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.

Fireflies. Just the word evokes for many people memories of summer evenings filled with magic and awe. From their flashy mating displays to their glowing larvae, these iconic insects have captured our hearts. Unfortunately, fireflies have started to disappear from the landscape. What is causing this decline and what can we do to help?

Join NOWO member Valeri Malaney, Xerces Ambassador, as she takes us into the world of the firefly. Learn about their life history, the threats they face, and what you can do to help these remarkable insects.

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.!  

Doug Reith, Local Natural Resources Specialist, (Resource Specialist, Washtenaw County Conservation District) will introduce iNaturalist, an easy-to-use app that helps people identify plants and wildlife while contributing valuable data for conservation. Attendess will learn how to make observations, connect with a global community, and support environmental efforts right from their phones.

North Oakland Wild Ones February Board meeting to discuss chapter activities per Agenda 

We will combine seed planting in propagation flats with winter seed sowing in (milk) jugs to give everyone the opportunity to experience both techniques.

Seeds will be provided by Bill Schneider from Wildtype Nursery, as well as seeds collected by our members.  (If you have collected and cleaned seeds to share, we welcome additional species.) All supplies are provided, and the workshop is free but registration is required.  

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.

The Tool Cleaning and Sharpening Workshop is a hands-on session where gardeners can learn easy ways to keep their tools in great shape. We’ll focus on everyday garden tools like pruners and gardening knives, showing how to clean off dirt and rust, sharpen dull edges, and protect tools to help them last longer.

Participants are encouraged to bring a favorite tool to practice cleaning and sharpening techniques during the workshop. You’ll leave with safer, sharper tools that work better, make cleaner cuts for healthier plants, and save you money by extending the life of your equipment.

Registration will be required and will open in February.

Brendan Nolan, Owner, Plants for Ecology presents Landscaping with Native Plants, Right Plant, Right Place

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.

Marilyn Trent, Founder of Rochester Pollinators will present Petals, Pollinators and Pocket Forests

What if a small patch of land could become a thriving forest in just a few years — one that feeds hundreds of species, supports songbirds, and strengthens your community? In this talk, Marilyn Trent explores the science behind forest intelligence, including how trees communicate and share nutrients through underground networks. She'll introduce the Miyawaki Mini-Forest Method — a proven approach to turning small urban spaces into dense, native ecosystems — and share the story of Rochester's own community mini-forest, planted in May 2025. 

The NOWO Spring Native Plant Sale, May 29 and May 30, will be unsurpassed with more than 100 species of wildflowers, grasses and sedges, and more than 40 species of trees and shrubs. Held annually in Rochester Hills, the sale takes place in a yard brimming with well-established native plants, along with mature native trees and shrubs. Visitors are invited to tour the gardens and see these thriving native landscapes firsthand.

https://northoakland.wildones.org/nativeplantsale/ 

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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.

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.

It's time for a Field Trip!

One of our Wild Ones Member  has a Micro Forest Project in Warren that looks amazing!

So, as an inter-chapter combined effort, the North Oakland Chapter and the Wayne County Chapter have arranged for an exclusive tour!

Not only will we get a chance to walk the forest and talk with the creator, after the forest tour we will head over to a nearby park for a Picnic/Pot-luck where we can also socialize and mingle with our fellow Native Plant Lovers.

Here is the schedule for the day:

10:45-11:00am Meet at Warren Micro Forest (Free parking on nearby streets)
11:00am Tour Start at Warren Micro Forest
11:45am Commute to nearby Park
12:00pm Picnic-Potluck Lunch
1:30pm  (Optional) Commute to Yard Tour in Mt Clemens
2:00pm  (Optional) Yard Tour of Shoreline Restoration Native Garden (Private Residence)
2:45pm Safe Travels Home

We will be setting up Car Pooling from various locations to make the trek to the East Side.

The locations for the Picnic and the Optional Yard Tour will be communicated to all who Register. Please use the sign-up form or click the Register link below.

Click the Read More button for more information on the Warren Micro Forest.

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.

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.

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.