Events Calendar

Panel Discussion to provide ideas about how lawns and native plants can coexist.

Core Class for the Certificate in Native Plants

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.
Description: Specific topics that we will touch on include: living vs. non-living things, matter, energy, chemistry, cells and their functions, photosynthesis, respiration, natural and artificial selection, and the diversity of the plant world.
Preparing for class: Write down three questions about plants - things that you don’t know and are curious about - and bring them to class.
What to bring with you: It would be good to purchase a used general botany text online, at McKay’s Used Books, or your favorite bookstore. A copy of the TN Native Plant Society’s Wildflowers of Tennessee by Horn and Cathcart would also be helpful, as would What if Trees Could Walk?: A Sewanee Tree Book by Mary Priestley. If you have a 10X magnifier, that would be helpful.
Session objectives: By the end of the class, you will be able to 
1. Compare and contrast living and non-living things and between plants and other living things.
2. Discuss some basic functions of plants.
3. Recognize the variety of organisms that make up the plant kingdom.
Agenda:
9 am - 12:15 pm
What a plant is, how plants fit into the environment, and a basic biology primer.
12:15 pm - 12:45 pm - Lunch Break
12:45 pm - 4:00 pm
Survey of the Plant Kingdom: bryophytes, ferns and fern allies, gymnosperms, and angiosperms
(major families), touching on fungi, algae, and lichens. Weather permitting, we will take a short
walk to look at some of these organisms in the field.
Conclusion and assignments: Jack and the Beanstalk and My Adopted Plant

Instructors:
Richard Clements, Ph.D., is a Professor of Biology and Environmental Science at Chattanooga
State Community College. He has served on the board of the Tennessee Exotic Pest Council and
has conducted many programs on invasive species, local flora, environmental issues and
astronomy. Email: [email protected]
Mary Priestley is an associate of the Sewanee Herbarium. editor of the herbarium's newsletter The Plant Press, and coordinator of the Herbarium-sponsored nature journaling group. She is the author of William’s Wildflowers children’s guide to wildflowers, What if Trees Could Walk?

Explore how native gardening can address climate challenges in our next Wild Ones national webinar, “Cultivating Change” with author and activist Lorraine Johnson. Johnson has been researching and writing about environmental issues for three decades. Learn about the pivotal role of gardening as an act of stewardship in the face of climate and ecological challenges. Discover the profound connections between individual gardens and the broader world and learn how these green spaces can serve as catalysts for positive ecological and social change.  Join Wild Ones for a practical and insightful discussion on gardening's positive impact on the environment and our future. 

Virtual registrants will receive a link to watch the talk live as well as a link to the recording. The recording will only be available for a limited time. 

FREE and Open to the Public

Since 1984, Chattanooga has seen a 43% reduction in its urban forest and a 134% increase in developed land. While forest and urban tree canopy cover still comprise approximately 49% of the total land area of Chattanooga, the distribution and density of forest and urban tree canopy is very uneven - the tree canopy in downtown is 14% and in Highland Park is 21%.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has awarded Chattanooga a grant of $6 million to develop and maintain urban forests, green space and waterways in underserved communities. Pete Stewart, City Forester, along with Anna Mathis, Natural Resources Manager in Parks & Outdoors and the lead applicant on the grant, will discuss what this means for Chattanooga.

They will provide an update on the outlines of potential grant-funded work under the UCF-IRA grant and will discuss how the Tennessee Valley Chapter of Wild Ones can help with these efforts.

Then the audience gets to ask questions!

The meeting is free and open to the public - and at a new location with plenty of free parking.

Part two of the CORE Botany I and II classes

“Close Encounters with ‘Lower Plants’: Reproduction in non- seed-bearing plants” even comes with a take-home terrarium! All thanks to instructor Charlotte Freeman, MS.
You could think of this half-day, elective class as ‘Sex lives (or not) of plants.”
Some plants reproduce by seeds, but others do not include seeds in their life cycle.  The latter used to be called “Lower Plants” and included liverworts, hornworts, mosses, ferns and other less common allies such as lycopodium, spike moss, whisk ferns and horsetails.

