Nature in My Backyard is a certification program of the Audubon Society of Greater Cleveland and the Shaker Lakes Garden Club, together with the Master Gardeners of Cuyahoga County. It is designed to help you understand the most essential steps for building biodiversity in your backyard. Free site visits are offered by Nature Advisors for those living in Cuyahoga County. If you are interested in a site visit, please visit the website.
Brown Bagging it in My Backyard is a monthly Zoom program presenting topics of interest for those working on creating backyard habitat and increasing biodiversity. Each second Wednesday of the month at noon a local expert will present an informative talk on topics such as creating soft landings, how to properly plant a tree or a focus on wildlife that you might find in your backyard. To register for these talks, please visit the website. To see the complete library, visit the Nature in My Backyard Youtube channel.
Brown Bagging it in My Backyard
Join us for this Zoom series presented on the 2nd Wednesday of each month at Noon.
December program
Wild About Winter
Wednesday, December 10, 2025, Noon
Harvey Webster
Trustee, Audubon Society of Greater Cleveland
As we approach the winter solstice and prepare for the festive holidays of December, it is interesting to ponder the wild goings-on in in our yards, our gardens and our neighborhoods. No, not those wild goings-on! Rather what is happening in nature. True, many organisms are now dormant, but many are not.
This program will explore the lives of select animals and plants in winter, their adaptations and strategies for survival, and focus on the importance of the winter solstice as the key signal and lead-in to spring. We will also explore how we can observe the vibrant life of winter.
There is always much to explore in our own habitats and ‘hoods, regardless of season.
Harvey Webster retired in 2020 after a 47-year career at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History where he served as Chief Wildlife Officer and Museum Ambassador. He currently serves as a member of the Board of Trustees of the Audubon Society of Greater Cleveland, Winous Point Marsh Conservancy and Red Oak Camp. He presents programs on natural history and conservation.
Up Next
Ecoregions of Ohio and the Plants that Grow There
Wednesday, January 14, 2026, Noon
Hope Taft, Former First Lady of Ohio and co-founder Ohio Native Plant Month
Ever wonder why some plants do better in some parts of the state than others? Ecoregions are geographically distinct areas of land, characterized by distinctive climates, ecological features, and plant and animal communities. Five broad ecoregions are identified in Ohio and most of these are further subdivided. Each has its own distinctive characteristics, in the soil and the plant communities that grow there.
Hope will share what she has learned about Ohio in the last 25 years. We’ll take a look at geology and how it relates to gardening, both in the Heritage Garden at the Governors Residence and elsewhere and how it lead to the establishment of Ohio Native Plant Month.
Learn about the formation of the land we call Ohio and the influence on plants we can grow. Take a quick look at the state’s 5 major physiographic regions and what plants make them special and how they got to Ohio. We’ll explore the use of native plants by gardeners around the state.
Hope Taft was Ohio’s First Lady from 1999 to 2007. She is an honorary Master Gardener and an Ohio Certified Volunteer Naturalist. As First Lady, Hope transformed the Governor’s Mansion grounds into a stunning showcase of Ohio’s native plants and recreations of Ohio’s diverse ecological areas.