Those who appreciate wildlife and natural beauty often look to the West, its bear, bison, wolves and huge areas of unbroken wilderness. Nature seekers who feel that they must escape the Midwest, though, may be overlooking the incredibly diverse flora and fauna of our prairies, forests and wetlands.

Naturalist Vince Gresham will share images and video of some of Michiana’s most surprising wildlife, from boldly colored birds that look as if they have been transplanted from the Amazon rainforest, to tiny wasps that develop within the caterpillars in your tomato garden. Vince will show how and where to find these and other natural wonders in Michiana.

Vince Gresham grew up in Michiana, exploring the parks, streams, rivers and vacant wooded lots of Northern Indiana and Southwest Michigan. He turned his interest in nature into a career in natural resources, working as a naturalist at Potato Creek State Park, the St. Joseph County Parks and Rum Village Nature Center. Later he taught Environmental Studies at Greene Environmental Learning Center. He is now a field technician at Cardno Native Plant Nursery where he collects native seed from locations around Northern Indiana and creates environmental education content for various media . He recently became a co-host of Outdoor Elements on WNIT.

Sustainability and Innovation Series 2019 is sponsored by the IU South Bend Center for a Sustainable Future