Events

Ken Parker, an experienced grower and native plant consultant, will explain differences between native plants, cultivars, introduced species and why it matters what plants we grow. He will also talk about common site conditions in WNY and specific plants native to our region that can thrive in those conditions.

Joshua Konovitz, Erie County Forester, will lead us on a walk in Emery Park to learn about identifying plants mid-winter. Please dress appropriately for the weather.

All are welcome to join this free virtual panel discussion exploring the vital roles of native, solitary, and honeybees in pollination and biodiversity. Featuring experts Sam Droege (USGS), Dave Hunter (Crown Bees), and Dr. Lora Morandin (Pollinator Partnership), this event will discuss into the challenges pollinators face, the balance between managed and wild bees, and actionable ways to support all pollinators.

Gain insights from over 90 years of combined experience and learn how to advocate for pollinator habitats through planting native species, participating in community science, and adopting responsible management practices.

Gwen Alegre, NY Master Naturalist, will share challenges, successes, and lessons-learned when implementing a community volunteer conservation program. The Craneridge Homeowners Association is starting its fifth year of a multi-year initiative that includes education, communication, partnering with local experts, and energizing neighbors to care about and DO something to plant native and protect our natural community. 

Wild Ones WNY will have a table in the Event Center. Please come visit us and say hello. If you would like to volunteer to represent Wild Ones to the public at our table for 2-4 hours, please email our team at [email protected].  Free entrance to the event for volunteers.

There will be presentations on a number of topics, including by WNY Wild Ones members Ken Parker, Lyn Chimera, Michael Klepp, Kathleen Contrino and David O'Donnell. More information about Plantasia is available at https://plantasiany.com/.

Plantasia showcases two buildings! The Event Center features gardens and vendors and Artisan Hall features a wide variety of unique artisans and educational organizations.

Public gardens hold tremendous power to influence landscaping norms and inspire change. By showcasing the beauty, functionality, and ecological value of native plants, these spaces help foster biodiversity, advocate for sustainable practices, and engage communities in environmental stewardship. 

This webinar will explore how public and demonstration gardens serve as powerful tools for native plant advocacy. Attendees will learn how gardens move beyond aesthetics to spark action—turning appreciation into engagement and inspiring participants to replicate these practices in their own communities.

We will hear insights from Nicole Machuca, Environmental Social Scientist at the Field Museum, on how public gardens influence behaviors, foster stewardship, and connect people to conservation efforts through research and community engagement. The Wild Ones Capital Region NY and the Wild Ones San Diego (CA) Chapters will share their experiences building native plant demonstration gardens and how these spaces drive community engagement, education, and advocacy. And We'll finish with a conversation exploring how public gardens create a lasting impact beyond planting day moderated by Kelly Kapuzzi, Demonstration Garden Char with the Wild Ones Hocking Hills (OH) Chapter.

For more than 25 years, Eastern Monarch Butterfly and Native Plant Farm has focused on
promoting native landscapes that support the Eastern Monarch Butterfly. David O'Donnell
established this organization to educate Western New York residents about conserving and enhancing pollinators. O'Donnell has practical experience with the Monarch Butterfly and all stages of its lifecycle, from habitat to adult butterfly. Operating as a self-funded organization, EMBF is supported by native plant sales, presentations, and donations. The funds generated enable the continuation of habitat restoration, education, and Monarch recovery efforts in Western New York. David's work segues into different ecosystems that involve other environmental organizations across WNY. He believes that it is imperative to reverse the pernicious effects of human activity on this planet through education and welcomes environmental and social justice discussions. Biodiversity in nature, as well as the human population, is key to a healthy planet for future generations.

“In the end, we will conserve only what we love; we will love only what we understand, and we will understand only what we are taught.”
Baba Dioum

Join Bethany Casella, Head Grower at MLK Jr Park Greenhouse, for a tour and explore this 118-year-old greenhouse. This is a year-round production house that supplies Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy with annuals, perennials, and natives for 7 districts over 850 acres. It consists of four main houses, each with their own unique purpose, environment, and variety of plants. Enjoy spring ephemerals and other natives blooming a few weeks earlier than typically seen in the landscape.

Parking is off Fillmore between Best St. and North Parade St. across from the Splash Pad. We will meet at the Greenhouse.

There will be an optional volunteer activity working with plants after the tour. If you choose to participate please bring gloves and dress accordingly.

Our first Members Meeting since becoming a chartered chapter 4 months ago!

Meet the members of the Board and Officers for our new chapter. President Joseph Han will share our State of the Chapter Report for 2024. 

Learn more and give input on our strategic goals for the chapter. 

You are invited to be a part of our work in progress with volunteer opportunities in Membership, Communications, Programs and more.  

There will be a Native Plant Giveaway at the end of the meeting.

