2026 Events

In this special collaboration, Robin Wall Kimmerer, author, botanist, and founder of Plant Baby Plant, joins youth leader and Nurture Natives founder Esther Bonney for an intergenerational conversation about belonging, reciprocity, and native plant action. 

Together, they will explore questions such as:

How do we create opportunities for young people to have a voice and feel empowered, even when they are not homeowners or decision makers?What kinds of relationships and mentorships help people stay engaged in native plant work over decades?Why do stories, shared practices, and community invitations matter just as much as plant lists?

Robin and Esther will reflect on what invites people into this work, what keeps them here, and what elders and youth have to teach each other.

Rachel Lambert, a native plant professional, shares some sanity-saving mindsets for successful DIY work with prairies, wetlands, and woodlands. Learn some science that will help you get the most out of your hand tools and power tools and investigate the benefits and limitations of some popular low/no chemical techniques. 

Our upcoming webinar with Basil Camu explores practical, evidence based ways to heal suburban and urban landscapes by working with trees, soil, and natural systems, drawing on real world practices from Leaf & Limb and community centered models for restoring life where we live, work, and play.!  

Caroline Frantz is a Wisconsin Master Naturalist and Bat Ambassador from Waukesha, Wisconsin, whose enthusiasm for wildlife shines through everything she does. A Carroll University alumna, Caroline completed her Master Naturalist training in 2021 and has since become a dedicated advocate for conservation in her community. She will be talking about the bats of Wisconsin.

Lake Michigan Bird Observatory’s upcoming ExpressScape Workshop, Next Steps with Native Plants, on Thursday, March 5th from 4:00 to 7:00 PM at the Urban Ecology Center at Washington Park can help.

You’ll get to sit down with designers and native plant experts to help maximize your yard’s ecological value!

Connecting People with native plants for a healthy planet.  Lisa Oddis and Ron Bartos will speak at Roots and Branches growing a better community event in West Bend Wisconsin

Master Gardener Mary Jane Swedberg will present care and identification of spring ephemerals of Wisconsin.

Join Joey Santore, creator of Crime Pays But Botany Doesn’t, for a candid Wild Ones National Webinar examining how inherited garden aesthetics shape native plant landscapes. Drawing on field experience and real ecology, Joey challenges tidy design norms and explores why dense, irregular plant communities are often the most resilient and ecologically sound.

Learn how to use native landscaping to support birds. Recommendations will be given on how to attract and support birds year-round in Wisconsin. The importance of restoring native habitat in our rapidly changing world will also be discussed.

M. Susan DeVries, PhD, is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biology at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. Susan has performed research with Northern Cardinals for the last 17 years and is a co-author of the Birds of the World account for the species. She has multiple publications examining aspects of behavior, physiology, and morphology in cardinals (and other critters) and mentors undergraduate researchers interested in avian ecology. 

This event focuses on the connection between native habitat, birds, and biodiversity, and how small, intentional actions at home can make a meaningful difference. Participants will gain a better understanding of how native plants and other natural landscaping techniques support birds, pollinators, and other wildlife, while learning practical steps they can take to create healthier, more resilient landscapes.
The program will be moderated by WUWM's Environmental Reporter Susan Bence, and will feature a keynote presentation by Jen McGuinness of Bird-Friendly Gardening, who will share how home gardens can support birds through the use of native plants, organic practices, and thoughtful design. Her talk highlights what birds need to thrive and how gardens can provide food, water, shelter, and nesting habitat for nectar, seed, and fruit-eating species.
Following the keynote, attendees will choose from a set of breakout sessions, each approximately 45 minutes long with time for questions and discussion. A second breakout session will repeat the first, allowing participants to attend more than one topic. Breakout options include Native Plants: From Turf to Habitat with Danielle Bell, Migratory Birds and the Challenges They Face with Medhavi Ambardar, and Pollinator Conservation in Your Garden with Judy Cardin.
Danielle Bell will share simple, approachable steps for incorporating native plants into home landscapes, including how keystone species can dramatically increase the value of your yard for wildlife. Medhavi Ambardar will explore the incredible journeys of migratory birds, the threats they face, and meaningful actions people can take to help, from native planting to making windows safer. Judy Cardin will share her experience transforming her yard into native habitat and discuss how diverse native plants support bees, butterflies, and other pollinators throughout the seasons.
Together, this event is designed to inspire, educate, and empower participants with achievable actions they can take at home, while supporting Community Wildlife Habitat Certifications and strengthening wildlife corridors across Waukesha County.
Event Schedule
8:00–9:00 a.m.
Continental breakfast and arrival
9:00–10:00 a.m.
Keynote presentation
10:00–10:15 a.m.
Break
10:15–11:15 a.m.
Breakout Session 1
11:15–11:30 a.m.
Break
11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
Breakout Session 2
(Sessions repeat to allow attendance at more than one topic)
Cost: $30 per person with continental breakfast, coffee, and beverages included.

Join award-winning author, photographer, and educator Rick Darke for What Is Wild and Why It Matters, a free national webinar on Tuesday, April 28th at 10 am CT. Discover how inviting a bit of authentic wildness can create a vibrant landscape that sustains you and local biodiversity. This national event is presented in collaboration between Wild Ones and Homegrown National Park.

