The conference will focus on the critical role pollinators play in gardens and natural landscapes. Participants will learn about current research in Vermont and practical strategies for creating and managing habitats that support pollinators and other beneficial insects.
Three experts will be featured. They include:
- Dr. Desirée Narango, conservation biologist with the Vermont Center for Ecostudies, who will discuss the latest research on pollinator conservation in home landscapes
- Laura Johnson, pollinator support specialist with UVM Extension, who will share practical lessons from agricultural pollinator habitat management that gardeners can apply at home
- Tobi Schulman, owner of Bird and Bee Native Plants, who will help participants explore ways to assess and improve pollinator habitats in residential landscapes
The conference is open to the public and will take place from 9:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. EST via Zoom. The registration fee is $50, due by Dec. 3, 2026. The fee includes access to the live conference and presentation recordings. You can find more information and registration on the conference website (https://go.uvm.edu/gardeningconference).
Presentations will be live captioned. To request additional disability-related accommodations, or to ask general conference questions, please contact Deb Heleba at debra.heleba@uvm.edu.
The conference is offered by the UVM Extension Community Horticulture program, which provides research-based gardening education and volunteer service opportunities that help Vermonters cultivate healthy gardens, sustainable landscapes, and resilient communities.