Many of you probably heard that Craig Tufts passed away on June 21st. Craig was Chief Naturalist at the National Wildlife Federation and made a huge impact in teaching us about gardening for wildlife and the joys we receive from restoring our backyard habitats.
He wrote two excellent books, The Backyard Naturalist, and The National Wildlife Federation’s Guide to Gardening for Wildlife, which continue to be wonderful resources.
Craig was a resident of Middleburg, and a member of Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy. In the early years of our Butterfly Count, he led teams and participated in the count – helping to grow our base of butterfly enthusiasts. He also participated in our Christmas Bird Count, including this past December in spite of undergoing brain surgery earlier in the year as he fought the cancer.
Craig was a wonderful resource for Loudoun and such an inspiration to all of us. We are thankful for all he shared with us and will miss him but will continue to hear his voice as we dig in the dirt, restoring Loudoun’s wildlife habitats and continue in his footsteps of teaching others about living with and appreciating wildlife.
His obituary can be read in the Washington Post.