Chapter Events

Regular monthly business meeting.

Note: This program will be presented on Zoom. Advance registration is required. Please click the "Register" button at the bottom of this page to register for this program. At the request of the presenter this program will not be recorded.

Full Title "The Nature Fix: Your Brain on Nature - Why Being Outside Makes Us Feel Happier, Healthier, and More Creative"

Florence Williams, a nationally acclaimed journalist and author, will present the latest evidence on the science behind why nature is good for us, from cognition to mental health. She incorporates reporting and research from around the world, from Japan to Scotland to Singapore to Utah, for insights into how being nature changes our brains and physiologies. What constitutes exposure to nature? What is the dose for optimal benefit and how are doctors and patients medicalizing time in parks? What she learned holds many lessons for interacting with the natural world in good times and bad.

Presenter Bio:

Florence Williams is a journalist, author, and podcaster. Her latest book, Heartbreak, called “show-stopping” and “courageous” by Publisher’s Weekly, just won the 2023 PEN/America award for literary science writing. Her first book, BREASTS: A Natural and Unnatural History received the Los Angeles Times Book Prize in science and technology and the 2013 Audie in general nonfiction. Her book The Nature Fix was an Audible bestseller and was named a top summer read by J.P. Morgan. She is a contributing editor at Outside Magazine and a freelance writer for the New York Times, National and numerous other publications. She is also the writer and host of two Gracie-Award-winning Audible Original series, Breasts Unbound and The Three-Day Effect, as well as numerous epidsodes for Outside Magazine’s podcast. Her public speaking includes keynotes at Google, the Smithsonian, the Seattle Zoo, the Aspen Ideas Festival and many other corporate, academic and nonprofit venues. A fellow at the Center for Humans and Nature and a visiting scholar at George Washington University, Florence’s work focuses on the environment, health and science.

Explore how native gardening can address climate challenges in our next Wild Ones national webinar, “Cultivating Change” with author and activist Lorraine Johnson. Johnson has been researching and writing about environmental issues for three decades. Learn about the pivotal role of gardening as an act of stewardship in the face of climate and ecological challenges. Discover the profound connections between individual gardens and the broader world and learn how these green spaces can serve as catalysts for positive ecological and social change.  Join Wild Ones for a practical and insightful discussion on gardening's positive impact on the environment and our future. 

Virtual registrants will receive a link to watch the talk live as well as a link to the recording. The recording will only be available for a limited time. 

Regular monthly board meeting

This program will occur online on Zoom.  Advance registration is required.  Please click on the "Register" button at the bottom of this page to register for this program.  A recording of this program will also be available soon after the event.

Everyone contributes a little bit to water pollution and flooding, and everyone can be part of the solution. Home is a great place to start! Join us to learn how to plant a rain garden that will soak up stormwater and absorb the pollutants it carries while attracting birds and butterflies to your yard. We will talk about why rain gardens are an important addition to the suburban landscape and how to properly size, plant, and care for your rain garden. Then we will point you to local resources to get started.

Presenter Bio:

Rebecca Olson has focused her career on land and water conservation and restoration in Northern Illinois and beyond.  She is the owner and president of Olson Ecological Solutions, LLC, a woman-owned consulting company founded in 2006 and co-owner of A3E Olson Ecological Joint Venture, LLC founded in 2021.

Rebecca’s work protects, enhances, restores, and creates natural areas and encourages human interaction with nature in various ways. The projects that she develops and manages provide natural areas and stormwater filtration in rural and developed settings like river corridors, drainage systems, wetlands, parks and open spaces, and neighborhoods. These projects ensure many benefits to our communities, including open spaces for people to enjoy, habitat for wildlife, and areas to provide natural water filtration and prevent flooding. 

Rebecca volunteers to serve her community as a member of the Land Conservation Committee for the Natural Land Institute and the Land Advisory Council for the Forest Preserves of Winnebago County.

