2021 Educational Programs

November 2021

Wild Ones members are invited to attend our second virtual annual meeting on November 18th. This is our last meeting of the year and will include a state-of-the-chapter wrap-up and brief reports from board members and coordinators. We will also recognize our members who volunteered in chapter activities this past year. The meeting will end with a virtual tour of how our members are using native plants in their yards and other locations.

October 2021

Creating a conservation plan for the Illinois portion of the Raccoon Creek Watershed is an important first step in protecting and conserving high quality land and habitat, and improving water quality in this cool water, relatively high quality stream. Clean water and land conservation also have positive impacts on the local economy, property values, and recreational opportunities. Moreover, it preserves the local heritage for future generations. Natural Land Institute (NLI) chose this priority area for protection because of the Nygren Wetland Preserve, which sits at the bottom of the watershed, and the threats facing this area. Learn about the goals and strategies, and where the climate-resilient areas are located.

September 2021

Sarah Michehl will present how our native oaks are woven into the fabric of our home landscape. The presentation will cover the reasons for their ecological importance and how to help the oak ecosystem as a whole.

August 2021

Michael Hansen is the Land Care Manager at the UW-Madison Arboretum where he oversees field work including invasive species management and the prescribed fire program. Michael will provide an overview of the Arboretum's invasive species management program, including common invasive species and identification, strategies and methods for management at different scales, and challenges faced when working within an urban landscape.

July 2021

Ken Kielsmeier lives near Oregon, Illinois and has worked on a farm near Leaf River to plant native species to create habitat for birds and other wildlife. He used the U. S. Department of Agriculture’s Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) to covert about nine acres of cropland to tallgrass prairie and plant native trees and shrubs on another five acres.

June 2021

Our June program will see the return of Cindy Crosby. Cindy is a dynamic speaker who has previously brought us programs on the tallgrass prairie and uses of native plants. This month we will discover the fascinating and bizarre lives of Dragonflies and Damselflies with plenty of group fun and lively interaction during the Zoom presentation.

May 2021

Randy Nyboer, former District Natural Heritage Biologist for the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and Endangered Species Program Manager for the Illinois Natural History Survey, will lead a virtual tour of the rare flora of Apple River Canyon and the new Townsend Glade Land & Water Reserve. The video will be presented during a live Zoom meeting and will be posted on our website to watch after May 20.

April 2021

Dr. Andrew Hipp, Senior Scientist in Plant Systematics and Herbarium Director at the Morton Arboretum, will introduce us to the numerous native sedges of the Chicago Region. He will cover their taxonomic and ecological context, including photos of the plants and the habitats where they live, in a “sedge nerdy but understandable way.”

March 2021

Peggy Doty will present Woodpeckers of Illinois. Woodpeckers are incredibly unique and have been around for millions of years. They require specific habitats and are very noticeable by their sound and movement.  There are seven species of woodpeckers utilizing Illinois habitats.

February 2021

Pam Stock and Josh Sage, both with the Boone County Conservation District, will show two videos and then stick around for a discussion on Zoom. Each video is approximately 10 minutes long:

Ethnobotany of Boone County, IL in the 1800's- A discussion on plants used by the Potawatomi and the Winnebago people. Presenter Pam Stock

January 2021

Osage Orange or what some call Hedge Apple, Maclura pomifera, is a common tree of old hedgerows and field edges throughout Northern Illinois.  It’s wood had many uses by early settlers, it was widely planted to form thorny hedges to keep livestock enclosed before the advent of barbed wire, and the softball size bright green fruit is often sold for holiday decorations.