Events Archive: 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 | Upcoming Events
January 2026
Phenology: Paying attention to Nature's Timing
Joseph Glasscock Community Center, 3653 Tom Weathers Dr, Chattanooga, TN, 37415 Map
Public Welcome Free Event Program/Speaker Presentation Wheelchair Accessible Public Restroom Free Public Parking
Join us as we discusses phenology and it's importance in the natural world!
What is phenology? The word means “the study of phenomena” - so it literally refers to the study of things that appear or show themselves at certain times throughout the calendar year.
Lucy Ellis, City of Chattanooga Department of Natural Resources, will be discussing what phenology is and how it relates to gardening and conservation landscaping.
Certificate in Native Plants - Botany I (CORE)
REFLECTION RIDING Arboretum and Nature Center, 400 Garden Rd, Chattanooga, TN, 37419 Map
Paid Event Public Welcome Registration Required Certification Course Program/Speaker Presentation Hands-On/How-To Workshop Wheelchair Accessible Public Restroom Free Public Parking Drinking Fountains
The goals of the class are to explain qualities that plants share with other living things, as well as characteristics that set them apart, and to become acquainted with the range of different organisms that make up the plant kingdom.
Be on the lookout: Once you have registered, we will email you with pre-course work and any other materials needed for this class.
Materials to bring! Notebook, pencils, snacks, water, and a lunch. This class will be both in and out of doors, please wear weather-appropriate clothing and footwear.
Registration Policy:
As with all CNP classes, class size is limited. To give everyone the best opportunity to participate, there is a non-refundable cancellation fee of $10, with the balance refunded if you cancel at least 7 calendar days before the class will be held. If the class is cancelled by the instructor or the CNP program, registrants will get a full refund.
If registration is full, you may email [email protected] and ask to be placed on a wait list. This is not a guarantee that a spot will open up. Please be gracious, we are all volunteers.
Tabling Event: Lookout Wild Film Festival
Roland W. Hayes Hall at UTC Fine Arts Center, 752 Vine St, Chattanooga, TN, 37403 Map
Volunteers Needed Public Welcome Wheelchair Accessible Public Restroom Free Public Parking Drinking Fountains
Lookout Wild Film Festival showcases captivating outdoor adventure and environmental films from across the globe. Join Wild Ones for a fun weekend connecting with fellow outdoor enthusiasts at this event.
You don’t need to be a native plant expert to help at a Wild Ones table! Just bring a friendly attitude, be a good listener, and use our cheat sheets to help guide conversations. It’s a fun way to make new connections while supporting Wild Ones' mission.
Please bring a folding chair. We will be inside. You're welcome to bring a favorite native plant or themed book to brighten up the display. More details will be emailed to you before the event.
TN Valley Chapter Quarterly Board Meeting Members Only
Joseph Glasscock Community Center
Members Only Free Event Chapter Board Meeting Wheelchair Accessible Public Restroom Free Public Parking Drinking Fountains
Board members meet to discuss our chapter's progress and make decisions when necessary.
Free National Webinar: "Intergenerational Care for Land and Community: A Conversation with Robin Wall Kimmerer and Esther Bonney"
Hosted by Wild Ones NationalOnline/Virtual
Public Welcome Recording Available Free Event Program/Speaker Presentation
In this special collaboration, Robin Wall Kimmerer, author, botanist, and founder of Plant Baby Plant, joins youth leader and Nurture Natives founder Esther Bonney for an intergenerational conversation about belonging, reciprocity, and native plant action.
Together, they will explore questions such as:
How do we create opportunities for young people to have a voice and feel empowered, even when they are not homeowners or decision makers?What kinds of relationships and mentorships help people stay engaged in native plant work over decades?Why do stories, shared practices, and community invitations matter just as much as plant lists?
Robin and Esther will reflect on what invites people into this work, what keeps them here, and what elders and youth have to teach each other.
