The Nature of Oaks will inspire you to treasure these trees and to act to nurture and protect them.

Doug Tallamy will reveal what is going on in oak trees month by month, highlighting the seasonal cycles of life, death, and renewal. From woodpeckers who collect and store hundreds of acorns for sustenance to the beauty of jewel caterpillars, he will also illuminate and celebrate the wonders that occur right in our own yards and restorations.

He will also share practical advice about how to plant and care for an oak, along with information about the best oak species for your area. 

• This lecture will also be livestreamed on the Hefner Museum YouTube channel: https://youtube.com/@hefnermuseumofnaturalhisto2063?si=vfh7Du0j_ofFi7QC 

Doug Tallamy, the TA Baker Professor of Agriculture and Natural Resources at the University of Delaware . He has written and co-authored several books exploring how home gardens and landscaping can provide habitat for native species, including "Bringing Nature Home: How Native Plants Sustain Wildlife in Our Gardens," "The Living Landscape: Designing for Beauty and Biodiversity in the Home Garden," "Nature's Best Hope: A New Approach to Conservation that Starts in Your Yard,"  and most recently, "The Nature of Oaks: The Rich Ecology of Our Most Essential Native Trees." 

The lecture is in honor of Dr. Ethel Belk, who served the Botany department from 1939-1968. She is well known for her personal attention and encouragement of students, and is noted for having taught all subjects, giving her a chance to influence more students than most faculty.  She was awarded a resolution passed by the Ohio Senate in 1986 honoring her outstanding contributions to Botany.  This year’s Belk Lecture is cosponsored by Individualized Studies (the Western Program). 

A reception will follow the Lecture.

Tallamy will also speak at the Oxford Lane Library, "A Guide to Restoring the Little Things that Run the World” at 7 p.m. March 7.  He will sign books 6-6:45 p.m. and 8-9 p.m.