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.

Wild Ones Central U.P. chapter will hold a Winter Sowing Social on Thursday, January 29 starting at 4:00 PM at the Bay College Greenhouse/MS 116. 

Join us as we sow and package native seeds in a fun and collaborative setting. This is a wonderful opportunity to prepare seeds to support the Bay College greenhouse and Wild ones, as well as for personal use.
If you want to try outdoor container winter sowing, save some plastic food containers such as gallon milk jugs, lettuce/salad "shells," smaller Rubbermaid-style storage boxes, or any other clear or translucent containers with room for seedings to take root and grow a couple of inches. Bring one or two along if you can (we'll have some available also) and we'll provide the instruction, soil and seed to get you started.
This event is free and open to all!

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.!  

Join us on February 26 at 4:30 PM in room 963 of the Heirman University Center (JHUC) at Bay College where we will be screening a recent national Wild Ones webinar, "Next Steps For Nature" with renowned entomologist and author Doug Tallamy. In this talk, Tallamy tackles some of the most common questions about ecological landscaping: from invasive species and oak decline to monarchs, mulch, to what gives him hope. Tallamy's science-based answers two questions about topics such as how to manage invasives, balance beauty with ecology, and practical approaches to drought, deer, and HOA challenges turn curiosity into action, helping us restore biodiversity where we live. 1 hour.

Doug Tallamy is the author of "Nature's Best Hope" and "The Nature of Oaks". His work has inspired a national movement to rewild our landscapes.

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.

Wild One's Central Upper Peninsula Chapter will have an information table at the U.P. Beekeeping Conference. We look forward to sharing Wild Ones mission and promoting native landscapes with conference participants. 

The U.P. Beekeeping Conference is hosted by the Northwoods and Superior Beekeeping Clubs. See the conference website for additional information at:

 https://upbeekeepingconference.weebly.com/

Tickets can be bought day of, or in advance. 

The Central Upper Peninsula Chapter of Wild Ones will be participating in the annual Bay de Noc Garden Conference at Bay College. 

We look forward to sharing Wild One's Mission of promoting native landscapes with local residents. 

If you are at this event, please stop by, say hello, and check out the native plants we will have for sale! 

Please see the Bay de Noc Garden Conference Facebook page for registration information and registration deadline.  

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.

Wild One's Central Upper Peninsula Chapter will be participating in the second annual Plantchella Plant Expo at the Ruth Butler Building at the U.P. State Fairgrounds! We look forward to sharing Wild One's mission of promoting native landscapes with local residents. If you are at this event, please stop by and say hello! 

For more information on this event, please search 2026 Plantchella Plant Expo Escanaba Michigan. 

Sunday May 16, 2026 at 2:00pm. Join us "up north" for an afternoon of exploring spring wildflowers in Alger County. Our walk will be led by Deb Leblanc, who is retired after 40 years of service as the Hiawatha NF West Zone plant ecologist/botanist and Hiawatha NF Native Plant program coordinator. We are thrilled to have her share her expertise with us! Meet at the Miner's Castle overlook parking lot in Pictured Rocks near Munising. From there we will check other spots along Miner's Castle Rd. to see a variety of species. Remember that Pictured Rocks has an entry fee, so participants should have an entry pass for this event. They can be purchased online or at the visitor's station located at Munising Falls on Sand Point Rd. just east of Munising. Count on it being buggy! Bring insect repellent and wear long pants and sleeves. All are welcome and this is a free event.  

Native Plant Trivia Night, Thursday June 4th 6pm Saunders Point Brewery

Join Delta County Conservation District, Wild Ones Central Upper Peninsula Chapter and Saunders Point Brewing for an evening of fun, facts and fresh brews. Whether you're a seasoned botanist or just love local backyard wildlife, there's a spot for your team*. 

Great Prizes for the top trivia masters!

Delicious local brews and a fantastic atmosphere.

Learn all about the upcoming Delta Conservation District Plant Sale and how you can transform your yard.

*Come early to sign up your team. 

Wild One's will have a table at this event with brochures and native plant information.

For more information see Delta Conservation District Website at https://www.deltacd.org/

See you there! 

Join us in this early summer walk at the Days River Nature Trail, located 3.25 miles north of Gladstone on Bayshore Road. The trail is a 0.75 mile-loop trail winding through a diverse river bottom forest near the mouth of the Days River featuring mature cedar-hemlock groves, marshland, and wonderful views of the Days River. In addition to interesting plants,  songbirds abound, so bring your binoculars! Recently installed boardwalk sections by Delta County Non-motorized Trails (DCNT) now traverse the wetter areas along this trail.

Please dress for the weather, and as the area is mostly wetlands, expect mosquitoes!

Meet at the parking area by 10 am. 

Join us for a presentation by Ted Roper, United States Forest Service Botanist at Peninsula Point Lighthouse, Hiawatha National Forest, July 8th at noon. 

Botanist Roper will provide a discussion on both native and non-native species found at Peninsula Point.  Peninsula Point is an important spring migration stop-over site for migrating birds, and as such, receives it's share of weed seeds from the droppings of recent spring arrivals. Several non-native plant species have been brought to the site that typically are not found in the Upper Peninsula. 

Botanist Roper will discuss the treatment of invasive plant species and focus on the improvement of pollinator habitat to specifically that will benefit monarch butterflies during their annual fall congregation and migration from this site. 

Peninsula Point is a rustic site, with a pit privy and no running water.  Bring along a lunch, water, sunscreen and bug repellant. Please dress for the weather. 

Meet at the parking area at the lighthouse, at the end of County 512 T Road. 

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.

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.