Rebecca received her Master of Science in wildlife biology from Colorado State University after attending Denison University for her Bachelor of Arts in biology and minor in chemistry. She moved to Rockford in 2000. She and her husband, Scott, have two children. When she is not mucking around in the wetlands, she enjoys spending time with her family and playing tennis, biking, cooking, and skiing.

Regular monthly board meeting

Note: This program will not be live-streamed or recorded.

Discover the fascinating and bizarre lives of these fliers--with plenty of group fun and lively interaction during the presentation. From their unusual life cycle of transformation, mystifying migratory habits, and their struggle for survival, there is plenty to discover and marvel about! Hear their cultural history, including some of the myths and superstitions that surround them. See close-up beautiful photography of some of our dragonflies in Illinois. Then discover how you can garden to attract these remarkable flying creatures.

Presenter Bio:

Cindy Crosby is the author, compiler or contributor to more than 20 books. Her most recent book is “Chasing Dragonflies: A Natural, Cultural, and Personal History” (Northwestern University Press, 2020). Her full-color book of photographs and essays is “Tallgrass Conversations: In Search of the Prairie Spirit” with co-author Thomas Dean (2019). She is also the author of “The Tallgrass Prairie: An Introduction” (Northwestern University Press, 2017). Cindy earned her master’s degree in natural resources from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. She is a Master Gardener, a steward for the Schulenberg Prairie at The Morton Arboretum and at Nachusa Grasslands, a Nature Conservancy site with bison in Franklin Grove, IL.  When she's not out working in her garden, she speaks and teaches on natural history topics in the Chicago region. Cindy blogs each week at Tuesdays in the Tallgrass, and you can find her classes and events at www.cindycrosby.com.

The following books authored by Cindy Crosby will be available for purchase at this program.  Cash, check, and credit cards will be accepted forms of payment.

·    Chasing Dragonflies: A Natural, Personal, and Cultural History (Northwestern University Press) $25 (Sale price at event: $20).  

·    Tallgrass Conversations: In Search of the Prairie Spirit (Ice Cube Press), $25 (Sale price at event: $20).

·     The Tallgrass Prairie: An Introduction (Northwestern University Press) $20.

·     By Willoway Brook (Paraclete Press) $17.99 (Sale price at event, $15)

·     Waiting for Morning (Baker Book House) $15 

Janet Shroeder introduced a project by the Pollinator Pathway team to utilize iNaturalist for members to record native plant observations in a five county area around McLean County

Registration for this event is now closed, and registrants have been emailed about attending. Please contact [email protected] if you have any issues getting in.

This will be a paid event for both in-person and remote viewing. Virtual registrants will receive a link to watch Dr. Kimmerer's talk live as well as a link to the recording. The recording will only be available for a limited time. 

Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants
Ecological restoration can be understood as an act of reciprocity, in return for the gifts of the earth. This talk explores the ecological and ethical imperatives of healing the damage we have inflicted on our land and waters. We trace the evolution of restoration philosophy and practice and consider how integration of indigenous knowledge can expand our understanding of restoration from the biophysical to the biocultural. Reciprocal restoration includes not only healing the land but our relationship to land. In healing the land, we are healing ourselves.

Wild Ones is excited to cohost this event with the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh's Earth Week 2024 and the Wild Ones Fox Valley Chapter. 

10 participants joined Janice Turner on an early spring hike through the woods where they saw marsh marigolds blooming, blue flag irises and skunk cabbage coming up through the mud in a seep.  On the far side of a levy, they found ramps, trout lilly leaves, spring beauties among early spring wildflowers. 

They noticed some trees had been taken down, probably to open up the prairie, a number of American hazelnut trees and some very old bur oak trees that were at the last of their life. 

Everyone enjoyed seeing the awakening of spring. 

Participants were able to see many different early spring wildflowers in full bloom several weeks earlier than usual.  Examples of wildflowers are Wild Blue Phlox, White Trout Lily, Virginia Bluebells, Hepatica, Spring Beauty, False Rue Anemone, Prairie Trillium, Blue-eyed Mary and Large-flowered Bellwort.  Nodding White Trillium and Mayapple flowers were not quite open yet.  Some unusual finds included Blue Cohosh.