**Non-members are also welcome to attend! 

Join us on Sunday May 4 at Emery Park for a Family Friendly Pollinator Festival. Wild Ones WNY will have an information table. There will be nature walks, mead tasting, informational workshops and vendors supporting pollinator friendly habitats.   

Workshops include:
Noon - Josh Klosterman on Native Bees

1 PM - Agroforestry with Jesse Napierala of Earth Eden

2 PM  Wildflower Walk with Park Ranger Nikki

3 PM  Native Bees with Michael Klepp of Xerces Society

Lyn Chimera, Master Gardener and author of Five Keys to Better Gardening, will share a tour of a residential native garden. At 10:30, there will be a talk about the evolution of the garden's design and native plant choices in the garden. This is a member's event; each member may bring up to 2 guests.

Join Wild Ones National Board President Loris Damerow for a special presentation as part of Week 3 of the 2025 Less Lawn More Life Challenge, “Native Plants Planted Right.” Loris will walk us through the basics of native plant gardening- from choosing the right plants to planting and maintaining them with confidence.

Join us on Tuesday, May 20, 2025, at 5 p.m. CT for the YouTube Live premiere of this 30-minute webinar. Native plant experts from  Wild Ones, Plan it Wild, Homegrown National Park, ReWild Your Campus, and others will be active in the live chat throughout the presentation and for 30 minutes after the webinar, giving you plenty of time to ask questions and engage! 

This event is designed for newcomers to native gardening and is part of the national Less Lawn More Life Challenge, hosted by Plan It Wild in collaboration with Wild Ones, iNaturalist, Homegrown National Park, Pollinator Partnership  and many others! 

See more about the Less Lawn More Life Challenge:  https://www.lesslawnmorelife.com/ 

Emma Hahn, head horticulturist at Frank Lloyd Wright's Graycliff, will lead us through the gardens and discuss the incorporation of native plants into formal gardens. This is a members event, but members can bring guests.

We’re thrilled to invite you to the First-Ever Native Plant Day in Western New York!

Join us on Saturday, June 14, for a day of community, connection, and conservation as we celebrate the beauty and power of native plants. This event is an opportunity to support local growers, connect with fellow plant enthusiasts, and learn more about the impact of native species in our landscapes.

Why Attend Native Plant Day?

Explore a wide selection of native plants at participating nurseries

Connect with like-minded nature lovers and fellow Wild Ones members

Learn how native plants support our local ecosystems and pollinators

Native Plant Shopping Guide
We’ve put together a comprehensive Native Plant Shopping Guide with love and care to help you find the perfect plants for your garden. https://westernnewyork.wildones.org/native-plant-shopping-guide/

Find a Native Plant Nursery Near You
We’ve also curated a list of participating nurseries for this year’s event, highlighting businesses that share our commitment to ecological gardening. These nurseries focus on WNY native plants that support our local ecosystems. https://westernnewyork.wildones.org/native-plant-nurseries-in-wny/

Michael Klepp, long time nature educator, plant and insect enthusiast, will be our guide for a hike in the beautiful Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge. 

Learn how nature communicates and what you can learn from 'Ma & her kids' conversations.  Our goal is to better understand the critical relationships between plants, animals and the rest of the ecosystem.  Make your experiences in the natural world even more rewarding!

Plan to meet a few minutes early at the Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge, 1101 Casey Road Basom, N.Y. 14013-9730. Free parking is provided. Restrooms and water fountain are in the headquarter building.

You are welcome to bring a lunch for yourself and/or food to share after the hike. They have a kitchenette available to keep food if needed. If the weather is bad (or turns bad), we will gather inside the headquarters building for a presentation and lunch.

Pop up plant salvage event, Friday June 27, 2025 from 4-6PM. Parking is limited so meet at the Lowe's in Springville and coordinate access from there. https://maps.app.goo.gl/irVpjLoH61F3wRYZ7?g_st=ac. 

Project site is a mile long access road along a riparian corridor that is having maintenance work done along the sides. Dozens of native species available that will be lost to construction. Let's get together to rescue some plants (... Then try to keep them alive in this sweltering summer weather...)
Property owner will permit collection for conservation purposes only, please plant and do not sell the salvaged plants.

*Bring own gloves, tools, etc. and wear a Wild Ones shirt if you have one

**MUST Contact Joshua Konovitz at [email protected] to register for this event
Salvage property location will be shared with registered attendees. 

Pop up plant salvage event, Saturday, June 28, 10AM - 2PM. Parking is limited so meet at the Lowe's in Springville and we will coordinate access from there. https://maps.app.goo.gl/irVpjLoH61F3wRYZ7?g_st=ac. 

Project site is a mile long access road along a riparian corridor that is having maintenance work done along the sides. Dozens of native species available that will be lost to construction. Let's get together to rescue some plants (... Then try to keep them alive in this sweltering summer weather...)
Property owner will permit collection for conservation purposes only, please plant and do not sell the salvaged plants.

