Events

Native plants are the foundation of habitat, but wildlife need more than food to thrive. Join ecologist and Certified Wildlife Biologist Shaun McCoshum, PhD, to explore how nesting sites, shelter, water, soil conditions, and other often-overlooked resources can transform a yard into a functioning ecosystem that supports biodiversity year-round.

Each summer, Wild Ones River City (WORC) hosts Friday Markets on the third Friday of July, August and September at the Fulton Street Market. These sales are a partnership between the Native Plant Guild (NPG) and WORC. 

NPG Growers sell native plants, shrubs, seed packets, and planters. As their “host,” WORC reserves market stalls and provides volunteers to assist growers. Volunteers answer questions and provide educational handouts about native plants. We further our mission by offering a regular, reliable source of native plants and by promoting Wild Ones' mission to new customers.

Take a tour of the gardens at the Ada History Center! 

Stroll the gardens and chat with volunteer master gardeners about native and heirloom plants.

Members of Wild Ones River City Chapter will be on hand to share information about using native plants in your garden and will offer educational handouts.

Monthly native plant maintenance of our chapter's Education Garden. Work includes planting, weeding, transplanting, pruning, relocation of volunteer plants.

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.

Each summer, Wild Ones River City (WORC) hosts Friday Markets on the third Friday of July, August and September at the Fulton Street Market. These sales are a partnership between the Native Plant Guild and WORC. 

Growers sell native plants, shrubs, seed packets and planters to new customers and reach potential clients. As their “host,” WORC reserves market stalls and provides volunteers to assist growers. At the same time, we further our mission by offering a regular, reliable source of native plants and by promoting WORC’s mission to new customers. 

This field trip will be led by Ellen Holste,  founder of EnviroSpeak LLC and former Research Community Engagement Manager at Pierce Cedar Creek Institute.  

Goldenrod and aster flowers are the grand finale of the blooming season, with fields and forests flourishing with shades of yellow, pink, purple, blue, and white in the fall.   Learn the key characteristics of these plant species, where to find them, a few common species, and their importance to wildlife and us!

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. 

If you are bringing plants:
• Make sure that roots are intact and plants are potted well.
• Please label with as many details as possible: common name, Latin name (if known), sun/part-sun/shade preference, and soil/moisture preference (if known).

If you are taking plants:
• Please bring a cardboard box or other container for transporting.
• Educational materials and planting/growing advice will be available to get you started! 

This event is open to the community and is co-hosted by:
Wild Ones River City Chapter and Blandford Nature Center.

This program will be presented by Travis Kurtz, the Community Science Coordinator at the John Ball Zoo.  

The Habitat Hero program is a community-based conservation project focused on bringing people together to create high-quality pollinator habitats in urban and suburban areas.  Learn more about how this program works, how you can get involved, and why urban pollinator conservation is so important!

Note: Location has changed to Roselle Park.

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.

Join us for a fun evening to connect with your fellow Wild Ones and to meet newcomers!

We will be celebrating our accomplishments in 2026, our 19th year as a chapter with a short slide presentation. The River City 2027 officers and board members will be introduced. The meeting will be followed by the Seed Swap and refreshments. 

Wild Ones will be selling native plant books and related merchandise before and after the presentation.

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.

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.