Events

Director of Door County Parks talked about establishing prairies and othe ecological upgrades in the parks

All are welcome to join this free virtual panel discussion exploring the vital roles of native, solitary, and honeybees in pollination and biodiversity. Featuring experts Sam Droege (USGS), Dave Hunter (Crown Bees), and Dr. Lora Morandin (Pollinator Partnership), this event will discuss into the challenges pollinators face, the balance between managed and wild bees, and actionable ways to support all pollinators.

Gain insights from over 90 years of combined experience and learn how to advocate for pollinator habitats through planting native species, participating in community science, and adopting responsible management practices.

Jason Feldman of Jason Feldman Landscape will recommend shrubs that help pollinators and birds, and also thrive in the various soil types of Door County.

In honor of Aldo Leopold Day, this guided hike will explore the Big Creek preserve and at selected spots, volunteers from Crossroads, Master Gardeners and Wild Ones will read short Leopold quotes. We will watch the sun set in silence. Indoors if weather is inclement.

Tom Wolfe will discus woody plant physiology, botany and soil as they relate to  native DC trees and shrubs.

Wolfe holds Bachelor of Science Horticulture/Aboriculture University of Wisconsin-Madison

1980

34 years Head Gardener-Horticulturist The Art Institute of Chicago 1980-2014

Designed and installed gardens at Notre Dame University 1987-88

installed gardens Chicago Symphony Orchestra Hall Chicago 1984-present

Maintained garden at The John G Shedd Aquarium Chicago 2015-16

Consulted on Woody Plants Millennium Park Chicago 2000-2001

Designed and installed The Gardens at Green Gables Ephraim Wisconsin 2017-2023

Public gardens hold tremendous power to influence landscaping norms and inspire change. By showcasing the beauty, functionality, and ecological value of native plants, these spaces help foster biodiversity, advocate for sustainable practices, and engage communities in environmental stewardship. 

This webinar will explore how public and demonstration gardens serve as powerful tools for native plant advocacy. Attendees will learn how gardens move beyond aesthetics to spark action—turning appreciation into engagement and inspiring participants to replicate these practices in their own communities.

We will hear insights from Nicole Machuca, Environmental Social Scientist at the Field Museum, on how public gardens influence behaviors, foster stewardship, and connect people to conservation efforts through research and community engagement. The Wild Ones Capital Region NY and the Wild Ones San Diego (CA) Chapters will share their experiences building native plant demonstration gardens and how these spaces drive community engagement, education, and advocacy. And We'll finish with a conversation exploring how public gardens create a lasting impact beyond planting day moderated by Kelly Kapuzzi, Demonstration Garden Char with the Wild Ones Hocking Hills (OH) Chapter.

Interested in growing  your own food or creating  a wild landscape, but aren’t sure your soil is up to the task?  No worries!  Jamie Patton, soil scientist, will discuss ways to test and amend your soils to get the productive garden you’ve always wanted.  From in-ground plantings to raised bed and container gardening, she’ll cover it all!

On April 1, the Master Gardener/Wild Ones lecture will be “Integrated Pest Management” UW Extension Horticulture Outreach Specialist Allen Pyle will explain , how to  to reduce pest damage in home gardens and landscapes with Integrated Pest Management (IPM) techniques. IPM is a research-based approach that focuses on understanding pest life cycles and using a combination of control measures. IPM is applicable to pests including insects, mites, diseases, weeds and even critters. The talk will include details on common garden pests as well as some new invasive exotic pests.

Alln Pyle is based in Green Bay. His  expertise, built over 30 years of professional  experience, includes herbaceous ornamental perennials, plant propagation, edible plants, native species, and Integrated Pest Management.

"No Mow May" is a catchy name for a trend among home gardeners to let their lawns grow wild for a few weeks in the spring. While it does have some benefits, just delaying mowing doesn't provide long term benefits to insects like bees and other pollinators. Learn how you can take additional steps throughout the year to support wildlife, increase biodiversity and improve water and air quality. Speaker: Karen Newbern

“Door County Environmental Mentors,” a presentation by naturalist, educator, and writer Charlotte Lukes. Charlotte will highlight people who have shaped conservation and environmental education on the peninsula. 

A mentor in her own right, she spent decades promoting stewardship alongside her late husband, Roy Lukes. The event is free and open to the public, co-sponsored by the Door County Master Gardeners and Wild Ones – Door Peninsula. The presentation will be held in person at the Collins Learning Center.

Join Wild Ones National Board President Loris Damerow for a special presentation as part of Week 3 of the 2025 Less Lawn More Life Challenge, “Native Plants Planted Right.” Loris will walk us through the basics of native plant gardening- from choosing the right plants to planting and maintaining them with confidence.

Join us on Tuesday, May 20, 2025, at 5 p.m. CT for the YouTube Live premiere of this 30-minute webinar. Native plant experts from  Wild Ones, Plan it Wild, Homegrown National Park, ReWild Your Campus, and others will be active in the live chat throughout the presentation and for 30 minutes after the webinar, giving you plenty of time to ask questions and engage! 

This event is designed for newcomers to native gardening and is part of the national Less Lawn More Life Challenge, hosted by Plan It Wild in collaboration with Wild Ones, iNaturalist, Homegrown National Park, Pollinator Partnership  and many others! 

See more about the Less Lawn More Life Challenge:  https://www.lesslawnmorelife.com/ 

The closing event of this year’s Less Lawn More Life Challenge, will be led by Lisa Olsen, Chapter Liaison at Wild Ones. In this webinar, you’ll learn how small, personal actions like planting native species and removing invasives, can ripple outward to inspire neighbors, change policies, and reshape communities. 

