Meet Our Team
We are five enthusiastic community members who are passionate about nurturing diverse healthy habitats in the Carolina Foothills and beyond. We are also an extended community of volunteers and generous Partners!
Our Leadership Team consists of : Vard Henry, Corrie Woods , Karen Bird, Donna Younkin and Anita Saulmon
“People often ask me what one thing I would recommend to restore relationship between land and people. My answer is almost always, “Plant a garden.” It’s good for the health of the earth and it’s good for the health of people. A garden is a nursery for nurturing connection, the soil for cultivation of practical reverence. And its power goes beyond the garden gate - once you develop a relationship with a little patch of earth, it becomes a seed itself.”
Gardening For Life Project 2025 Focus Areas
Explore ways to make native plants more readily available to our community - Spring and Fall Plant Sales
Host community events that bring folks together in conversations about healthy habitats - speakers, movie nights and more!
Provide engaging resources and education to help folks move from overwhelm to action - Habitatscaping™
Support and spotlight organizations and services that protect nature and improve habitats in the Carolina Foothills and beyond - See our Learning Center.
Promote ways that our communities can become more pollinator and habitat friendly
Encourage a shift in thinking from “the problems are too big” to “we can make a difference!”
Gardening For Life Project 2023-2024 Focus Areas
Explore ways to make native plants more readily available to our community
Host community events that bring folks together in conversations about healthy habitats
Host a 2024 Gardening For Life Celebration in Polk County
Host Gardening For Life in the Foothills community conversations. We’ll explore ways to put the teachings of Doug Tallamy and others into practice in our yards and communities. Examples of topics explored: how-to's, available resources, tip sheets, examples of folks putting this all into action and Q&A.
Support and spotlight organizations and services that protect nature and improve habitats in the Carolina Foothills and beyond - See our Learning Center.
Promote ways that our communities can become more pollinator and habitat friendly
Encourage a shift in thinking from “the problems are too big” to “we can make a difference!”
Where We Began
Bring NY Times best-selling author, entomologist and champion for healthy, biodiverse habitats Dr. Doug Tallamy to Polk County NC as keynote speaker
Host the Gardening for Life Celebration on March 4, 2023 at Polk County High School in Columbus, NC. This event will feature resources, education and organizations that support all of us to make positive changes for healthy habitats
Create, support and spotlight organizations and services that protect nature and improve habitats in the Carolina Foothills and beyond
Promote ways that our communities can become more pollinator and habitat friendly
Encourage a shift in thinking from “the problems are too big” to “we can make a difference!”