Events Calendar

This 400 acre preserve is mostly meadow and grassland, with a riparian forest buffer along the Coxsackie creek at the East end of the property. The plants here are managed primarily to benefit threatened bird species, but we can also practice identifying sedges, grasses, and rushes.

Meet at the kiosk just beyond the parking area, which is itself behind some industrial properties. 

Everyone is welcome, with no need to RSVP. To get reminders and be informed of any last-minute changes, sign up for meet-and-hike updates.

Sunday October 18, 2026. 1:30pm- 4pm  Our annual Membership Appreciation Garden Party!  at the Kelly Adirondack Center. What a great 5th year our Wild Ones chapter has had! Come celebrate our successful growth and projects at our Garden Party!  We will also briefly  highlight  our achievements of the past year, roll out the new and beautifully done native planting guide, and elect new officers.

It will be a wonderful opportunity to mingle with members (both new and renewed) and fellow garden enthusiasts, maybe win a prize, and enjoy the beautiful setting. We will have refreshments.  Bring an interested friend(s)!

Registration is required by October 14 to plan for appetizers.

Address:  897 St David's Ln, Niskayuna, NY, 12309  

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.

Join us for our monthly  Leadership Team & Business Meeting.   Reach out by email for zoom link:  [email protected] .  Please note date change from 2nd Wednesday to 1st Wednesday.

Ann Lee Pond is a 180-acre preserve with a large pond, woodlands, and extensive wetland between. We will take the red trail, about 0.8 miles, around and over the pond.

There is ample parking at this site just off the main airport road, and we will meet at the side of the pond near the parking area.

Everyone is welcome, with no need to RSVP. To get reminders and be informed of any last-minute changes, sign up for meet-and-hike updates.

 Wild Ones is celebrating our New York native plants with a seed swap!  Join us for a free, family-friendly seed swap celebrating the beauty of New York's native plants! Connect with fellow gardeners, share your favorite local seeds, and discover new varieties to cultivate for a more vibrant, resilient, and biodiverse garden. 

Don't have seeds to trade? No problem! All are welcome to come and learn about seed saving and take home some native treasures to get started.

In addition to the main event, attendees can explore tables from various like-minded organizations, participate in dedicated crafts for kids and adults, get started with winter seed sowing, and enjoy a special bake sale that showcases native ingredients.  

If you would like to volunteer for the day of the event, please register here  so we have a way to contact you. 

If you have seeds to share, please  pre-register any seeds so we can have plant care signs made.

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.

Join Emma Treadwell Thacher Nature Center, Friends of Thacher, and Wild Ones as we host the Native Plant Sale Kick-Off Social to be held in the Helderberg Room at the Visitor Center (inclement weather date 1/31/2027).  Come join us if you have volunteered to or are thinking of volunteering for the Annual Native Plant Sale to be held May 14, 2027.  There are so many ways to become involved, come and join this dedicated group of volunteers and see what’s right for you!

Native plants are gaining popularity with gardeners for their beauty, support of wildlife, and adaptation to the local environment. However, native species are often absent from herb gardens and nursery herb departments. In this talk, Sarah Scorci will spotlight species that enhance both our gardens and our cooking: rose mallow, bee balm and wild bergamot, nodding onion, pepperweed, spicebush, and more. We’ll discuss their preferred growing conditions, finding plants and seeds, and easy ways to enjoy these herbs in the kitchen. This live webinar is available only to Wild Ones members.

Bio:
Sarah Sorci is an herbal educator, therapeutic gardening facilitator, and the owner of Sweet Flag Herbs. She's a 2014 graduate of the Blue Ridge School of Herbal Medicine, and she completed a Horticultural Therapy program through the Horticultural Therapy Institute/Colorado State. She created "Native Culinary Herbs: Online Gardening Course", a resource for busy gardeners available at sweetflagherbs.com. She offers therapeutic garden programming for adults with disabilities near Jamestown, NY, where she lives with her husband, kitties, and many plants.

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.