In this course you’ll examine the life cycles of these non-seed-bearing plants.

Species estimates for Bryophytes are in excess of 25,000! That makes it important that we include them in our repertoire of native plants. 

Objective: To learn some elementary biology of the non-
seed producing plants. This will include a brief
introduction to plant classification and basic terminology
and focus on the life cycles of plants that reproduce
without seeds. As time permits, we will introduce some
resources if you want to begin a moss/fern
garden/terrarium of your own. Free samples of some
mosses and liverworts will be available if they stay alive in
my kitchen! You should be able to find any plant life cycle
and be able to understand the steps when we are done.
We will examine some of the sporangia and sori under
microscopes or via the technology as time permits. Living
examples will be displayed as available. Each person will
receive a terrarium in process of getting established.

TVWO is collaborating with Waterways to train volunteers to evaluate yards for the RainSmart program.

Apartment dwellers and those working in small areas take heart! This program will teach how to use native plants in containers.  Catherine Shaw Truelove, former owner of Bees on a Bicycle, and Ann Brown (TVWO) will instruct us on design and plant selection of natives for containers. 

Registration for this event is now closed, and registrants have been emailed about attending. Please contact [email protected] if you have any issues getting in.

This will be a paid event for both in-person and remote viewing. Virtual registrants will receive a link to watch Dr. Kimmerer's talk live as well as a link to the recording. The recording will only be available for a limited time. 

Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants
Ecological restoration can be understood as an act of reciprocity, in return for the gifts of the earth. This talk explores the ecological and ethical imperatives of healing the damage we have inflicted on our land and waters. We trace the evolution of restoration philosophy and practice and consider how integration of indigenous knowledge can expand our understanding of restoration from the biophysical to the biocultural. Reciprocal restoration includes not only healing the land but our relationship to land. In healing the land, we are healing ourselves.

Wild Ones is excited to cohost this event with the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh's Earth Week 2024 and the Wild Ones Fox Valley Chapter. 

This course will explore the rich spring flora of Shakerag Hollow, an old-growth cove forest located on the campus of the University of the South in Sewanee, TN.
Participants will be taught how to identify over 30 species of wildflowers and learn about the ecology of this highly diverse forest community. Wildflower display in Shakerag
Hollow rivals that found in the Great Smoky Mountains and this course will occur during peak flowering time. Participants will be required to make a ½ mile leisurely trek along a moderately steep trail into the cove and then back out again.
Preparing for class:
Review this website featuring flora of Shakerag Hollow:
http://jonevanslab.wixsite.com/home/mesic-upper-lower-slope
What to Bring with You: Bring a copy of the TN Native Plant Society’s Wildflowers of Tennessee by Horn and Cathcart, if you have it. If you have a 10x magnifier, that would also be helpful. We will provide you with a list of plant species you are likely to see along with a picture sheet to use in the field.

Arabia Mtn, Lithonia, Georgia and 1 or 2 native nursery visits nearby along return.  Stephan Eselgroth hike guide.  Check back for registration information.

This class covered vegetative propagation of native plants.

This program could not be more timely as plans are underway for Chattanooga to develop our urban canopy with funding from a $6 million grant from the Dept. of Agriculture.  Hannah Lewis, the author of "Mini-Forest Revolution: Using the Miyawaki Method to Rapidly Rewild the World" will be our speaker. This is unique approach to reforestation was devised by Japanese botanist Akira Miyawaki. Lewis will explain how tiny forests can grow quickly and offer rich biodiversity and environmental benefits, more so than forests planted by conventional methods.  

Members will tour yards of volunteers to learn about different types of native plant gardens.

We plan to cruise along the bluffs for about 2 hours viewing the wildflowers from the boat, eat lunch in a cove, and then travel to Floating Mill to see a rookery of Cormorants and Great Blue Herons.

