Events

During this field trip, participants will meet at the I-64 park and ride and caravan to the Renew Appalachia strip mine reclamation site in Inez, KY. Attendees will learn about the succession of a landscape, how to restore soil to sustain vegetation, and reforestation after decimation of a forest. We will discuss the layers of soil, and how the roots of native species work together to penetrate deep into soil layers to stabilize soil, sustain biodiversity, and restore the health of a watershed. We hope you will join us! Please register at the link below. 

What is a native plant? During this event, we will have a brief circle time and introduction to native plants in the Forest Co-Op trails! Families will receive a trail guidebook and join a trail buddy before we embark on a search for local native plants and the animal species they support along the way. As we return, we will have a picnic and share our observations. Information for native plant and seed suppliers will be provided in each family's guidebook, and ideas for locating and incorporating native plants into our community's landscapes will be discussed. This event is free and open to the public. 

All Wilding Romps are all-weather events. Please come prepared for rain/cool weather with appropriate shoes, rain jackets, and towels and/or blanket following the hike in case of inclement weather.

Fireflies! During this adults-only evening hike, we will visit our local historical Claylick School to observe one of our most ethereal pollinators: fireflies. During this walk and talk, participants will capture and release fireflies while learning about the habitats we can create to help our fireflies thrive. We will also highlight our other nocturnal pollinators, their native host plants, and the role they play in a healthy ecosystem. 

Join Wild Ones for our monthly meeting, where we will discuss all things edible. We will introduce foraging as a means to control invasive species that enter our gardens, as well as the ethics of foraging native plants we are called to protect. Following this meeting is a Naturalists Night Out event, and members are welcome to stay and sample a foraged meal!

Wild Ones meets with our regional horticulturists to talk foraging from our landscapes--a way to ethically harvest from our native landscapes with conservation in mind. Join us for an adult-oriented forage on private land, preparation and preservation demonstration, and sampling a dish from our harvest. 

How have native plants been used and protected across Appalachia's history? Join us for circle time and a walk around the trails and wildlife center of Heritage Farm to learn about the native plants and across Appalachia's history in gardens and as wildlife habitat. Participants will be encouraged to consider ways they can incorporate native plants into their gardens to build habitat in their own homes and neighborhoods. The event will be led by the farm's Wildlife Educator. Please ensure you dress appropriately for the weather. The cost of the event is $12.75 per individual, and must be paid upon arrival to the farm. 

Please register for this event to be sure enough materials are prepared for the activity. 

Join the Wild Ones as we share tips and information on late-summer native garden care, and preparation for seed collection and fall plantings. This event is free and available to the public. 

Join us for a private garden tour and seed collection demonstration using common native flowers in the landscape. Participants will learn to safely collect, clean, store, and properly label seeds to preserve them for future years. 

Please join us for a walk and signature native tree and shrub planting demonstration. Families will learn about best practices in seasonal transfer of plants, participate in site preparation techniques, and learn techniques for safely transferring woody perennials. 

Why do leaves change color? Wildlings will meet to see the colors we can see, and take in the special scents of the living urban forest ecosystem. During this walk, we will discuss the dormancy process of plants, and spark ideas for painting our landscapes with diverse, colorful native deciduous trees. Following this event, we will visit the Huntington Rose Garden to see what we can do to help "put our gardens to bed" after the leaves fall, and learn about our two native rose varieties we can consider planting in our gardens. 

All Wilding Romps are all-weather events. Please come prepared for rain/cool weather with appropriate shoes, rain jackets, and towels and/or blanket following the hike in case of inclement weather.

How can we support ecosystems during the cold season? Join us for a walk as we discuss best practices to support the health of plant, soil, and insect species in our local growing zone. 

Join Wild Ones to learn tips, ideas, and resources for planning your garden through the winter months. During this session, we will review landscape designs offered by Wild Ones, as well as sharing information for ordering native seeds, plants, and trees from community sources. 

What is cold stratification, and why should native gardeners learn how to do it? During this workshop, we will examine germination processes and ways to encourage germination of local native seeds through cold stratification. No greenhouse needed!

Join us for a Winter Walk through the Charles and Betty Russell Park Loop in Ashland! During this hike we will observe the dormant stages of native plant communities, and how individual plants in a community support each other and animals through the harsh winter weather. Emphasis will be placed on the importance of garden designs that build native plant communities. 

All Wilding Romps are all-weather events. Please come prepared for rain/cool weather with appropriate shoes, rain jackets, and towels and/or blanket following the hike in case of inclement weather.

What are native pollinators, and how can my landscape plants support them? During this 21+ seminar, we will share some of our local common pollinators and the native species that are a part of a healthy ecosystem. Practices to support their populations with native plants in the landscape, and practices for management of invasive populations will be discussed. 

Join us for a short trail walk and discussion about our region's native bees! During this meeting we will view the native flora and environmental components that provide habitat to our native bees, including host plants and sites. We will also provide a brief guidebook identifying common host plants for native bee species in our tri-state region, and how to cultivate them in our native landscapes.