Upper Arlington Public Library

Habitat Heroes

Making Natural Landscaping the New Landscaping Norm

Catherine looks at the growing movement to reduce millions of acres of lawn.  Included, clips from her film Hometown Habitat, which connects planting native plants to critical habitat for wildlife.

Before manicured lawns, with their chemicals, mowers and blowers, there were ecological meadows with their butterflies, birds and bees.  Zimmerman looks at the growing movement to reduce over 48 million acres of thirsty, pesticide ridden, energy consuming lawns.  Included are clips from her film, “Hometown Habitat”, which makes the connection that planting diversity building native plants, is at the core of reclaiming critical habitat for wildlife.  “Everything we do to help wildlife actually helps people too. We need clean air, we need clean water, we need healthy soil. Everything we do to create healthy wildlife habitat helps people and wildlife. We can create an environment where both can thrive. That’s the future.”  Naomi Edelson, NWF, “Hometown Habitat, Stories of Bringing Nature Home” https://themeadowproject.com

Catherine Zimmerman, an award-winning director of photography, celebrates her 47th year as a documentary filmmaker, working primarily on education and environmental issues. Environmental videos of hers include global warming documentaries for CNN Presents and New York Times Television; Save Rainforests/Save Lives, Freshfarm Markets, Wildlife Without Borders: Connecting People and Nature in the Americas, and America’s Sustainable Garden: United States Botanic Garden. Catherine is also a certified horticulturist and landscape designer-based SW Ohio. She is accredited in organic land care through the Northeast Organic Farmers Association and has designed and taught a course in organic landscaping for the USDA Graduate School Horticulture program.

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