The area is a high quality location and the usual invasive species such as Japanese honeysuckle and Garlic mustard were absent

Regular monthly board meeting

Unfortunately, the program that was originally scheduled for tonight by Chris Benda on the topic of "Plants of Concern" needs to be cancelled.  We hope to reschedule this program at a later date.

In its place we will have the program Monarch's vs Milkweed that was originally scheduled for October.  This program will also be live-streamed and recorded. To join the live-stream visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rn3e-XqQXHU

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Monarch Butterflies are the Illinois state insect and a beloved icon for those who value natural areas. Monarch butterfly numbers are dwindling but advocates have stepped up to grow their host plants (milkweeds) and even hand-raise a few each year. This program goes into the fascinating world of not only the butterflies, but also the evolutionary struggle that is ongoing between the insect and the host plant.

Because so many people are already strong advocates for Monarchs, this presentation, including speaker notes, will be available to all to attend. Those with an affinity for these butterflies are encouraged to use these presentation materials with other groups.

Speaker Bio:

Ann Schreifels’ love of nature began as a child when staying inside meant her mother found chores to be done. So spending time outside quickly became Ann’s preferred habitat. This preference for the outside world continues to this day. After a career in business, Ann retired early to pursue her true passion - ecological restoration. She is currently a Master Naturalist with Woodford County, a Steward with Parklands Foundation, Secretary of the Peoria Wilds Land Trust, and a Co-President of our Wild Ones chapter. Her home is surrounded by native plants and truly believes that enjoying the wonders of nature are as easily as walking out the front door. She promotes the fascinating details of native plants and animals through her Facebook and Instagram accounts called “An Acre of Nature.” 

Two Wild Ones members led a long walk through Humiston Woods along with the Director of the property. 8 other participants attended the event. There were many wild hyacinths in bloom along with a rare find of several

Regular Monthly Board Meeting

Note:  This program will also be live-streamed and recorded.  To join the livestream please use this link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ka-JLCRHKkI

Extensive field surveys of flower-visiting insects over the past 6 years have revealed that many true bugs show preferences for one or more native plants. Using her background in plant ecology Angella Moorehouse has put together a book on “Flower Bugs” with hundreds of photos to aid in field identification along with information on the plant associations and how to find these bugs. Learn more about this book and highlights from it in this presentation. 

Presenter Bio:

Angella received a master's degree in avian and plant ecology from Western Illinois University in Macomb. For the past 27 years she has worked as a field representative for the Illinois Nature Preserves Commission in west-central Illinois where she works with landowners to protect and manage high quality natural areas through permanent conservation easements. She was mentored in the field by several entomology professionals and acquired the skill of butterfly identification in the late 1990s. This passion later expanded to include other groups of insects with a focus on pollinators. Angella is an avid photographer and uses her photographs to document natural diversity and shares her enthusiasm for nature through educational outreach.

Angella hopes to have a limited number of copies of her book "Flower Bugs" available for purchase after the program.

For more information, please visit https://illinoisprairie.wildones.org/nativeplantsale/

Jacob Kuban presented a short history of Peoria's Donovan Park to approximately 30 members.  Following its use as farmland, the 138 acres was opened as Northmoor Golf Course in 1929.  The golf course was closed in 2015 and renamed Donovan Park.  After a couples of years letting nature take its course the part district realized that to have a usable park the land would have to be managed.  Jaco and his staff have been helping the property revert back to a nature preserve with some oak savanna by getting rid of invasive species and converting some of the property in a native Illinois prairie.  Taking down unwanted trees to open the canopy will allow the growth of young trees such a oak. 