February 2026
Conservation Advocacy Work: Paying Attention to What You Have before it's Gone
Joseph Glasscock Community Center, 3653 Tom Weathers Dr, Chattanooga, TN, 37415 Map
Public Welcome Free Event Program/Speaker Presentation Wheelchair Accessible Public Restroom Free Public Parking
Join us for Margaret Rasmussen from Gainesville, Georgia's Redbud Project, A Model for Green Space Preservation, to hear how paying attention to what is around you can lead conservation advocacy in directions which connect nature within our community to all aspects of health and wellness: Biodiversity, Indigenous American Cultural Heritage, Spirituality, and Physical Health.
Special Benefit Webinar with Richard Louv
Hosted by Wild Ones NationalOnline/Virtual
Paid Event Public Welcome Limited Access Recording Program/Speaker Presentation
Details coming soon! This will be a paid webinar with all proceeds supporting the Seeds for Education Program.
Certificate in Native Plants - Botany II (CORE)
REFLECTION RIDING Arboretum and Nature Center, 400 Garden Rd, Chattanooga, TN, 37419 Map
Paid Event Public Welcome Registration Required Certification Course Program/Speaker Presentation Hands-On/How-To Workshop Wheelchair Accessible Public Restroom Free Public Parking Drinking Fountains
About this class: The goals of the class are to discuss plant cell and tissue types and major vegetative structures, explore reproduction, and sample some of the strategies and structures that plants use to continue life from generation to generation.
Be on the lookout: Once you have registered, we will email you with pre-course work and any other materials needed for this class.
Materials to bring! Notebook, pencils, a 10X Magnifier, snacks, water, and a lunch. This class will be both in and out of doors, please wear weather-appropriate clothing and footwear.
Registration Policy:
As with all CNP classes, class size is limited. To give everyone the best opportunity to participate, there is a non-refundable cancellation fee of $10, with the balance refunded if you cancel at least 7 calendar days before the class will be held. If the class is cancelled by the instructor or the CNP program, registrants will get a full refund.
If registration is full, you may email [email protected] and ask to be placed on a wait list. This is not a guarantee that a spot will open up. Please be gracious, we are all volunteers.
March 2026
Phenology of Bird Migration: Paying Attention to Plants and the Timing of Migration
Joseph Glasscock Community Center, 3653 Tom Weathers Dr, Chattanooga, TN, 37415 Map
Public Welcome Free Event Program/Speaker Presentation Wheelchair Accessible Public Restroom Free Public Parking
Join us to hear Barbara Johnson, member of the Chattanooga Chapter of the Tennessee Ornithological Society, Vice President for Programs speak on the connection of plants and the timing of bird migration.
CNP - Design and Maintenance Considerations for Building Bird Habitat with Native Plants
Online/Virtual
Paid Event Public Welcome Limited Access Recording Registration Required Certification Course Program/Speaker Presentation
This course explores how native plants can transform your home landscape into a thriving habitat for birds. Participants will learn the essential elements birds need—food, water, shelter, and nesting sites—and how to provide these using regionally appropriate native plants. The class will cover plant selection, seasonal considerations, and design strategies that attract a variety of bird species while supporting local ecosystems. Perfect for homeowners, gardeners, and nature enthusiasts who want to create sustainable, bird-friendly spaces.
Registration Policy: As with all CNP classes, class size is limited. To give everyone the best opportunity to participate, there is a non-refundable cancellation fee of $10, with the balance refunded if you cancel at least 7 calendar days before the class will be held. If the class is cancelled by the instructor or the CNP program, registrants will get a full refund.
If the class fills up, you may email [email protected] and request to be put on the wait list. This does not guarantee a spot will open up.
Please remember that we are all volunteers and deserve grace and patience.
Free National Webinar- March 2026
Hosted by Wild Ones NationalOnline/Virtual
Public Welcome Recording Available Free Event Program/Speaker Presentation
Details coming soon!
