Events

In recognition of Arbor Day, this will be the initial WOPB planting event for a demonstration garden in Pelican Park in the Groves area. Six native trees will be planted under the supervision of John Broderick and Celie Bateman.  This area has a pond with a sidewalk and raised boardwalk. It currently houses the Master Gardeners native plant pollinator garden. As it develops, it has potential to be further connect  a natural area of the park into a functional ecosystem.

WOPB monthly board meeting

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. 

Quarterly meeting with Propagation Workshop led by Wendy Rihner and Charlsie Shaver. Specific location TBA.

Monthly Board Meeting

Amber King of WO- GBR will give a presentation on the upcoming City Nature Challenge Talk to both WOPB members and the public at Pelican Park.  City Nature Challenge is an international effort for people to find and document plants and wildlife in cities across the globe. It’s a bioblitz-style competition where cities are in a friendly contest with each other to see who can make the most observations of nature, who can find the most species, and who can engage the most people.

Monthly board meeting

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. 

Monthly board meeting

Hannah March, native of Slidell, is a Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries agent in the Kisachie National Forest. She will give a presentation on natives in St. Tammany Parish.

Monthly board meeting

Meeting and presentation. 

Dive into the depths of Southeast Louisiana's bayou with artist Eddie Lanieri. Discover "Reliquary of the Bayou," a research grant funded by Platforms Fund Art, platformsfund.org . This Photography project explores the interaction of art, environmental crisis, and community advocacy. Antenna Gallery

Bio: Eddie Lanieri (Long Island, NY) currently works as a photography-based artist in NOLA. Lanieri's academic background in anthropology, with specializations in forensic anthropology and funerary archaeology, deeply informs her nuanced interpretation of grief and loss. Lanieri's notable contributions to the field have been recognized with a fellowship at the Salzburg Global Seminar and a 2023-24 Platforms Research Grant. Her work has been supported by prestigious organizations such as the Mellon Foundation and the Louisiana State Division of the ARts. Her projects and series have been featured in esteemed venues including the Lucie Foundation, The center for Fine ARt Photography, the Ogden Museum of Southern Art, the Lowe Museum and The Contemporary Arts Center of New Orleans. Her art is held in both private and public collections.

"Reliquary of the Bayou," employs Polaroid film maniulations, photographic destruction and chemical treatments to explore the environmental crisis impacting Southeast Louisiana's biodiversity. This work, which sits at the intersection of art and environmental advocacy, encapsulates the fragile interplay between life and death and acts as a poignant reflection on habitat destruction, climate change and invasive species. It is through this lens of artistic resistance and remembrance that Lanieri engages communities in dialogues around the legacies of place, loss and the critical environmental challenges facing the Gulf Coast.

"Reliquary of the Bayou" casts native species as poignant emblems of shared grief. By disrupting the delicate emulsion, Lanieri wants that loss to be part of the image-making process. These spectral fragments, unpredicatbly in their final form, become poignant witnesses to what remains, what is on the verge of being lost and the consequences of environmental degradation.

Monthly board meeting

Social event to interactive with members and potential members to clean & package native seeds which will be used as give away at future tabling events or in upcoming demo gardens.

Zoom Meeting Presentation by Marc Pastorek is a prairie restorationist, consultant, land manager and founder of Pastorek Habitats, LLC. an ecological landscape firm dedicated to producing natural grass landscapes that are high in botanical richness and diversity. Pastorek Habitats specializes in local genetics of native prairie grass and wildflower seed mixes.  REGISTRATION WILL BE REQUIRED.

Monthly board meeting

Come join us for an interesting talk on the imperatives for adding a diversity of native plants back into the landscape presented by

Malcolm Vidrine, Ph.D. 
Register in advance for this meeting with link below.

Social event to interactive with members and potential members to clean & package native seeds which will be used as give away at future tabling events or in upcoming demo gardens.

Monthly board meeting

Explore how native plants can enhance biodiversity and support ecosystems in our upcoming Wild Ones national webinar, “Combating the Biodiversity Crisis with Native Plants” featuring Sarah Gray and Coralie Palmer from the Indiana Native Plant Society.

Native plants are essential for maintaining biodiversity as they provide food and shelter for a wide range of wildlife, including pollinators, birds, and beneficial insects. By incorporating native plants into your landscape, you can create a thriving ecosystem that supports local fauna and flora. These plants are well-adapted to local environmental conditions, making them more resilient to climate change and reducing the need for chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Attendees will learn how native plants can improve soil health, enhance water retention, and contribute to a more sustainable and vibrant ecosystem.

