Wild Ones Red Cedar Chapter 2025 Calendar of Events
To see events offered by all the Wild Ones chapters, follow this link.
In addition to the current WORCC programs, you can scroll down to see videos of past Zoom meetings. Enjoy!
To see events offered by all the Wild Ones chapters, follow this link.
In addition to the current WORCC programs, you can scroll down to see videos of past Zoom meetings. Enjoy!
We will have all kinds of interesting programs scheduled for 2025. Check back for more details!
Wednesday February 19, 2025, 7:00 pm ET
Native Planting & Sustainability Efforts in our Local Communities Michigan Nature Association 2310 Science Pkwy #100, Okemos Representatives from Haslett Community Church and All Saints Episcopal Church in East Lansing will each share how they helped lead native plant installations for their community. Our presenters will share how they approached building support for their projects, budgeting, selecting and purchasing plants, removal of invasive plants, and breaking ground. This event is free and open to the public. |

Thursday-Sunday, March 13-16, 2025
Lansing Home and Garden Show
Michigan State University Pavilion, 4301 Farm Ln., East Lansing, MI 48823, USA
Come visit the Wild Ones Red Cedar Chapter booth (#1065) at the Lansing Home & Garden Show. Pick up brochures, or use a QR code to link to a variety of fliers detailing how native plants can help you attract more birds, butterflies and pollinators to your yard. Learn about the great educational programs and plant sales we will be hosting this spring and plan to join us!
Lansing Home and Garden Show
Michigan State University Pavilion, 4301 Farm Ln., East Lansing, MI 48823, USA
Come visit the Wild Ones Red Cedar Chapter booth (#1065) at the Lansing Home & Garden Show. Pick up brochures, or use a QR code to link to a variety of fliers detailing how native plants can help you attract more birds, butterflies and pollinators to your yard. Learn about the great educational programs and plant sales we will be hosting this spring and plan to join us!
Wednesday March 19, 2025, 7:00 pm ET
Vernal Pools: Understanding, Monitoring, and Conserving these Valuable Habitats Michigan Nature Association 2310 Science Pkwy #100, Okemos Our presenters will be Georgia Peterson and Abby Pointer. Georgia is a Natural Resources Extension Specialist with Michigan State University Extension and Abby is the Vernal Pools Partnership Coordinator for Michigan Nature Association. Learn why vernal pools are such an important natural resource and how, by working with the Vernal Pools Partnership, you can contribute to improved understanding and conservation of these valuable, biodiverse habitats. |
Saturday April 19, 2025, 10:30 am ET
Red Cedar Riverbank Restoration MSU campus (specific meeting location TBD) Staff at MSU's Beal Garden have been removing invasive species along a section of the Red Cedar riverbank and replacing those with native plants and shrubs. In 2022, a more extensive project began to create a riparian showcase that can be a model of what the riverbank could look like, and use that to educate the public about Michigan’s rivers and the threats they’re experiencing. Join us for a walking tour of the restoration area and learn more about the project from Carolyn Miller, Beal Botanical Garden Arboretum and Invasive Species Coordinator. |

Wild Ones Red Cedar Spring Native Michigan Plant Sale
Saturday, May 10, 2025 8:00 am - 2:00 pm EDT
Meridian Township Farmers' Market, 1995 Central Park Dr., Okemos, MI 48864, USA
The Wild Ones Red Cedar Chapter will be offering a nice selection of native Michigan wildflowers and grasses at the Meridian Farmers' Market. The plants are grown by Bendy Stem Farm in Dimondale Michigan. We will have plants that support birds, bees and pollinators.
Proceeds from this fundraiser will help the Wild Ones Red Cedar Chapter continue our educational programs and provide grants to help establish native gardens in the greater Lansing area. Thank you for your support!
Saturday, May 10, 2025 8:00 am - 2:00 pm EDT
Meridian Township Farmers' Market, 1995 Central Park Dr., Okemos, MI 48864, USA
The Wild Ones Red Cedar Chapter will be offering a nice selection of native Michigan wildflowers and grasses at the Meridian Farmers' Market. The plants are grown by Bendy Stem Farm in Dimondale Michigan. We will have plants that support birds, bees and pollinators.
Proceeds from this fundraiser will help the Wild Ones Red Cedar Chapter continue our educational programs and provide grants to help establish native gardens in the greater Lansing area. Thank you for your support!
