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January 2023
Starting Native Plants from Seed
Fremont Public Library, 1170 N Midlothian Rd, Mundelein, IL, 60060 Map
Live Stream Available
Public Welcome Family Friendly Limited Access Recording Free Event Chapter Meeting Wheelchair Accessible Public Restroom Free Public Parking Drinking Fountains
Plant propagation from seed is an inexpensive way to provide an annual supply of native plants for home landscapes. By growing your native plants from seed, you help preserve genetic diversity of the species, which helps create more resilient plant communities.
The experience of native seed starting is an enjoyable and rewarding experience but can be challenging too, until you know the tricks to sparking germination.
February 2023
Illinois Native Pollinators
Fremont Public Library, 1170 N Midlothian Rd, Mundelein, IL, 60060 Map
Live Stream Available
Public Welcome Family Friendly Will be Recorded Free Event Chapter Meeting Wheelchair Accessible Public Restroom Free Public Parking Drinking Fountains
This presentation focuses on making plant choices with our native pollinators in mind. Presenter will discuss our native bees, butterflies, wasps, and other pollinators that are under serious threat from a variety of stress factors causing an unceasing decline in their populations. Learn of our pollinators’ importance to biodiversity and about the plants that attract them and why. Find out how a little effort on our part can go a long way for pollinators and our ecosystem while also providing you with beauty and enjoyment.
February Board of Directors Meeting Members Only
Hosted by Wild Ones NationalOnline/Virtual
Members Only Free Event Chapter Board Meeting
All Wild Ones members are invited to bi-monthly national Wild Ones board meetings! During meetings, the board strives to uphold Wild Ones’ mission, hone our vision, implement strategies and provide organizational oversight; you are welcome to attend!
March 2023
Cranes Over Illinois
Fremont Public Library, 1170 N Midlothian Rd, Mundelein, IL, 60060 Map
Live Stream Available
Public Welcome Family Friendly Will be Recorded Free Event Chapter Meeting Wheelchair Accessible Public Restroom Free Public Parking Drinking Fountains
Illinois is home to the Sandhill Crane and the endangered Whooping Crane. The history, habitats and threats these cranes face will be discussed. We will also learn how the crane conservation partners are helping out these magnificent birds.
Wild Ones Annual Member Meeting Members Only
Hosted by Wild Ones NationalOnline/Virtual
Members Only Will be Recorded Free Event
Calling all Wild Ones members! You are invited to attend the Annual Membership Meeting webinar on Saturday, March 23rd, 6 pm - 7 pm CDT!
Meet the Wild Ones National Board of Directors and staff and learn how Wild Ones is growing. This is a great opportunity to learn about the organization. We encourage you to participate!
April 2023
Seasonal Color with Native Plants
Fremont Public Library, 1170 N Midlothian Rd, Mundelein, IL, 60060 Map
Live Stream Available
Public Welcome Family Friendly Will be Recorded Limited Access Recording Free Event Chapter Meeting Wheelchair Accessible Public Restroom Free Public Parking Drinking Fountains
Many plants can add a pop of color to every season. It's essential to plant across all seasons not just for colors but also to keep your garden and the miniature ecosystems in your backyard healthy and thriving year-round. Find out about some of the favorite spring ephemerals and summer staples in the native plant world, along with underrated fall foliage favorites and essential winter warriors.
April Board of Directors Meeting Members Only
Hosted by Wild Ones NationalOnline/Virtual
Members Only Free Event Chapter Board Meeting
All Wild Ones members are invited to bi-monthly national Wild Ones board meetings! During meetings, the board strives to uphold Wild Ones’ mission, hone our vision, implement strategies and provide organizational oversight; you are welcome to attend!
May 2023
Adventures in Bumble Bee-holding
Fremont Public Library, 1170 N Midlothian Rd, Mundelein, IL, 60060 Map
Live Stream Available
Public Welcome Family Friendly Limited Access Recording Free Event Chapter Meeting Wheelchair Accessible Public Restroom Free Public Parking Drinking Fountains
Our presenter will introduce us to a variety of bumble bee species which includes the once common, but now endangered Rusty-patched bumble bee. The program will cover the challenges bumble bees are facing, the important role they play in a healthy ecosystem, and the action steps people can take to transition their community into a more hospitable and welcoming place for all pollinators.
June 2023
Babbling Brooks - What are they trying to tell us?
Fremont Public Library, 1170 North Midlothian Road, Mundelein, IL, 60060 Map
Live Stream Available
Public Welcome Family Friendly Will be Recorded Limited Access Recording Free Event Chapter Meeting Wheelchair Accessible Public Restroom Free Public Parking Drinking Fountains
Jeff Weiss, of the Flint Creek/Spring Creek Watershed Partnership will discus the multiple stressors to our rivers, streams and wetlands and how community education and collaboration with local municipalities and area environmental/conservation groups is fundamental to improving water quality, preserving ecosystems and restoring wetlands, prairies and other natural features for current and future generations.
June Board of Directors Meeting Members Only
Hosted by Wild Ones NationalOnline/Virtual
Members Only Free Event Chapter Board Meeting
All Wild Ones members are invited to bi-monthly national Wild Ones board meetings! During meetings, the board strives to uphold Wild Ones’ mission, hone our vision, implement strategies and provide organizational oversight; you are welcome to attend!
