April 2021 Newsletter
Healing the earth, one yard at a time.
FREE Public Programs
Managing for Diversity
Monday, April 12, 2021
6:00pm EDT
Online via Zoom
FREE and Open to the Public
with Mark Pistrang

Mark Pistrang is the Forest Botanist/Ecologist for the Cherokee National Forest where he has worked for over 20 years. Prior to that he was the district botanist for the Cowlitz Valley Ranger District on the Gifford Pinchot National Forest in Washington State. Mark has dedicated his career to promoting environmental conservation and restoration and will share a little insight into how this is accomplished on the Cherokee National Forest.
Surprising Medicinal Stories of 5 Native Plants
Monday, June 14, 2021
6:00pm EDT
Online via Zoom
FREE and Open to the Public
Erika Galentin. Clinical Herbalist & Co-creator of Sovereignty Herbs

Join Clinical Herbalist and native-plant enthusiast, Erika Galentin of Sovereignty Herbs, for a fun and refreshing exploration of 5 native plants that have an usual and surprising history of medicinal use. Learn a bit of botany, ecology, and herbalism in this unique class.

Erika Galentin, MNIMH, RH (AHG) is a Clinical Herbalist consulting from Sovereignty Herbs in Athens & Columbus, OH. She holds a degree in Herbal Medicine from the University of Wales, Cardiff, UK and Scottish School of Herbal Medicine, Glasgow, UK. She is a professional member of the National Institute of Medical Herbalists (UK) and the American Herbalists Guild (USA). She is also a proud member of Pi Alpha Xi National Honor Society in Horticulture (USA).


Certificate in Native Plants Classes

The Certificate in Native Plants program is designed to expand students' knowledge of botany, ecology, conservation and uses of native flora in the southeastern United States. The CNP offers a blend of classroom instruction, hands-on learning and guided hikes. Participants are required to complete four core classes, eight electives, and 40 hours of volunteering for approved native plant projects. 

Classes are open to Wild Ones members and non-members, whether or not you are pursuing the certificate.  Classes fill quickly and pre-registration is required.

Visit www.TNValleyWildOnes.org/CNP for more information.  

Native Medicinal
Plants of Appalachia
Instructor: Abby Artemisia
Saturday, May 8, 2021
9:00 am - 12:30 pm EDT
Online via Zoom
ELECTIVE class (4 credits)

Learn about the botany of medicinal native plants of Appalachia, including how they are related (their families), how to identify them, where to look for them (their habitats), and their medicinal benefits. Also discussed will be ethical and sustainable harvest techniques and considerations, and various methods of processing. There will be plenty of time at the end for questions and answers.
Tennessee Valley Chapter Members-Only Events
Rock Creek at Lower Leggett
with Stephan Eselgroth
Sunday, April 11
10:00am - 1:00pm EDT

We will be hiking an out and back trail and a couple of creekside spur trails for 2-3 miles total to view early Spring flowers of the season. This is along the Rock Creek Connector Trail of the Cumberland trail.
This hike should provide us with a display of many different types of native plants.

FREE for members of the Tennessee Valley Chapter of Wild Ones and family members.
Shakerag Hollow
with Dennis Horn
Saturday, April 17
10:00am - 1:00pm EDT
(9:00am - 12:00pm Central Time)

We will be hiking an out and back trail with an abundance of Spring ephemerals and other wildflowers to view. The hike location is within the University of the South-Sewanee Campus property (Domain) located about 1 hour from Chattanooga. 

FREE for members of the Tennessee Valley Chapter of Wild Ones and family members.
Landscapes in Progress
Visit 2 Gardens of Wild Ones Members!
Saturday, May 1
1:00 - 4:30pm EDT

This program is an opportunity for education, promotion and encouragement of native plant gardening, as well as Wild Ones member appreciation. Rather than a traditional "garden tour" where everything is perfect, Landscapes in Progress is an event where members -- host and visitor -- can ask questions, share information about their own endeavors, and spend time with others dedicated to landscaping with native species. 

For this LIPs we will visit TWO gardens of Wild Ones members - Kit Hanley and Barbara & Clyde Womack. Both of these gardens offer different and unique points of view.

