Events Calendar

We have big plans to add a bush and low growing tree-line to add some privacy and sound barrier to the playground-- and what better way than to do so with native plants!  Please join us for the tree line planting party (9-10:30am).  Refreshments & Social Gathering with brief meeting 10:30 - 11:30.  All are welcome.  We welcome more wheelbarrows, shovels and/or pitch forks.

Please RSVP below so we can plan for refreshments.

Join us for our monthly  Leadership Team & Business Meeting.   Reach out by email for zoom link:  [email protected] 

This preserve features some open meadow-like habitat, as well as views of the Catskill Creek. Expect to see some sun-loving and part-shade meadow plants. See the Scenic Hudson site for a map and guide.

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.

Ecological Landscapes Open Days. Visit seven different Columbia County properties where ecologically-minded landowners are incorporating native plants, creating meadows and managing invasive species.   More info and details to come, but save these dates. Open to the public. 

Landscapes are open either Sat or Sun 9-12.  Some are guided tours and will require registration as they are limited to a set number of people. Others are open unguided and open to all.

Join us as we come together during National Moth Week (July 18-25) to celebrate the beauty, diversity, and ecological importance of moths.

Take a peek into the dazzling world of nature’s tiniest and mightiest superheroes during a one-time showing of the powerful documentary The Extraordinary Caterpillar.  Great for all audiences!  Join Wild Ones and Thacher Nature Center for this family-friendly event with a free showing of the movie along with kid-friendly crafts.  Following the movie, join a nature educator for a short walk outdoors to hunt for these tiny superheroes (caterpillars!) that drive biodiversity in the most surprising places.   

Learn how our native gardens are supporting the food web!   

It is noted that Thacher State Park charges a $6 vehicle entrance fee, typically collected daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. between May 1 and October 31. Payment is required at automated kiosks (cash or card) or via attendants at the booths. The fee applies to the Visitor Center lot and other main parking areas. 

Ecological Landscapes Open Days. Visit seven different Columbia County properties where ecologically-minded landowners are incorporating native plants, creating meadows and managing invasive species.   More info and details to come, but save these dates. Open to the public. 

Landscapes are open either Sat or Sun 9-12.  Some are guided tours and will require registration as they are limited to a set number of people. Others are open unguided and open to all.

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.

This is the Part- 2 the mid-summer viewing of Genoveffa V’s garden through the season.  Gen, a long time member of Capital Region NY Wild Ones and our current VP,  is opening her wonderful expansive gardens of native trees, shrubs, perennials and vegetables for a second time this season.

Chapter Board Meeting - open to chapter directors, officers, and/or committees.  Meet for dinner; then discuss and make decisions about chapter activities, conducted in accordance with the chapter's bylaws.

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.

This park has a nice waterfall and views over Myosotis Lake.  We will meet at the visitor's center parking lot and walk around the lake, for a total of about 3 miles. See the Preserve's website for visit information and a trail map.

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.

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.

Mills Park:

One-acre meadow park in its 10th-year of growth in the village of Kinderhook.  Volunteers and Kinderhook's Department of Public Works cooperated in renovating the mowed green into a managed meadow. A mowed grass path circuits the gentle roll of the park.  New York State's Empire Trail transits through the center of the park. 

The park entrance is at the corner of Albany Avenue and Railroad Avenue, Kinderhook.

Sigrid G’s one acre property is  85%-90% native species, but other than house/barn/paths she has solidly planted (plugs, seeds) with NO lawn.

Mills Park's volunteers will join Wild Ones for tea/coffee/snacks at Sigrid’s barn, to talk native plants following the tour.

Sunday Sept. 27, 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, 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 required to plan for appetizers.  to plan for appetizers.  Address:  897 St David's Ln, Niskayuna, NY, 12309  

Join us for our monthly  Leadership Team & Business Meeting.   Reach out by email for zoom link:  [email protected] 

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.

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.

 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. Please pre-register any seeds you wish to bring so we can have plant care signs made.

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. 

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.