Environment Archives - Buffalo-NiagaraGardening.com

Grants available; connect kids with nature

Wild Ones National is accepting applications for native plant grants to schools, nature centers and youth programs across the country through the Lorrie Otto Seeds for Education (SFE) Program. Grant applications are open through November 15. These small grants, ranging from $100 to $500, help create pollinator gardens, rain gardens, prairies, monarch waystations and more. Any project that engages youth with native plants and natural landscapes qualifies. The funds are designated for acquiring native plants and seeds for outdoor learning…...

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Sep 30, 2025

Amazing week: Open Gardens begin, 8 garden walks & Conservation Day!

by Connie Oswald Stofko You won’t find this much gardening joy packed into one week anywhere else in North America! The only problem: there’s so much happening, you can’t see it all. But don’t worry. The parts that you do see will be amazing! Open Gardens Nearly 100 remarkable, private gardens will again be open to the public during Open Gardens. Visitors are allowed only at select times on Thursdays and Fridays in July. That creates a serene, uncrowded garden…...

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Jul 8, 2025

Look for invasive species & you might win a prize

You can help our environment by looking for invasive species through the NY iMapInvasives Annual Mapping Challenge. Learn more and find out how to participate at the NY iMapInvasives website. The top individual data contributors and Partnership for Regional Invasive Species Management regions will also receive special prizes from the New York Natural Heritage Program. Some of the species in the challenge are data gap species. Data gap species are: If you look at a map of all the data for one…...

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Jul 1, 2025

Sick tree? Get help for free

The Forest Health Research Lab is available year-round to help your tree health problems at no cost. This isn’t just for forests; you can ask questions about pests or diseases for a few trees or a single tree. The folks at the research lab can identify the problem and provide recommendations. Start by submitting a report form. The more information you provide, the easier it will be for them to identify the problem and help you find a solution. They will…...

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May 6, 2025

Trump issues order to dismantle environmental laws; NYS pushes back

by Connie Oswald Stofko President Donald Trump last week issued an executive order that aims to dismantle New York State’s laws on environmental protection and climate change in order to make it easier for the use of fossil fuels. In the executive order, Trump specifically cited New York State, alluding to the Climate Superfund act, which was signed by Gov. Kathy Hochul in December. It aims to strengthen climate change and environmental protection laws. It would hold polluters responsible for the damage done…...

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Apr 15, 2025

elderberries in North Tonawanda Botanical Garden in Western New York

Wet spot in your yard? Get tips from North Tonawanda Botanical Garden

by Connie Oswald Stofko Does part of your yard turn into a pond in spring? Get some tips from the North Tonawanda Botanical Garden Organization. The organization has been working for about five years to rehabilitate a long-neglected park located at 1825 Sweeney St., North Tonawanda, along the Tonawanda Creek portion of the Erie Canal. The group aims to revitalize the native habitat as well as create a scenic destination. The volunteers also help with educational programs and community activities…....

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Mar 25, 2025

goldenrod with grass-carrying wasp, ground yellowjackets and sweat bee in Amherst NY

Beyond milkweed: aim for native plants throughout our growing season

by Connie Oswald Stofko You may already have some milkweed and other native plants in your summer garden. Can you try for a loftier goal? Here’s a suggestion from Kim Eierman, an environmental horticulturist and ecological landscape designer: Have three native plants blooming in your garden at any time throughout our entire growing season. “Pollinators don’t all wake up on the same day,” Eierman said. “What if all you had in your garden was milkweed?” In early spring, when we…...

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Feb 25, 2025

Sign up now for course from Pollinator Partnership

Get scientific know-how through the Pollinator Steward Certification from Pollinator.org. This course is ideal for home gardeners, land managers (large and small), farmers and anyone that wants to do more to support pollinators. Topics include an introduction to the world of pollinators, how they live and thrive, and how we all can help. Details will be provided on habitat creation for pollinators in many landscapes, including parks, rights-of-way, urban gardens and farms. Additional information on pollinator identification and how to…...

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Nov 19, 2024

How does climate change affect WNY gardens?

Our climate is changing, and it’s changing in many different ways, said Stephen Vermette, professor of geography at SUNY Buffalo State University. Some changes are beneficial to gardens in Western New York, but other changes cause problems. Here are some takeaways: a by Stephen Vermette Warming temperatures The air temperatures have been getting warmer since 1965. The graph below shows average annual air temperatures, as reported at the National Weather Service (NWS) station at the Greater Buffalo International Airport in…...

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Nov 12, 2024

elderberries, New Jersey tea and black chokeberries

See the bigger picture of native plants & permaculture

by Connie Oswald Stofko When I think of permaculture, I picture an apple tree in a backyard. If you move away, the apple tree still produces fruit, even though you’re not there. “Permaculture” is permanent agriculture. Learn how permaculture can provide you with food—and help the environment—with talks on “Introduction to Permaculture and Native Plant Communities.” The talks will be presented by Kathy Contrino, a Master Garden in Orleans County and owner of CW Native Plant Farm. She is also…...

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Sep 3, 2024