Events Archive: 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | Upcoming Events
August 2025
Farmers Market Days Native Plant Sale
Public Welcome Family-Friendly Free Event Seed/Plant Sale Wheelchair Accessible Public Restroom Free Public Parking Drinking Fountains
A collaboration between Wild Ones River City and The Native Plant Guild.
Native Plants sold by local growers from the Native Plant Guild. Wild Ones River City Chapter representatives will be there to answer your native plant questions and provide educational handouts.
The growers donate a portion of their profits to Wild Ones River City Chapter.
Marywood Prairie Habitat Tour
Public Welcome Free Event Chapter Meeting Program/Speaker Presentation Public Garden Tour Free Public Parking Lots of Physical Activity
A Prairie Habitat of about an acre in size can be seen on the edge of the Dominican Sisters - Grand Rapids grounds at E. Fulton Street and Lakeside Dr in Grand Rapids. What is this natural area all about? When was the Prairie Habitat initiated and why? How was this commune of flora and fauna established and by whom? Sister Lucille Janowiak will focus on addressing these questions in a slide presentation indoors on the history of the Marywood Prairie. Rebecca Marquardt, Landscape Architect from Revery will give a short update on recent efforts and future plans for the Prairie. An outdoor tour of the Prairie follows the presentation.
Long sleeves, long pants and sturdy shoes are recommended.
September 2025
The Great Lakes Rare Butterfly Program at the John Ball Zoo
Grand Rapids Public Library - Downtown Branch, 111 Library St NE, Grand Rapids, MI, 49503 Map
Public Welcome Free Event Chapter Meeting Program/Speaker Presentation Wheelchair Accessible Public Restroom Drinking Fountains
Presented by Bill Flanagan, John Ball Zoo Conservation Manager.
The John Ball Zoo (JBZ) has been partnering with Michigan State University's Haddad Lab to save the Poweshiek Skipperling from extinction. In 2023 the program expanded to include working with Mitchell's Satyr' butterflies.
JBZ has rapidly expanded its committment to the conservation of animals in the field. Four programs focused on Great Lakes Rare Turtles, Great Lakes Rare Butterflies, Grand River Ecosystems, and Habitat Hero make up the core of the JBZ's conservation work.
FREE 2-hour parking is available in the library lot with ticket validation inside the library.
Free Webinar: "EcoBeneficial Landscape Strategies for the Climate Crisis" with Kim Eierman
Hosted by Wild Ones NationalOnline/Virtual
Public Welcome Recording Available Free Event Program/Speaker Presentation
Discover how ecological landscaping with native plants can make your landscape more resilient and help address the climate crisis. This webinar will highlight practical, evidence-based approaches to designing and maintaining landscapes that build resilience to climate change and support native biodiversity. Join Wild Ones for a free webinar, “EcoBeneficial Landscape Strategies for the Climate Crisis,” featuring environmental horticulturalist and ecological landscape designer Kim Eierman.
Farmers Market Days Native Plant Sale
Public Welcome Family-Friendly Free Event Seed/Plant Sale Wheelchair Accessible Public Restroom Free Public Parking Lots of Physical Activity Drinking Fountains
A collaboration between Wild Ones River City and The Native Plant Guild.
Native Plants sold by local growers from the Native Plant Guild. Wild Ones River City Chapter representatives will be there to answer your native plant questions and provide educational handouts.
The growers donate a portion of their profits to River City Wild Ones.
October 2025
Garden Walkabout Members Only
TBA
Members Only Free Event Home/Private Garden Tour
An open garden tour of member Marty MacCleery's yard in Ada, for Wild Ones River City members and their guests.
Members will receive an email invitation with the address and details closer to the event.
Background: Marty learned about the importance of native plants to the food web while taking the Master Naturalist class in 2010. She began adding more native plants to her corner lot over time. Eventually she installed 2 new beds named Shady Grove and Sunny Grove which involved several delicate dances with her neighborhood HOA. Think fences, signs, and deer exclosure cages! I’d love to share my stories with you!
Theme: Sunny Grove: The Journey from Concept to Reality (2021-2024 and Beyond)
Come explore her entire yard that backs up to the woods. And be sure to walk through Sunny Grove with a meandering grove of various dwarf native trees, shrubs and plants. There will also be some carefully placed interpretative signs from Xerces, NWF, Pollinator Partnership, Monarch Joint Venture, Saving Birds Thru Habitat and Wild Ones River City.
Native Plant Exchange
Blandford Nature Center
Public Welcome Free Event Seed/Plant Share Free Public Parking
The purpose of the Native Plant Exchange is to foster natural landscaping with native plants. Bring favorite native plants from your yard to share with others and take some home for yourself.
All plants are FREE, and you are not required to bring plants in order to take some home. This is a place where those with an abundance can share with others and help them get started with native plants.
This event is open to the community and is co-hosted by Wild Ones River City Chapter and Blandford Nature Center.
More details to come!
October Wild Ones National Webinar with Doug Tallamy
Hosted by Wild Ones NationalOnline/Virtual
Public Welcome Recording Available Free Event Program/Speaker Presentation
Details coming soon!
People, Plants, and Partnerships: Centering Relationships in Green Infrastructure Projects in the Plaster Creek Watershed
Grand Rapids Public Library - Downtown Branch, 111 Library St NE, Grand Rapids, MI, 49503 Map
Public Welcome Free Event Chapter Meeting Program/Speaker Presentation Wheelchair Accessible Public Restroom
The previously advertised presentation “Michigan's Captivating Caterpillars” by Dr. Duke Elsner has been CANCELLED.
New presentation:
People, Plants, and Partnerships: Centering Relationships in Green Infrastructure Projects in the Plaster Creek Watershed
Presented by: Haley Kornoelje, Project Coordinator, Plaster Creek Stewards
2-hour parking is FREE in the library lot with ticket validation in the library.
November 2025
Wild Ones River City Annual Meeting/Seed Swap
Public Welcome Free Event Chapter Annual Meeting Seed/Plant Share Wheelchair Accessible Public Restroom Free Public Parking
Join us for a fun evening to connect with your fellow Wild Ones and to meet newcomers!
We will be celebrating our accomplishments in 2025, our 18th year as a chapter. The River City 2026 officers and board members will be introduced.
Attendees are encouraged to bring native seeds from their garden to share if you have them. If you are new to native plants and don't have seeds to share, no worries, you can still take home some seeds.
Seed packaging instructions to come.
November Wild Ones National Webinar with Larry Weaner
Hosted by Wild Ones NationalOnline/Virtual
Public Welcome Recording Available Free Event Program/Speaker Presentation
Details coming soon!