Monthly Meetings

The Green Among the Fir and Feathers: Horticulture at Woodland Park Zoo: Speaker, David Selk, Supervisor of Horticulture, Woodland Park Zoo.

A zoo offers an entirely different way of looking at animal habitat and the visitor experience than that offered by a hike in our mountains or by a walk in some of our urban green spaces. In this talk David Selk, Supervisor of Horticulture at the Woodland Park Zoo, will discuss the role of horticulture in a zoological setting, and the challenges and rewards of maintaining a year round landscape exposed to more than a million visitors a year. He will share his experience with habitat immersion and its role in modern zoo exhibitry, including the botanical design of zoological exhibits, how plant choices are made, and the role landscape plays in animal health and enrichment, the visitor experience, and education.

 Mr. Selk will also talk about the use of northwest native plants in a zoological setting. Backyard Habitat Workshops, the role of native plants in some of the zoo’s conservation efforts, maintenance of the zoo’s 100% organic rose garden and the role of pesticides in such a public setting will also be touched on.  Chapter programs are free and everyone is welcome to attend. Please join us.

Plant Identification Workshop

The Central Puget sound Chapter offers regular plant identification workshops to help members improve plant ID skills. While the Workshop is oriented primarily toward beginners, anyone who wants to work on improving keying skills or their familiarity with the northwest flora is welcome.  Our main objectives are practice with technical identification keys, familiarity with plant families, and recognition of common northwest species.  No prior experience is necessary; the only requirements are interest in the topic, patience with beginners if you are an old hand, and patience with old hands if you are a beginner.  If you have them, bring a hand lens and a copy of Hitchcock or another favorite plant book.  You are encouraged to bring unknown plants for identification. We will have plenty of material and tools if you come empty handed.  CPS botanists will be the instructors.

Center for Urban Horticulture - Main Hall

University of Washington Campus

3501 NE 41st Street

Seattle, WA 98195