Saturday May 17, 2025, 10:30 am ET
Spring Wildflower Walk Harris Nature Center, 3998 Van Atta Rd, Okemos Spring Beauty, Bloodroot, Trillium, and Jack-in-the-Pulpit are just a few of the many wonderful wildflowers in bloom at the Harris Nature Center in spring. Join an HNC naturalist for a look at all the spring wildflowers in bloom along the trails. |
June 21, 2025 - 10:00 am ET
The Montgomery Drain Project Lansing (specific meeting location TBD) The Ingham County Drain Commission has rebuilt a 100-yr old storm drain. Using creative infrastructure, 96% of the 50,000 -75,000 pounds of pollution per year that was going into the Red Cedar River in Lansing is now eliminated. Drain Commissioner Pat Lindemann has generously offered to lead another walk through of this project site. Wild Ones visited this site last year, but this re-visit will be in the summer so we can enjoy seeing the native plantings at the site at their peak. Learn more about the project here. |

July 26, 2025 - 9:00 (or 10:30) am ET - see description
River Bend Gardens Visit
Manchester, MI (see map)
River Bend Gardens is made up of 12 gardens, with nine natural plant communities, and several glacial features in the landscape from kames, an outwash plain, to a floodplain that includes a Buttonbush depression. In addition to the River Raisin, the property includes a 4 acre pond, two brooks, and over 30 natural springs. Guests who would like to hike the 3 mile Garden Trail, should arrive at 9:00am at the East Entrance Garden (115 Mound Street). Park either in the horseshoe drive, or on the shoulder of Mound Street on the north side of the street. Guests who prefer a shorter walk should arrive at 10:30am at the West Entrance Garden (328 River Bend Manchester). There is adequate parking off the street on garden property. Be aware that while there are established trails, they are not completely groomed, the garden is not ADA compliant, nor is there a restroom present on the property. Visitors can learn about the mechanics of the preservation work and prairie restoration and after the discussion and Q&A, you are free to walk the trails and experience the gardens at your own pace.
River Bend Gardens Visit
Manchester, MI (see map)
River Bend Gardens is made up of 12 gardens, with nine natural plant communities, and several glacial features in the landscape from kames, an outwash plain, to a floodplain that includes a Buttonbush depression. In addition to the River Raisin, the property includes a 4 acre pond, two brooks, and over 30 natural springs. Guests who would like to hike the 3 mile Garden Trail, should arrive at 9:00am at the East Entrance Garden (115 Mound Street). Park either in the horseshoe drive, or on the shoulder of Mound Street on the north side of the street. Guests who prefer a shorter walk should arrive at 10:30am at the West Entrance Garden (328 River Bend Manchester). There is adequate parking off the street on garden property. Be aware that while there are established trails, they are not completely groomed, the garden is not ADA compliant, nor is there a restroom present on the property. Visitors can learn about the mechanics of the preservation work and prairie restoration and after the discussion and Q&A, you are free to walk the trails and experience the gardens at your own pace.

Fenner Nature Center
Wild Ones Red Cedar Fall Native Michigan Plant Sale
Saturday, September 13, 2025 11:00 am to 2:00 pm
Fenner Nature Center, 2020 E. Mount Hope Ave., Lansing, MI 48910, USA
A wide selection of perennial wildflowers, grasses/sedges, trees and shrubs grown by Bendy Stem Farm will be available for purchase. Owner Ben Crocker will be on site to help answer your native plant questions as well as many experienced Wild Ones members. Native plants support birds, butterflies and pollinators. Add some to your landscape and watch it come to life!
WORCC Chapter members will get a 10% discount on plant purchases. To become a member, visit this Wild Ones page and select Red Cedar Chapter. Join us today!
Saturday, September 13, 2025 11:00 am to 2:00 pm
Fenner Nature Center, 2020 E. Mount Hope Ave., Lansing, MI 48910, USA
A wide selection of perennial wildflowers, grasses/sedges, trees and shrubs grown by Bendy Stem Farm will be available for purchase. Owner Ben Crocker will be on site to help answer your native plant questions as well as many experienced Wild Ones members. Native plants support birds, butterflies and pollinators. Add some to your landscape and watch it come to life!
WORCC Chapter members will get a 10% discount on plant purchases. To become a member, visit this Wild Ones page and select Red Cedar Chapter. Join us today!
