Events

Robin Wall Kimmerer. The Serviceberry

We will delay the December WO Book Club discussion until the first Monday of January!

The link to join the zoom call will be sent out the week before the meeting via the Wild Ones Google Groups email.   

Cheryl Nelson, Forest Health Outreach Forester with the DNR, will join us at the library via Zoom.  She will discuss forest health post ice storm, with a focus on insect and disease pests to be aware of and reporting methods.

Bio: Cheryl Nelson, Forest Health Outreach Forester with the DNR. She has her B.S. in Forestry from Michigan Tech and has practiced forest health and forestry in both Missouri and Michigan, and returned to Michigan in 2004 as a forester and has been working with forest health since 2018.

If you can’t make it to the library you can also join us on zoom.

Topic: Northwest Michigan wild ones January meeting
Time: Jan 10, 2026 10:30 AM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://wildones-org.zoom.us/j/81024636311?pwd=43cSLZyE6jauiNjggg5xrV9aHyRJ2f.1

Meeting ID: 810 2463 6311
Passcode: Dt.x23

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One tap mobile
+16465189805,,81024636311# US (New York)
+16513728299,,81024636311# US (Minnesota)

Join instructions
https://wildones-org.zoom.us/meetings/81024636311/invitations?signature=xzVL6V7hn5w_v6mOrQ-1d1R5we2CKUtmtL_C0muZw4s
 

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.

Jerry Dennis. Up North in Michigan:  A Portrait of Place in our Seasons

The WO Book Club will meet via zoom the last Monday of each Month at 7:00 PM.

The link is below:

Topic: WO northwestlowermichigan book club
Time: Jan 26, 2026 07:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://wildones-org.zoom.us/j/85947663618?pwd=n4l9i2jRQ4bxzO6ZOGxcUO3BeWd9YD.1

Meeting ID: 859 4766 3618
Passcode: Tq#DY5

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+13126266799,,85947663618# US (Chicago)
+14702509358,,85947663618# US (Atlanta)

Join instructions
https://wildones-org.zoom.us/meetings/85947663618/invitations?signature=bqlnaBQ6aaK7HVBKkmWel3aB0o_JPU_Weg3s-OHBljw

Join me for a winter sowing party. I'll have all the tools and seeds for you to plant up some natives for spring germination. Please bring your own milk jugs or other plastic containers suitable for winter sowing.

A pot luck will follow the planting and I will have some warm soups prepared. Please bring a dish to share.

Please RSVP if you can attend at [email protected] or (217) 369-9315.

In February we are partnering with CAKE CISMA to do a winter sowing workshop. Registration is required to participate in the seed sowing activity. .  

About the event

Learn about the importance of native plants and the cold-moist stratification process that many native seeds need to grow. In this hands-on workshop you’ll choose and sow native seeds in containers using recycled materials. Your seeds will spend the rest of the winter outside, then germinate naturally in spring- ready to plant in your garden!

This workshop is a fun, beginner‑friendly way to get your hands in the soil, add native species to your pollinator garden (or start one!), and learn more about local conservation efforts.

https://www.cakecisma.org/event-details/winter-seed-sowing-workshop-petoskey

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 other native plants enthusiasts to ask questions and share info. Whether your yard is completely native or you are just getting started on your native plant journey, come join others for some plant talk and good drinks!

Barbara Kingsolver.  Animal, Vegetable, Miracle

The WO Book Club will meet via zoom the last Monday of each Month at 7:00 PM.

Below is the link to join the zoom call

Topic: My Meeting
Time: Feb 23, 2026 07:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://wildones-org.zoom.us/j/83371866756?pwd=yxN9LFlT8zGBG2UEHAaH8s9tvXyWWA.1

Meeting ID: 833 7186 6756
Passcode: TF=Z2z

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One tap mobile
+16465189805,,83371866756# US (New York)
+16513728299,,83371866756# US (Minnesota)

Join instructions
https://wildones-org.zoom.us/meetings/83371866756/invitations?signature=Ck889_djmjx0vTzUp0fJa88I7_ixz3M8T-RIpLSIklU

This meeting will be devoted to all things Heather Holm, which by extension is all things pollinators!  Heather is a biologist, pollinator conservationist and award winning author of four books.  Her website, www.pollinatorsnativeplants.com, contains a wealth of knowledge.

