NativeScapes ~ Native Landscapes With A Purpose

NATIVESCAPES, Continued from page 1 been enhanced by wildflowers blooming in all seasons, and our customers also realize the need to provide other important breeding, nesting, and overwintering habitats to meet all life cycles. They are instantly amazed at the amount of activity of birds throughout the year, from nesting to migration through the winter months. Even the smallest of changes have improved the aesthetics for homeowners while providing important habitats for a regional mission. Customers always appreciate our professional and courteous nature, timeliness, knowledge, and advice, as well as the overall experience working with NativeScapes.”

Littleton has over 30 years of experience as an ecologist and naturalist, and was recently honored as the Educator of the Year awarded by the Cheshire County Conservation District. In addition to being the founder of NativeScapes and Moosewood Ecological, he has served as adjunct faculty at Antioch University since 2007.

The idea of NativeScapes was seeded nearly a decade ago when he saw an overwhelming regional interest to develop and enhance more nativelyinspired, wildlife-friendly areas for property owners. NativeScapes is ideal for all landowners, whether in an urban area or a classic rural New England landscape. It is the collective efforts of property owners that can contribute to a major overall impact on wildlife and beneficial insects. While supporting rare and uncommon species, they can use diverse color palettes, textures, and forms of native plants to enliven their outdoor living spaces and other natural areas.

“Using native plants just makes sense – ecologically, economically, and socially,” he adds. “More and more types of native plants are becoming available at some retail nurseries, but some of these may lack the diversity found at wholesale dealers, and therefore, not readily available to the public. NativeScapes sources its plants and seeds from New England, and nearly all of these are from nurseries in New Hampshire, Vermont, and Massachusetts.”

The primary function and mission of NativeScapes is to create native landscapes with a purpose. “We strive to awaken our clients’ senses with native plants that are designed for beautiful, functional outdoor living spaces while promoting biodiversity and ecological integrity in the Monadnock region,” Littleton says. “We help our clients make a major ecological impact through natural function and form. This is where beauty and purpose bloom.”

Littleton continues by saying that they offer a soup to nuts path for nativescaping. “This type of functional design focuses on improving environments

Our Family Trees Lecture April 26th In Richmond

On Wednesday, April 26th at 6:30 p.m., Richmond Historical Society will present Our Family Trees by Suzen Perry at the Veterans Hall at 105 Old Homestead Highway. Participants will learn how to track their ancestry during this genealogy presentation. Refreshments will be provided. For more details, call 603-239-6164.

Keene Taxpayers Cannot Afford This Project!

To The Editor:

Citizens of Keene have voiced concerns regarding the direction the Keene Infrastructure Project has taken. It was announced March 2, 2023, that the project would be delayed for two years. This extension will allow citizens and business owners to attend the Public Infrastructure Workshops to allow the council and the public to ask questions and to speak out about the project. The next public workshop is scheduled for April 26th at 6 p.m. in the council chambers. There is no final project design at this time.

Citizens do not want the city to rush into making irreversible decisions that will permanently scar our city and cause great hardship to our merchants.

There are questions that the pubic has raised, that have not been addressed. Keene has already paid over half a million dollars in fees to Canadian based Stantac. What were the criteria for choosing Stantac? What office or individual determined what the criteria should be and that Stantac would be hired? Were other consultants interviewed?

I have asked many local people and business people what their thoughts are about this project as recommended by Stantac. The overwhelming response is “are they crazy,” followed by why would the city want to drastically change our Square, remove our history, and erase the character and charm of our vibrant, functioning downtown? Let’s be pragmatic and financially responsible. Fix the pipes, widen the sidewalks, make safety improvements and leave the downtown intact. Save our tax dollars and save our Square.

Connie Joyce Keene

for wildlife, pollinators, and people with the use of native plants and existing site conditions on your property. These efforts save time, money, and maintenance. Your property is worth the investment of extra planning to ensure a wildly successful project. We offer services from basic design to installation for pollinator gardens and meadows, as well as wildlife plantings to promote biodiversity and beautification of your property. We also provide invasive plant removal and management to help secure the success of your native plant project.”

The team at NativeScapes “provide a rather colorful background,” according to Littleton. “Our interdisciplinary, exemplary team includes experience and educational background in landscape ecology, wildlife biology, natural ecosystems, habitat restoration, and enhancement, native plants, gardening, landscaping, land management, and project management. These skills provide you with the trust needed for a well-planned, successful project.”

NativeScapes clients include private property owners, municipalities, land trusts, and other non-profit environmental organizations as well as federal and state agencies. On a community level, NativeScapes provides planning and installation services for community-based projects. “The development of pollinator pathways in your town is a perfect example, and we just completed one for Greenfield, New Hampshire,” Littleton says. “These projects can be a joint partnership between public and private properties that establishes a corridor of native plants for bees, butterflies, and other insects, as well as a variety of birds. NativeScapes also provides habitat restoration and enhancement services for private, municipal, and federal entities. These include native plantings for forests, wetlands, and old fields, as well as invasive plant management. Many of these community-based projects are perfect to encourage town-wide involvement while developing and supporting community science efforts.”

For more details about NativeScapes, call 603-831-1980 or visit www. bit.ly.NativeScapes

Monadnock Region Community Health Fair

When: April 20, 2023 at 1:30 PM

Where:

Best Western Plus 401 Winchester St, Keene, NH 03431

Presented by: Dr. Vache Hambardzumyan