Wild Ones Red Cedar Chapter 2026 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!
Mt. Cuba Flower Pots
by Delaware Master Gardeners Flickr.com |
Wednesday, April 15, 2026 - 6:00 pm
Native Container Gardening Zoom webinar Dr. Jeremie Fant, Conservation Scientist with Chicago Botanic Gardens, will be our guest speaker. If limited space, or other factors, have left you feeling like native gardening isn't for you, join us to learn from Jeremie as he shares his expertise, based on 15+ years experience growing native plants in pots. After testing over 200 species in containers, he has become an expert in which native plants can not only survive, but thrive in these conditions. Use the link below to register for this Zoom webinar. The webinar is free and open to the public. https://msu.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_P8C_hx6QQnGXZ5ysFbJfbw |
Spring Beauty
by Michelle Beloskur |
Saturday, May 2, 2026 - 11:00 am
Spring Ephemerals Walk on the MSU Campus Baker Woodlot & Rachana Rajendra Neotropical Migrant Bird Sanctuary Park in Lewis Arboretum lot 101, 587 Service Rd., East Lansing, MI 48823 (North side of Service Rd., East of Farm Lane) Meet at the NW gate to Baker woodlot, South of the corner of Service Rd. and Farm Ln. Download map below. Join us for a walk through Michigan State University's Baker Woodlot to enjoy all that spring has to offer. Carolyn Miller, Arboretum and Invasive Species Coordinator for Beal Botanical Garden, will lead the tour to see spring wildflowers and other early emerging plants. This 78 acre woodlot is a bird sanctuary for neotropical migrants and has been designated an old growth forest. This event is free and open to the public. 
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Saturday, May 9, 2026 8:00 am - 2:00 pm
Wild Ones Red Cedar Spring Native Michigan Plant Sale Meridian Township Farmers' Market, 1995 Central Park Dr., Okemos, MI 48864, USA The Wild Ones Red Cedar Chapter will be selling a wide variety of native Michigan wildflowers, sedges and grasses at the Meridian Township Farmers' Market. The plants are grown by Bendy Stem Farm in Dimondale Michigan and owner Ben Crocker will be on site to answer your questions. We will have plants that support birds, bees and butterflies. Add some native plants to your landscape and watch it come to life! 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! The Wild Ones Red Cedar Chapter is asking members to help run the sale. Email [email protected] if you can help or click the "Volunteer" button below. |
Oriole along the Lansing River Trail
by M. Beloskur |
Saturday, May 9, 2026 11:00 am - 3:00 pm
World Migratory Bird Day Fenner Nature Center, 2020 E. Mount Hope Avenue, MI 48910, USA Stop by the Wild Ones Red Cedar Chapter booth at Fenner Nature Center's first-ever World Migratory Bird Day (WMBD) celebration, a global celebration of birds and their incredible journeys. This special day brings together bird lovers of all experience levels to learn, explore, and connect with the birds that call Michigan home or pass through on their migrations. This will be a free community event open to all ages and designed to encourage learning and appreciation of birds and the ecosystems they depend on. |
Bur Oak
by Michelle Beloskur |
Saturday, June 6, 2026 - 10:00 am
Forest Bathing Michigan State University Sanford Natural Area Meet at entrance gate #2 behind McDonel Hall, 817 E. Shaw Lane, East Lansing, MI 48825, USA Public Parking is available at Parking Ramps 1 (592 N. Shaw Ln., East Lansing) or Ramp 3 (Wharton Center) Use "Spot On" pay by plate phone app with credit card if required ($2 per hour). Allow extra time to walk from these ramps to Sanford Natural Area. 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, retired Natural Resources Extension Specialist with Michigan State University Extension. This event is free and open to the public. For more information, watch the video recording of our Forest Bathing program from 2022 by following this link. |
Eaton Conservation District's
Conservation Carnival June 28, 2026 |
Sunday, June 28, 2026 Doors open at 12 pm, Game starts at 1:05 pm
Conservation Carnival at the Lansing Lugnuts Jackson Field, 505 East Michigan Ave., Lansing MI 48912 Visit the Wild Ones Red Cedar Chapter booth at the Conservation Carnival during the Lansing Lugnuts Kids game. The award winning Conservation Carnival returns to Jackson Field on June 28th, 2026! Eaton Conservation District is partnering with the Lansing Lugnuts to create a bigger and better Conservation Carnival! Watch the Lugnuts take on the Loons, play fun carnival games with a conservation theme, and win prizes! The doors open at 12:00 pm and the game kicks off at 1:05 pm. Lucky fans will take home a native wildflower to plant. Tickets are $12-$22 with a portion of ticket sales going to help fund Eaton Conservation District's work. To purchase tickets, see parking options, and review security protocols (such allowed handbags) please visit the Lansing Lugnuts website and FAQ page. Some parking lots only take cash, but the ballpark vending only takes credit cards. Allow extra time walk from parking areas to the ballpark. |
Oak Savanna
by Mike Linksvayer Flickr.com |
Saturday, July 11, 2026 - 10:00 am
