Events Calendar

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October 2025

Oct
11

Certificate in Native Plants - Native Grass Identification

Saturday, October 11th, 2025
to (Eastern Time)
Tennessee Aquarium Conservation Institute (TNACI), 175 Baylor School Rd, Chattanooga, TN, 37405 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

Join botanist/ecologist Ed Schwartzman for a hands-on native grasses workshop
highlighting grass identification and grassland communities. We’ll learn to use a
Southern Appalachian grasses key derived from Weakley’s Flora of the
Southeastern U.S. and other identification tools, look at samples of common
native grasses, and learn a bit about grassland communities and the wildlife they
support. You should come away from the workshop to be more comfortable using
the key to Poaceae (grasses) groups and genera, recognize a dozen common
grasses by sight, and have ample resources to hone your grass skills.

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Oct
11

Tabling Event: MGHC Fall Garden Festival Members Only

Saturday, October 11th, 2025
to (Eastern Time)
UT/TSU Extension, 6183 Adamson Cir, Chattanooga, TN, 37416 Map

Volunteers Needed Members Only Free Event Wheelchair Accessible Public Restroom Free Public Parking Drinking Fountains

Join Master Gardeners of Hamilton County in celebrating Fall! The MGHC Fall Garden Festival will feature a variety of plants for sale, nature-inspired art, demos and exhibits, and fun & educational children's activities. There will also be a food truck and homemade baked goods for sale. 

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 sprout new connections, support a mission that pollinates change, and grow your confidence. Come dig in - we’d love to have you!

Volunteer Role Description: 

If you'd like, bring your favorite native plant or themed book to brighten up the display

Help with setup/takedown if you're signed up for those shifts

Familiarize yourself with booth display items

Greet visitors and share info about Wild Ones

Keep booth area and displays tidy

Distribute materials: brochures, membership info, native plant guides

Encourage newsletter signups and memberships

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Oct
13

How can WE help?: Reflections on Doug Tallamy's Distinguished Lecture

Monday, October 13th, 2025
to (Eastern Time)
Joseph Glasscock Community Center, 3653 Tom Weathers Dr, Chattanooga, TN, 37415 Map

Public Welcome Family-Friendly Free Event Program/Speaker Presentation Wheelchair Accessible Public Restroom Free Public Parking

The Tennessee Valley Chapter of Wild Ones recently hosted a powerful evening with Dr. Doug Tallamy, renowned entomologist, author, and advocate for native plants. His message was clear: the future of biodiversity begins in our own backyards. Every garden, every patch of soil, every plant we choose can contribute to the health of our ecosystems. 

Together, we explored how to turn Tallamy's vision into action--right here where we are. By planting native species, reducing lawn space, and rethinking our landscapes, we can restore habitat, support pollinators, and become stewards of a more resilient future.

Let's keep the momentum going! Learn more, get involved, and be part of a growing community committed to increasing biodiversity in Chattanooga one yard at a time. 

Bring questions and comments that might have come up for you that you didn't want to ask in the lecture auditorium and we'll unpack how Tallamy's teachings apply to each of us in our region. 

Oct
16

Free Webinar: "Next Steps for Nature" with Doug Tallamy

Hosted by Wild Ones National
Thursday, October 16th, 2025
to (Eastern Time)
Online/Virtual

Public Welcome Recording Available Free Event Program/Speaker Presentation

Even after reading books and attending talks, many still have pressing questions about ecological landscaping. In this talk, Tallamy addresses common concerns on biodiversity, invasive species, native plants, and conservation strategies, providing practical guidance and motivation to restore nature in everyday spaces. 

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Oct
20

TN Valley Chapter Quarterly Board Meeting Members Only

Monday, October 20th, 2025
to (Eastern Time)
Online/Virtual

Members Only Chapter Meeting

Board members meet to discuss our chapter's progress and make decisions when necessary.

November 2025

Nov
1

Chapter Annual Meeting Members Only

Saturday, November 1st, 2025
to (Eastern Time)
Crabtree Farms - Evelyn Center, 1000 E 30th St, Chattanooga, TN, 37407 Map

Members Only Free Event Chapter Annual Meeting Chapter Election Seed/Plant Share Wheelchair Accessible Public Restroom Free Public Parking Drinking Fountains

All Tennessee Valley Wild Ones members and guests are welcome to attend.  We will have a potluck lunch, election of officers, highlights of 2025, and a seed & plant swap.  Please bring a dish and plants to share. This is a great time to visit with other native plant enthusiasts!

Stay tuned for board nomination details.

Nov
8

Certificate in Native Plants - Soils & Water (CORE)

Saturday, November 8th, 2025
to (Eastern Time)
Tennessee Aquarium Conservation Institute (TNACI), 175 Baylor School Rd, Chattanooga, TN, 37405 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

This class will focus on how soil and water interactions lay the foundation for supporting a functional, healthy landscape. We will frame our conversation around the five soil forming factors of parent material, climate, biota, topography, and time, and take a look at how each of these is at work in our landscape. We will use technology tools but also simply get our hands dirty to help uncover information that will help in management decisions. 

