Greater DuPage Chapter 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 Brittany Rogness from the Illinois Bat Conservation Program to explore the fascinating bats of Illinois. Learn about their benefits, the challenges they face, conservation efforts, and ways you can help bats in your own backyard. Brittany will also discuss bat acoustics and demonstrate the equipment researchers use to study bats. Weather permitting, we'll head outside to listen for bats.

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.

Start saving seeds now and join us for the much-anticipated Greater DuPage Wild Ones Annual Seed Exchange and Chapter Meeting, hosted at The Growing Place in Aurora! This event is a favorite among our members and friends, and it is an excellent opportunity to connect, share seeds and valuable information. We encourage everyone to save seeds in preparation for this gathering. 

Schedule
10:00 am - 10:30 am: If you are bringing seeds or items to donate, please arrive prior to the start of the event. This helps avoid confusion caused by seeds getting set out at the same time seeds are being removed. The more seeds you bring, the earlier you should arrive. (Thank You!)
Hand your seeds or donation items to our volunteers at the Welcome Table to get placed in the appropriate category, then please enjoy exploring The Growing Place or visit with other attendees (outside, if it is nice), until we are ready to start the meeting portion of the day.
10:30 am: START

10:30 am - 10:45am: Membership Meeting and Elections
All members are invited to attend our Chapter Membership Meeting, which will precede the Seed Exchange. Officer elections will take place during this time. The meeting will be brief.
10:45am - Noon: Seed "Shopping" 
Explore the variety of seeds available for exchange. Bring envelopes to take away seeds you select. Please respect that others are looking for seed too and do not take more than a fair share. If you wish to take a large quantity, wait until the end and you can take whatever is remaining.

How the Exchange Works
Bring your own native harvested seeds to the Seed Exchange and take seeds brought by other enthusiasts. Don't worry if you don't have seeds to trade; you can make a nominal donation in exchange for bringing seeds. Here is a list of the species that we exchanged in recent years. To see some tips on seed collecting go to our Seed Harvest page.

Labeling and Packaging Seeds
Clean your seeds by removing them from stems, leaves, and fluff. Package seeds in envelopes or paper bags, clearly labeling them with Latin and common names, description, color of the flower, time of bloom, plant height, and best planting location.  Print copies of our Seed Labels Template (Microsoft Word Format) or Seed Labels Template (PDF Format) to easily label your seeds. 

Silent Auction
We encourage attendees to contribute to our Silent Auction by donating garden-related items like books, posters, art, garden tools, bird feeders, and more. Items should be in good condition and preferably related to native gardening. You can bring items to bid on, buy, or even give away for free.

Note:  Please DO NOT bring live plants that you have dug up to the exchange!

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.