We would like for attendees to spend some time before the meeting exploring and learning from Heather's website resources. The meeting format will be a round table to share our new knowledge and discoveries.

If you don't have time for exploration beforehand that's okay too!  

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.

Join other native plants enthusiasts to ask questions and share info. Whether your yard is completely native or you are just getting started on your native plant journey, come join others for some plant talk and good drinks!

Join us to learn more about the Priority Plant Patrol and how you can help with early detection of five watch list invasive terrestrial plant species in Michigan. Presented by Julie Crick, Natural Resources Educator and Michigan Naturalist Statewide Coordinator for Michigan State University Extension. Julie has been with MSU Extension over 10 years. Her work focuses on educating Michigan residents about forest health and delivering the Michigan Naturalist Program throughout the state.

Register here:
https://msu.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_kGWfM6NNRXKC-tMlhC9E7Q#/registration

Ed Yong. An Immense World: How Animal Senses Reveal the Hidden Realms Around Us.

We will discuss the first 4 chapters of this fascinating book. 

The WO Book Club will meet via zoom the last Monday of each Month at 7:00 PM.

Zoom Link:

https://wildones-org.zoom.us/j/83206372215?pwd=rDTZMqHgRd2asnxEREOvVMD11XfNPa.1 

Join us for a presentation on Matrix  Landscape Design with Noah Jansen, the Restoration Manager at Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council. Noah will share what he has learned while creating some local garden designs.

After Noah's presentations we will have a round table to hear about what you are doing to get ready for planting season. What plants are on your shopping list this year? Why are they on your list? Are you creating new native plant garden beds or adding to old? Are you faced with any challenges you are hoping to resolve?

After the round table, plan to stay around if you are interested in helping with the Wild Ones+League of Women Voters native plant garden at the library. Hopefully we will get to take a site visit.

Join other native plants enthusiasts to ask questions and share info. Whether your yard is completely native or you are just getting started on your native plant journey, come join others for some plant talk and good drinks!

Join us for a discussion about Birdscaping In The Midwest by Mariette Nowak.  

“Go beyond bird feeders! Learn how to create outstanding bird habitats in your own yard with native plants that offer food, cover, and nesting sites for birds. This guide is packed with color photographs, sage advice, detailed instructions, and garden plans. Birdscaping in the Midwest provides many sources of further information, including publications, websites, organizations, and native plant nurseries.”

Zoom Link: 

https://wildones-org.zoom.us/j/85726731142?pwd=3p6kUOQKvzgxqG3TyzxUxCqu9ahcue.1

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.

Join this year’s More Life Less Lawn challenge kickoff with Robin Wall Kimmerer.

You’ll get 12 weeks of emails with doable steps, expert tips from leaders, a yard health scorecard, and fun rewards along the way. You’ll start by seeing how healthy your yard is today, and finish by celebrating how much it has grown! 

This challenge is 100% free, powered by Wildr. 
https://www.lesslawnmorelife.com/

Note - You can sign up and start your 12 week challenge anytime. You do not need to be registered by May 7 or present for the live kickoff.

Join your local Wild Ones chapter this summer for the opportunity to discuss the challenge with others (see Monthly Social in Events).

For our final library meeting we will be watching and discussing a video on big picture garden design presented by Heather and Zoe Evans. They do a great job of helping the viewer think about creating spaces in your yard that will get you and your family outside more. PLEASE BRING A PHONE OR IPAD!

We will also talk about the “Less Lawn More Life” 12-week free challenge presented by Wildr. You'll get 12 weeks of emails with doable steps and expert tips. Our summer social meet-ups will give people a chance to discuss how we are meeting the challenge. 

** This will be our last library meeting until November. We will continue with outdoor activities until then. If you have ideas for hikes or other activities please share them with us at [email protected].

Amy Lipson is once again hosting a Mother’s Day wildflower walk. The perfect way to spend a Sunday with LTC and Wild Ones.