Visit the Forest Exploration Center in Wauwatosa and walk the trails lead by three area foresters explaining forest ecology, management and restoration efforts on the 67 acre mature hardwood forest. The property is managed as a partnership between the WDNR and the non- profit Forest Exploration Center. The FEC is an outdoor classroom established to demonstrate the ecological, economic, cultural and social benefits of sustainable forest stewardship.
No restrooms or water.
Limited parking. Car pooling encouraged
Visit: forestexplorationcenter.org

Forest Exploration Center
1800 Forest Exploration Drive, Wauwatosa WI 53226

Walking tour with views of late spring ephemerals and various woodland forbs. The month is a transitional month dependent on Mother Nature but there are likely to be carpets of toad lilies, wild geranium, spring phlox and pussy toes among other special appearances. It is a paved campground trail with some additional wood chipped hiking trails with pleasant views of the adjacent wetland. Lisa Oddis will guide the tour. Gear needed- this is rain or shine, bug spray, hiking or mud boots are recommended. Family friendly event. This is a Waukesha County park so a daily or annual park pass is needed. If you are interested in carpooling, email [email protected] or visit Facebook. Park at Family Camp Ground  

You planted native. Your neighbor has opinions. Maybe your HOA does too. If you’ve ever felt like the hardest part of native plant gardening is the conversations, not the gardening, you’re not alone.

Wild Ones is thrilled to share this upcoming free webinar as part of the 2026 Less Lawn More Life Challenge. Join Lorraine Johnson for a practical conversation on navigating HOA rules, addressing neighbor concerns, and fostering community conversations about native plant gardening and ecological landscapes.

We will be touring the property of two members homes that have restored prairie and woodland areas.  One 5+ acre property has been under conversion from lawn since 2000 and now has over 200 vascular species of native plants. We will meet at the first home in Hartland, then carpool a short distance to the next property.

When I bought the 20 acres back in 1979, there were no trees, native plants, wetlands or ponds. It was a plowed up agricultural farm field. No wildlife found habitat to call it home. The land was tilled for drainage. Over the course of those years trees were planted, drain tiles removed, wetlands restored and ponds were installed, and native plants were seeded.

Now there is a very large variety of plants (even hemiparasitic plants), insects, birds, and animals that find food and habitat to reproduce. All native plants are a host for different species to thrive. I have a large number of cavity nesting bird boxes up for bluebirds, chickadees, tree swallows, kestrels, and wood ducks. Canada geese, sandhill cranes, green herons, snapping and painted turtles, mink, muskrats, snakes, hawks, and many other species find food, shelter, and reproduce on this property. It is truly a restoration success. I look forward to showing it to you!

Native plants are the foundation of habitat, but wildlife need more than food to thrive. Join ecologist and Certified Wildlife Biologist Shaun McCoshum, PhD, to explore how nesting sites, shelter, water, soil conditions, and other often-overlooked resources can transform a yard into a functioning ecosystem that supports biodiversity year-round.

Registration link coming soon.

Edible Native Plants with  Wild Ones member Rylee Tyre.

What does it really take to turn a conventional lawn into a thriving native meadow? Join Owner & Principal, New Directions in the American Landscape (NDAL), Sara Weaner Cooper for a candid look at her family's ongoing lawn-to-meadow transformation featured in The New York Times and BBC. Drawing from three years of hands-on experience, Sara will share the methods, lessons learned, successes, and challenges of converting turfgrass into a dynamic native plant community. Participants will gain practical insights into site preparation, planting, management, and the ecological principles that guide successful meadow establishment, along with realistic expectations for how these landscapes evolve over time.

Registration link coming soon.

Celebrate fall at our family-friendly Apple Harvest Festival! Purchase fresh apples and enjoy delicious apple treats like pies, crisps, and cider at the Apple Market. Visit the Delafield Brewhaus Beer Garden for food, creamy root beer, and beer (21+).

Browse eco-friendly arts & crafts vendors and explore fun, free kids’ activities. Take part in the Passport Expedition, silent auction, Scarecrow Lane scavenger hunt, Planetarium shows, and live music by JC Ayer. Cards accepted at select locations, and an ATM is on site.

Don’t miss this festive celebration, presented by the Friends of Retzer Nature Center and Generac in cooperation with Waukesha County Parks, Waukesha County Technical College, and more!

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DATE & TIME: Saturday, September 19, 2026 • 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
LOCATION: Retzer Nature Center (S14W28167 Madison St, Waukesha, WI)
COST: $15 per vehicle; CASH ONLY

Bats are among the most important and misunderstood wildlife in our communities. Join experts from Bat Conservation International to explore how native plants, healthy insect populations, and thoughtful landscape design can help support bats. Learn about the ecological role of bats and discover practical ways to create habitat for North America's night flyers right in your own backyard.

Registration link coming soon.

Join us to socialize and connect with fellow native plant lovers!  We have lots of seeds for you to take home from our October seed-collecting activity - and/or feel free to bring any you might want to share from your yard!  Bring paper lunch bags and envelopes for your seeds; we will also have some available.  There will be a short membership meeting at 10:30 to elect the 2027 Officers. There will be no meeting in December, so if we miss you, we hope you'll be able to join us in January for our winter program series.  

Monarch butterflies depend on a network of habitats stretching across North America, and home landscapes can play an important role in their survival. Join experts from Monarch Joint Venture to explore the science behind monarch conservation, including the importance of milkweed, nectar resources, and regionally appropriate habitat. Learn practical ways to support monarchs through native landscaping and help sustain one of the world's most remarkable migrations.
 

Registration link coming soon.