Habitat Hero – September 2020

Louise Zeitlin

Our 3^rd Quarter 2020 Habitat Hero award goes to Louise Zeitlin for her love of nature and the welcoming landscape she has created in her own backyard.

Her desire to be a good steward of the bay, the environment, and wildlife began in 2012 as she became a volunteer at the Chesapeake Bay Environmental Center (CBEC); through her training and volunteer work a concern for the environment kicked in. Already an avid birder through CBEC and their bird programs, she learned about the care and feeding of injured raptors and soon found herself a raptor handler, handling both hawks and owls, and feeding them once a week. She was able to teach school children all about these birds and how to protect them.  Through CBEC she also learned how important it was to save the bees, the butterflies, and insects, every insect has a job in the environment, too, though they may not be as pretty.  

One of the things that brought Louise to my attention was the beautiful photos she posts on local Facebook pages, a page for local Cape nature photos and her personal FB page (all photos in this post are hers.).  She also recently discovered the Serene Ravine and has shared on Cape Conservation Corps FB page some of her amazing discoveries at that site. She was surprised we selected her as a Habitat Hero because as she says “Who me? When it comes to gardening, I plant by the seat of my pants and hope for the best!” but yet I could see the care that went into making her yard a safe place for wildlife to inhabit.  From the MANY (more then 13) birdfeeders and water sources to the nectar rich plants—many native – she has provided a place for birds, bees, butterflies and a wide range of insects to hang out. 

In recent years they had to take several large trees down which created a sunnier area to expand her garden and add more sun-loving plants.  She researched and learned what she needed to do to attract pollinators.  One by one she started to plant flowers that would provide the nectar and pollen butterflies and bees needed. In the two years since she began this “haphazard” pollinator garden she has been amazed to see what pollinators she has attracted—build it they will come.  Louise said, “It’s been exciting and rewarding to see the bees and the butterflies find a home in my yard”.  As in every good marriage there is compromise.  Her husband still wants to hold on to some lawn as Louise would like to take over for more gardening, they have come to a balance. And as Dan sees the benefits of adding more native plants he has begun to enjoy the nature that visits their yard as well!

Louise has a mix of natives and non-natives and is adding to it each year, favoring the natives as she moves forward.  Some examples of her plants include Coneflowers, Blue Mist Flowers, Swamp Milkweed, Stonecrop, White Butterfly Flowers, Bee Balm, Tickseed, Coreopsis, and Butterfly Weed.  These are great nectar sources and some are even host plants for butterflies to lay their eggs on.  She was so excited to see Monarch caterpillars munching through the milkweed this fall. While visiting her yard I was able to witness several butterflies enjoying the fruits of her labor, a Monarch, Painted Lady, Buckeye and several Grey Hairstreaks stopped by to sip the nectar!

Her greatest joy comes from the feathered backyard friends that visit the feeding and water stations in her yard.  She has even come to love those pesky squirrels and has learned to embrace them, calling them “little engineers of the animal world because they are so clever”.  Her favorite birdbath sits close to her bedroom window where she hears them splashing around.  Sometimes they even cover the window in “splash” that make it appears as rain! 

Louise’s enthusiasm and love for the natural world is evident in the good stewardship she has shown not only in her own backyard but the community around her, whether supporting CCC’s mission, volunteering at CBEC or sharing her passion for wildlife to the next generation- the kids at CBEC and her own grandchildren.  I am proud to have Louise represent CCC as the newest Habitat Hero!  I think she summed up what it means to be a HH best by saying “My garden has allowed me to learn more about bee and butterfly behavior and witness the trials and tribulations of their daily lives. It’s not always easy, I don’t always know what I am doing, but I do my best to give them the best that I can.” That’s all we can – our best to leave this world a little better than we found it. Thank you Louise for being a Habitat Hero!

If you would like to nominate yourself or neighbor as the next Habitat Hero please email me at president@capeconservationcorps.org and tell me how you are a good steward of the land….remember we aren’t looking for “perfect landscapes” but life sustaining ones!