February 2021 Newsletter
Healing the earth, one yard at a time.
Upcoming Programs & Events
Round Table Discussion:
Catalog & Online
Seed & Plant Resources
Monday, February 8, 2021
6:00pm Eastern Time

FREE and Open to the Public
Virtual meeting via Zoom
with Sally Wencel, President, Wild Ones National and Kristina Shaneyfelt, President, Tennessee Valley Chapter

It can be difficult to source native plants sometimes, but there are more resources than you may realize. Let's talk about how to navigate them. Are plants hard to grow from seed? How does mail-ordering live plants even work? Sally and Kristina will lead a roundtable discussion about reputable seed and plant catalogs, print and online.

Roundtable discussions are a chance to ask questions and chat with native plant experts. If you are new to sustainable landscaping or native plants, this is especially for you.

Please join us and join in!
Plant Natives 2021!

The Tennessee Valley Chapter of Wild Ones is proud to announce Plant Natives 2021! This year, there are big changes – an exciting and expanded lineup of speakers AND a new way to obtain a great variety of native plants for spring planting.  

Plant Natives 2021! includes:

  • SPECIAL SEMINAR - Native Trees in a Time of Climate Change with Tom Kimmerer on March 19th

  • VIRTUAL SYMPOSIUM & EXPO featuring SEVEN speakers on March 19th – 21st, PLUS access to recordings for six months

  • OUTDOOR NATIVE PLANT MARKETPLACE on March 27th

See more details below.


Plant Natives 2021!
SPECIAL SEMINAR
and CNP Elective Class

Gardening with the Best Native Plants of the Southeast
with Tom Kimmerer
Friday, March 19
9:00 - 12:00 pm EDST
Online via Zoom webinar
Recording will be available for six months following the Seminar

The complex topography, geology, soils, and climate of Tennessee has resulted in highly diverse forests. But we know climate has changed in the past and is changing right now. A list of native trees of Tennessee 15,000 years ago would be completely different from the list of native trees now.

In a time of very rapid climate change, it is reasonable to consider what the future forests of Tennessee might be like, and what trees we might consider native.

This discussion will be divided into three parts. We will describe the trees of the past and present in Tennessee, then see how the current climate crisis might favor some trees and cause the loss of others, and we will finish by examining what we, as native tree enthusiasts should do in the face of the climate crisis. There will be plenty of time for discussion following each of these three segments.

This class is a Certificate in Native Plants ELECTIVE (4 credits). To receive credit you must attend the live webinar presentation. You do NOT need to be pursuing the Certificate to enroll in this seminar.

Wild Ones Members: $30
Non-Members: $40


Plant Natives 2021!
VIRTUAL SYMPOSIUM & EXPO

The 10th annual Plant Natives 2021! SYMPOSIUM & EXPO will be virtual this year!

The virtual environment provides the opportunity to have
MORE SPEAKERS than in ever before...
this year there are SEVEN SYMPOSIUM SPEAKERS!

Live webinar speaker presentations, with live Q&A, will be offered
during the afternoons of March 19-21,
but if you're busy on those dates, you will still have access to
RECORDINGS OF PRESENTATIONS for 6 MONTHS!

The EXPO will also be virtual this year,
and you'll have the opportunity to learn about native plant nurseries
and other related products.

Native plant nurseries and other vendors will be in Chattanooga for the
free OUTDOOR NATIVE PLANT MARKETPLACE on March 27.



Fundamentals of Garden Layers
with Benjamin Vogt
Friday, March 19
1:00 - 2:15pm EDST

In this presentation Benjamin Vogt will explore how to learn from wild plant communities, how to design with layers for less maintenance / increased habitat / climate change, and go through native plant selections and management strategy for these designed, wilder garden beds. Plant succession as a design tool (annuals, biennials, perennials) as well as matching plant habit (clumper, behaved, aggressive) for various design strategies will be discussed.

Historical Ecology:
Using Plants to Reveal the Past
with Michael Gaige
Friday, March 19
2:45 - 4:00 pm EDST

Every landscape has a story that can be teased out using both field evidence and archival resources. This session explores the field marks of landscape history with a focus on plants that tell a broader story. While no individual plant species can explain a site’s land use history entirely, when taken collectively, plant associations reveal patterns of past land use. The concepts can be applied to sites for native plant installations, and to the species selections for planting locations.

