gardening’s Hidden Impact

From excessive pesticide use to reduced biodiversity and encroachment on wild spaces, modern gardening practices can harm wildlife.

Thetford says, “Most of us agree that if you kill all the good bacteria and fungus in your gut, it’s almost impossible to live a healthy life. The exact same thing is true for your soil. If we treat our soil with care, you’re not only taking care of your garden but you’re also taking care of the worms which feed in the soil, and the bugs which feed on those worms, which takes care of the birds, and so on up the chain.”

A Healthier Approach to Gardening

Thetford emphasizes the importance of Integrated Pest Management (IPM)–a method that minimizes chemical use and prioritizes natural solutions.

Caring for the soil, says Thetford, is the most powerful thing a gardener can do to garden more ecologically.

“We humans don’t take medicine like antibiotics without an illness, so why would our garden soil do that?” she explains. “So, we should treat problems we find in our gardens with the least invasive way first-like picking diseased leaves or branches, or picking pests with our hands. This helps the environment at the same time.”

Challenges of Eco-Friendly

Gardening

Thetford acknowledges that sustainable gardening isn’t always easy.

“I think this advice is hardest when it’s crazy hot in early August and you’re sweating just standing there before you even kneel next to your garden,” she says. “It’s so tempting to just get a bottle of weed killer out and be done when you’re feeling like that.”

Her advice? Garden during cooler hours.

“The old advice to garden first thing in the morning-or as I like to, as the sun sets-might help keep you going and to put the spray away. No sweat! Literally,” she jokes.

A Community Effort

Thetford and other Penn State Master Gardeners of Lycoming County have partnered with the Responsible Decarbonization Alliance to put on the Bringing Back Nature Symposium. The Alliance has almost entirely sponsored the event.

“We are so thankful and excited for this opportunity to give people the knowledge they need to garden using the best, scientifically-backed science at as low of a price to attend as possible,” says Thetford.

A Simple Way to Help Pollinators

What’s an easy first step for eco-friendly gardening? A small fountain or shallow water bubbler for pollinators.

“Bees and butterflies need water just like us, and sometimes it can be hard for them to find it. This is next on my list for my own garden.”

The symposium will be held at the Klump Academic Center at Pennsylvania College of Technology on Saturday March 15 from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m..

To learn more about the event or to register, visit https://extension.psu.edu/bringing-nature-back-one-yard-at-a-time.