Supporting the growing ecological gardening field is much like working to build the rich fungal soils of a forest. It is complex, layered, and takes time. Like mimicking the mycelium network in forest soils, we need to nurture integral connections between each other to meet the immediate demands of wildlife, the heartfelt native habitat requests of customers, and to sustain the well-being of a growing demand of trained ecological gardening contractors.
In order to start building the “fungal soils” of the professional ecological gardening world in the Lower Susquehanna River Watershed, Waxwing EcoWorks is training two contractors this year, as part of the Ecological Gardener Training, in collaboration with the Horn Farm Center. These contractors are participating in a 16-week hands-on intensive training that enriches their baseline ecological knowledge, observation, and fundamental skills in ecological gardening site prep, design, and stewarding.
This training, along with field experience on Waxwing project sites, will help build resilience in a field where workforce capacity does not meet current service demand. Each year, the aim is for the Ecological Gardener Training and internship experience to contribute in a small, yet direct way in bolstering this growing ecological service industry.
Please welcome and meet the new Waxwingers for the 2022 Spring Season!
Rebecca Knappenberger | Ecological Gardener Intern
“I mostly grew up in rural western Pennsylvania, surrounded by trees, and a short drive from old growth forests. My love for nature started young, with regular family camping trips, hikes, and river wading.
My husband and I moved to Lancaster city over 10 years ago, and have since grown to love this region--though its agricultural landscape is quite different from what either of us were accustomed to.
I've been grateful to learn of local organizations like the Lancaster Conservancy, who work to preserve our wild lands and ecosystems. Last year, I had the opportunity to work as one of their seasonal Interpretive Rangers, and it further inspired me to grow in my knowledge of native plants and habitat.
I started reading Douglas Tallamy's "Bringing Nature Home," and quickly resonated with his vision for suburban landscapes: landscapes no longer dominated by vast expanses of mowed lawn, but instead intentionally filled with native plants that support local ecosystems. I would love to see more people catch this vision, and join in the effort to support our environment in deeply needed ways.
My goal for our own lawn is to have less and less to mow. So far, we've planted 7 trees, along with many native shrubs & perennials. I'm eager to further design our green space with the skills learned throughout my internship with Waxwing Ecoworks Co., and to help equip others to do the same.
My professional work experience has predominantly been within the realm of social services, but I see how investing in healthier natural environments is also an investment in healthier neighborhoods. We all need vibrant green spaces to thrive. “
Donna Volles | Ecological Gardener Contractor
“Donna (she/hers) has been committed to regenerative Earth work as a career path since 2018. Her passion lies in plants, collaboration, and community resilience. Donna has been practicing gardening, farming, herbalism, preservation, nutrition, plant/fungi ID, and gathering with reciprocity for a decade.
She received her Permaculture Design Certificate in 2013 from Wilson Alvarez and Benjamin Weiss and has studied with Ja Schindler of Fungi for the People, Dave Jacke, Sandor Katz, and numerous others regarding plant propagation, pruning, and tending fruit trees. She is also a Habitat Steward through the National Wildlife Federation and soon to be a certified Ecological Gardener. Her last five years were spent living collectively and working collaboratively at Rising Locust Farm, a small scale regenerative ag farm located in Manheim, PA. She is the mother of one beautiful, gentle, curious child.
Most recently, Donna has started Fernwey, a licensed small-scale plant nursery specializing in edible perennials, both native and non-native as well as hardy, adaptable selections of native shrubs and trees. Fernwey seeks to help facilitate human reconnection to natural systems, improve soil and water quality, restore diverse, native habitat to the ecoregion, while providing abundant food sources to all of Earths' inhabitants.”
Tyler Snelbaker | Ecological Gardener Contractor
"I grew up in Dover PA, a semi-rural suburb of York. I have always had a love of nature and spent many summers playing in the creek across the street from my house. I feel more comfortable in the forest than at the beach. I love the trees, the shade and oxygen they create. I have witnessed a lot of development in York County in the last 32 years and I started a business to restore some of the developed land to bring back some of the ecosystems that were destroyed or damaged.
I started a business called Restoring Creation Land Care LLC to do just that, using native plants and organic land conservation techniques to restore habitat by decreasing lawn size in favor of beneficial plants for wildlife and pollinators, also working to add rain gardens to prevent excess runoff, erosion, and flooding downstream.
I’m currently a student in the Ecological Gardener Training program that Elyse is teaching and completed the Chesapeake Bay Landscape Professional training. I also have a background in Physical Therapy as I studied to be a Physical Therapist Assistant before finding and pursuing my love for conservation landscaping.
I have two children 4 and 6 years old who also love nature and they love to learn and help plant trees and dig in the yard. We now live in York city and enjoy volunteering in the community. We helped plant several community garden projects at Kiwanis lake and in our neighborhood that were organized by the Audubon Society of PA. I get a lot of fulfillment out of giving back to Mother Earth and getting a feeling of helping restore balance to the environment.”
by Elyse Jurgen | Waxwing EcoWorks Owner/Founder
Are you an ecological gardening service provider, also experiencing the need of a well trained, nurtured workforce? Share your experience/comments below and give this post some love. Thank you!