Sara and Coralie are part of the Indiana Native Plant Society (INPS) Landscaping team, and they have collaborated on diverse projects across Indiana, including native planting schemes for schools, community gardens, the Eiteljorg Museum, and the Humane Society. Their new design for Indianapolis reflects typical sub-divisions in Indiana and considers future climate challenges, such as increased flooding and hotter, drier summers. The design features resilient, native Indiana plants that thrive in local soil conditions and contribute to the ecosystem.

Don’t miss this opportunity to gain insights from leading experts in native plants! Participants will gain practical insights into native garden designs and learn how tailored landscaping can support wildlife, promote ecological balance, and help restore natural habitats. 

Monthly board meeting. Talked about upcoming events and volunteers needed.

Reviewed some activities for 2025 season. Updated everyone on plant rescue anticipated and other activities coming up for 2024.

WOPB member Teri Gegenheimer is a Xerces Society Volunteer Ambassador. She will be presenting on beneficial insects stressing the link between them and native plant species.

Explore the ecological and aesthetic advantages of hedges and hedgerows in our upcoming Wild Ones national webinar, “The Beauty and Benefits of Hedgerows” with Heather McCargo, founder of Wild Seed Project.

Native hedgerows are diverse plantings of woody plants from shrubs to small trees along with herbaceous groundcovers at their base.  Learn how these low-maintenance and sustainable plantings of shrubs, trees, and groundcovers can enhance biodiversity, provide critical habitats for wildlife, and contribute to climate resilience. Discover practical tips for designing and implementing hedgerows in various landscapes, from farms to urban settings, and understand their role in supporting pollinators, birds, and soil health. 

 You will also learn about Heather McCargo and the Wild Seed Project's latest collaboration with Wild Ones on the new Native Garden Design for Portland, ME. Don't miss this opportunity to gain insights from a leading expert in native plant restoration and take your landscaping skills to the next level. 

Monthly board meeting

Free event, though registration is required and limited to 20 participants. 

Get outdoors and take a walk on the wild side into one of the Northshore's premier natural habitats:  Longleaf Pine Flatwood Savanna.  See numerous carnivorous plants in their fall color.  Learn about native habitats, flora, wildlife, natural history and restoration management from conservation biologist Nelwyn McInnis of Southern Wild LLC who has been working in this habitat type for over 30 years.   

Longleaf Pine Savannas are floristically rich, herb-dominated wetlands that are naturally sparsely stocked with Pinus palustris (longleaf pine). They historically dominated the Gulf Coastal Plain flatwood regions from Florida to Texas, including much of southeast and southwest Louisiana. The term “savanna” is classically used to describe expansive herb-dominated areas with scattered trees.

Learn how to use high-density plantings that replicate natural ecosystems in aesthetically pleasing designs, enhancing ecological functions while reducing maintenance efforts in our upcoming Wild One's national webinar, "Matrix Landscape Design" with author, landscape designer, activist, and educator Benjamin Vogt.

Matrix planting is a landscape design approach that mimics natural ecosystems by closely planting and layering compatible perennials and grasses to cover the soil, provide more ecosystem services, and eliminate the need for wood mulch or aggressive weeding.  Join Wild Ones for a webinar to learn how author, educator, and landscape designer Benjamin Vogt applies this approach to create stunning native gardens. Learn the principles behind this method, its ecological benefits, and practical steps to implement matrix planting in your own garden. 

You will also learn about Benjamin's latest collaboration with Wild Ones on the new Native Garden Design for Lincoln, NE. Don't miss this opportunity to gain insights from a leading voice in natural garden design and take your gardening skills to the next level. Register now to secure your spot! 

Second Annual Field Day for Members Only at a private residence. Several TBD Talks will be presented regarding topics of interest identified by members. Nature walks in the am and another in the pm.  Attendees will bring their own lunches though snacks and drinks will be provided.

Registration required.

Monthly board meeting

Native plants have an incredible ability to adapt to climate extremes, offering sustainable solutions for resilient landscapes. Join Wild Ones and the Native Plant Society of Texas to explore the power of native plants to thrive in challenging conditions.

This event features Christy Ten Eyck, founder of Ten Eyck Landscape Architects. Drawing from her latest Dallas-Fort Worth native garden design, Christy will share insights into designing low-maintenance, ecologically rich spaces that withstand intense climate fluctuations.

End of the Year Membership Only and Holiday Meeting

Neonicotinoid insecticides, commonly known as “neonics,” have become the most widely used insecticides in the U.S., leading to drastic declines in bees, pollinators, birds, and aquatic ecosystems. In this webinar, Lucas Rhoads, Senior Attorney with NRDC’s Pesticides & Pollinators Team, will share expert insights on how neonics impact our environment and pose serious risks to human health. He’ll delve into the harms associated with neonic-treated seeds, which are a major source of contamination, and explore effective policy advocacy strategies to rein in their widespread use without disrupting farmers or landscapers.

Monthly board meeting