25 Sep Join National Wildlife Federation for “Habitat Talks” Coming Soon to Discovery Hill Outdoor Learning Center

Fall is in the air, and with our recent rains and cooler temperatures, it’s time to head out into the garden again to start planting, pruning, and tending. The National Wildlife Federation (NWF) can help you head out with confidence and a plan, equipped to transform your yard or garden into a wildlife habitat. Starting October 11th, NWF will be offering a series of “Habitat Talks”, an informative series of workshops and presentations led by local landscaping and design experts. Join us for seasonal wildlife gardening tips that will combine learning and opportunities to get your hands dirty.

Topics include tending the fall habitat garden and choosing optimal plantings for spring blooms; preparing your garden for the winter; learning when and how to plant woody species and trees; what birds and pollinators to look for during the fall or spring migration and what to plant to attract them. Click here to learn more and register.

We are excited to be able to hold these talks at Discovery Hill Outdoor Learning Center located at the

Science and Health Resource Center in Austin ISD. Discovery Hill is a National Wildlife Federation premier demonstration habitat that NWF funded and implemented in AISD in 2013. This project completely rejuvenated a previously barren quarter-acre site that is now home to 150 Texas native plants important to birds, butterflies, and other wildlife, a pond for wetland plants and native fish, a rain garden, observation benches, a mixed grass prairie, a burgeoning woodland, and rain harvesting for water conservation. Discovery Hill brings the wonders of outdoor learning and the principles of environmental stewardship to students in Austin’s public schools. 

The garden is used by Austin ISD as an outdoor classroom, where students can learn about wildlife species and ecosystems, hone their academic skills, and nurture their curiosity about the natural world.  It serves as AISD’s professional development center for training teachers how to incorporate outdoor lessons into their curriculum and implement native habitats on their campuses. It also welcomes 150 students daily from the neighboring Pleasant Hill Elementary School. Watch our video to see kids actively learning in nature at Discovery Hill.

A visit to Discovery Hill never disappoints. The vast array of native plants provide a constantly changing landscape and with those changes come a host of different critters throughout the seasons. Join us for Habitat Talks this fall and experience the beauty and bounty at Discovery Hill first hand.