Events

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.

Have you been able to tour a native garden and learn from fellow gardeners? Don't miss your chance to see this large wooded property in Hamburg with over 100 native species. The owners have added pathways, creative features to manage water flow and replaced invasives with appropriate natives. One of the assets of these guided tours is the chance to meet and learn from other gardeners.  

Two wonderful gardens will be on display in the Snyder area. The first garden is a well-established native paradise with meandering stone paths, mature trees and dozens of different native species on display. The second front garden is two streets over with a formal landscape design planted with almost exclusively native plants including many "cues to care” that delight and influence neighbors. It features many native alternatives to traditional landscape plantings such as boxwoods and hydrangeas. 

Come enjoy both gardens, speak to the owners, ask questions and be with your fellow Wild Ones WNY members! Members are welcome to bring a friend. The garden addresses will be shared by email  prior to the event.

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.

Celebrate the end of summer with our last yard tour of the season. This  Cheektowaga yard is filled with native plants and butterflies and bees. Many areas of the yard are still under development in year 2 of planting.  After visiting the plants (if the weather is favorable) we will hang out in the yard with refreshments. 

If you haven't joined a yard tour yet this year, they are full of surprises. Good times and great opportunity to meet fellow native plant folks.

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.

Zoe Evans, rewilding coach and VP of Partnerships & Programs at Wildr shares a practical, science-informed framework for evaluating a home landscape, identifying its greatest habitat opportunities, and choosing actions that support more plants, insects, birds, and other wildlife.

Registration link coming soon.

No yard required. Learn how native plants can turn patios, balconies, containers, and other small spaces into meaningful habitat for pollinators and other wildlife. This practical panel will cover plant selection, container design, seasonal care, and realistic ways to support biodiversity in limited spaces.

Registration link coming soon.

Birds depend on healthy, connected habitats for food, shelter, nesting, and migration support. Join experts from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology to explore how native plants and thoughtful landscape choices can support birdlife at home. Learn how gardens, yards, and community spaces can provide the insects, seeds, berries, cover, and habitat structure birds need throughout the year.

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.