Events

Oceana, Newaygo, and Muskegon counties are joining forces to form the West Michigan Shore-to-Prairie Chapter of Wild Ones! This chapter brings together passionate native plant enthusiasts to learn, share knowledge, and inspire others to reintroduce native plants into public and private spaces. We’re thrilled to host this kick-off event and welcome a growing community dedicated to restoring our local landscapes with Michigan natives.

Join us alongside Connie Crancer, the chapter’s acting President and devoted native plant advocate, whether you’re just beginning your native plant journey or looking to deepen your expertise!

What to Expect:

Connect with fellow native plant enthusiasts and build a supportive community across Oceana County. Learn about upcoming presentations, field trips, and hands-on activities throughout the year, rotating among all three counties. Enjoy a short, informative presentation on native seed stratification techniques, then take home native seeds with detailed stratification instructions and guidance on what to do afterward.

No registration required!
 

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.

Oceana, Newaygo, and Muskegon counties are joining forces to form the West Michigan Shore-to-Prairie Chapter of Wild Ones! This chapter brings together passionate native plant enthusiasts to learn, share knowledge, and inspire others to reintroduce native plants into public and private spaces. We’re thrilled to host this kick-off event and welcome a growing community dedicated to restoring our local landscapes with Michigan natives.

Join us alongside Connie Crancer, the chapter’s acting President and devoted native plant advocate, whether you’re just beginning your native plant journey or looking to deepen your expertise!

What to Expect:

 Connect with fellow native plant enthusiasts and build a supportive community across Musekgon County. Learn about upcoming presentations, field trips, and hands-on activities throughout the year, rotating among all three counties. Enjoy a short, informative presentation on native seed stratification techniques, then take home native seeds with detailed stratification instructions and guidance on what to do afterward.

No registration required!

Oceana, Newaygo, and Muskegon counties are joining forces to form the West Michigan Shore-to-Prairie Chapter of Wild Ones! This chapter brings together passionate native plant enthusiasts to learn, share knowledge, and inspire others to reintroduce native plants into public and private spaces. We’re thrilled to host this kick-off event and welcome a growing community dedicated to restoring our local landscapes with Michigan natives.

Join us alongside Connie Crancer, the chapter’s acting President and devoted native plant advocate, whether you’re just beginning your native plant journey or looking to deepen your expertise!

What to Expect:

Connect with fellow native plant enthusiasts and build a supportive community across Newaygo County. Learn about upcoming presentations, field trips, and hands-on activities throughout the year, rotating among all three counties. Enjoy a short, informative presentation on native seed stratification techniques, then take home native seeds with detailed stratification instructions and guidance on what to do afterward.

No registration required! 

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.!  

Join us for a community watch party featuring MSU’s “Two Smart Reasons to Choose Native” webinar. Learn how to match the right native plants to your yard’s unique conditions and needs. There will be built-in breaks from the webinar for questions and discussion with native plant experts, giving you the chance to connect with fellow gardeners and native plant lovers while watching and learning together.

Please register via Oceana Conservation District below. Walk-ins welcome.

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.

Learn which beautiful Michigan native plants can replace popular non-native ornamentals in your garden. Bring your gardening questions—our membership specialists will be available to answer them throughout the presentation. Support local wildlife and pollinators with wise plant choices.

Please register below. Walk-ins welcome.

Community watch party featuring renowned ecologist Doug Tallamy, who delivers an inspiring webinar on native species gardening and its vital role in supporting insects and birds. Learn about the Homegrown National Park movement. Discover practical ways to transform your landscape into a haven for local wildlife— a group discussion will follow the webinar to share ideas and questions with fellow native plant enthusiasts. 

No registration required. 

Join award-winning author, photographer, and educator Rick Darke for What Is Wild and Why It Matters, a free national webinar on Tuesday, April 28th at 10 am CT. Discover how inviting a bit of authentic wildness can create a vibrant landscape that sustains you and local biodiversity. This national event is presented in collaboration between Wild Ones and Homegrown National Park.

Join us, Oceana Conservation District, and hosts Jim & Bonnie Nicholas for a guided nature walk on their property. Discover the cultural history of beloved spring ephemeral wildflowers, including trillium, trout lily, bloodroot, and more. 

Location details are shared with registered attendees before the event.

Join us for an inspiring afternoon as you explore a diverse array of native plant gardens, created with help from the Muskegon Conservation District! As you stroll through gardens in both sun and shade, you will see sites at different stages of growth and maybe get a few ideas for your own garden or yard. This is a perfect event to ask questions, snap photos, and see firsthand how native plants can make a difference in urban landscapes.

Drop in anytime during the Open House between 1:00 and 4:00 PM. Street parking is limited, but additional parking is available one block away at a nearby church.

Everyone is welcome! Please register through the Muskegon Conservation District to receive directions.

Please join us at Big Bluestem Farm for a walking tour! The FREE tour will highlight beautiful native plants, local prairie habitats, and landowner practices that support local ecosystems. We will tour the greenhouse and see the farm's gardens, planting area, and seed production gardens. Learn about restoration projects featuring grasses, wildflowers, insects, and birds. Ask questions and get answers from local experts! At the end, we may have the opportunity to tour some of the natural areas Big Bluestem Farm is working to restore. 

Attendees will have access to native plants for sale. All plants are buy one, get one free! Click here for the plant specifications: www.bigbluestemfarmmi.com

Plant pricing: Gallon pots will be $5; quarts will be $3.

Please register to help us manage group size, parking, and logistics. In case of rain, we will notify registrants via email about a reschedule. 

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.

Join us for a special tour of the extensive and stellar native plantings in White Lake Methodist Church’s sunny parking lot! This is a great opportunity to see inspiring native plantings and gather ideas you can easily bring to your own spaces. This is a perfect event for garden enthusiasts and anyone interested in native plants to ask questions, snap photos, and see firsthand how native plants can make a difference in local landscapes.

Directions will be provided to all registrants via the Muskegon Conservation District. 

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.

Registration link coming soon.

Join us for an enjoyable stroll around the Foster Residence to explore a variety of native plants. Discover how the landowners have skillfully incorporated native plants, shrubs, and trees into their beautiful perennial gardens surrounding the property. This event is perfect for anyone interested in native landscaping or looking for garden inspiration. We look forward to seeing you there!

Directions will be provided to all registrants through the Oceana Conservation District. 

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.

Registration link coming soon.

Bats are among the most important and misunderstood wildlife in our communities. Join experts from Bat Conservation International to explore how native plants, healthy insect populations, and thoughtful landscape design can help support bats. Learn about the ecological role of bats and discover practical ways to create habitat for North America's night flyers right in your own backyard.

Registration link coming soon.

Monarch butterflies depend on a network of habitats stretching across North America, and home landscapes can play an important role in their survival. Join experts from Monarch Joint Venture to explore the science behind monarch conservation, including the importance of milkweed, nectar resources, and regionally appropriate habitat. Learn practical ways to support monarchs through native landscaping and help sustain one of the world's most remarkable migrations.
 

Registration link coming soon.