Chapter Events

Note:  This program will also be livestreamed and recorded.  The link to join the livestream can be found here https://www.youtube.com/live/yQ2QQuj7CK0.

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Don Gardner was always curious about the prairie plants he found along the railroad and at remnant sites around his childhood home at a small dairy farm in Kempton, IL.  In 1974 he began to the reconstruction of a prairie in the former cow pasture, and it has flourished over the last 50 years to now host around 140 species of native plants, all from within 100 miles. Don's careful approach to prairie reconstruction and intensive management of the site have resulted in a remarkably high quality and colorful prairie.  Join us as we explore methods of establishing and maintaining a rich local prairie and look at some of the current projects and challenges at the site.

Speaker Bio:

Scott Saffer fights invasive plants and helps manage Don Gardner's prairie in Kempton, IL.  He grew up wandering the woods around Moraine View State Park, fishing local creeks and lakes, and exploring Weston Prairie Cemetery.  After years of teaching science on Indian reservations in Arizona and New Mexico, he returned to teach in Central Illinois, retiring this year.  Along the way he worked on various research projects for the U.S. Forest Service, Centers for Disease Control, University of New Mexico Museum of Southwestern Biology, and Illinois Natural History Survey.  He's done field work on topics including rodents, Hantavirus, prairies, amphibians and reptiles, birds, and insects.  Currently he's learning the intricacies of tending the prairie from Don Gardner, and working with his students on a muti-year research project reintroducing prairie cicadas to the site.

Visit the prairie established in 1974 which is the subject of our July chapter presentation by Scott Saffer.  Scott will be leading us on a tour of the prairie.

Members will be able to find more information about this field trip in the July 1 newsletter including how to register for it. If you have questions, please email us at [email protected].

You planted native. Your neighbor has opinions. Maybe your HOA does too. If you’ve ever felt like the hardest part of native plant gardening is the conversations, not the gardening, you’re not alone.

Wild Ones is thrilled to share this upcoming free webinar as part of the 2026 Less Lawn More Life Challenge. Join Lorraine Johnson for a practical conversation on navigating HOA rules, addressing neighbor concerns, and fostering community conversations about native plant gardening and ecological landscapes.

We will see  a wide variety of native trees, prairie and woodland wild flowers.

Hike difficulty/terrain:  flat areas, rock creek crossings which could have water if recent rains, few steep hill trails; open meadow; moderate difficulty overall

Estimated to be a 2-3 mile hike.

Members will be able to find more information about this field trip in the July 1 and August 1 newsletters, including how to register for it. If you have questions, please email us at [email protected].

A porta-potty is available.

Chapter members will meet at a local park to tour native plantings, share food and vistit.  More details will be provided in the August 1 chapter newsletter sent to members.

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.

TBA

Board meeting

Note: This program will be presented both in-person and via livestream.  A link to join the livestream will be available here closer to the presentation date.

After twenty years, The Meadows at Lurie Garden had changed beyond recognition — the once-diverse planting had been overtaken by a few dominant species, and invasive weeds were gaining ground. It became clear that to restore the spirit of the garden, we had to begin again. In this talk, I’ll share the story of that renewal — from the moment we decided to start fresh, through the challenges of excavation and rebuilding the soil, to working alongside Piet Oudolf as he envisioned a new design for the space. Along the way, I’ll reflect on what this process taught us about resilience in the landscape — how even beloved gardens need renewal, how healthy soil and plant diversity form the true foundation of beauty, and how collaboration and patience are as essential to gardening as sunlight and rain.

Presenter Bio:

Kristian Brooks is the Horticulturist for Lurie Garden in Chicago’s Millennium Park, where she helps steward one of the most influential contemporary perennial plantings in the world. She works closely with designer Piet Oudolf and the Lurie Garden team to maintain and reimagine complex plant communities that balance artistry with ecology. Her work focuses on the long-term care and renewal of perennial landscapes that serve as inspiration for visitors from all over the world. Kristian has previously held positions with Chicago Botanic Garden and her family’s farm and nursery, Farmer’s Garden Greenhouse in Michigan. She feels most at home surrounded by plants and is proud to continue a generations-long legacy of caring for them.

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.

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Board meeting

This participatory presentation will explore ways to restore our yards, focusing on the relationships between native plants, birds, bees and butterflies, going beyond the typical pollinator garden to first research and then replant the larger native ecosystem. Then using our yards as a beacon for broader change the audience will map successful strategies for restoring your neighborhood, and the broader community, working with partners who share our passion, such as Wild Ones, the Illinois Native Plant Society, Master Gardeners, and Bird City advocates. 

Presenter Bio:

Brian “Fox” Ellis is an author, storyteller and naturalist, who is currently Director of Outreach and Education for the Illinois Audubon Society, where he is also editor of Illinois Audubon magazine. Because of recent moves, he has transformed three communities, planted 12,000 trees, landscaped several schools, businesses, and a hospital grounds, creating wildlife corridors and an eBird Hotspot from scratch. Fox is currently managing Illinois Audubon Society’s Bird and Butterfly Sanctuary Certification program with the goal of restoring communities across the state.

Details coming soon! 

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Details coming soon!