During a hike, Jacob led the group past an historic observatory currently owned by Bradley University.  He then led us to a wooded area on the south part of the preserve which is just behind Proctor Hospital.  He pointed out how oriental honeysuckle and other invasive plants have been removed around two white oaks that date to more than 200 years. There also are some very old black oaks on the property.  The group walked through several wooded areas tht had been taken over by silver maples planted by the golf course staff.  Taking own large silver maples opened up the canopy for more valuable species.  The last area we saw was a seeded prairie several years old.  The prairie is mowed regularly since burning is almost impossible since the park is bordered by a hospital, grade school, businesses and private homes.

Jack Muirhead gave a short summary of the history of Ewing Park before it became an ISU Foundation asset upon the death of Mrs. Hazle Ewing at her bequest.  During the following years, Mrs. Hallowell, a member o the Audubon Society and Jack planted many native Spring ephemerals and trees to create habitat for birds.  Since that time, Ewing Park has been designated an Important Bird Area by the National Audubon Society.  Large numbers of migrating birds pass through the park each year.  University of Illinois Extension Master Naturalists became involved with stewardship of the park in 2015.  Master Naturalists have donated thousands of hours removing invasive plants and adding native plants to the area.  They, also, lead a group of community members who volunteer with the Ecology Action Center to remove invasives from Sugar Creek which runs through the Park.  ISU graduate students volunteer hours to remove invasive plants as well. 

The group then took a lovely walk on a perfect Spring day to identify native plants, shrubs and trees along the well maintained paths.

Regular Monthly Board Meeting

Note:  At the request of the presenter, this program will not be live-streamed.  A recording will be made available to chapter members. 

Herbicide drift is a major threat to health and integrity of our forest and prairie ecosystems.  Prairie Rivers Network has been monitoring and documenting herbicide injuries to broadleaf plants on both public and private lands for 6 years.  This presentation will provide background on the issue of herbicide drift, discuss the monitoring data and tissue analysis results, as well as provide insight into ecological consequences of chronic exposure to herbicide drift, especially to our trees, and discuss possible solutions to the issue.

Presenter Bio:

Kim Erndt-Pitcher is Prairie Rivers Network’s (PRN) Director of Ecological Health. She works with numerous partners around the state to protect the integrity of our ecological systems. She also leads PRN’s pesticide and pollinator habitat conservation programs.

She has worked for Prairie Rivers Network for over 12 years. Before coming to PRN she was a crew member and environmental educator at Living Lands and Waters based in Moline, Illinois, and she also worked as a technician with the USGS in Kansas City, Missouri. She has spent most of her career working to promote and advocate for the protection of biodiversity and the integrity of natural systems.

Kim has a B.A. in Biology and M.S. in Biology with a focus on Ecotoxicology from the University of Central Missouri and was a NSF IGERT Fellow - Watershed Science and Technology, Southern Illinois University Carbondale.

Participants will meet at the ISU Alumni Parking lot at 1101 N. Main St, Normal, IL so those interested can carpool.

A 4-8 mile nature walk will be led by Doug McCarty to see several different planting beds, a viewing area for the bison and the Visitor Center.  Participants should bring water and a sack lunch

Nature hike led by Joan McMullen.  There are two hidden prairie gems at Eureka Lake and many native plants were in bloom during the hike including Cream Gentian, Goldenglow, Wild Senna, Partridge Pea, Ironweed, Yellow Giant Hyssop, Compass Plant and Wild White Indigo.

Regular Monthly Board Meeting

Learn about the role of volunteer stewards as they help preserve natural areas for the Parklands Foundation, the Prairie Lands Foundation, the Nature Conservancy, and Master Naturalist projects. Stewards will describe the properties where they volunteer, share the challenges and successes of their work, and also give a glimpse of the native plants that grow at these properties. Find out about volunteer opportunities, too!

Note:  This is an in-person program only. It will not be livestreamed or recorded.

Nature hike led by Sam Stuber and Sherrie Snyder

Explore how native plants can enhance biodiversity and support ecosystems in our upcoming Wild Ones national webinar, “Combating the Biodiversity Crisis with Native Plants” featuring Sarah Gray and Coralie Palmer from the Indiana Native Plant Society.

