Professor, Author and Visionary Conservationist Doug Tallamy to Speak in New Canaan

Renowned author, professor and researcher, Doug Tallamy, will speak on the topic of his recently published book, “Nature’s Best Hope: A New Approach to Conservation that Starts in Your Yard.” Tallamy is best known for the national conversation he sparked more than a decade ago about the link between healthy ecosystems and human wellbeing. His first book, “Bringing Nature Home”, emphasized the irrefutably significant tie between native plant species, native insects and the rest of the food chain essential for a healthy world. Sponsored by the ten organizations that comprise the New Canaan Pollinator Pathway, Mr. Tallamy’s presentation will offer specific suggestions of how homeowners can turn their properties into conservation corridors and help make a difference for global biodiversity. The event will take place on Tuesday, March 3 at New Canaan Country School Auditorium, 635 Frogtown Road, starting at 7:30 pm (Doors open at 7:00 pm). Tickets are $15.

Ticked Off! Invasive Plants and Lyme Disease—A Surprising Connection

Of all the ways to protect ourselves against Lyme disease, planting “this” instead of “that” isn’t usually part of the conversation. And yet, knowing which plants attract disease-carrying ticks can make a difference. Japanese barberry, a non-native ornamental shrub that’s popular for its deer resistance, became established on New England’s post-agricultural lands in the early 1900s. It has invaded our forests, stifling native tree and wildflower regeneration and altering soil chemistry. Extensive research has revealed there is a link between Japanese barberry infestations and blacklegged (aka “deer”) ticks and the causal agent of Lyme disease with which they are infected.

Anthony Bourdain’s “Wasted!”

In the final year of a life cut tragically short, Anthony Bourdain—celebrity chef, journalist, and globe-trotting host of CNN’s “Parts Unknown”—tackled one of the most shocking and significant problems of our time: food waste. Planet New Canaan will be screening his award-winning and powerful documentary, Wasted! The Story of Food Waste, at New Canaan Library on Monday, June 10 at 6:00 pm. Fully one-third of all food grown in the world is wasted before it reaches our plates. That’s a very big deal, since 80% of the world’s water, 40% of the world’s land, and 10% of the world’s energy goes toward cultivating the food we eat.

‘Bag It’ Movie Screening

Bag It (2010) is a documentary film that invites viewers to make their communities a little less plastic. An estimated 12 million barrels of oil are used annually to make the single use, disposable plastic bags that Americans consume, and once they’re thrown away, they become a major source of pollution. This film documents one man’s quest to figure out where these bags come from, where they go, and how we can use less of them.

Did You Hear … ?

The owner of a commercial property in downtown New Canaan on Wednesday filed a lawsuit seeking $10,200 in back rent from a former tenant. According to the complaint, the plaintiff—ANCAR Inc., a company whose managing partners are Knapp Lane residents, according to Connecticut Secretary of the State records—is seeking two months’ rent due in March and April for a tenant at 149 Cherry St. at $4,600 per month and $1,000 owed for short payments amassed over the prior 10 months. The defendant is Devonshire Holdings LLC, owned by a Greenwich resident, state records show. ***

The New Canaan Fire Department had a very big turnout at the Katonah Fire Parade, as did the Mount Kisco Pipers.