Chapters in Illinois

It's not too early to start preparing for 2026 planting.

Winter sowing in containers is the perfect way to start your native plants from seed. Most natives require seed stratification or a freeze/thaw period to break the seed coat for germination. This method can save you money by growing your plants from seeds, and be spring/summer ready. Winter sowing can also work for perennials, annuals and vegetables! Join us for a hands-on workshop on winter seed sowing.

Master Naturalist Pam Richards, of the Lake Carroll Association Prairie Club, will discuss how to winter sow seeds in enclosed containers. You can grow plants from seeds all winter and transplant these plants right into your garden at the appropriate time.

Pam has been perfecting her winter sowing techniques for three years and produced over one thousand native plants for the 2023 growing season! She will share her knowledge, answer questions and demonstrate different options for winter sowing. Participants will be able to plant one jug during this session.

Registration appreciated to ensure sufficient supplies. Email [email protected]

 Tick borne diseases are a risk for anyone working in or enjoying the outdoors. This presentation will cover the tick species commonly found in Illinois, tick-borne diseases and their life cycle, tick habitat preferences, and measures you can take to reduce the risk of tick bites and tick-borne diseases.

Speaker: Chris Evans,  Extension Forestry and Research Specialist

Note:  This program will occur online via Zoom.  Advance registration is required.  Please click the “Register” button below this program description to register for this program.  A recording of the program will be available on our YouTube channel following the program.

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Phenology is all about timing—when trees leaf out, flowers bloom, birds migrate, animals bear young and hibernate—and it is everywhere around us. Seasonal events quietly but steadily occur in response to fluctuations in daylength, temperatures, and rainfall patterns, and these events are threaded through our daily lives, shaping our experiences and perceptions. As well, the timing of seasonal activity is being affected by rapidly changing climate conditions, with significant ecological and economic impacts. In this presentation, Theresa Crimmins will  share how we are all phenologists in our own way.  She will also share how you can participate in documenting the timing of seasonal life cycle events—for the benefits to mental health and for the good of the environment, as the data gathered can be directly helpful in supporting climate change action.

Presenter Bio:

Theresa Crimmins is the Director of the USA National Phenology Network and works enthusiastically to support growth in Nature’s Notebook and a broader appreciation of phenology among scientists and non-scientists alike. Theresa is also an Associate Professor in the School of Natural Resources and the Environment at the University of Arizona and has published over 70 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters. Her writing has appeared in Scientific American, The Hill, Eos, Nautilus, Popular Science, and more, and she has had several appearances on NPR as well as PBS, The Weather Channel, and Fox Weather. Her book, Phenology, came out earlier this spring and her TEDx talk is available online.

Growing native plants from seed generally involves different processes than growing many garden vegetables from seed because most native plant seeds need to “experience” winter conditions in order to successfully germinate.  In this program you will learn - where to get native plant seed; how to create the conditions needed for native plant seeds to germinate; and how to prepare your seedlings for life in your garden.  Free native seed packets will be available to get you started so that your plants are ready to plant in your garden this spring. Supplies of these seed packets are limited.  Some of these seeds were harvested from the new Prairie on the Patio native plant garden at Bloomington Public Library.

This program and Bloomington Public Library's new Prairie on the Patio Garden was made possible through grant funding from the Illinois Prairie Community Foundation with additional support from Wild Ones: Illinois Prairie Chapter. 
 

Presenter Bio:

Sherrie Snyder is a graduate of the University of Illinois Extension Master Naturalist program, a founding member of the Illinois Prairie chapter of Wild Ones, and an active member of the ParkLands Foundation. She has grown and donated thousands of native plants for natural plantings around the community.

Learn about the bats of Illinois and Lake County, including steps you can take to provide habitat for bats in your backyard or neighborhood. Understand threats to bats and simple ways you can help to protect your local bat populations.

Speaker: Dr Joy O'Keefe, Associate Professor and Wildlife Extension Specialist in Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences at the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign.