Events

Our Chapter and Greenfield's Pollinator Committee are planting native plants; both donated by our chapter and their Committee.

Give an hour or 2 to help out

https://www.themonarchtrail.org

Parking: On Discovery Parkway or the old ABB parking lot off Eschweiler Drive. Look for the colorful banner flags!
 
Come Enjoy:

Learn about the monarch life cycle and other incredible critters with educational displays.Enjoy the lively Irish music of "Ceol Cairde" (“Music of Friends”).Face painting and a kids’ activity table.Join a guided tour with Butterfly Barb and Danielle Bell of "Native Roots"(restorative land management) and learn about native plants while exploring the improvements we’ve made along the trail.Cold beer, lemonade and refreshments will be available for purchase.Take home a special monarch keepsake at our "Monarch Market" table.Pack a picnic and make an afternoon of it! Bring a chair or a blanket.Don’t miss this special send-off as we celebrate the monarchs and their journey south.

 
Bring your family, invite your friends, and come help us celebrate these amazing pollinators before they head south!

Help our Chapter plant natives in the library rain garden (exists already).  Give an hour or two to help.  Go to the west side of the building.

Learn how a former 50 acre corn and soybean field returned to the wild and became a grassland birding hotspot.https://gatheringwaters.org/land-trust-days/

September chapter field trip location TBA

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.

Planting Native for Flood Control, presented by Dennis Fermenich, our speaker in January.

At this FREE seminar, learn how planting native trees can help reduce flooding in your yard, manage stormwater and protect our local environment! This informative seminar will explore how trees naturally absorb rainwater, slow runoff and improve neighborhood resilience. Learn more about:
How trees help prevent flooding
Benefits of native tree species
Simple ways to improve drainage in your yard
Q&A and practical planting tips

BONUS: Attendees will receive ONE FREE native tree from Big Plant (while supplies last!)

Seminar will be held in the Community Room.
FREE & open to all ages!
For more info, contact [email protected]

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.

Zoe Evans, rewilding coach and VP of Partnerships & Programs at Wildr shares a practical, science-informed framework for evaluating a home landscape, identifying its greatest habitat opportunities, and choosing actions that support more plants, insects, birds, and other wildlife.

Registration link coming soon.

No yard required. Learn how native plants can turn patios, balconies, containers, and other small spaces into meaningful habitat for pollinators and other wildlife. This practical panel will cover plant selection, container design, seasonal care, and realistic ways to support biodiversity in limited spaces.

Registration link coming soon.

Birds depend on healthy, connected habitats for food, shelter, nesting, and migration support. Join experts from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology to explore how native plants and thoughtful landscape choices can support birdlife at home. Learn how gardens, yards, and community spaces can provide the insects, seeds, berries, cover, and habitat structure birds need throughout the year.

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.