A climate action evanston program
Plants native to Evanston
speaker series
Dive into Chicagoland's diverse ecosystems with engaging, expert-led talks on nature. This journey is about marveling at nature and understanding our changing environment and actions we can take to enhance our urban environment and our own health, enjoyment and place in it.
Each presentation shares a piece of this story. Explore topics from our nighttime skies to the challenges faced by urban wildlife. From tales of butterflies and dragonflies to insights into the future of disease management (especially mosquitoes) amid climate change. Secure your spot now!
Upcoming Presentations
@ Jamie Walter

The Dark Side of Outdoor Light

Robert Sullivan
Retired, Argonne National Laboratory
Wednesday
January 8, 2025
6:30 pm
-
7:30 pm
Zoom
@ Kathy Ruttenberg

Twilight in the Garden of Hope: Nature as Inspiration

Kathy Ruttenberg
Multidisciplinary artist (sculpture, painting, and animation)
Wednesday
February 19, 2025
6:30 pm
-
7:30 pm
Zoom
Past Presentations
NASA, Unsplash

It’s A Night Thing: How Dispelling the Dark has Altered our World

Ken Walczak
DarkSky International and Adler Planetarium
VIDEO OF PRESENTATION
(Video coming soon!)

Our Urban Wildlife: Coyotes, Bats, Rats and other critters

Seth Magle, Ph.D.
Director, Urban Wildlife Institute, Lincoln Park Zoo
VIDEO OF PRESENTATION
(Video coming soon!)
@Laine Hoffman

Bird Collisions: Hazardous Features and Easy Solutions

Annette Prince
Director, Chicago Bird Collision Monitors
VIDEO OF PRESENTATION
(Video coming soon!)

Butterflies and Dragonflies

Doug Taron
Curator of Biology, Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum
VIDEO OF PRESENTATION
(Video coming soon!)
@ iStock SteveByland

Urban Rats: how to Manage them and Let Wildlife Thrive

Larry Heaney
Negaunee Curator of Mammals, Field Museum
VIDEO OF PRESENTATION
(Video coming soon!)

Climate and Sustainability: the Challenge for Mosquito-Disease Control

Mark Clifton, Ph.D.
Executive Director, North Shore Mosquito Abatement District
VIDEO OF PRESENTATION
(Video coming soon!)

Mental Health amid Climate Disruption, Biodiversity Dwindling and Losses

Lise Van Susteren
Clinical Associate Prof, Psychiatry, George Washington University
VIDEO OF PRESENTATION
(Video coming soon!)
@ Pam Karlson

Birds in the Garden: Creating & Enjoying a Bird Oasis

Pam Karlson
Professional Gardener and Public Speaker
@ Urban Wildlife Institute, Lincoln Park Zoo

Biodiversity in the city: using acoustics to understand the bats of Chicago

Liza W. Lehrer, M.S.
Assistant Director, Urban Wildlife Institute Lincoln Park Zoo
VIDEO OF PRESENTATION
(Video coming soon!)
@ illinoiswildflowers.info

A guide to restoring the little things that run the world

Doug Tallamy
Univ. of Delaware, TA Baker Professor of Agriculture and Natural Resources
VIDEO OF PRESENTATION
(Video coming soon!)
Natural Habitat Evanston, a program of Climate Action Evanston, is an all-volunteer community group of about 900 members, spreading the word on creating habitat for insects, birds, and other wildlife. We aim to change the culture of lawns: leaving your leaves is the simplest first step; the second step is adding a native shrub or tree to shrink your lawn. We show how to transition from turf with low-cost cardboard methods, which keystone native plants to choose for year-round forage, that insects chewing on leaves is a ‘win’ (rather than cause to reach for pesticide), how turning off unnecessary lights saves insect and birds (and human health), and how to make your windows bird-friendly (because if you are going to invite birds to your yard, let them visit safely). We plant a lot of native trees and shrubs, especially at schools and in the 5th Ward.
We encourage people to think outside the lawn with No Mow May. Our Pollinator Pledge is a central focus of all our outreach and education, and a great way to spread the word to your neighbors.