Events

POSTPONED DUE TO BAD WEATHER!!!!

This event has been postponed until June 10, 2026, because of the hazardous weather. 

Seasonal cycles, species interactions, and indigenous concepts of reciprocity can all lead us to create a community of mutual support. Ecological resilience and social resilience follow the same patterns of shared presence, contribution, and care.

About Our Presenter

Shawn Severance leads nature education and public programming for Washtenaw County Parks, creating hands-on experiences that connect people with local ecosystems. Her work centers on ecological literacy, seasonal natural history, and fostering community engagement with the outdoors.

In this special collaboration, Robin Wall Kimmerer, author, botanist, and founder of Plant Baby Plant, joins youth leader and Nurture Natives founder Esther Bonney for an intergenerational conversation about belonging, reciprocity, and native plant action. 

Together, they will explore questions such as:

How do we create opportunities for young people to have a voice and feel empowered, even when they are not homeowners or decision makers?What kinds of relationships and mentorships help people stay engaged in native plant work over decades?Why do stories, shared practices, and community invitations matter just as much as plant lists?

Robin and Esther will reflect on what invites people into this work, what keeps them here, and what elders and youth have to teach each other.

A native landscape bursts with life, evolving each season to offer new opportunities to observe, learn, and nurture. This presentation will take a stroll through the year, highlighting small and meaningful moments that often go unnoticed: early spring bloomers, abundant summer flowers, fall wildlife hidden in plain sight, and winter sowing and planning. Whether you’re new to native plants or already cultivating habitat, this talk blends observation, wildlife-friendly stewardship, and seasonal care to help you feel more connected to your landscape year-round.

About Our Presenter

Lisa Denys holds a B.S. in Biology from Eastern Michigan University and has worked as an Environmental Educator and Master Rain Gardener Instructor. A lifelong gardener, she helped found the Wild Ones Wayne County Michigan Chapter in 2024 and enjoys supporting others in creating meaningful, wildlife-friendly landscapes.

PARKING: Metered parking is available at Matthaei Botanical Gardens; Matthaei members park for free.

Can’t make it in person? Join us via Zoom!

Link to the Wild Ones Ann Arbor Area Monthly Meeting. Video of the session will be available on the Wild Ones Ann Arbor Area YouTube channel within a few days. 

Our upcoming webinar with Basil Camu explores practical, evidence based ways to heal suburban and urban landscapes by working with trees, soil, and natural systems, drawing on real world practices from Leaf & Limb and community centered models for restoring life where we live, work, and play.!  

Mitchell Swindell, of Detroit Wildflower Nursery, will begin by explaining why he started a native wildflowers nursery and how it fulfills his vision of seeing native more plants in the Detroit area.  He will share his advice on site preparation, planting considerations, plant installation, and garden maintenance. He will talk about plant selection for various types of natural landscapes by focusing on the right plant for the right place. He will also offer strategies for coping with deer and lists of deer-resistant plants.

About Our Presenter

Mitchell Swindell, born and raised in metro-Detroit and University of Michigan alumnus, has been growing native plants for nearly a decade and sharing them with others for almost as long. He is the owner of Detroit Wildflower Nursery, a backyard retail nursery located at his one-acre home in Farmington Hills, specializing in perennial wildflowers native to Michigan and the Great Lakes region. The nursery’s mission is to raise awareness, provide education, and make Michigan native plants more accessible throughout the metro-Detroit area—empowering everyone to create meaningful wildlife habitat right in their own backyards. For Mitchell, this work is about more than just gardening; it’s about restoring balance and reconnecting people with the natural world.

Join Joey Santore, creator of Crime Pays But Botany Doesn’t, for a candid Wild Ones National Webinar examining how inherited garden aesthetics shape native plant landscapes. Drawing on field experience and real ecology, Joey challenges tidy design norms and explores why dense, irregular plant communities are often the most resilient and ecologically sound.

Ever wondered how YOU can contribute to real scientific research? No matter what topic you're interested in, you can turn your curiosity into action with Community Science! In this presentation, you’ll learn about the importance of this growing movement and how you can start building your knowledge and expertise, all while contributing to local and global projects–anytime and anywhere! With Community Science people of all ages and experience levels can get involved and make a difference, all while spending time outside and connecting with nature.

About our presenter

Momcat Kelly Konieczki is an outdoor educator and citizen scientist who is passionate about pollinators and environmental stewardship. She does volunteer work and outreach as Detroit Butterfly Nursery and is a SciStarter Ambassador. Kelly enjoys combining her love of art and photography to share observations of nature and help others tune into the endless relationships within the natural world. She is the Community Science Chair for Wild Ones Wayne County Chapter and also serves on Grosse Pointe Park's Beautification Commission where she leads the Mayors' Monarch Pledge, a national initiative that helps guide cities toward being more pollinator-friendly. 

Details coming soon! 

Details coming soon! 

Details coming soon!