Events

Identifying Native Trees and Shrubs in Winter
Instructor: Danielle Bell
Format: In person
Date/Time: Saturday, February 22, 9:00am-2:30pm (half hour lunch on your own)
Location: Mequon Nature Preserve
Elective (5 hours)
Description: At first glance, all trees can look the same in winter. However, if you look at them in detail you can identify a tree to species by examining the buds, bark, and site conditions. Each species has a unique bud that holds the future leaves and flowers that will emerge in the spring and they know the ideal time to emerge. First we will look at the anatomy of twigs and how buds can be used to identify woody species for both native and invasive species. Then we will go outside to look at plants in their environment to look at bark and overall structure of the plants.

An email with specific details will be sent to you approximately 2-5 days before the course.

We’ll gather for a brief, but required, business meeting to share our successes from the past year and let you know what’s coming up in 2025. Light snacks and beverages will be provided along with a fun ice-breaker. Bring your questions and suggestions for the board. The meeting is open to all members. Please register with a free ticket so we can make space accommodations. 

Establishing & Managing Native Plant Communities
Instructor: Shannon Davis-Foust and Mel Mohr
Format: In person
Date/Time: Saturday, March 29, 9:00am-3:30pm
Location: UW Oshkosh Campus
Core Course (6 hours)

The first half of this course will be on the basic essentials to starting a native planting; including an understanding of native plants, how to determine appropriate species for a site, site preparation, planting, and maintenance. The second half of the course will cover identifying weed problems, prioritizing weed species and resolving weed issues in a new or existing prairie. Learn how to differentiate between a weedy plant species and an invasive plant species and how to determine the need to take immediate action for one weed problem over another. This course will also go over different methods for controlling weeds through mechanical, chemical and burn management options.

An email with specific details will be sent to you approximately 2-5 days before the course.

Are you ready to compost, but not sure where to start? Ready to learn how to turn your kitchen scraps into nutrient-rich soil? Then this learning session is for you. Come to our in-person workshop where we'll teach you all about the magic of composting. Learn the best practices for successful composting, equipment and supplies needed (and not needed), and do’s and don’ts. You’ll be on your way to free and non-chemical fertilizer in no time. Online registration due April 5. No experience necessary - just bring your enthusiasm and any questions you have!

Location: To be determined. Keep an eye out for updates as we finalize the details.

Nature Teaching Strategies for All Ages
Instructor: Shannon Davis-Foust
Date/Time: Saturday, April 12, 9:00am – 3:30pm
Location: Coughlin Center, JPCC Meeting Room B, 625 E. Co. Trk Y, Oshkosh
Elective (6 hrs)
Course fee: $72 (Wild Ones members & students get 15% off) Optional Project WILD Certification: Add $50 (includes Project WILD book)
Description: Do you want to promote environmental stewardship and contribute to the mental and physical health of people of all ages? This course will provide you with the framework you need to conduct your own environmental education programs. You will be provided with engaging activities that meet government standards. This is a hands-on workshop! Whether you're a formal or nonformal educator or just want to come have some fun, this course has something for everyone. Sign up by March 30th to get the Project WILD book with over 100 activities.

You do not need to be a Wild Ones member to take this course.

This class counts towards the Wisconsin Native Plant Certification Program. https://foxvalleyarea.wildones.org/certificate-in-native-plants/

About the instructor:
Dr. Shannon Davis-Foust has over 20 years teaching experience in biology, environmental science, and education courses. In 2014, she developed the "Nature Connection Program" in which college students work with elementary students in the outdoor classroom to learn about nature together. Find out more and view the student blog here.

Pre-order your plants for the best choice of grasses, ferns, forbs, sedges, vines, trees, and shrubs. The order form will be available February 2025. Deadline to place your order is March 31. Download an order form from www.foxvalleyarea.wildones.org

Join us for Foraging for Wild Edible Plants!

Are you curious about the tasty treats that Mother Nature has to offer? Come and learn about the abundance of wild edible plants that surround us! David Langner is a highly knowledgeable forager who has taught edible plant programs in the Fox Valley area since 2015. The program will consist of a PowerPoint followed by a hike where he will show and discuss multiple spring edible plants as well as how to use them. The hike will be followed by sampling a few edible plant recipes that he has prepared. Online registration required by May 17.

Don't miss this opportunity to connect with nature, learn about local flora, and maybe even find a new favorite snack! This in-person event is perfect for nature lovers, foodies, and anyone looking to expand their knowledge of the great outdoors.

