ABOUT THE EVENT:
Good gardeners know that what grows beneath the surface has a huge impact on what grows above it. You probably also know that native plants attract pollinators to help your garden grow. But did you know those same plants can help improve your soil's health? Join us as we explore that topic with Dr. Kathryn Docherty, microbial ecologist in the Department of Biological Sciences at Western Michigan University. Her research focuses on how native tallgrass prairie restoration can improve soil health and microbial activity, while increasing climate resilience. The majority of her work has been in collaboration with farmers in southwest Michigan, who install native tallgrass prairie restorations as part of a sustainable agricultural management plan. She will also discuss results from a new project that investigates how residential native plant installations affect soil health in the urban City of Kalamazoo. Dr.Docherty has been a professor at WMU since 2011. She is also a native plant enthusiast who is slowly converting her lawn into a diverse array of native plants.

ABOUT THE SPEAKER:
Dr. Kathryn Docherty, microbial ecologist in the Department of Biological Sciences at Western Michigan University. Her research focuses on how native tallgrass prairie restoration can improve soil health and microbial activity, while increasing climate resilience. The majority of her work has been in collaboration with farmers in southwest Michigan, who install native tallgrass prairie restorations as part of a sustainable agricultural management plan. She will also discuss results from a new project that investigates how residential native plant installations affect soil health in the urban City of Kalamazoo. Dr.Docherty has been a professor at WMU since 2011.