We are experiencing an unprecedented decrease in our North American bird population and an insect apocalypse, especially our pollinators. Jody Willis, outreach director of the Ixia Chapter of the Florida Native Plant Society, discussed why we need to create native habitats for birds in our gardens at Horticulture Corner: Bird Habitats on February 1. She shared 13 steps you can take to create one in your yard.
Willis is a former president of the Duval Audubon Society and has held several board positions in the chapter over the last 20 years. She is also a member of the Ixia Chapter of the Florida Native Plant Society, Florida Wildflower Foundation, Herb Society of America, and the Yucca Circle of the Ribault Garden Club. She has been an avid gardener for many years and has been cultivating native plants in her yard since she moved to Jacksonville in 1999. Willis previously worked as a market manager with CSX and Conrail and as a financial advisor with Ameriprise Financial Services. She has a bachelor’s degree from Regis College in Boston and an MBA from Syracuse University. Willis has learned that gardening is a never-ending and rewarding learning experience, especially in regards to the creatures that inhabit the gardens we create.
Resources
More programs
- Read about the Garden Club’s virtual programs here.
- You can register for these programs on our events page.