An overview of many of the principles of native plant gardening. It is a survey course designed to provide the latest science for the context of what we are trying to apply in individual yard and landscapes. 

Zach Irick will be our hike guide to Keel Mtn Preserve (Lost sink falls trail), near Gurly, Alabama and view Stephen's Gap Callahan Cave along return.  

Local butterflier Jeffrey Schaarschmidt will discuss the current state of the Baltimore Checkerspot butterfly in Tennessee, and specifically at McDonald Farm in Hamilton County.  Jeffrey Schaarschmidt is an attorney who enjoys birding and butterflying in and around Tennessee.  He has spent the last 4 years collecting butterfly population data in Tennessee with the goal of creating a online state-wide atlas for ever butterfly species documented in the state.  

Background
By definition, rain gardens contain shallow bowl-shaped depressions placed where they may catch rainwater runoff from rooftops and pavements. They are managed to maintain a variety of deep-rooted, native plants and healthy soils to allow for infiltration. They also create an opportunity to provide food and cover for a variety of desirable wildlife, like songbirds and beneficial insects. All plants contained in this list are native to Tennessee and can tolerate temporary inundation as expected during and following rainfall.

Two TVWO members will open their yards to members to view their landscaping.

For many "plan" is a 4-letter word. However, taking stock of your landscape and other inputs is an important first step and can save you time and money in the short and long run. In this session, we will go over basic steps on how to begin converting (more of) your landscape into a "Homegrown National Park". 

In her presentation, Nurturing Nature:  A Prairie Mom's Guide, Deborah will share what she has learned about transforming fescue pastures into prairies as well as identifying and restoring grassland ecosystems that have been hiding in forests.

Deborah Rosenthal is a retired Appellate Court Attorney from Los Angeles.  She and her husband moved to White Bluff, Tennessee in 2017 and quickly embraced the privilege of being land stewards.  They started with 30 acres of mostly forest, and now manage 73 acres of forest, woodland, savanna and prairie. 

Native plants come in all shapes and sizes, from bare root seedlings and small plugs to pots ranging from 1" cups to 10+ gallons. We will discuss how to evaluate the plants before you buy them and also how to plant them. Planting will include site preparation, processing the plant, digging the hole, properly putting the plant in the ground and filling up that hole, plus after-planting care. Your planting method makes a difference.  The Sterchi Farm Pavilion is  located alongside South Chickamauga Creek, near the Waterhaven subdivision.  

At this Summer Tree ID class, we'll be learning about leaf morphology & other easily identifiable features (EIFs) to identify the most ubiquitous native tree species in the field as well as the use of a dichotomous key for trickier tree species. In Chattanooga, we have the privilege of an extremely diverse and ecologically convergent location which makes identification engaging and fun. By the end, you should confidently be able to ID common trees within their Family and use advanced techniques to get down to Genus and Species.

Several of our members will share photos and growing tips on their favorite natives. 

Not all valley properties are the same, but they all reside in lowland areas that differentiate them from nearby mountain properties. In this class you will learn about the unique conditions of valley locations and how to select native plants that are suitable for them. You will also learn how to best use those plants in the native landscape. Native plant selection tools and plant lists will be provided. 

Explore how native plants can enhance biodiversity and support ecosystems in our upcoming Wild Ones national webinar, “Combating the Biodiversity Crisis with Native Plants” featuring Sarah Gray and Coralie Palmer from the Indiana Native Plant Society.

Native plants are essential for maintaining biodiversity as they provide food and shelter for a wide range of wildlife, including pollinators, birds, and beneficial insects. By incorporating native plants into your landscape, you can create a thriving ecosystem that supports local fauna and flora. These plants are well-adapted to local environmental conditions, making them more resilient to climate change and reducing the need for chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Attendees will learn how native plants can improve soil health, enhance water retention, and contribute to a more sustainable and vibrant ecosystem.