Guided tour of Watkins Lake State Park and County Preserve Coordinates: 42.129663°N, 84.138029°W (Brooklyn, MI 49230) Please use the above coordinates to find the meeting area since the official address doesn't take you there. Watkins Lake is well regarded for its bird watching opportunities and scenic rolling topography within the Irish Hills Area. We will hike the trails of the county preserve and learn about the natural history and landscape ecology of the site in our exploration of remanent oak woodlands, savannas and prairies. A highlight of our tour will be of a high quality wet-mesic prairie and prairie fen complex which hosts fantastic botanical diversity (this portion will be off trail. Conditions are dry and easy moving this time of year). Sturdy footwear and long pants are recommended. Our guide, Travis Wilcox, has worked as a Natural Areas Stewardship Technician with Washtenaw County Parks since 2022. Through his restoration fieldwork of Watkins Lake, he has formed a deep relationship with the land that he looks forward to sharing. A Michigan State Parks Recreation Passport is required on vehicles and can be purchased for $20 onsite by using the self registration envelopes and fee pipes (more info: https://www.michigan.gov/dnr/buy-and-apply/rec-pp). Those who would like to carpool should meet at the MDOT carpool lot located at 2335 Woodlake Dr, Okemos, MI 48864 at 8:30 am. Cars that already have a Michigan State Parks Recreation Passport would be helpful. |
Bunker Nature Preserve
from AllTrails.com |
Saturday, August 8, 2026 - 10:00 am
Bunker Nature Preserve - Guided Tour 4349 Bunker Rd, Mason, MI 48854 Jared Hamon, of Mid-Michigan Land Conservancy will lead us on a guided tour of the Bunker Hill Nature Preserve in Mason, Michigan. This 130 acre preserve boasts forest, native prairie, wetlands, and grasslands. The beautiful property supports dozens of species of native wildflowers and over 170 species of birds have been observed here. This event is free and open to the public (dogs are not allowed on this trail). |
WORCC Plant Sale
Fenner Nature Center Fall 2025 |
Wild Ones Red Cedar Fall Native Michigan Plant Sale
Saturday, September 19, 2026 10:00 am to 1:00 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, as well as many experienced Wild Ones members, to help answer your native plant questions. 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. Volunteers who help run the sale will get an additional 5% savings. To become a member, visit this Wild Ones page and select Red Cedar Chapter. Join us today! |
Wild Rice Harvest
by Lorie Shaull Flickr.com |
Wednesday, September 23, 2026 - 7:00 pm
Manoomin: A Michigan Native Plant of Cultural, Ecological, and Spiritual Significance Michigan Nature Association, 2310 Science Pkwy #100, Okemos, MI 48864 Our guest speaker will be Dr. Nichole Keway Biber, Mid-Michigan Campaign Organizer for Clean Water Action, and a citizen of the Little Traverse Bay Band of Odawa Indians. She will teach us about the significance of Manoomin, also known as wild rice, which flourished in wetlands of the upper Midwest prior to the arrival of European settlers. Indigenous peoples operating in reciprocal relationship with manoomin are currently leading efforts to reestablish stands throughout Michigan. This event is free and open to the public. |
Goats Grazing on Invasive Shrubs
by Michelle Beloskur |
Saturday, October 17, 2026 - 9:30 am
Goat Grazing Demonstration Towar Woods Preserve, 2948 Margate Lane, Haslett MI 48840 Street parking is available. The preserve is located at the end of Margate Lane. Jared Harmon, of Mid-Michigan Land Conservancy and Emma Campbell, of the Meridian Township Conservation Corps will lead this program on an innovative method to control invasive plants - goats! Goats are notorious for eating everything, but did you know that includes invasive plants? Come see goat grazing in action and learn the ins and outs, and pros and cons, of this invasive plant management method. If you'd like to help out with some invasive removal, the Meridian Conservation Corps invites you to stay after the demo and get a chance to tackle some invasive plants yourself. This event is free and open to the public (dogs are not allowed, however). |
Invasive Siltgrass
by Michelle Beloskur |
November 18, 2026 - 7:00 pm
Coming in Hot: New Invasive Species to be Aware of Michigan Nature Association, 2310 Science Pkwy #100, Okemos, MI 48864 Our guest speaker, Dr. Shikha Singh, Jackson County Conservation District - JLW CISMA (Jackson, Lenawee and Washtenaw Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area) Coordinator, will teach us about stiltgrass, mile-a-minute weed, lesser celandine, and others that are on the move in lower Michigan. Learning to prevent, identify, and report these plants is important to help protect our local ecosystems. This event is free and open to the public. |
Past Programs
Monarch Butterflies Overwintering in Mexico
USFWS Midwest Region Flickr |
Wednesday, February 18, 2026 - 7:00 PM
Overwintering Habitat of Monarchs in Mexico Zoom Webinar Betty Seagull, Wild Ones Red Cedar Chapter Board member and former President, will present on the critical overwintering habitat for monarch butterflies in Mexico, including photos and a first hand account from her travels. To watch a recording of this webinar follow this link, or click on the adjacent window. |
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 Trillium and moreby 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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 Speaker Mike Weis in His First Native Garden
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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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 Black Swallow-Wortby 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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 Spring Beautiesby 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. To watch a recording of this webinar follow this link, or click on the following window. |
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 Bath in the Lightby 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. To watch a recording of this webinar follow this link, or click on the following window. |
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 Asian Jumping Wormby 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. To watch a recording of this webinar follow this link, or click the following window. |
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