Chapter Events

Alysia Babcock will present examples of plants (and other interesting things) found in preserves and how it can help you design your own gardens.

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!

Jumping worms (Amynthas agrestis, Amynthas tokioensis and Metaphire hilgendorfi species) are an invasive species of worm native to southeast Asia. They were first reported in Michigan in Oakland County in 2008. It is now believed they could be widespread in the Lower Peninsula. Jumping worms consume large amounts of leaf litter and displace or out-compete our native species, not just native earthworms, but also native insects, ground nesting birds, and salamanders. Natalie Bekins will describe the lifecycle of jumping worms, as well as what can be done to control and prevent them.

Rain garden how-to, including site selection, garden preparation and plant selection.

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!

Although extremely important in our ecosystems, moths are underappreciated compared to their day-flying butterfly cousins.  Dr. Scholtens will introduce us to the amazing world of moths, their life cycles, feeding strategies, roles in the environment, and some opportunities to contribute to our knowledge of this fascinating group of insects.

The Highlands Golf Club, adjacent to the Blandford Nature Center in Grand Rapids, was purchased in 2017 through a collaborative effort of the Blandford Nature Center and the Land Conservancy of West Michigan. The vision for the 121-acre parcel, now called The Highlands, is to transform it into a natural area for community recreation and education. With grasses already growing, a diverse wildlife population has moved in, including fox, deer, muskrats, and a variety of birds and insects. In the summer of 2022, a project was initiated to bring an underground stream back to the surface. Justin Heslinga will lead us on a tour of The Highlands, describing what has been accomplished to date, as well as future plans for the site.

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!

Flat Iron Lake Nature Preserve is in Kent County's Oakfield Township, approximately 30 miles northeast of Grand Rapids. The preserve was the idea of Fritz and Carol Rottman, who owned much of the property and wished to see the space preserved for green space and scientific study. The property includes a 25 acre kettle lake, 13 acres of forest, and an 18 acre created prairie. River City Wild Ones originally visited the property in 2011. This nature hike will showcase changes over the past several years.

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!

The default Western thinking about ecosystems is to see humans as outside, objective observers, except in cases where we are actively degrading or interacting with areas we have designated as ‘nature’. However, not only are humans a part of our ecosystem, our interactions with other humans are arguably some of the most important transactions in the ecological web of our neighborhoods. What does this mean for us? How can we use this perspective to foster positive change?  And what does it mean to be a good neighbor to all?

John Harville is the Berrien County Coordinator for The Michigan Bluebird Society. He will share his expertise and strategies to attract bluebirds and other wildlife to your yard.

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!

A wrap-up of chapter activities and seed swap.

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!