Chapters in Alabama

Jesse Akozbek, AKA the Feral Forager, will lead Wild Ones on an ethnobotanical journey to explain the principles of foraging and cooking wild plants, including native and invasive species and what plants to forage in early spring.

This will be a social hike to meet other members and learn about plant identification. Please RSVP if you plan to attend.

Join us for a tour of the famous Paint Rock Research Center where Bill Finch will explain the exciting research they are doing on the flora of North Alabama. Be sure to bring water, a hat, bug spray, and appropriate outdoor attire.

Since retiring, Herb Lewis has dedicated himself to landscaping, birding, and photography. Over the past 20 years, he has channeled his knowledge and experience into creating a natural wildlife habitat within his own backyard garden to attract native and migrating birds. Herb shares his success and techniques for attracting birds through presentations, workshops and training events.  His birding interest has expanded into the establishment of the Lewis Birding Trail and Lewis Bird Watch at the Huntsville Botanical Garden.  Herb also assisted the Land Trust of North Alabama in developing a bird viewing facility at their Chapman Mountain Nature Preserve.

The presentation illustrates the benefits of gardening for the birds.  Some of the techniques for developing a backyard wildlife habitat to attract a wide variety of birds are included along with personal photographs of the birds in the garden environment.  The program shows methods for incorporating native plants, providing shelter, and incorporating water features into the garden habitat.  The goal is to share the resulting enjoyment and benefits from expanding the vision of backyard gardening.

Why should you plant native plants? Planting native plants provides food for many insects, which in turn feeds our birds.  Additionally, native plants provide natural pest control and soil management.  This presentation focuses on which native plants attract which insects and how to plant and maintain a native garden. Join us for a special guest lecture from Wild Ones Middle Tennessee membership chair Alicia Allen who will guide us on a journey.