During the premiere, native plant experts from Wild Ones and collaborating organizations will be active in the live chat. They’ll be ready to answer questions, share tips, and connect viewers with resources. The live chat will remain open for 30 minutes after the webinar, giving you plenty of time to ask questions and engage. Please note: You must be logged into a YouTube account to participate in the chat. 

The Less Lawn More Life Challenge is a free, 12-week action series designed to help people transform traditional lawns into vibrant, life-supporting native plant habitat. Each week, participants complete a simple challenge like planting a native shrub, removing invasives, or observing pollinators to reimagine their outdoor space and take meaningful steps toward restoring biodiversity at home. 

It’s not too late to get involved. Catch up on the weekly videos and start your rewilding journey today at https://www.lesslawnmorelife.com/ 

Wild Ones-Door Peninsula  will offer a program on “Trees for Bees” throughout the festival and also have and info table

Wild Ones members and volunteers will pull buckthorn and other invasives  in the wetland forest of  our adopted Franke Park.  We will provide black bags.  Bring gloves and water.

Wild Ones Board member and Master Naturalist will present a short slide lecture discussing the life cycle and recent research on monarch butterflies. Then using cage reared butterflies she will demonstrate tagging techniques. Then,  Crossroads will provide nets so people can go out into the preserve to capture, then tag migrating monarchs.

Co-Sponsored by Crossroads at Big Creek.

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.

The topic of the informational meeting is “Trees for Bees” and will discuss how we can help native bees and also domestic honey bees.  Refreshments to follow. Visitors are encouraged.

Board will meet at 5:30.

Even after reading books and attending talks, many still have pressing questions about ecological landscaping. In this talk, Tallamy addresses common concerns on biodiversity, invasive species, native plants, and conservation strategies, providing practical guidance and motivation to restore nature in everyday spaces. 

Welcome.  Displays by ten local environmental organizations.

Lecture: Trees and Shrubs for Pollinators and Birds"

Lecture: Monarchs need Volcanoes.

Lunch.

Master Gardeners handled the finances, refreshments and lunch. 

Native Shrubs and Trees for the Birds and Bees. Learn about the rich diversity of woody plants native to the upper Midwest and the benefits of incorporating them into your home landscape to help attract and sustain a diversity of bird and pollinator species. Presented by David Garison Stevens, Ed Hasselkus Curator–Longenecker Horticultural Gardens at the UW-Madison Arboretum and an Honorary Associate Fellow, UW-Madison Department of Horticulture.Why Monarchs Need Volcanoes. Learn about the importance of the sanctuaries where monarch butterflies overwinter. The temperate fir forests that cradle the butterflies sit atop high peaks of the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt. In a delicate balance between staying cool enough to conserve fat stores and warm enough not to freeze, the monarchs seek out a variety of microhabitats even as the climate changes around them. The tangle of relationships will astound you. Presented by Emily Stone, Naturalist and Education Director at the Cable Natural History Museum

Screening of Wild Ones webinar  “Restoring the Little Things That Run the World”

At each session, Jason Mille of DCISTwill begin by teaching participants how to identify buckthorn and will discuss the careful, minimal use of herbicides where appropriate. He will then lead a short hike highlighting the contrast between areas overrun by invasives and those where native species are thriving. Following the hike, participants will learn and practice removal techniques firsthand.

All necessary tools and herbicides will be provided, but volunteers are welcome to bring their own loppers. Please bring work gloves and water.

Woodside Wildflower Preserve is located across the street from Sawyer Elementary School at 60 Willow Drive in Sturgeon Bay. Franke Park is on County Highway U, just west of the Bayview Bridge, at 1700 Clay Banks Road, Sturgeon Bay.

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.

At each session, Jason Miller of DCISTwill begin by teaching participants how to identify buckthorn and will discuss the careful, minimal use of herbicides where appropriate. He will then lead a short hike highlighting the contrast between areas overrun by invasives and those where native species are thriving. Following the hike, participants will learn and practice removal techniques firsthand.

All necessary tools and herbicides will be provided, but volunteers are welcome to bring their own loppers. Please bring work gloves and water.

Follow County U just beyond the Bayview Bridge.

Join us for an evening celebrating native plants, community, and autumn flavors!

Brief Annual Meeting: A short business session for Wild Ones members (voting members only). 

Program: “Discover Franke Park”
Presented by Tawnie Perkovich, Door Peninsula Chapter Secretary. Explore the native plant beauty of Franke Park and learn how you can help protect this hidden gem. 

Social: Autumn Pies
Stick around after the program to enjoy seasonal pies and connect with fellow nature lovers.

A Glimpse of Christmas Past

Finally, Wild Ones will participate  in  Door County Historical Society’s “Glimpse of Christmas Past” at Heritage Village, 2041 Michigan Street, Sturgeon Bay. Naturally, Wild Ones will decorate the Schopf House with native greens and plants.

Volunteers will meet on Saturday, November 29, at 9:30 a.m. in the Lower Level of the Collins Learning Center at Crossroads at Big Creek to prepare materials. 

Wild Ones will participate  in  Door County Historical Society’s “Glimpse of Christmas Past” at Heritage Village, 2041 Michigan Street, Sturgeon Bay. Naturally, Wild Ones will decorate the Schopf House with native greens and plants.

 Members (and others) are invited to  decorate the Schopf House. (And why not? There’s no Packers game that afternoon!) with plant material which would have been available in Door County at the turn of the last century.

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.