FREE for members of the Tennessee Valley Chapter of Wild Ones and family members.
Get Your Native Plants!
Reflection Riding Nursery is Open
Reflection Riding Arboretum & Nature Center nursery is open and selling native plants to the public from 9am - 3pm on Tuesday through Saturday every week during the growing season.
Middle Tennessee Chapter of Wild Ones Spring Plant Sale
Saturday, May 8, 2021
10 AM - 1 PM, Central time
Owl Hill Nature Sanctuary
Brentwood, TN

Online ordering with contact-free pickup, as well as an in-person browsing option will be available.
Events in the Region
Join the City Nature Challenge
April 30 - May 3

The City Nature Challenge is an international effort for people to find and document plants and wildlife in cities across the globe. It’s a bioblitz-style competition where cities are in a contest against each other to see who can make the most observations of nature, who can find the most species, and who can engage the most people.

Reflection Riding is participating in the City Nature Challenge again this year and asking everyone who is outdoors these four days to help by using the iNaturalist app to take pictures of wild animals, plants, and insects. Click HERE for link to Reflection Riding info.
Crabtree Farms
Plant Sale
Spring Plant Sale
Online Ordering Opens April 10
Barnside PickUp April 15-24
Trails & Trilliums
The 17th Trails & Trilliums on April 9-11, brought to you by the Friends of South Cumberland State Park, offers a chance to enjoy the magnificent beauty of the plateau in its spring glory. Adults can choose from a slate of hikes and presentations on subjects from bats to gardening, from bee keeping to wildflowers. Register online or pay at the door at the DuBose Conference Center. The event will follow the CDC guidelines for masks and social distancing. We hope to see you!
Interesting Information
Urban pollinators get almost all their food from backyard gardens
Which came first, the backyard garden or the backyard pollinator?

Strictly speaking, pollinators have been around a lot longer, but a new study suggests a lot fewer urban pollinators would be around without residential gardens.

Why Cities are Taking Action to Limit Loud and Polluting Lawn Care
You’re likely fortunate if loud lawn care is high on your list of problems in the past year. But blowers can be more than a nuisance... But if blowers are loud, people speaking out about the issue have been getting louder, too—especially as more adults and kids work from home. 

What's Happening Outdoors Now
Juniper Hairstreak Butterfly on Creeping Phlox
Photo by Mike O'Brien

Over-wintered Painted Lady Butterfly
No small creamy spot in forewing cell, submarginal spots above are all disconnected, forewing above- heavy black band is connected, hindwing above has more black spots, and paler than a fresh one would be.
Photo by Mike O'Brien

Eastern Shooting Star (Dodecatheon meadia)
Photo by Mike O'Brien

Join Wild Ones!
Joining or Renewing
Your Wild Ones Membership?
Join a community of native plant enthusiasts – novices to experts – making a difference by establishing and preserving communities of native plants in home landscapes, schools, businesses, and communities.

AND receive benefits, including discounted admission for our annual Symposium and Certificate in Native Plants classes. As a member, you'll also be invited to members-only hikes, garden visits and social events.
Tennessee Valley Chapter of Wild Ones
Upcoming Event Calendar

Managing for Diversity
with Mark Pistrang
Monday, April 12, 2021 - 6:00pm EDT
FREE and Open to the Public
Online via Zoom

Members Only Hike
with Stephan Eselgroth
Sunday, April 11, 10am - 1pm EDT

Members Only Hike
with Dennis Horn
Saturday, April 17, 10am-1pm EDT

Members Only
Visit 2 Member Gardens
Saturday, May 1, 1:00-4:30pm EDT

with Abby Artemesia
Certificate in Native Plants Class
Saturday, May 8, 9:00am - 12:30pm EDT
Online via Zoom

Surprising Medicinal Stories of 5 Native Plants
with Erika Galentin
Monday, June 14, 2021 - 6:00pm EDT
FREE and Open to the Public
Online via Zoom

_______________________________

For event details and Zoom links, visit TNValleyWildOnes.org
Under the Programs & Events tab, click on Calendar.

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