Identifying Bugs in the Wild
Instructor: Dr. Paul Whitaker
Format: Blended 3-part course
Dates/Times:
Virtual Monday, June 16, 7-8 pm,
Virtual Wednesday, June 18, 7-8 pm,
In person Saturday, June 21, 12-4 pm
Location: UW Stevens Point
Elective (6 hours)
Description: The overall goal of this course is to help you feel better equipped to identify insects associated with plants and to understand plant-insect interactions. You’ll need to spend some time outside of class to complete a modest collection of insect specimens and/or photographs. The virtual sessions will cover basic entomology content, including insect body structure, life stages, life cycles, and ecology. They will also give an overview of diversity of insects associated with land plants and introduce the insect (or photograph) collection project. Weather permitting, the in-person class will begin with an insect walk on the UWSP campus, allowing you to practice various insect collecting techniques. In the lab, we’ll use a variety of live and preserved insects to practice insect rearing and identification.

An email with specific details will be sent to you approximately 2-5 days before the first day of the course.

Butterflies of Wisconsin: Ecology, Identification, and Conservation
Instructor: Dr. Skye Bruce
Format: Blended 2-part course
Dates/Times:
Virtual Saturday, June 28, 6-8 pm
In person Sunday, June 29, 12-2 pm
Location: UW Madison Arboretum
Elective (4 hours)
Description: This course offers a comprehensive exploration into the science of Wisconsin’s native butterflies, focusing on their identification, ecology, and conservation. Through detailed study, participants will delve into the intricate life cycles of butterfly species and the critical role of host plants in their development and survival. The curriculum is designed to equip learners with the skills to identify key butterfly species and understand the selection and cultivation of appropriate host plants, reinforcing the symbiotic relationship between flora and fauna in local ecosystems. Additionally, the course addresses the pressing threats to native butterfly populations and their habitats, from habitat loss to climate change, and discusses scientific strategies for conservation and population support. By combining fieldwork with classroom learning, participants will gain practical and theoretical knowledge, preparing them to contribute effectively to conservation efforts and promote biodiversity within their communities. Recommended book: Butterflies of the North Woods by Larry Weber.

An email with specific details will be sent to you approximately 2-5 days before the course.

The Buzz in Your Garden: Bumble Bees of Wisconsin Ecology, Identification and Conservation
Instructors: Judy Cardin and Susan Carpenter
Format: In person
Dates/Times: Sunday, July 27, 9:30 am-4:00 pm (half hour lunch on your own; bring a packed lunch)
Location: UW Arboretum Madison
Elective (6 hours)
Our charming and peaceful pollinators need your help. Half of Wisconsin’s bumble bees species are threatened. This course shows how each of us can make a difference. Learn what is causing bee population declines, and how to support their native habitat and flower needs. Along the garden path we will learn to identify many of Wisconsin’s 20 bumble bee species. Participants will delve into the life cycles of bumble bees, and flower/bee mutualism resulting from the evolved phenologies of bumble bees and the native flowers they visit for nectar and pollen. We will also explore nesting and hibernation habitat needs, and life inside the bumble bee nest. The curriculum, a combination of classroom and field time, is designed to equip learners with the skills to identify Wisconsin bumble bee species, and the female, male and queen castes of species. We will take an in-depth look at floral and habitat needs of the endangered Rusty patched bumble bee to understand the selection and cultivation of appropriate native flowers and habitat. Additionally, the course addresses the threats to native bumble bee populations and their habitats, including habitat loss, disease, pesticides and climate change. Recommended book: Bumble Bees of North America by Paul Williams et al.

An email with specific details will be sent to you approximately 2-5 days before the course.

Native Plant Ecology and Identification
Instructor: Dr. Paul Whitaker
Format: Blended 3-part class
Dates/Times: virtual Monday Aug 4, 7-8 pm, virtual Monday Aug 11, 7-8 pm, and in person Saturday Aug 16, 12-4 pm
Location: UW Stevens Point
Core Course (6 hours)
Description: Native plants have a variety of fascinating and important interactions with other species. The two virtual sessions will consider interactions that benefit plant through nutrient acquisition, communication, seed dispersal, pollination, and defenses against herbivores, pathogens, and plant competitors. They’ll also introduce aspects of plant anatomy that are helpful for plant identification. The in-person session will provide hands-on study of patterns in plant structures and how these patterns support native plant identification. Recommended resources: Botany Primer, Understanding Botany for Nature’s Notebook, USA-NPN and Botany in a Day: The Patterns Method of Plant Identification by Thomas J. Elpel.

Wisconsin Forests

Instructor: Frank Kirschling
Date/Time: Saturday, Aug 23, 9am-2:30pm (1/2 hour lunch) location: Calumet Co. Park
Elective (5 hours)
Description: This course will cover the identification of most native tree species found throughout Wisconsin. We will discuss different forest types in Wisconsin with their representative tree, shrub and herbaceous species. Basic forestry concepts will be covered and will include restoration ideas for different forest types in Wisconsin. Weather permitting, this course will include field activities.