Please register at:

https://landtrust.org/events-template/mothers-day-wildflower-walk-2/
 

Join other native plants enthusiasts to ask questions and share info. Whether your yard is completely native or you are just getting started on your native plant journey, come join others for some plant talk and good drinks!

During the summer months we will be discussing the 12 week Less Lawn More Life challenges. 

Meet in Bay View at the corner of Knapp and Richards, to hike the Old Indian Trail (use 1970 Knapp as the address). We will be hoping for the Pink Lady Slippers to be putting on their annual show! We will continue along the Deer Trail and Gateway Trails if the cedar swamp isn’t overflowing. 

If it’s a nice evening anyone who is interested can head to the Petoskey State Park beach afterwards for some sunset oohs and aahs.

Join other native plant enthusiasts to ask questions and share info. Whether your yard is completely native or you are just getting started on your native plant journey, come join others for some plant talk and good drinks!

During the summer months we will be discussing the 12 week Less Lawn More Life challenges

A Members Only event. Come to Karen’s to transplant winter sown seedlings. Bring a plug tray if you have one (extras will be available on request). You will transplant seedlings started during the winter months to take home. These will do best if transplanted into your gardens in the fall as they will still be quite tiny in June.

A garden tour of newly planted native spaces will also be available. 

RSVP to Karen at [email protected]

As Pollinator Week wraps us join us for a viewing of The Extraordinary Caterpillar.

Not only do caterpillars turn into beautiful butterflies and moths, caterpillars are the driving force of the food web. They convert plants into protein rich food that supports wildlife, particularly nesting birds. 

This film takes a beautiful close up look at these important creatures.

Join us on a guided hike through the beautiful Thorne Swift Nature Preserve. Hopefully, the timing will be right to catch the Showy Lady Slipper in bloom. This rare lady slipper is the tallest native northern orchid.

Are you creating a design proposal for the Petoskey Library native garden? Come and share your design ideas for consideration. This is a great opportunity to practice native garden design!

All submitted plans will be reviewed by the Wild Ones planning committee and a final design will be turned into the library board.

You don’t have to be present at this meeting to submit a plan. Plans can be emailed to  [email protected]

We will meet at the top of the driveway near the old clubhouse. From there we will head out with our phones using iNaturalist to capture photos of any and all organisms. We will take some time before we head out to talk about using iNaturalist if you are new to it. 

You don’t need iNaturalist to join us, but if you plan to use it make sure you have downloaded the app.

What is a Bioblitz?
A bioblitz is a communal effort to record as many species within a designated location and time period as possible.

Bioblitzes are great ways to engage the public to connect to their environment while generating useful data for science and conservation. They are also an excuse for naturalists, scientists, and curious members of the public to meet in person in the great outdoors, and they're a lot of fun!

Join other native plant enthusiasts to ask questions and share info. Whether your yard is completely native or you are just getting started on your native plant journey, come join others for some plant talk and good drinks!

During the summer months we will be discussing the 12 week Less Lawn More Life challenges

Join LTC’s Amy Lipson for this Wild Ones guided hike. 

From the LTC website: This nature preserve has one of the most spectacular views in northern Michigan, the Charles A. Ransom Nature Preserve is well worth visiting. The 80-acre property was donated in 1976 by Woodbury and Christiana Ransom in memory of their son. From its highest elevation of 320 feet above Lake Michigan, viewers can see much of western Charlevoix County, a broad expanse of Lake Michigan, four islands, and the distant Leelanau Peninsula on a clear day. In 2021, several funders came together for the acquisition of the 160-acre Bytwerk Reserve, with the Bytwerk Family the primary funders. This land has historically been enrolled in qualified forest and tree farm programs.

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.

Join other native plant enthusiasts to ask questions and share info. Whether your yard is completely native or you are just getting started on your native plant journey, come join others for some plant talk and good drinks!

During the summer months we will be discussing the 12 week Less Lawn More Life challenges

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.

Join LTC’s Amy Lipson for a demo on ways to manage invasive plants, particularly those with deep roots that continue to come back if the roots aren’t killed.  After the demo we will hike as time permits. 

We will meet at the pole barn just up the driveway from the main parking area.

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.