The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service office in Travis County will hold a “Native Landscapes for Wildlife” webinar on March 20 as part of its continuing 2024 Texas Tough Plants series.

A white-tailed deer is laying in brush. Participants of the Native Landscapes for Wildlife webinar will be able to learn how to make their landscapes more accommodating for wildlife, such as white-tailed deer, using native plants.
Participants of the Native Landscapes for Wildlife webinar on March 20 will be able to learn how to make their landscapes more accommodating for wildlife, such as white-tailed deer, using native plants. (Texas A&M AgriLife photo by Michael Miller)

The free webinar will be held from 10 a.m.-noon on the Zoom platform. Participants can register by visiting https://tx.ag/NativeLandscapesWildlife. The webinar is limited to 100 attendees, but participants can register to view the recording after it ends.

Those who register but are not among the first 100 attendees or who miss the webinar for any reason will be able to view it later, said Daphne Richards, AgriLife Extension horticulture agent in Travis County. After they register, participants will be provided a link for the live session — or to view a recording of the program.

Creating wildlife habitat at home

The featured speaker will be John Davis, conservation program coordinator, Austin Parks and Recreation, Austin. Davis will cover the aspects of wildlife habitat and how homeowners can incorporate them into their own gardens.

A special focus will be placed on the value of native plants in providing food and shelter for wildlife.

“John’s work at Austin Parks and Recreation helps to recognize the importance of native plants in an urban setting,” Richards said.

Questions can be submitted live as time allows, and those not answered in time will be emailed to participants after the webinar ends. Viewers of the recorded sessions can email their questions to the Travis County Master Gardeners help desk at [email protected].

Other educational programs offered

Richards said the AgriLife Extension horticulture program in Travis County provides free or low-cost public programs on gardening and food preservation topics throughout the year.

Many of the programs also offer continuing education units for those holding Texas Department of Agriculture pesticide applicator licenses and Texas Nursery and Landscape Association membership. Contact Richards for more information on professional CEUs.

“These interactive programs help the public get more joy and productivity from their gardens, troubleshoot problems and develop environmentally sensitive gardening techniques,” she said.

Other topics planned include “Trees – Your Landscape Legacy” and “The 6 D’s of Container Gardening Success.” All programs are presented by experts from AgriLife Extension, Travis County Master Gardeners and City of Austin, Richards said.

For more information or questions, contact Richards at [email protected] or at 512-854-9600.