July 2023
How Fungi Helped Shape the Midwest
Fremont Public Library, 1170 North Midlothian Road, Mundelein, IL, 60060 Map
Live Stream Available
Public Welcome Family Friendly Limited Access Recording Free Event Chapter Meeting Wheelchair Accessible Public Restroom Free Public Parking Drinking Fountains
The Midwest is a vastly diverse landscape of savannas, prairies, and dense forests. Every single plant in these ecosystems has a direct or indirect relationship with native species of fungi. This presentation will explore these relationships and their impacts on preserving the natural world.
August 2023
Adventures in Food Forestry
Fremont Public Library, 1170 North Midlothian Road, Mundelein, IL, 60060 Map
Live Stream Available
Public Welcome Family Friendly Limited Access Recording Free Event Chapter Meeting Wheelchair Accessible Public Restroom Free Public Parking Drinking Fountains
Judy Speer, director of Small Waters Education, will present the story of 14 years of growth in a (mostly) native food forest in northern Illinois. Inspired by permaculture and ecological restoration practices, she and husband Jack have been transforming a patch of woody invasives into a diverse multilayered perennial habitat. Learn how their observations and experimentation are deepening their relationship with the land, and what they have discovered about pawpaws, chokeberries, butternuts and other indigenous foods.
August Board of Directors Meeting Members Only
Hosted by Wild Ones NationalOnline/Virtual
Members Only Free Event Chapter Board Meeting
All current Wild Ones members are invited to this bi-monthly national Wild Ones board meeting! During these meetings, the board strives to uphold Wild Ones’ mission, hone our vision, implement strategies, and provide organizational oversight; you are welcome to attend!
September 2023
Landscaping with Native Plants
Fremont Public Library, 1170 North Midlothian Road, Mundelein, IL, 60060 Map
Live Stream Available
Public Welcome Family Friendly Limited Access Recording Free Event Chapter Meeting Wheelchair Accessible Public Restroom Free Public Parking Drinking Fountains
Learn how to bring nature to your own backyard and explore why using native plants is an important part of environmentally friendly gardening and landscape design. Gain the skills necessary to evaluate site conditions and create landscape designs in harmony with nature by working with natural systems and native plants.
October 2023
Rethinking Fall and Spring Cleanup
Fremont Public Library, 1170 North Midlothian Road, Mundelein, IL, 60060 Map
Live Stream Available
Public Welcome Free Event Chapter Meeting Wheelchair Accessible Public Restroom Free Public Parking Drinking Fountains
Dave Eubanks from Eubanks Environmental will share what he has learned from his many years of working with native plants and creating healthier environments through smart fall and spring practices. He will also explain how to help native butterflies, moths and other insects by creating “soft landing” spaces under native trees to provide overwintering spaces for them.
"Creating and Managing Landscapes for Native Bees" with Heather Holm
Hosted by Wild Ones NationalOnline/Virtual
Public Welcome Free Event Program/Speaker Presentation
Join Wild Ones Honorary Director Heather Holm as she explores the nesting habitats, life cycles, pollen collection, brood rearing, and general characteristics of some of the most common native bees in eastern North America, while highlighting the pollination of native plants and the mutualism between native plants and native bees.
When creating and managing thriving habitats for native bees, many factors such as seasonal phenology, nesting strategies, and flower preferences must be considered—and with approximately 3,600 species in North America (north of Mexico), there are many unique aspects to keep in mind when managing successful landscapes for bees.
October Board of Directors Meeting Members Only
Hosted by Wild Ones NationalOnline/Virtual
Members Only Free Event Chapter Board Meeting
All Wild Ones members are invited to bi-monthly national Wild Ones board meetings! During meetings, the board strives to uphold Wild Ones’ mission, hone our vision, implement strategies and provide organizational oversight; you are welcome to attend!
November 2023
2023 Native Landscaping Conference
Round Lake Beach Cultural & Civic Center
Public Welcome Paid Event Conference/Symposium Wheelchair Accessible Public Restroom Free Public Parking Drinking Fountains
Bringing Nature to Life By Preserving Healthy Ecosystems
Nature is a wonderful teacher. Join us as we explore three of the main ecosystems of northern Illinois. Our speakers will summarize characteristics of each area and ecological functions including support of pollinators and wildlife. As we learn about the natural world around us, we can use that information to create beautiful and natural landscapes within our own properties and communities.
"The Gardener's Guide to Prairie Plants" with Neil Diboll and Hilary Cox
Hosted by Wild Ones NationalOnline/Virtual
Public Welcome Will be Recorded Free Event Program/Speaker Presentation
Join us for an enlightening webinar featuring authors, Neil Diboll and Hilary Cox, as they present their latest book, "The Gardener’s Guide to Prairie Plants." This comprehensive compendium is a treasure trove of knowledge for gardeners looking to incorporate native prairie plants into their landscapes. Neil and Hilary will delve into the making and application of this essential guide, sharing rich historical and ecological insights about prairie ecosystems, all while showcasing stunning images of prairie flora.
December 2023
December Board of Directors Meeting Members Only
Hosted by Wild Ones NationalOnline/Virtual
Members Only Free Event Chapter Board Meeting
All Wild Ones members are invited to bi-monthly national Wild Ones board meetings! During meetings, the board strives to uphold Wild Ones’ mission, hone our vision, implement strategies and provide organizational oversight; you are welcome to attend!