TWC’s Backyard Habitat Initiative strives to celebrate and support our members and community as they increase wildlife habitat and biodiversity, protect their watershed, and conserve natural resources through a wide range of actions at home.   This year’s program kick-off will share several options for backyard habitat certification, provide detailed explanations of their requirements, and…

FREE Native Plant Garden Installation Demonstration Jump into some hands-on learning and help create a beautiful garden for TWC visitors to enjoy for years to come. Then stop by the native plant sale to pick up your pre-order or browse our remaining stock before heading home to craft your own native garden oasis! We’re wrapping…

Ephemeral Excitement: The Spring Rush for Sunlight, Nectar, Pollen & Love Presented by Judy Semroc Conservation specialist, field biologist, and naturalist Judy Semroc has 25+ years of experience offering hands-on exploration-based learning programs. As a former Petroleum Geologist and science teacher, Judy loves to learn about and share her passion for the natural world through…

Native Plant Gardening Basics and Challenges Presented by Sarah Cline, TWC Director of Education       A native plant garden requires less time and energy to maintain than traditional landscaping, but there can be a learning curve as you adopt a new approach to managing your landscape. Let’s go back to the basics and break down the…

Watershed-wise Landscaping Presented by Elaine Bast, Stark County Soil and Water Conservation District Explore how modern-day infrastructure affects our waterways and how you can turn your yard into its own mini watershed to reduce stormwater runoff, improve water quality, reduce potential drainage issues, and invite pollinators.  This program will be offered in-person and virtually. Registration…

Rain Barrel Workshop Presented by TWC staff A rain barrel is a container used to collect and store rainwater that would otherwise contribute to erosion or be lost to runoff, possibly diverted to a storm drain. You can use this collected water to nourish your lawn and garden, conserving resources and supporting a healthier environment.…

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…

If you build it, they will come, the wildlife that is! Let The Wilderness Center help get you started on the right track in your backyard. Providing you with simple yet impactful changes to your yard and landscape that benefit the local wildlife and ecosystem. Discover how small adjustments can create thriving habitats for birds,…