Event Schedule:
6:00 pm to 8:00 pm | Open house resource fair, indoors and outdoors.
7:00 pm | Naturalist led walking tour of Wood Lake
All activities are free and open to public.
2024 Guests and Educational Programs
MINNESOTA NATIVE FLORA AND FAUNA EXPERTS
Dragons Wynd | Jessica Wyn Miller
Sharing the wonder and fascination that comes from the world of insects. If you have ever felt disgust or fear from seeing an insect? Then come to us. Using current research and interesting facts we hope to add curiosity to your reaction and an appreciation of the services these insects provide.
Ironwood Foraging | Tim Clemens
Every time we walk in a city park, we are likely passing by something edible. Ironwood Foraging offers public and private education on a wide range of exciting topics including Wild Mushroom Identification, Edible and Medicinal Plants, Fruit, Nuts, and Berries.
Pasque Ecological Design & Consulting | Nathalie Shanstrom
In her work as a landscape architect, Nathalie draws out the beauty of regional landscapes to create functional spaces that foster healthy, invigorating and meaningful connections between people and their environment. Her landscape designs maximize sustainability and ecological function, bringing healing to scarred landscapes and its inhabitants.
ReWild Native Gardens | Andy Scott & Associates
Go wild, plant native! Gardens that utilize native plants (and wildlife-friendly practices) not only provide nectar and pollen but also act as hosts for butterflies and bees - giving them support for their entire life cycle. ReWild creates garden spaces that beautify your yard while also supporting a myriad of important native pollinators and bird species.
WILD ONES PARTNERS
Altlawns of Richfield and Bloomington | Mallory Mascoli and Gwen Bennett
Altlawns is a community-based organization with a mission to create biodiverse native habitat in place of lawns by providing community education and support to local residents. At our resource fair, Mallory and Gwen will be demonstrating how to transfer winter sown seedlings into larger containers. They will also show how to make your own containers by upcycling paper. You will be able to take home your own up-potted native plant.
Blue Thumb—Planting for Clean Water® | Jacqueline Nguyen and Becca Krasky
The Blue Thumb Partnership is a state-wide network of clean water and native plant stewards creating change to bridge the gap between knowledge and action by offering free DIY resources and paid programs to Minnesotans; including Lawns to Legumes, Resilient Yards Workshops, and more! Blue Thumb is coordinated by Metro Blooms’, an MPLS-based non-profit.
Minnesota Dragonfly Society | John Arthur and Ria Nielsen
Minnesota Dragonfly Society is a volunteer-run 501c3 nonprofit created to ensure the conservation of Minnesota's dragonflies and damselflies through research and education. Learn more about dragonflies and damselflies and how they're connected to other native wildlife and habitat.
Xerces Society | Diane Hirigoyen, Ambassador
The Xerces Society is a trusted source for science-based information and advice, playing a leading role in promoting the conservation of pollinators and many other invertebrates. We collaborate with people and institutions at all levels and our work to protect bees, butterflies, freshwater mussels and other invertebrates encompasses all landscapes.
GUIDED TOUR OF WOOD LAKE
This is a lively time at Wood Lake. Most plants, trees, and shrubs will be fully leafed out and we continue to see spring wildflowers and warblers. Tour guide, naturalist Aaron McGuire, will watch for courting and nest building and fresh blooms on the floor of the forest. We might also touch on the natural and cultural history of the land.
About Your Guide | Aaron McGuire currently works seasonally as a naturalist for Eastman Nature Center and periodically conducts programs at Wood Lake Nature Center. His interests range widely from glacial geology to restoration ecology, all the way to the interactions between nature and culture. His abiding passions include the study of plants and birds. He lives near the Mississippi River Gorge, a place he often visits to observe the native flora and fauna.
WILD ONES EDUCATION AND MERCHANDISE
The mission of Wild Ones, Native Plants Native Landscapes, is to promote native landscapes through education, advocacy and collaborative action. Twin Cities chapter members will be available to answer questions.
Education and Resource Table | Ask an experienced Wild Ones member
Native Plants, Soil and Climate Resilience | Ginny Halloran
Wild Ones Summer Activities | Tours and Stewardship Projects | Nokomis Naturescape
Merchandise |
Native Plant Signs for $3 each, native shrubs for $10 and a half price book sale, check or cash only.
Hands on Demonstrations
Earthworm Identification and Jumping Worm Prevention | Julia Vanatta, Wild Ones
Bareroot Plant Demonstration | Robert Hatlveig, Master Gardener
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Home Grown National Park | Douglas Tallamy
Wednesday, May 15th - 6pm
Co-sponsored by Wild Ones Prairie Edge and the City of Minnetonka
Live Streamed and Viewing Party
Eden Prairie City Hall | Heritage Room (on lower level)
8080 Mitchell Road | Eden Prairie, MN 55344
Join Zoom HERE
Have your questions for Douglas ready for a Q & A after the presentation!
Moderated by Heather Holm
Local experts will be on hand following the presentation to answer any questions following the presentation.
Refreshments and handouts will be provided.
- Attracting Birds to Your Garden with Native Plants booklets,
- Attracting Butterflies to Your Garden with Native Plants booklets,
- Climate Resilient Landscapes booklets
- Native Plant Nurseries & Landscape Services in Minnesota & Western Wisconsin brochures, and
- New benefits of native plants lawn signs available for sale
Our parks, preserves, and remaining wildlands – no matter how grand in scale – are too small and separated from one another to sustain the native trees, plants, insects, and animals on which our ecosystems depend. We can fix this problem by practicing conservation outside of wildlands, where we live, work, shop, farm, and ranch. Thus, the concept for Homegrown National Park: a national challenge to create diverse ecosystems in our yards, communities, farms, and surrounding lands by reducing lawn, planting native, and removing invasives. The goal of HNP is to create a national movement to restore 20 million acres with natives, an area representing ½ of what is now in lawn, as well as millions more acres in agriculture and woodlots. We are at a critical point where we are losing so many native plant and animal species that our life support systems are in jeopardy. However, if many people make small changes, we can restore healthy ecological networks and weather the changes ahead.
Doug Tallamy is the T. A. Baker Professor of Agriculture in the Department of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology at the University of Delaware, where he has authored 112 research publications and has taught insect related courses for 43 years. Chief among his research goals is to better understand the many ways insects interact with plants and how such interactions determine the diversity of animal communities. His books include Bringing Nature Home, The Living Landscape, co-authored with Rick Darke, Nature's Best Hope, a New York Times Best Seller, The Nature of Oaks, winner of the American Horticultural Society’s 2022 book award. In 2021 he cofounded Homegrown National Park with Michelle Alfandari (HomegrownNationalPark.org). His awards include recognition from The Garden Writer’s Association, Audubon, The National Wildlife Federation, Allegheny College, Ecoforesters, The Garden Club of America and The American Horticultural Association.