Native plants are essential for maintaining biodiversity as they provide food and shelter for a wide range of wildlife, including pollinators, birds, and beneficial insects. By incorporating native plants into your landscape, you can create a thriving ecosystem that supports local fauna and flora. These plants are well-adapted to local environmental conditions, making them more resilient to climate change and reducing the need for chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Attendees will learn how native plants can improve soil health, enhance water retention, and contribute to a more sustainable and vibrant ecosystem.

Sara and Coralie are part of the Indiana Native Plant Society (INPS) Landscaping team, and they have collaborated on diverse projects across Indiana, including native planting schemes for schools, community gardens, the Eiteljorg Museum, and the Humane Society. Their new design for Indianapolis reflects typical sub-divisions in Indiana and considers future climate challenges, such as increased flooding and hotter, drier summers. The design features resilient, native Indiana plants that thrive in local soil conditions and contribute to the ecosystem.

Don’t miss this opportunity to gain insights from leading experts in native plants! Participants will gain practical insights into native garden designs and learn how tailored landscaping can support wildlife, promote ecological balance, and help restore natural habitats. 

Regular Monthly Board Meeting

Learn about the bats of Illinois in this presentation by Dr. Joy O'Keefe, including steps you can take to provide habitat for bats in your backyard or neighborhood. Understand threats to bats and simple ways you can help to protect your local bat populations. Hear about the international effort to count and monitor bats across North America and how to get involved with this program.

Note: This program will begin with an approximately 30-minute presentation at the Mennonite Church of Normal.  We will then drive a short distance to a nearby park to look for bats at sunset.  You are welcome to only attend the first part of the program.  If the weather is not conducive to going outside to look for bats, we will have a longer indoor program. The indoor portion of the program will be recorded and be available on our chapter YouTube Channel.

Presenter Bio:

Dr. O'Keefe is an assistant professor and wildlife extension specialist in natural resources and environmental sciences at UIUC. She has been studying bats for 23 years. Her research program tackles applied questions and yields solutions to conservation challenges facing imperiled bat populations.

Gretchen Monti will lead a hike through the new Colene Hoose Natural Playground which is a project funded by a longtime resident of Normal who made the donation in honor of his parents.  It's a unique design that integrates play spaces into the surrounding environment.  The playground equipment often incorporates elements of nature and children are encouraged to develop creative interactions rather than prescribed activities.

After a tour of the Playground Gretchen will lead the group to the nearby Audubon Garden along the Constitution Trail, a native plant site that is maintained by a group of volunteers led by Gretchen.

Explore the ecological and aesthetic advantages of hedges and hedgerows in our upcoming Wild Ones national webinar, “The Beauty and Benefits of Hedgerows” with Heather McCargo, founder of Wild Seed Project.

Native hedgerows are diverse plantings of woody plants from shrubs to small trees along with herbaceous groundcovers at their base.  Learn how these low-maintenance and sustainable plantings of shrubs, trees, and groundcovers can enhance biodiversity, provide critical habitats for wildlife, and contribute to climate resilience. Discover practical tips for designing and implementing hedgerows in various landscapes, from farms to urban settings, and understand their role in supporting pollinators, birds, and soil health. 

 You will also learn about Heather McCargo and the Wild Seed Project's latest collaboration with Wild Ones on the new Native Garden Design for Portland, ME. Don't miss this opportunity to gain insights from a leading expert in native plant restoration and take your landscaping skills to the next level. 

Regular Monthly Board Meeting

Note:  We hope you can join us in-person, but if not, feel free to join the livestream here Plants of Concern: A Rare Plant Monitoring Program (youtube.com) or view the recording of this program later on our YouTube channel. 

