Indiana Master Naturalist 2025 Gathering: Bird Droppings and Gardens

During the 2025 Indiana Master Naturalist Gathering in Brown County State Park there was a reoccuring theme. This is a theme recognizable to naturalists everywhere. The theme was comparing and contrasting the values and challenges of invasive species versus native species. 

One focus was on plants. The categories were clear. Invasives caused economic damage. They over-competed native species leading to monocultures. The invasive plants provided poor nutrition leading to decline in insects, birds, and small mammals. They reduced biodiversity. On the other hand native plants were evirnomental healers. They provided conditions for increased biodiversity. They provided food for insects, birds, and small mammals. 

Two of the presentations provided great examples of this. Cathy Meyer presented on the connection between healthy and diverse plants populations and healthy and diverse bird populations. Jody Heaston presented on the relationship between various species of Milkweed and Monarch Butterfly populations. 

Dawn Slack was foundational to understanding the interdepency between native plants and healthy ecosystems. Her presentation, Bird  droppings and the Vitality of Our Gardens was an inspiring talk. To be honest I went into the talk expecting to struggle to stay awake. I was happily wrong. She is an expressive speaker. She provided numerous examples of ecological catastrophes. However, and surprisingly, she responded, "This is a great time to be alive."

She was not being sarcastic or naive. She gave examples of ecosystem restorations throught the removal of invasive species and the reintroduction of native plants. The native plants had a cascading effect on the ecology. Her optimism was based on "we know what we need to do and we can do it."

I look forward to attending future lectures by this Dawn Slack. Until that time, her is a video of her presentation

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