Native Plants & the Backyard Wildlife Habitat Certification Presented by the Manheim Township Historical Society

Linda Ferich retired from a career in emergency and occupational health nursing in 2013 and became a Pa Master Naturalist. In 2017, Linda started Lancaster Conservancy’s Community Wildlife Habitat program, a partnership with National Wildlife Federation. Linda trains habitat steward volunteers and does free property assessments to teach property owners how to develop habitat and control storm water. Through this program, Lancaster County has become the first county in Pa to become a certified NWF Community Wildlife Habitat.

Linda enjoys studying native plants and designing ecological gardens as a certified Chesapeake Bay Landscape Professional and student of Mt Cuba Center’s Ecological Gardening program. A few years ago, the Lancaster Native Plant Alliance was developed and recently became a chapter of PNPS. The alliance wants to promote the use of native plants in all landscape settings through collaboration, education, and advocacy.