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Nov
10

The Science and Art of Pruning with Matt Whitaker

Monday, November 10th, 2025
to (Eastern Time)
Joseph Glasscock Community Center, 3653 Tom Weathers Dr, Chattanooga, TN, 37415 Map

Public Welcome Family-Friendly Free Event Program/Speaker Presentation Wheelchair Accessible Public Restroom Free Public Parking

Join us to learn the art and science of pruning. Topics will include an overview of plant anatomy and physiology, different pruning cuts and plant response to the cuts, and differing approaches for different plants.

About Matt Whitaker

Matt is the founding principal of WMWA Landscape Architects. After working twelve
years at award winning firms in Virginia and Washington, DC, Matt returned home to
start his own firm.

When Matt was 17, his high school art teacher took notice of his interests in art and
nature and suggested that he study landscape architecture. Landscape architecture is
his third profession after working as a butcher during undergrad and managing the
production of cutting-edge drug delivery polymers shortly after he graduated. His
bachelor’s degree in biology and chemistry from the University of Alabama in Huntsville
centered on the macro and micro characteristics of plant ecology. Building on his
interests, Matt applied his love for ecology and plant communities to a rigorous design
curriculum while earning his Master of Landscape Architecture from the University of
Georgia’s School of Environmental Design. As a lifelong student, his passion for
ecology and natural systems heavily influences his work as a landscape architect.
Matt loves the outdoors, good food, and is fascinated by plants. Matt’s friend Tom
Burford, a world-renowned apple and fruit expert, told Matt to go to Chattanooga and
start a firm. When Tom Burford tells you to do something, you do it.

Nov
20

Free Webinar: "Living in the Liberated Landscape" with Larry Weaner

Hosted by Wild Ones National
Thursday, November 20th, 2025
to (Eastern Time)
Online/Virtual

Public Welcome Recording Available Free Event Program/Speaker Presentation

Details coming soon! 

December 2025

Dec
1

Chapter Holiday Gathering Members Only

Monday, December 1st, 2025
to (Eastern Time)
Joseph Glasscock Community Center, 3653 Tom Weathers Dr, Chattanooga, TN, 37415 Map

Members Only Family-Friendly Free Event Chapter Social Wheelchair Accessible Public Restroom Free Public Parking Drinking Fountains

Our Holiday Social is the perfect time to visit with your native plant friends and celebrate a successful TVWO year.  Members are welcome to bring a guest. Please bring an appetizer or dessert to share. More to come!

Dec
9

Free Workshop: "Turn That Patch Into a Plan" with Zoe & Heather Evans

Hosted by Wild Ones National
Tuesday, December 9th, 2025
to (Eastern Time)
Online/Virtual

Public Welcome Recording Available Free Event Program/Speaker Presentation

Designing with native plants isn’t just about what you grow, it’s about how you shape your space. In this hands-on workshop, Zoe Evans (Plan it Wild) and Heather Evans (Design Your Wild) guide you through the process of creating a cohesive yard plan that supports both your lifestyle and biodiversity.

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January 2026

Jan
17

Certificate in Native Plants - Botany I (CORE)

Saturday, January 17th, 2026
to (Eastern Time)
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.

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Jan
21

Free National Webinar- January 2026

Hosted by Wild Ones National
Wednesday, January 21st, 2026
to (Eastern Time)
Online/Virtual

Public Welcome Recording Available Free Event Program/Speaker Presentation

Details coming soon! 

February 2026

Feb
18

Special Benefit Webinar with Richard Louv

Hosted by Wild Ones National
Wednesday, February 18th, 2026
to (Eastern Time)
Online/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. 

Feb
21

Certificate in Native Plants - Botany II (CORE)

Saturday, February 21st, 2026
to (Eastern Time)
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.

Read More

March 2026

Mar
18

Free National Webinar- March 2026

Hosted by Wild Ones National
Wednesday, March 18th, 2026
to (Eastern Time)
Online/Virtual

Public Welcome Recording Available Free Event Program/Speaker Presentation

Details coming soon! 

September 2026

Sep
16

Free National Webinar- September 2026

Hosted by Wild Ones National
Wednesday, September 16th, 2026
to (Eastern Time)
Online/Virtual

Public Welcome Recording Available Free Event Program/Speaker Presentation

Details coming soon! 

October 2026

Oct
21

Free National Webinar- October 2026

Hosted by Wild Ones National
Wednesday, October 21st, 2026
to (Eastern Time)
Online/Virtual

Public Welcome Recording Available Free Event Program/Speaker Presentation

Details coming soon! 

November 2026

Nov
18

Free National Webinar- November 2026

Hosted by Wild Ones National
Wednesday, November 18th, 2026
to (Eastern Time)
Online/Virtual

Public Welcome Recording Available Free Event Program/Speaker Presentation

Details coming soon!