Sara and Coralie are part of the Indiana Native Plant Society (INPS) Landscaping team, and they have collaborated on diverse projects across Indiana, including native planting schemes for schools, community gardens, the Eiteljorg Museum, and the Humane Society. Their new design for Indianapolis reflects typical sub-divisions in Indiana and considers future climate challenges, such as increased flooding and hotter, drier summers. The design features resilient, native Indiana plants that thrive in local soil conditions and contribute to the ecosystem.

Don’t miss this opportunity to gain insights from leading experts in native plants! Participants will gain practical insights into native garden designs and learn how tailored landscaping can support wildlife, promote ecological balance, and help restore natural habitats. 

Member hikes are a great way to learn about native plants! Southeastern Grasslands Institute ecologist/botanist Zach Irick will lead an educational tour of the native wildflowers, shrubs and trees of Town Creek as it courses over Sand Mountain in N.E. Alabama. You will come away with ideas for natural rock gardens and rain garden designs, siting and growth patterns, as well as identification of many native plants that are often available for the landscape.

We will visit the creek at 2 sites, which include High Falls Park and an unnamed glade complex just upstream. As we return from the creek, we will visit Chitwood Barrens Preserve, a nearby site with numerous flowering species, which protects the green pitcher plant (Sarracenia oreophila).

Town Creek scours along its sandstone margins during flooding events, creating glade complexes which are quite visually appealing with floristically rich plant communities that prefer acid soils. There are several uncommon species and endemics to the region such as Lookout Mountain coreopsis (C. pulchra), longleaf sunflower (H. longifolius), Smallhead blazingstar (Liatris microcephala), Nuttall's rayless goldenrod (Bigelowia nutallii), Little River Canyon onion (Allium speculae), threadstalk guara (G. filipes), several Lobelia (L. puberula, L. spicata,L. cardinalis), ironweed (Vernonia flaccidifolia, V. gigantea), Cumberland and rose pink gentian (Sabatia capitata, S. angularis), Curtiss's milkwort (Polygala curtissii), and many more.

Hike Leader: Zach Irick is the Southern Appalachian Grasslands Ecologist for the Southeastern Grasslands Institute. Zach has broad experience in field botany, plant taxonomy, plant community ecology, and restoration ecology throughout the interior southeast. Through his affiliation with SGI, he has worked with federal, state, private, and non-profit entities to lead research and restoration projects in the Southern Appalachian region. In his spare time, he likes to study the plants of the southern Table Plateaus (Lookout and Sand Mountain), southern Ridge and Valley (Coosa valley area), northern Cumberland Plateau of Tennessee (Big South Fork and Obed), and anywhere else really. He also enjoys drinking coffee all day every day.

Rating:  Easy to moderate.

Distance:  Comprised of 3 - 1 mile explorations with creek and waterfall overlooks. Out and back trails.

Duration: Approximately 7 hours due to driving and lunch break between stops. Participants will have the option of departing early or staying on for extra viewing as desired.

General: Bring snack/water/lunch, insect repellent, sunscreen and hat, appropriate shoes for light trail hiking and, if desired, hiking poles for some slick uneven stone surfaces. Not pets on any of our Wild Ones hikes please.

This program is free and open to Wild Ones members and their guests.

Lorrie Otto (1919 - 2010) is the founder of the natural landscaping movement and taught others to view natural landscaping as a public good rather than as a health hazard. She was the founding inspiration for Wild Ones Native Plants, Natural Landscaping. Lorrie often used the words of Chief Seattle when she spoke: “We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, but rather borrow it from our descendants.”

As a passionate advocate for natural landscaping and the environment, Lorrie Otto's legacy is a testament to the power of individual action in conservation. An inspiration for the founding of Wild Ones.

Celebrating her birthday with cake and a native plant seed swap is a wonderful way to honor her memory and continue her mission of nurturing biodiversity and natural beauty in our communities. Let's gather to share native plant seeds, and the spirit of conservation that Lorrie championed throughout her remarkable life.  Click the link below for details about the seed swap.