Public - Spring Plant Sale
Volunteers Needed Public Welcome Family-Friendly Youth Engagement Free Event Seed/Plant Sale Wheelchair Accessible Public Restroom
2026 Spring Plant Sale!
Join us for this free event. A variety of local and regional native plant nurseries will be selling a large selection of plants.
Some vendors may take pre-orders as well – contact them individually for more info.
Possible vendors (list confirmed closer to time):
Tabling Event: Spring Plant Sale
Volunteers Needed Public Welcome Free Event Seed/Plant Sale Wheelchair Accessible Public Restroom Free Public Parking Drinking Fountains
Volunteer at the Wild Ones booth during our Spring Plant Sale, one of the highlights of our chapter's year!
You don’t need to be a native plant expert to help at a Wild Ones table! Just bring a friendly attitude, be a good listener, and use our cheat sheets to help guide conversations. It’s a fun way to make new connections while supporting Wild Ones' mission.
Please bring a folding chair and dress comfortably for the weather. You're welcome to bring a favorite native plant or themed book to brighten up the display. More details will be emailed to you before the event.
Volunteer sign up info to come.
April 2026
Tabling Event: MGHC Master Your Garden Expo
Volunteers Needed Public Welcome Wheelchair Accessible Public Restroom Free Public Parking Drinking Fountains
Join Wild Ones at the Master Gardeners of Hamilton County's Master Your Garden Expo! Focused on gardening and the outdoors, this event offers a wide range of exhibits, demonstrations, educational activities, and vendors for both experienced gardeners and the general public. This year's theme, “Victory Gardens Revisited," complements the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
Expo Hours:
Saturday, April 11, 2026 from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Sunday, April 12, 2026 from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
You don’t need to be a native plant expert to help at a Wild Ones table! Just bring a friendly attitude, be a good listener, and use our cheat sheets to help guide conversations. It’s a fun way to make new connections while supporting Wild Ones' mission.
Please bring a folding chair and dress comfortably for the weather. You're welcome to bring a favorite native plant or themed book to brighten up the display. More details will be emailed to you before the event.
Volunteer sign up link to come.
Tabling Event: Chattanooga Outdoor Festival
Volunteers Needed Public Welcome Wheelchair Accessible Public Restroom Free Public Parking Drinking Fountains
Gear up for adventure with Wild Ones at the Chattanooga Outdoor Festival! We'll be celebrating the diverse outdoor recreational opportunities Chattanooga has to offer.
You don’t need to be a native plant expert to help at a Wild Ones table! Just bring a friendly attitude, be a good listener, and use our cheat sheets to help guide conversations. It’s a fun way to make new connections while supporting Wild Ones' mission.
Please bring a folding chair and dress comfortably for the weather. You're welcome to bring a favorite native plant or themed book to brighten up the display. More details will be emailed to you before the event.
Volunteer sign up info to come.
TN Valley Chapter Quarterly Board Meeting Members Only
Online/Virtual
Members Only Chapter Board Meeting
Board members meet to discuss our chapter's progress and make decisions when necessary.
July 2026
TN Valley Chapter Quarterly Board Meeting Members Only
Joseph Glasscock Community Center
Members Only Free Event Chapter Board Meeting Wheelchair Accessible Public Restroom Free Public Parking Drinking Fountains
Board members meet to discuss our chapter's progress and make decisions when necessary.
September 2026
Free National Webinar- September 2026
Hosted by Wild Ones NationalOnline/Virtual
Public Welcome Recording Available Free Event Program/Speaker Presentation
Details coming soon!
October 2026
TN Valley Chapter Quarterly Board Meeting Members Only
Online/Virtual
Members Only Chapter Board Meeting
Board members meet to discuss our chapter's progress and make decisions when necessary.
Free National Webinar- October 2026
Hosted by Wild Ones NationalOnline/Virtual
Public Welcome Recording Available Free Event Program/Speaker Presentation
Details coming soon!
November 2026
Free National Webinar- November 2026
Hosted by Wild Ones NationalOnline/Virtual
Public Welcome Recording Available Free Event Program/Speaker Presentation
Details coming soon!