Light pollution was a term coined by astronomers, but today it’s used by ecologists, physiologists, neurologists, and others who study the effects of the disappearing night. Loss of the night is no longer just about losing our view of the heavens, it’s about all living things, including humans. Of all the types of pollution humans…

Selecting Native Plants for Our Landscapes Understanding the natural condition of our landscape is the most important consideration for success as we reintroduce native plants into our garden designs. Selecting the right plant for the existing conditions makes establishment easier and will have a better outcome. We will discuss plant selection based on soil disturbance…

Native Woody Plants You Should Know This talk will cover native plants that perform well in the landscape that are under-utilized or under appreciated. Speaker Bio: Paul Snyder is Operations Manager at Secrest Arboretum, where he oversees garden maintenance, plant production, education, plant records, and the volunteer program which includes the Secrest Master Gardeners. He’s…

Native Plants for Birds, Insects and Biodiversity Birds, insects and native plants are inextricably linked in nature. Whatever happens to one will have an effect on the others. This talk explains those relationships then shows you ways to enhance your personal landscape for birds, insects, or just for the beauty of native plants. Lots of…

Outdoor Mindfulness: Presence with Place How many seeds can one plant before the mind starts wondering? Can you walk the same trail and see it anew each time, with each step? What will you notice about the relationships in nature? In this session we cultivate present awareness through mindfulness practices aimed at deepening our connection…

FREE! Come be a part of habitat restoration with TWC’s Director of Conservation, Dan Volk and the Conservation Team! We will talk about the seed collection and restoration process followed by a morning of collecting seeds. Bring appropriate clothing and footwear for walking through a prairie. This program is intended for adults, with a minimum…

What the heck is growing in my yard! How to identify and manage invasive plants in your backyard. Spend the afternoon with our Land Steward, Zac Justus learning about common backyard invasive plants! We will explore some common landscape varieties that have become invasive and their alternatives, learn how to identify invasive plants, their common…

Gardening for a Concert: Creating Concert Halls for Nature’s Music from Parks to Your Backyard From bird songs in the spring and summer to an evening chorus of crickets and katydids in later summer into fall, we can invite and welcome nature’s chorus into our yards and gardens. A large park may have a full-sized…

Join The Wilderness Center for a new, family-friendly evening summer event to celebrate our shining friends, fireflies! Explore the magical world of fireflies and other nightly creatures, combining education, hands-on activities, and flashes of fun! 🎵 Enjoy Stories and Campfire Songs, and Make & Take Crafts, while supplies last. ✨ Catch the ticketed Planetarium Show:…

Though seldom seen due to their nocturnal nature, moths are every bit as beautiful and charismatic as their butterfly cousins. Their role as pollinators is essential to the survival of many of our plants, especially orchids. Most importantly, moths and their caterpillars are food for birds, bats, and countless other animals. We will take a…