The mantra “sleep, creep and leap” is a good description for the three growing seasons it can take for your native perennials to put on a show in your garden. In the meantime, you can get off to a quicker start using native annuals and groundcovers to provide cover, color, and pollen and nectar in your new planting areas.

Sally Wencel, past President of both the Tennessee Valley Chapter and National Wild Ones, will present a variety of native annuals, ground covers, and short-lived perennials that we don't usually think of when planning new garden areas, converting to native gardens or refreshing existing plantings. You might be surprised by the options we have available in this area.

There will be a seed swap before the meeting (beginning at 5:30 p.m.) and a birthday party for Lorrie Otto, who inspired the founding of the Wild Ones.

Note new location!

Instructor: Henning Von Schmeling, Senior Director of Operations, Chattahoochee Nature Center

Description: Topics to be covered include seed parts, germination, seed collection and storage and post-germination handling. 
 

This is an ELECTIVE course about propagating native plant seeds. 

The class provides 4 hours toward the completion of the Certificate in Native Plants program. 

You do not need to be pursuing the Certificate to enroll in this class.

The fee for the course is $40 for members/$50 for nonmembers, plus a $5 charge for supplies.

Selection and layering of native plants is important for a thriving ecosystem in mountain gardens. Strategies for creating and managing those gardens in both sunny and woodland conditions will be discussed. Plant lists will be provided. 

Speakers: Ann Brown & Nora Bernhardt

Explore the ecological and aesthetic advantages of hedges and hedgerows in our upcoming Wild Ones national webinar, “The Beauty and Benefits of Hedgerows” with Heather McCargo, founder of Wild Seed Project.

Native hedgerows are diverse plantings of woody plants from shrubs to small trees along with herbaceous groundcovers at their base.  Learn how these low-maintenance and sustainable plantings of shrubs, trees, and groundcovers can enhance biodiversity, provide critical habitats for wildlife, and contribute to climate resilience. Discover practical tips for designing and implementing hedgerows in various landscapes, from farms to urban settings, and understand their role in supporting pollinators, birds, and soil health. 

 You will also learn about Heather McCargo and the Wild Seed Project's latest collaboration with Wild Ones on the new Native Garden Design for Portland, ME. Don't miss this opportunity to gain insights from a leading expert in native plant restoration and take your landscaping skills to the next level. 

Landscapes in Progress events were designed as a way for our members to learn more about native plant gardening from the experiences of other members. Like all of our gardens, these gardens are “in progress.” They do not have to be perfect, although there are always some really amazing and beautiful things to see. We have found that these garden visits are a great way to learn about a variety of native plants and the conditions in which they thrive. 

Join members of the Tennessee Valley Chapter of Wild Ones for a tour of two of our members' gardens. One is on Missionary Ridge and the other in East Ridge.

You will receive directions and parking details in a follow-up email.

Southeastern Grasslands Institute ecologist/botanist Zach Irick will lead an educational tour of the native savanna and creekside scour grasslands. We'll view nearly every genus of the aster family in their prime. Come explore with us for a view of native grasses,fall wildflowers, shrubs and trees of the WMA which is bordered by two scenic waterways �" the Obed Wild and Scenic River and its tributary, Daddy's Creek. You'll also hear bobwhite, see migratory birds, numerous butterfly and native bee species and will come away with ideas for savanna and prairie plantings, rock garden and rain garden designs, natural growth patterns, as well as identification of many native plants that are often available for the landscape.

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Caring for your garden as it grows and changes over time is the best part! In this class we will discuss basics of sustainable landscape care like optimizing maintenance activities for wildlife support, and reducing air and water pollution. There are key differences between managing a native plant garden and a conventional landscape, so let's get into it.

For this class, meet in the parking area between the recycling center and the Community Fitness Center. 

