Conservation@Home is an educational and certification program focused on promoting and celebrating the use of conservation-minded gardening practices. By recognizing community and school gardens that meet our criteria of environmentally sound gardening practices in biodiversity, water conservation, and healthy soils, this program helps create more connected landscapes throughout our communities. Community gardens that certify need to utilize informal/formal education tools to engage members. Panelists will present updates and share photos of their gardens, their experience with Conservation@Home for Communities in Chicago, successes and challenges with community building and gardening during COVID, and their tips for growing native plants. There will also be time for Q & A from the audience.

Facilitated by: Gemini Bhalsod, University of Illinois Extension Horticulture Educator

Panelists: Valerie Kehoe, University of Illinois Extension Program Coordinator, Alex Palmer, Urban Naturalist, and Emily Lambert, Kellogg Garden Club Co-coordinator