BRINGING NATURE HOME
BRINGING NATURE HOME is a series of programs presented by
Friends of Heights Parks and the Cleveland Heights Parks & Recreation Department.
The free talks by local experts educate and inspire residents to create biodiverse native habitat in our public and private green spaces.
Registration is necessary due to limited seating. For more information contact info@FriendsofHeightsParks.org
Saturday, April 5, 2025, 10-noon
Register here
Cleveland Heights Community Center, 1 Monticello Blvd, Room A/B
Landscape Architects' Historic Designed Landscapes for Cleveland Heights’ Parks & Cemeteries (1869 – 1940) presented by Kara Hamley O'Donnell
Ernest W. Bowditch (1850-1918), A.D. Taylor (1883-1951), and Adolph Strauch (1822-1883) each laid the groundwork for the naturalistic approach to parks and cemeteries in Ohio and beyond. Hear about their notable lives and designs in our own community.
Kara Hamley O’Donnell’s interest in Cleveland Heights’ history and architecture began as she wrote her Master’s thesis on the history of the Coventry and Cedar Fairmount neighborhoods & landscape architect E.W. Bowditch, and her curiosity has continued in the ensuing 30 years. She was the City of Cleveland Heights’ Historic Preservation Planner and Senior Planner for 25 years and is currently the Principal Planner for the City of Shaker Heights.
A resident of Cleveland Heights since the early 1990s, she can often be found gardening at her Coventry home and strolling the city’s neighborhoods, commercial districts, and parks. Kara holds a Bachelor of Environmental Design from Miami University and a Master of Arts in Historic Preservation Planning from Cornell University.
Planting for the Planet 101 presented by John Barber
Slides are here, and the handout is here.
January 11, 2025
As the climate emergency brings awareness that nature exists in our own yards, not only in parks, people are looking for a new way to garden. John Barber will present practical ideas about how to begin, or continue, to reduce lawn and increase habitat in your own green space.
John Barber has expanded his experience of his first love, birds, to the importance of bird habitat to all of nature. A licensed bird bander, he has had the excitement of banding 60 bird species in his own biodiverse urban back yard.
John has been a citizen scientist for over fifty years, active in the recovery of Peregrine Falcon populations; the continuing recovery of Eastern Bluebirds; and monitoring wildlife populations in suburban parklands. Now retired after 35 years in the business world, he is passionately engaged in restoring and maintaining biodiversity in his community. As co-chair of Friends of Lower Lake park he has worked with volunteers weekly on Sunday mornings since 2018 to remove invasive species and replace them with native ones.
Shade Gardening presented by Amy Goletz
Slides are here
February 8, 2025
A delightful, vibrant and nurturing SHADE garden? Yes! You can still support pollinators and create a beautiful productive garden even if light is limited! Learn about shade-loving native plants and all they can do for you and your wildlife.
Amy Goletz is the owner of Avonlea Gardens & Inn, a small family-owned native plant nursery in Chardon, Ohio. Two of her favorite shade plants are strawberry bush (Euonymus americanus) and Texas sedge (Carex texensis) - and yes, that sedge is native to Ohio!
A Garden Party for Butterflies: How to be the Ideal Host presented by Dave Tomashefski
March 8, 2025
Monarchs, Admirals, Emperors, Viceroys, Ladies… an important crew, indeed! And they won’t
visit just any garden! Butterflies are among the most sought-after garden guests and they have distinct tastes in habitat. Roll out the red carpet for this illustrious bunch with host plants, nectar sources, and even overwintering spots because your company won’t want to leave. This presentation will tell you how!
Dave Tomashefski is the Education Specialist for Meadow City Native Plant Nursery. He has an MS in Natural Resources with a focus on Ecological Restoration from Ohio State University. Prior to joining Meadow City, Dave was a Research Associate in OSU’s Soil, Water, and Environmental Lab. He is an avid gardener and life-long nature lover.
There are no upcoming events at this time.