Events

Please join us for our in-person membership meeting as we recap our Wild year of 2022 and plan for a wilder 2023!

Celebrate the upcoming spring with the Illinois Botanizer, Chris Benda and the beauty of native spring ephemeral plants.

Learn about the invasive plant species that disrupt our natural ecosystems.

Ever wonder-what's an invasive species and why do they get such negative attention? Can a plant really be so bad? In fact, invasive plants are the genuine badies of the conservation world. Wyatt will explain it all! Please read his description for more details.

Wyatt's Words on Wanted! Dead or Dead:

Your guide to understanding the concept of invasive species, what "invasive" means in context, how that changes over time and space, what invasive species you should look out for, and how you can help mitigate the spread of invasive species and their extinction-causing destruction.

Speaker Bio:

A passionate youngster who has dedicated much of my life to ecological learning, restoration, and education. I'm just some weirdo, but also I'm VP of the non-profit Save the Prairie Society, a commissioner for Brookfield IL's Conservation Commission, the youngest Forest Preserve steward in Cook County, and I run a business that makes ecological services of all kinds available to my fellow suburbans. 

Members are welcome to attend.  We will open with a brief period for member comment before commencing business.  If you are a paid member and would like to attend, please email us [email protected] for the Zoom link.  Please include your name and member ID number. You can find it in your Member Account. 

Learn the secrets of native plant garden maintenance from expert horticulturist Ken Williams!

Members are welcome to attend.  We will open with a brief period for member comment before commencing business.  If you are a paid member and would like to attend, please email us [email protected] for the Zoom link. Please include your member ID number. You can find it in your Member Account. 

Learn about Indigenous practices using native plants in Northern Illinois.

Many of us who are passionate about native-plant gardening are not aware of the ways in which the plants of our region have been or are now being used by Native people, nor how central they are to Indigenous culture. Gina Roxas, a citizen of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation, will talk about native plants from a Native American cultural perspective.

Presenter Bio

Gina Roxas is Program Director for Trickster Cultural Center, a nonprofit Native American and community arts center in Schaumburg, where she also manages the native medicinal garden. She also teaches classes at the Morton Arboretum. Gina has studied the environment through a multifaceted lens of traditional teachings from her grandmother and family elders as well as the humanities and science. Her interests are ethnobotany, urban agriculture, and gardening.

Learn the importance of a dark sky for nature.

For every light-filled day, there should be a dark-filled night. Increasingly, artificial light fills the night sky. This light pollution disrupts the lives of plants, mammals (including humans), reptiles, amphibians, birds and insects. 

Join us as speaker, Ken Walczak, describes changes in the night sky over time and how those changes impacts the living world. Discover the beauty of nocturnal earth and learn how you can help protect the darkness and the creatures that depend upon it. Ken will offer simple actions that all of us can implement.

Ken Walczak is the Far Horizons Senior Manager at the Adler Planetarium in Chicago. Far Horizons is a scientific research and engineering program that engages students, volunteers and the public in hands-on research projects. Ken has co-authored numerous scientific papers on light pollution research. He serves on the Board of Directors of the International Dark-Sky Association and is a founder of the Chicago Chapter of the International Dark-Sky Association. Ken co-led the designation of The Palos Preserves as the World's Largest Urban Night Sky Place. 

Members are welcome to attend.  We will open with a brief period for member comment before commencing business.  If you are a paid member and would like to attend, please email us [email protected] for the Zoom link. Please include your Membership ID. Your ID can be found on your Membership Page. 

Members are welcome to attend.  We will open with a brief period for member comment before commencing business.  If you are a paid member and would like to attend, please email us [email protected] for the Zoom link. Please include your Membership ID. Your ID can be found on your Membership Page. 

Discover the beauty, versatility and dependability of native plants. Tour 11 colorful, life-filled gardens in Berwyn and Riverside, Illinois, during our annual Birds, Bees & Butterflies Native Garden Tour July 22, 2023 from 1 to 5 p.m.

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN:

Meet passionate and knowledgeable home gardeners who have been experimenting with and observing native plants for many years. They’ll guide you through their gardens and answer your specific questions about native gardening.

You’ll learn about sustainable landscaping and rain gardens, and how they can reduce backyard flooding.
You'll get to see gardeners' favorite native plants and hear how they change throughout the seasons.
You’ll explore small gardens and large gardens, manicured looks and more carefree ones, and newly planted and mature established landscapes.
Whether you’re a beginning gardener or have more soil between your toes than you care to reveal, you’ll walk away with practical, hands-on tips you can apply to your own yard

TOUR MAP: Ticket holders will receive a tour map two days before the event. If you register after 7/20, you will automatically receive the map and garden descriptions in your email. Be sure to check the "Additional Information" section of the email ticket for the map and garden descriptions. We recommend biking or driving; the locations are spread widely.

JOIN THE MOVEMENT!

Habitat loss is among the primary factors driving population declines of important local and migratory species. Each new native plant garden--no matter how small--can help support vital insects, birds and other wildlife. Learn about and help nurture the plants and animals that have lived here for thousands of years. At this tour, you’ll also learn about our upcoming Fall Native Tree and Shrub sale, where you can purchase good quality native plants at affordable prices. You can also join our West Cook Wildlife Corridor: more than 800 gardeners in the near-west suburbs have pledged to grow native plants in support of it. You can, too!

VOLUNTEER WITH US: You’ll receive a free tour ticket. Sign up: Native Garden Tour Volunteer Sign-up Genius.

