​Fescue serves no purposes for wildlife, yet it is the largest crop grown in America — outpacing corn, soybeans, and cotton by far.

​Learn how to garden for wildlife, from balcony container gardens to backyards and beyond. Native plants and trees support native wildlife as well as storing harmful carbon from release into the air increasing climate change. Participants will learn the basic habitat needs for local wildlife as well as the best species for storing carbon.

​Attendees can begin gardening for wildlife and may even chose to learn more to help others in this endeavor. Every acre and species matters.

​Speakers

​Kara Solomon serves as a Conservation Manager for the North Carolina Wildlife Federation, (NCWF) managing large and small-scale habitat restoration projects on public lands in the Triangle. Kara works with contractors, conservation partners, and local NCWF Community Wildlife Chapters to install and maintain native pollinator gardens, remove invasive plants, and host outreach events. A crucial part of her role includes promoting wildlife education through presenting on a variety of topics.

​Page Turner is a systems biologist and community ecologist that works as a Conservation Manager for the NC Wildlife Federation, connecting people to wildlife through education programs, guided nature outings, and habitat projects across southeastern NC. She graduated from UNC Greensboro with a Biology degree and researches the arthropod and plant community responses to burn frequency in NC longleaf pine ecosystems.

​Moderator

​Heather Beard is Executive Director of EarthShare North Carolina, a position she's held since 2006. Born and raised in Durham, she earned a B.A. in Business Administration at Meredith College and an M.A. in Environmental Policy at Tufts University, and previously worked with the Neuse River Foundation to establish the first Upper Neuse River Foundation program.

​​About NC Climate Week

​This event is part of NC Climate Week 2026, a statewide series of workshops, community events, and conversations designed to accelerate North Carolina forward from climate concern to climate action.

​Hosted by EarthShare North Carolina, the week brings together the people, businesses, and organizations shaping our environmental future. Free virtual Climate Action Workshops and partner-led events offer practical tools and opportunities to learn, connect, volunteer, and take action.

​​Join Us at the NC Climate Week Summit

​NC Climate Week culminates with the NC Climate Week Summit on Friday, October 2, 2026, in Durham.

​This one-day, in-person event features interactive sessions, cross-sector conversations, and leaders from Trane Technologies, NASCAR, ICF, NC Department of Environmental Quality, Clean Energy Fund of the Carolinas, MountainTrue, Xylem, NC Sustainable Energy Association, UNC Humanities, NC Wildlife Federation, NC Coastal Federation, NC League of Conservation Voters Foundation, and more.

​Explore the full program and register at ncclimateweek.org/summit.

​Let’s meet the moment, together. 🌎

​​Sponsor

​The Climate Action Workshops at NC Climate Week are supported by Xylem.