Events

What does it really take to turn a conventional lawn into a thriving native meadow? Join Owner & Principal, New Directions in the American Landscape (NDAL), Sara Weaner Cooper for a candid look at her family's ongoing lawn-to-meadow transformation featured in The New York Times and BBC. Drawing from three years of hands-on experience, Sara will share the methods, lessons learned, successes, and challenges of converting turfgrass into a dynamic native plant community. Participants will gain practical insights into site preparation, planting, management, and the ecological principles that guide successful meadow establishment, along with realistic expectations for how these landscapes evolve over time.

Registration link coming soon.

Join Wild Ones and other community organizations to celebrate monarch butterflies and other pollinators. Attend the annual Monarch Celebration at Reedy Creek Nature Center to learn the importance of these butterflies. Activities include crafts, games, photo spot with wings and props, seed and plant giveaways, and raffles. 

Partners include: Charlotte Wildlife Stewards, Charlotte City of Trees, Bee City Charlotte, Keep Charlotte Beautiful, North Carolina Native Plant Society, Mecklenburg Soil & Water Conservation District, North Carolina Wildlife Federation, and Wild Ones Charlotte Piedmont. 

Registration appreciated but not required. 

Join us for another maintenance event for our recently adopted site! We'll be mulching around the base of trees and adjusting tubes, so options are available based on the amount of physical activity you'd like to do.

The Roots for Rivers Program is an environmental initiative by Charlotte Stormwater Services as part of their Creek Relief program. Native trees are planted in select areas around the city to reforest riparian zones, stabilize riverbanks, and improve water quality. Then, volunteers like you step in to keep these trees growing healthy and strong! 

This event will include instruction on how to maintain the site, and some light refreshments will be provided (under our tents to escape the sun!) 

*Please note, public restrooms are not available on site but are a short drive away by car. This is a free event and public parking will be available.

Join us for a wonderful afternoon of relaxed conversation, native gardening chats, and delicious food & drink! 

This is a great opportunity to connect with current, past, and prospective members of Wild Ones. Come by for a bit or stay the whole time — and feel free to bring along a friend. We can't wait to see you there!

Questions? Text or call Linda Nelson at 843-422-0986. 

Finding us:  Ask any staff member to direct you to Wild Ones at Big Red!

Food & Drink: Plenty of great choices for purchase on their menu.

We look forward to spending time together, getting to know you, and celebrating our shared love of nature and native plants! 

Bats are among the most important and misunderstood wildlife in our communities. Join experts from Bat Conservation International to explore how native plants, healthy insect populations, and thoughtful landscape design can help support bats. Learn about the ecological role of bats and discover practical ways to create habitat for North America's night flyers right in your own backyard.

Zoe Evans, rewilding coach and VP of Partnerships & Programs at Wildr shares a practical, science-informed framework for evaluating a home landscape, identifying its greatest habitat opportunities, and choosing actions that support more plants, insects, birds, and other wildlife.

Registration link coming soon.

No yard required. Learn how native plants can turn patios, balconies, containers, and other small spaces into meaningful habitat for pollinators and other wildlife. This practical panel will cover plant selection, container design, seasonal care, and realistic ways to support biodiversity in limited spaces.

Registration link coming soon.

Birds depend on healthy, connected habitats for food, shelter, nesting, and migration support. Join experts from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology to explore how native plants and thoughtful landscape choices can support birdlife at home. Learn how gardens, yards, and community spaces can provide the insects, seeds, berries, cover, and habitat structure birds need throughout the year.

Registration link coming soon. 

Monarch butterflies depend on a network of habitats stretching across North America, and home landscapes can play an important role in their survival. Join experts from Monarch Joint Venture to explore the science behind monarch conservation, including the importance of milkweed, nectar resources, and regionally appropriate habitat. Learn practical ways to support monarchs through native landscaping and help sustain one of the world's most remarkable migrations.
 

Registration link coming soon.