BENEFITS OF NATIVE GARDENING: Discover the fun and satisfaction of native gardening. It’s high-performance, yet lower-maintenance. Habitat loss is among the primary factors driving population declines of important local and migratory species. Each new native plant garden--no matter how small--can help support vital insects, birds and other wildlife.

Among the many benefits:

Eliminates the need for poisonous pesticides or expensive commercial fertilizers.
Reduces home energy consumption.
Reduces flooding after storms.
Decreases the need for sprinklers and other outdoor water use.
Combats climate change by helping capture carbon dioxide from the air and storing it in your soil.
Provides essential habitat for birds, bees, butterflies and threatened pollinators.
Offers fun for the whole family and all ages.
PRESENTERS: West Cook Wild Ones, and the Interfaith Green Network

Members are welcome to attend.  We will open with a brief period for member comment before commencing business.  If you are a paid member and would like to attend, please email us [email protected] for the Zoom link. Please include your Membership ID. Your ID can be found on your Membership Page. 

Discover the beauty and importance of moths and how to attract them to your garden.

Please join us for "Gardening for Moths" as Chelsea Gottfried, author of Gardening for Moths: a regional guide, talks to us about the ecological importance of moths and how to provide for their needs in your garden.

Moths are beautiful and critical members of ecological communities and native plant gardens can provide welcoming habitat for them. Adult moths sip nectar and pollinate flowering native plants. Moth caterpillars nibble on native host plants for their food. In turn, moth caterpillars and adults are a major food source for many creatures including other insects, spiders, birds and bats. Chelsea Gottfried will introduce you to moth species you can attract to your garden and the native plants that they need to thrive. 

Speaker Bio

Chelsea Gottfried works as a naturalist and nature-based preschool teacher for the Crawford Park District in north central Ohio. She is an avid gardener and a passionate entomologist.

Members are welcome to attend.  We will open with a brief period for member comment before commencing business.  If you are a paid member and would like to attend, please email us [email protected] for the Zoom link. Please include your Membership ID. Your ID can be found on your Membership Page. 

Please join us for "Go Wild for Bats!" with Dr. Joy O'Keefe, assistant professor at the University of Illinois-Urbana/Champaign and Wildlife Extension Specialist.

Learn about the bats of Illinois and Cook County, including steps you can take to provide habitat for bats in your backyard or neighborhood. Understand threats to bats and simple ways you can help to protect your local bat populations. Hear about the international effort to count and monitor bats across North America and how to get involved with this program. 

Wild Ones hint: Yes, native plants, trees and shrubs can help! 

Speaker Bio:

Dr. O’Keefe is an assistant professor and wildlife extension specialist in natural resources and environmental sciences at University of Illinois-Urbana/Champaign. She has been studying bats for 23 years. Her research program tackles applied questions and yields solutions to conservation challenges facing imperiled bat populations. 

Join Wild Ones Honorary Director Heather Holm as she explores the nesting habitats, life cycles, pollen collection, brood rearing, and general characteristics of some of the most common native bees in eastern North America, while highlighting the pollination of native plants and the mutualism between native plants and native bees.

When creating and managing thriving habitats for native bees, many factors such as seasonal phenology, nesting strategies, and flower preferences must be considered—and with approximately 3,600 species in North America (north of Mexico), there are many unique aspects to keep in mind when managing successful landscapes for bees. 

Learn about night migrating birds and how you can help them.

Please join us for "The Nighttime Marathon of Birds" with Edward Warden, urban naturalist and President of Chicago Ornithological Society.

Daytime is easily when we notice birds the most. From the dawn chorus to spectacular colors that shine in the sunlight, it's easy to associate birds with the daylight hours. But during migration season, nighttime is one of the most critical periods of the day when it comes to survival. Join us for a program where we explore the phenomenon of nighttime migration, what we know about it, why it matters, and how we can help conserve birds even while we sleep.

Members are welcome to attend.  We will open with a brief period for member comment before commencing business.  If you are a paid member and would like to attend, please email us [email protected] for the Zoom link. Please include your Membership ID. Your ID can be found on your Membership Page. 

Join us for an enlightening webinar featuring authors, Neil Diboll and Hilary Cox, as they present their latest book, "The Gardener’s Guide to Prairie Plants." This comprehensive compendium is a treasure trove of knowledge for gardeners looking to incorporate native prairie plants into their landscapes. Neil and Hilary will delve into the making and application of this essential guide, sharing rich historical and ecological insights about prairie ecosystems, all while showcasing stunning images of prairie flora. 

Please join us for "Fireworks and Symphonies:Conservation of Singing Insects and Lightning Bugs" with Negin Almassi of the Forest Preserves of Cook County.
 

Scientists can decipher the songs of insects and the flashes of lightning bugs using non-invasive methods of monitoring insects. What do these songs and light dances tell us? Learn about the ecology of singing insects such as crickets, katydids, and cicadas and about the ecology of lightning bugs, and what they tell us about our nocturnal environments. Almassi will also introduce some commonly heard and seen species of the region and outline conservation practices relevant to these insects.

Speaker Bio

Negin Almassi has worked for the Forest Preserves of Cook County for over a decade, first as a naturalist and now as the Resource Management Training Specialist. In this role she coordinates in-house trainings in support of FPCC staff, Conservation Corps, and partner organizations. Negin also monitors Odonates and bumble bees, curates an entomology collection at Sagawau Environmental Learning Center, and leads trainings for the Singing Insect Monitoring Program (singinginsects.net).