Events

SATURDAY | JANUARY 20, 2024
Second Annual Winter Sowing Workshop
Co-hosted by Wood Lake Nature Center
11:00 am to 4:00 pm

A perfect family outing for school aged children. Action packed day will include two winter sowing workshops along with an educational open house. More details will be available at November meeting. Please help by saving rinsed, one gallon milk jugs and deep salad containers with lids.

Explore how native gardening can address climate challenges in our next Wild Ones national webinar, “Cultivating Change” with author and activist Lorraine Johnson. Johnson has been researching and writing about environmental issues for three decades. Learn about the pivotal role of gardening as an act of stewardship in the face of climate and ecological challenges. Discover the profound connections between individual gardens and the broader world and learn how these green spaces can serve as catalysts for positive ecological and social change.  Join Wild Ones for a practical and insightful discussion on gardening's positive impact on the environment and our future. 

Virtual registrants will receive a link to watch the talk live as well as a link to the recording. The recording will only be available for a limited time. 

Presenter | Alan Branhagen, Executive Director, Natural Land Institute in Illinois

We are members of Wild Ones because we need Nature close by to enrich our lives. This program provides some additional ideas about how we can capture the spirit of our place and bring more nature into our landscapes. Insects run the world after plants. Learn about some keystone plants to nurture more insects and create a more sustainable landscape. Know maintenance that embraces Nature to create a flourishing ecosystem: what does it take to have a diversity of bees, butterflies and moths at one’s home? Lastly, have faith in a seed, understand that plants migrate and know if you plant it they (nature!) will come. Let’s have fun and bloom where we’re planted!

ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Alan Branhagen is Executive Director of the Natural Land Institute (NLI) in Rockford, Illinois: one of the nation's first land trusts. Founder, George Fell, started the legally protected concept of nature preserves beginning with the Illinois Nature Preserves Commission 60 years ago. NLI is responsible for protecting over 18,000 acres of natural land, mainly in Northern Illinois.

Alan was Director of Operations at the University of Minnesota Landscape Arboretum from 2017-2023 where he managed Horticulture, Plant Curation, and Natural Resource Management as well as its facilities of the 1,200-acre site.

Alan has a Bachelors of Landscape Architecture from Iowa State University and a Masters of Landscape Architecture from Louisiana State University. He is an all-around plantsman and naturalist, specializing in Birds, Butterflies, Botany, and Planning and Design with Nature. He’s authored 3 books: The Gardeners Butterfly Book, Native Plants of the Midwest and The Midwest Native Plant Primer.

Registration for this event is now closed, and registrants have been emailed about attending. Please contact [email protected] if you have any issues getting in.

This will be a paid event for both in-person and remote viewing. Virtual registrants will receive a link to watch Dr. Kimmerer's talk live as well as a link to the recording. The recording will only be available for a limited time. 

Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants
Ecological restoration can be understood as an act of reciprocity, in return for the gifts of the earth. This talk explores the ecological and ethical imperatives of healing the damage we have inflicted on our land and waters. We trace the evolution of restoration philosophy and practice and consider how integration of indigenous knowledge can expand our understanding of restoration from the biophysical to the biocultural. Reciprocal restoration includes not only healing the land but our relationship to land. In healing the land, we are healing ourselves.

Wild Ones is excited to cohost this event with the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh's Earth Week 2024 and the Wild Ones Fox Valley Chapter. 

Tuesday, March 19, 2024
Social 6:30 pm
Program 7:00 pm
Wood Lake Nature Center in Richfield

Native Plant Primer + Habitat Gardening Basics
Speaker: Andy Scott, ReWild Gardens, LLC | www.rewildgardens.com

So you've decided to jump into natural gardening but not sure where to start? Andy will cover native garden basics including site preparation, plant selection, planning basics and long term care to help your project succeed. He'll also highlight unique, under-utilized native species and landscape techniques that can help your garden setting become balanced and resilient.
 
About the Speaker:
In 2017, Andy shifted career focus to pursue his passion for nature and gardening to start his small native landscape and design business. Located in Bloomington, he utilized his own property to better understand how native plants respond to an urban garden setting and developed a natural approach to convert lawn and wasted space to wildlife-friendly gardens. These spaces support beneficial insects, birds and other wildlife while also creating healthy soil and conserving water. Education driven, Andy likes to involve his clients in all aspects of the process and helps provide resources to learn about and demystify the plant/pollinator relationships that their landscape will be fostering.
 
ReWild Gardens creates natural spaces that beautify the landscape while also supporting a myriad of important native pollinator and bird species. Gardens that utilize native plants (and wildlife-friendly practices) not only provide nectar and pollen but also act as hosts for butterflies and bees - giving them support for their entire life cycle. ReWild provides planning, installation and maintenance services for new and established wildlife-friendly natural plantings in the metro area. 

Wild Ones neighbors getting together to socialize, share stories, knowledge

Wild Ones members/neighbors meeting for coffee to share stories, knowledge, etc. 

Presenter: Patrick Maun

Spring ephemerals are the first to appear in the spring for a brief and brilliant window of magic They can also be somewhat tricky to propagate. In this presentation, Patrick Maun will go over different approaches to gathering, starting seed and division of roots. Patrick will talk about what’s worked over the years for him, and how you can start getting ready for the upcoming season.

Quarterly New member welcome orientation 

Wild Ones Outreach Training Workshop

Twin Cities Chapter 2nd Annual Native Plant Resource Fair