*Bring own gloves, tools, water, food, etc. and wear a Wild Ones shirt if you have one

**MUST Contact Joshua Konovitz at [email protected] to register for this event
Salvage property location will be shared with registered attendees. 

For our first M2M (Member to Member) Yard tour we will be touring two member gardens in KenTon (Kenmore/Tonawanda) near Lincoln Park (Sheridan / NF Blvd area).    

One is house with LOTS of trees and a front yard packed with established shade plants.

The other is FULL SUN and clay with seasonal flooding.  This garden is still in progress, converted from lawn over the past 3 years.  Features rain garden, drainage swales, pond and other water management features along with a lot of native plants with baby shrubs and trees. 

If members are interested, they can stay after and walk to see the two rain gardens installed by Town of Tonawanda in Lincoln Park. 

The closing event of this year’s Less Lawn More Life Challenge, will be led by Lisa Olsen, Chapter Liaison at Wild Ones. In this webinar, you’ll learn how small, personal actions like planting native species and removing invasives, can ripple outward to inspire neighbors, change policies, and reshape communities. 

During the premiere, native plant experts from Wild Ones and collaborating organizations will be active in the live chat. They’ll be ready to answer questions, share tips, and connect viewers with resources. The live chat will remain open for 30 minutes after the webinar, giving you plenty of time to ask questions and engage. Please note: You must be logged into a YouTube account to participate in the chat. 

The Less Lawn More Life Challenge is a free, 12-week action series designed to help people transform traditional lawns into vibrant, life-supporting native plant habitat. Each week, participants complete a simple challenge like planting a native shrub, removing invasives, or observing pollinators to reimagine their outdoor space and take meaningful steps toward restoring biodiversity at home. 

It’s not too late to get involved. Catch up on the weekly videos and start your rewilding journey today at https://www.lesslawnmorelife.com/ 

Join us for a tour of part of this exciting project led by Friends of The Riverline Executive Director Jeff Lebsack.  We will be touring "The Basswoods" section and will meet at Red Jacket Park at the foot of Smith Street. This is a members only event and attendance is capped at 20. An additional date of Saturday, August 2 may be added if there is a greater response.

The Riverline will be a vibrant and innovative nature trail and greenway that links downtown Buffalo to the Buffalo River.
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All of us deserve access to the benefits of nature and to beautiful, restorative public spaces in our lives.  But right now many of Buffalo's communities are cut off from these opportunities by industrial infrastructure that once built the city, but now divides neighborhoods from our waterfront, the natural world, and one another.

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​The Riverline is based on a vision created by the community. It will transform the former DL&W elevated rail corridor along the Buffalo River into a string of vibrant and engaging experiences in nature that everyone can enjoy—right in the city, only minutes from downtown.
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The Riverline will be an inspiring gathering place that connects people to water, nature, and each another. It will prioritize native plants and animals, health and wellness, public art, and community; it will inspire curiosity, connections, and exploration; and it will help build a healthy, inclusive, thriving, and opportunity-rich city in every neighborhood.

More information at https://www.theriverline.org/

Let’s check out two WILD urban gardens — these are not your grandma’s garden!   We will visit a tiny North Buffalo front yard that is bursting with life.  This mature garden is packed with natives and pushes the boundaries of a “front lawn”.   Additionally, we will visit the front garden of the Tool Library on Main Street where they have added tons of native plants since moving two years ago. This is another space that isn’t afraid of large vigorous plants!  Must see for our “re-wilding” folks.

Exact location will be emailed to registered attendees before the event. 

Join us at Royal Fern Nursery in Fredonia to learn more about native plants and the work of Jon and Jess Townsend.  A tour of the gardens and nursery will be followed by a chance to talk informally and ask questions.  We look forward to seeing you!

For our last member garden tour of 2025, we will visit the FIRST Wild Ones Certified Native Habitat in Western New York.   This front yard blends existing landscaping with several prominent native plant beds.  The garden is loaded with “cues to care” and will provide inspiration and ideas for all native gardeners but, especially, for those who are looking to get started in their native plant journey to reduce the lawn and add natives!

Exact location will be emailed to registered attendees before the event. 

Discover how ecological landscaping with native plants can make your landscape more resilient and help address the climate crisis. This webinar will highlight practical, evidence-based approaches to designing and maintaining landscapes that build resilience to climate change and support native biodiversity. Join Wild Ones for a free webinar, “EcoBeneficial Landscape Strategies for the Climate Crisis,” featuring environmental horticulturalist and ecological landscape designer Kim Eierman.

Join us for this meeting to learn more about Wild Ones and what our plans are for the next several months. There will be an opening educational talk followed by a general meeting. Open to the public.

Details coming soon! 

This meeting is open to the public. We will have an opening educational presentation followed by chapter updates and opportunities to get involved.  We look forward to seeing you!

More information coming soon

Details coming soon! 

More information coming soon