Back to the Wisconsin Native Plant Certification homepage.

An email with specific details will be sent to you approximately 2-5 days before the course.

Learn more about the Wisconsin Native Plant Certification Program.

A Look at Native Plant Form and Function
Instructor: Dr. Paul Whitaker
Format: Blended, 3-part class
Dates/Times: Virtual Monday Sept 8, 7-8 pm, virtual Monday Sept 15, 7-8 pm, and in person Saturday Sept 20, 12-4 pm
Location: UWSP (classroom location will be emailed to you)
Core Course (6 hours)
Description: A plant’s structure is intimately intertwined with its functions, including photosynthesis, water movement, absorption and cycling of nutrients, growth, and reproduction. The two virtual sessions will present an overview of the basic structure of roots, stems, leaves, flowers, fruits, and seeds and the roles of these organs in essential plant functions. Our in-person session will consist entirely of hands-on study of plant structures, emphasizing that the diverse forms of each organ are just variations of a basic structure that has important jobs to do. Recommended resource: Botany Primer, Understanding Botany for Nature’s Notebook, USA-NPN.

An email with specific details will be sent to you approximately 2-5 days before the first day of the course.

Exploring the Fungal World
Instructor: Dr. Jim Perry
Format: In person
Date/Time:  Saturday, Sept 27, 2025, 10am-3pm (1 hour lunch – bring your own)
Location: UWO – Oshkosh campus
Elective (4 hours)
The diversity and beauty of fungi are astounding, with some forms obvious to the casual observer and others not. Likely the single largest living organism alive today is a fungus. Come explore and marvel at a few of the 1.5 million species that occupy the mycological fancy. This minds-on, hands-on short course is designed to acquaint you with this diversity and provide an appreciation of the critical ecological role fungi play in the native plant community. You’ll gain insight into the hidden world of mycorrhizae, the threads that serve as critical nutritional conduits and communication pathways between plants. When we’re finished, your walks in the woods and fields will have a whole new perspective.

The Prairie in Seed

Instructor: Connie Ramthun
Format: In person
Date/Time: Sunday, Oct 12, 2025, 9am-2:30pm (half hour lunch on your own.)
Location: Birchwood Nature Preserve (Connie’s home, nursery and prairies)
Elective (5 hours.)
Description: The fall is great time to experience the prairie in its final beauty. This
course will serve as an introduction to identifying seed-bearing prairie plants.
Students will tour a restored prairie and native plant nursery to learn techniques for
collecting and storing seeds from various species. Those that attend will also learn
from a restoration expert how to break native seed dormancy and grow their own
native plants. Participants will be given samples of the seeds that we collect and
clean to use in their home landscaping. Connie will gladly address your natural
landscaping questions.

Back to the Wisconsin Native Plant Certification homepage.

An email with specific details will be sent to you approximately 2-5 days before the course.

Learn more about the Wisconsin Native Plant Certification Program.

Terrestrial Invasive Species Management
Instructor: Emma Neuman
Format: In person
Date/Time: Saturday, Oct 18, 9am-4pm (1 hour lunch on your own)
Location: Heckrodt Wetland Reserve
Elective (6 hours)
Description: This course begins with an introduction to terrestrial invasive species, including what they are, how they affect the environment, how they are spread, and an exploration of the Wisconsin NR 40 regulation. We will learn about common invasive species of Wisconsin followed by a hike around Heckrodt to see a handful of invasive species and practice identifying them. We will use a combination of inside and outside learning to understand most of the control methods that are possible and which is best for different situations. Returning to the classroom, we’ll go over devising an effective management plan.

An email with specific details will be sent to you approximately 2-5 days before the course.

Creating a Native Plant Oasis Design Plan 
Instructor: Danielle Bell
Format: In person
Date/Time: Saturday, Nov 15, 9am-3:30pm (half hour lunch on your own)
Location: Mequon Nature Preserve
Elective (6 hours)
Description: To combat the effects of climate change and pollinator decline, we need to incorporate native plants into our home and business landscapes. There is a wide palate of native plants that are capable of handling tough urban environments and provide essential ecological roles. This class will teach students how to understand microclimates of a site and how to properly select the correct native plants for those areas. We will learn which plants provide habitat requirements for specialist insects as well as those that fill large niches to benefit many species from insects to mammals. A portion of the class will be held outside for students to see structure of plants in their natural environment.

An email with specific details will be sent to you approximately 2-5 days before the course.