Roosevelt Neighborhood Association Monthly Meeting
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Roosevelt Neighborhood Association meeting and bats, bees and bugs.
Last night at the April meeting of the Roosevelt Neighborhood Association officers were elected for the coming year, it was confirmed that the Bull Moose Festival would again take place this year around July 17th. The Sustainability Committee told of a new study that copper in our yards can prevent salmon from remembering how to migrate to their home stream by affecting their sense of smell. In our area the Ravenna Creek watershed could be affected. Another report mentioned that the Friends of Cowen Park was ramping up a campaign to raise money and support for continued renovations to make the play area in Cowen Park cleaner and better. Volunteers are sought and you can find out more at the RNA website.
The bulk of the meeting was turned over to three speakers. We heard from Evan Sugden of Entomo-Logic who shared much information on bees, and how to recognize their habitat. He recommended the Xerces Society for continued study on pollinators. Evan noted that the bee box you often see on farms and at bee keeper locations is an American invention about 150 years old.
Michelle Noe, president of Bats Northwest, taught us that bats were identified as a keystone species, a species of animal, that when in healthy abundance in an area indicated that the region was in overall good health environmentally. Bats eat mosquitoes, beetles and moths, and are prevalent where there is a good water source and night blooming plants. You may be able to attract bats by building a rocket box in your yard.
Marty Wingate from Seattle Tilth entertained us with slides and information on how to recognize the good bugs in our garden and the most sensible way to eliminate the bad bugs…with other bugs, bats, or birds, or with gloves, by squishing. No chemicals. No sprays.
The path to foster a healthy garden:
- Accept that some damage will occur.
- Use mechanical controls.
- Encourage healthy soil.
- Plant a diverse and appropriate range of species.
The Roosevelt Neighborhood Association April meeting then adjourned.
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