Chapter Events

Landscaping plays a vital role in responsible land stewardship. By incorporating native plants, we can help rebuild ecosystems, restore essential connections between plants and animals, and support a healthier, more resilient planet. This conference will empower participants to create wildlife-friendly habitats, promote biodiversity, and address the decline in wildlife populations through the power of native plant gardening.

Discover the power of ecological garden design in this free national webinar, Living in the Liberated Landscape: My Yard, with award-winning landscape designer Larry Weaner. Join us for a personal look at how dynamic, self-sustaining landscapes can emerge when we partner with nature instead of controlling it. Drawing on more than 35 years of experience, Larry will share practical strategies for designing dynamic gardens that evolve naturally, support biodiversity, and bring lasting beauty to your yard.

“Sharing Our Shore and the Return of the Piping Plover to Waukegan Shores”, written and produced by Carolyn Lueck, chronicles the story of Blaze and Pepper, two of the 2023 captive-reared birds that returned in 2024 to successfully fledge three chicks. The film also explores the unique partnership between Lake County Audubon and the City of Waukegan, formed to protect not just the Piping Plovers, but also the unique Waukegan dune and lakefront habitats.

Designing with native plants isn’t just about what you grow, it’s about how you shape your space. In this hands-on workshop, Zoe Evans (Plan it Wild) and Heather Evans (Design Your Wild) guide you through the process of creating a cohesive yard plan that supports both your lifestyle and biodiversity.

 Tick borne diseases are a risk for anyone working in or enjoying the outdoors. This presentation will cover the tick species commonly found in Illinois, tick-borne diseases and their life cycle, tick habitat preferences, and measures you can take to reduce the risk of tick bites and tick-borne diseases.

Speaker: Chris Evans,  Extension Forestry and Research Specialist

Details coming soon! 

Join us at Wild Things 2026 for an exciting lineup of workshops, presentations, and sessions from regional and national experts, plus meet & greets, video content, exhibitors, sponsors, and more! 

Learn about the bats of Illinois and Lake County, including steps you can take to provide habitat for bats in your backyard or neighborhood. Understand threats to bats and simple ways you can help to protect your local bat populations.

Speaker: Dr Joy O'Keefe, Associate Professor and Wildlife Extension Specialist in Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences at the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign.

Details coming soon! This will be a paid webinar with all proceeds supporting the Seeds for Education Program. 

Inviting birds into gardens by creating habitat is a joyful way to connect with nature and help support birds and pollinators. This presentation features Pam Karlson’s photos from her Chicago bird garden habitat she created, illustrating how it’s possible to attract over 100 bird species. Tips include landscape enhancements, practices and plant selection, with an emphasis on native plants. 

Speaker: Pam Karlson, certified professional gardener/ garden designer and licensed wildlife & migratory bird rescue and rehabilitation volunteer.

Details coming soon! 

Jumping worms (Amynthas spp.) are an invasive group of earthworms now found in parts of Illinois.  This program will share current research on their identification, biology, and ecological impacts, along with emerging approaches for monitoring and management. 

Speaker: Tricia Bethke, Forest Pest Outreach Coordinator at the Morton Arboretum

Details coming soon! 

Details coming soon! 

Details coming soon!