Much has been written about gardening for human senses, but how do plants and animals perceive the world around them? What do we miss when we landscape for human visual appeal but neglect the sensory experiences of our wild neighbors? Noise, light and odor pollution can have many unintended consequences. Conventional gardening practices often interfere with animals’ and plants’ abilities to interact with their environment in ways we can scarcely imagine. Through science, heart, and our powers of observation, author Nancy Lawson will share how we can mitigate these disruptions and create sensory refuges in an increasingly noisy world. Lawson is a nature writer, habitat consultant, speaker, and author of The Humane Gardener: Nurturing a Backyard Habitat for Wildlife and Wildscape: Trilling Chipmunks, Beckoning Blooms, Salty Butterflies, and other Sensory Wonders of Nature. Her new book, Wildscape, is a finalist for the 2024 American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS/Subaru SB&F) Prize for Excellence in Science Books.

Nancy Lawson

$15/$12 member