The unglaciated terrain of extreme southern Illinois is home to a variety of plant species not found in the rest of the state, making many of them rare in Illinois.  Yet the resources available to monitor and protect them are more limited. To alleviate this, the Plants of Concern (POC) program based out of the Chicago Botanic Garden seeks volunteers to help monitor rare plants.  Housed in the Gibson lab at Southern Illinois University, coordinator Chris Benda organizes volunteer community scientists to monitor rare plants and report population data to POC, and ultimately, the natural heritage division at the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.  Join us as Chris explains the goals of the program and hopes for the future of the effort.

Presenter Bio:

Chris Benda is a botanist and past president of the Illinois Native Plant Society (2015-2016).  Currently, he works as a Researcher at Southern Illinois University, where he coordinates the Plants of Concern Southern Illinois Program and teaches The Flora of Southern Illinois.  Besides working at SIU, he conducts botanical fieldwork around the world, teaches a variety of classes at The Morton Arboretum and leads nature tours for Camp Ondessonk.  He has research appointments with the University of Illinois and Argonne National Laboratory and is an accomplished photographer and author of several publications about natural areas in Illinois.  He is also known as Illinois Botanizer and can be reached by email at [email protected].

Learn how to use high-density plantings that replicate natural ecosystems in aesthetically pleasing designs, enhancing ecological functions while reducing maintenance efforts in our upcoming Wild One's national webinar, "Matrix Landscape Design" with author, landscape designer, activist, and educator Benjamin Vogt.

Matrix planting is a landscape design approach that mimics natural ecosystems by closely planting and layering compatible perennials and grasses to cover the soil, provide more ecosystem services, and eliminate the need for wood mulch or aggressive weeding.  Join Wild Ones for a webinar to learn how author, educator, and landscape designer Benjamin Vogt applies this approach to create stunning native gardens. Learn the principles behind this method, its ecological benefits, and practical steps to implement matrix planting in your own garden. 

You will also learn about Benjamin's latest collaboration with Wild Ones on the new Native Garden Design for Lincoln, NE. Don't miss this opportunity to gain insights from a leading voice in natural garden design and take your gardening skills to the next level. Register now to secure your spot! 

Starhill Arboretum is located near Petersburg, Illinois.  The arboretum is owned and operated by Guy and Edie Sternburg since 1976.  Starhill Forest is the official teaching and research arboretum of Illinois College.  Old trees in the forested areas date to about 1850.  The primary scientific collection is a quercetum (oak) comprising the living reference collection recognized by the American Public Gardens Associations's Plant Collection Network.  2500 accessioned woody plants are grown including every tree species native to Illinois, as well as herb and perennial landscapes, a native prairie garden and several provenance tests and a conifer plantation.  Guy Sternburg and Doug McCarty will lead a tour through the arboretum.

Annual reports were made to the membership by Co President and Treasurer  Volunteer recognition for 2024 was reported, and  a list of scheduled programs for 2025 were described--the September program is in the process of being planned.  An election of Board members for 2025 was held.  A recognition and presentation of gifts from the chapter were given for two long term chapter members. 

Native plants have an incredible ability to adapt to climate extremes, offering sustainable solutions for resilient landscapes. Join Wild Ones and the Native Plant Society of Texas to explore the power of native plants to thrive in challenging conditions.

This event features Christy Ten Eyck, founder of Ten Eyck Landscape Architects. Drawing from her latest Dallas-Fort Worth native garden design, Christy will share insights into designing low-maintenance, ecologically rich spaces that withstand intense climate fluctuations.

Neonicotinoid insecticides, commonly known as “neonics,” have become the most widely used insecticides in the U.S., leading to drastic declines in bees, pollinators, birds, and aquatic ecosystems. In this webinar, Lucas Rhoads, Senior Attorney with NRDC’s Pesticides & Pollinators Team, will share expert insights on how neonics impact our environment and pose serious risks to human health. He’ll delve into the harms associated with neonic-treated seeds, which are a major source of contamination, and explore effective policy advocacy strategies to rein in their widespread use without disrupting farmers or landscapers.