Saturday September 20, 2025 - 10:30 am ET
Urban Natural Areas Beautification Old Town Lansing, near Burchard Park (specific meeting location TBD) Learn about a new, collaborative effort between Michigan Waterways Stewards and the Mid-Michigan Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area to remove invasive plant species along an abandoned railroad near Burchard Park in Old Town and to plant native trees, shrubs and flowers. Our presenters will be Stephanie Day, Invasive Species Coordinator for the Mid-Michigan CISMA and Mike Stout with Michigan Waterways Stewards. |
October 12, 2025 - Date and Time TBD
Forest Bathing Michigan State University Sanford Natural Area, meet on the west side of the Natural Area, where the trail meets the Bogue Street bridge. Forest bathing is inspired by the Japanese practice of Shinrin-Yoku. Join us for this guided experience. Participants will enjoy the opportunity to be in a forested environment, to slow down, and to connect to our natural surroundings with intention. This practice is designed to promote a calm, clear mind, and overall wellness. Our experience will be led by Georgia Peterson, Natural Resources Extension Specialist with Michigan State University Extension |
Past Programs
![]() by Great Smoky Mountains National Park Flickr.com February 21, 2024
Planting for Shade Bill Schneider, Owner of Wildtype native plant nursery in Mason, Michigan shares the many factors to consider when gardening in shade. There are all sorts of different shade conditions (wet/dry, dappled/dense, etc.) with different implications. Many plants are more widely adapted than you might find them in nature. This video is sure to have something helpful for anyone gardening in shade. To watch a recording of this webinar follow this link, or click on the following window. |
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![]() January 17, 2024
Designing Native Plant Gardens: Minimizing the Error in "Trial and Error" Experienced native plant gardener and designer Mike Weis, owner of Dropseed! Native Gardens and Ecological Restoration in Kalamazoo MI, takes us through the steps in the first garden he ever installed. He will present a slideshow of images of his garden through the years to illustrate how some decisions/methods that were used worked well while others did not. To watch a recording of this webinar follow this link, or click on the following window. |
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![]() by Ingeborg van Leeuwen Flickr.com November 15, 2023
Invasive Species Update Michelle Beloskur, the Midwest Invasive Plant Network’s full-time Coordinator (MIPN.org), will bring us up-to-speed on invasive plants that may be moving into our area, as well as those that are being tackled right now. She will have tips on what to watch for and what to do if you discover a new population of invasive plants. If we can catch these invaders at an early stage, the easier it will be to eradicate them. To watch a recording of this webinar follow this link, or click on the following window. |
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![]() by khteWisconsin Flickr.com March 16th, 2022
Spring Beauties: Native Wildflowers for the Woodland Garden Tired of tulips? Find daffodils dull? How about trying out some of Michigan's native spring ephemerals! From trout lilies to trillium, from the exotic to the familiar, explore some native alternatives for the spring garden with Cheryl M. English, Advanced Master Gardener and owner of Black Cat Pottery. Hope you can join us! To watch a recording of this webinar follow this link, or click on the following window. |
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![]() by Martin Gommel Flickr.com February 16th, 2022
Forest Bathing: A Nature Boost We all know we feel better after a walk in the woods. The Japanese call this Shinrin-yoku, or "forest bathing," simply spending time in nature to relax, rejuvenate, and reduce stress. Join us for this Zoom program to learn more about how and why immersion in nature increases our sense of well-being. Our virtual guest speakers will be Maureen Stine, Certified Environmental Educator with Natureology.me and Georgia Peterson, Ph.D., Adjunct Assistant Professor, Department of Forestry, Michigan State University. Hope you can join us! To watch a recording of this webinar follow this link, or click on the following window. |
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![]() by Tom Potterfield Flickr.com January 19th, 2022
Exotic Invasive Earthworms in Michigan: Asian Jumping Worms Asian Jumping Worms have recently been found in the Greater Lansing area. They are much more destructive to plants and soil than other earthworms. Our virtual guest speaker will be Scott Tiegs, Ph.D. Professor of Biological Sciences at Oakland University. He and his colleague, Holly Greiner-Hallman, first found Jumping Worms in the Oakland University Biological Preserve in 2008 and can help us learn what to look for and how to avoid moving them around. Join us for this interesting and important talk. To watch a recording of this webinar follow this link, or click the following window. |
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