Free and Open to the Public

Fall �" and the best time to plant many of our natives �" is just around the corner. And so the Tennessee Valley Wild Ones Fall Plant Sale! 

During the sale, we'll also be honoring our newest members, along with the recent Certificate in Native Plants graduates who've worked hard to complete their coursework and volunteer hours.

So SAVE THE DATE and make plans to join us. 

Michael Strok, Chair of the Chattanooga Tree Commission, will describe the Chattanooga Tree Canopy Project and why it is titled Understory. This is a multi-year project with significant federal funding to increase the tree canopy in central Chattanooga.

The short presentation will be followed by a discussion of how the Wild Ones can engage with the project to amplify its impact and success.

The program is free and open to the public.

Landscapes in Progress events were designed as a way for our members to learn more about native plant gardening from the experiences of other members. Like all of our gardens, these gardens are "in progress." They do not have to be perfect, although there are always some really amazing and beautiful things to see! We have found that these garden visits are a great way to learn about a variety of native plants and the conditions in which they thrive. 

Join members of the Tennessee Valley Chapter of Wild Ones for a tour of two of our members' gardens. One is In Tunnel Hill GA, and the other in Rocky Face GA. You will receive directions and parking details in a follow-up email the week of the event.

Learn how to use high-density plantings that replicate natural ecosystems in aesthetically pleasing designs, enhancing ecological functions while reducing maintenance efforts in our upcoming Wild One's national webinar, "Matrix Landscape Design" with author, landscape designer, activist, and educator Benjamin Vogt.

Matrix planting is a landscape design approach that mimics natural ecosystems by closely planting and layering compatible perennials and grasses to cover the soil, provide more ecosystem services, and eliminate the need for wood mulch or aggressive weeding.  Join Wild Ones for a webinar to learn how author, educator, and landscape designer Benjamin Vogt applies this approach to create stunning native gardens. Learn the principles behind this method, its ecological benefits, and practical steps to implement matrix planting in your own garden. 

You will also learn about Benjamin's latest collaboration with Wild Ones on the new Native Garden Design for Lincoln, NE. Don't miss this opportunity to gain insights from a leading voice in natural garden design and take your gardening skills to the next level. Register now to secure your spot! 

The Ochs Gateway Trail is just one of many interconnected trails along the northwest side of Lookout Mountain. Stephan Eselgroth, MD will lead this hike and the exploration of the bluffs and woodland habitat to Jackson Spring via the Jackson Gap Trail. Consisting of mostly sandstone, there will be a great number of huge rock outcrops, cliffs, a few seeps, and a creek/falls like spring fed from Jackson Lake just above. We should be surrounded by fall colors amongst the native trees and shrubs as we explore this trail and its vistas.

All Tennessee Valley Wild Ones members and guests are welcome to attend.  We will have a potluck lunch, election of officers, highlights of 2024, and a plant swap.  Please bring a dish and plants to share. This is a great time to visit with other native plant enthusiasts!

Native plants have an incredible ability to adapt to climate extremes, offering sustainable solutions for resilient landscapes. Join Wild Ones and the Native Plant Society of Texas to explore the power of native plants to thrive in challenging conditions.

This event features Christy Ten Eyck, founder of Ten Eyck Landscape Architects. Drawing from her latest Dallas-Fort Worth native garden design, Christy will share insights into designing low-maintenance, ecologically rich spaces that withstand intense climate fluctuations.

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.  

Neonicotinoid insecticides, commonly known as “neonics,” have become the most widely used insecticides in the U.S., leading to drastic declines in bees, pollinators, birds, and aquatic ecosystems. In this webinar, Lucas Rhoads, Senior Attorney with NRDC’s Pesticides & Pollinators Team, will share expert insights on how neonics impact our environment and pose serious risks to human health. He’ll delve into the harms associated with neonic-treated seeds, which are a major source of contamination, and explore effective policy advocacy strategies to rein in their widespread use without disrupting farmers or landscapers.