If You Want to Feed the Birds,
First Feed the Bugs!
with Jim Costa
Saturday, March 20
12:15 - 1:30 pm EDST

In this talk Jim Costa will discuss the ecological importance of insects, the little creatures that make our ecosystems tick, from their complex relationships with plants to their vital place in the food web. He will consider how the gardens and landscapes of our homes and communities are too often nutritional deserts for insects (and thus birds too), and what we can do about it, arguing that we all — insects, birds, and humans alike — benefit from sharing: tolerating a bit of herbivory in the garden to promote ecologically healthy home landscapes.

Medicinal Plants of the Southern Appalachians
with Patricia Kyritsi Howell
Saturday, March 20
2:00 - 3:15 pm EDST

Expand your appreciation of the many native plants found in the Southern Appalachians! This presentation explores the rich history of many regional plants and their current uses as a vital part of natural healing.

Coloring the Conservation Conversation
with Drew Lanham
Saturday, March 20
3:45 - 5:00 pm EDST

Drew Lanham will discuss what it means to embrace the full breadth of his African-American heritage and his deep kinship to nature and adoration of birds. The convergence of ornithologist, college professor, poet, author and conservation activist blend to bring our awareness of the natural world and our moral responsibility for it forward in new ways. Candid by nature — and because of it — Lanham will examine how conservation must be a rigorous science and evocative art, inviting diversity and race to play active roles in celebrating our natural world.

Let It Be an Oak
with Doug Tallamy
Sunday, March 21
1:15 - 2:30 pm EDST

Once we have decided to restore the ecological integrity of our suburban neighborhoods, we need to decide what plants to add to our properties. Oaks are superior trees for suburban restoration projects because of their many ecological and aesthetic attributes. Tallamy will compare oak species to other popular shade trees in terms of their ability to support animal diversity, protect watersheds, sequester carbon dioxide, and restore lost plant communities.

Gardening with the Best Native Plants of the Southeast
with Larry Mellichamp
Sunday, March 21
3:00 - 4:15 pm EDST

This is a great time to be gardening in the South. There are many new examples of your favorite plants for you to discover - ferns, small trees, shrubs, woodland wildflowers and sun-loving perennials – for four-season interest. There is a trend towards using more natives, not just because they are better adapted to our warm southern climates but because they support native butterflies and birds and are interesting in their own right, giving a sense of place to your personal garden. They ought to be known and grown more widely and homeowners should be asking for them. It is time we celebrated our best southeastern American natives!
VIRTUAL SYMPOSIUM & EXPO
Friday - Sunday, March 19-21, 2021
Seven nationally-recognized speakers.
Learn about native plant nurseries, other vendors and exhibitors.
All presentations available online for six months after the Symposium.

Wild Ones Members: $65
Non-Members: $75
Students: $30
Early Registration discount available through March 10th


Plant Natives 2021!
OUTDOOR NATIVE PLANT MARKETPLACE


Saturday, March 27
9:00 am - 3:00 pm
Spring is nearly here, so make plans to join the Tennessee Valley Chapter of Wild Ones as we welcome regional and local native plant nurseries, artists and vendors to Chattanooga's First Horizon Pavilion.

In addition, there will be information from regional organizations and exhibitors which support native plant gardening and responsible landscaping.

A list of all nurseries, vendors and exhibitors will be available soon.


Upcoming CNP 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.  

Exotic Invasives
Instructor: Byron Brooks, Invasive Plants Specialist

Saturday, February 13, 2021
9:00am - 12:30pm (Eastern time)

Online via Zoom
ELECTIVE Class (4 credits)
Only a few spots remain

How did these exotic invasive plants get here from their native habitat, continent, or bioregion?  Why are the exotic invasives, for the most part, from Asia and other similar biomes? Why do they become invasive? What reproductive advantages do they have that allows their invasion?  Find out why and how these plants are detrimental to native plant communities and what we can do about them.
Native Trees in a
Time of Climate Change
Instructor: Tom Kimmerer

Friday, March 19, 2021
9:00 am - 12:00 pm EDST

Online Webinar
ELECTIVE Class (4 credits)
Tennessee Valley Chapter Members Only Hike
Save the Date!
Saturday, February 27

We're planning a full schedule of hikes in 2021 for members of the Tennessee Valley Chapter of Wild Ones.

The first hike will be led by Stephan Eslegroth to the Little Soddy Creek Gorge section of the Cumberland Trail.

Attendance will be limited. Watch for an email with details coming soon.
Seeds for Education Mentors Needed!
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The Seeds for Education (SFE) is looking for volunteers to support the planning, construction and use of native gardens in Chattanooga area schools. As a garden mentor you will help SFE grant recipients effectively develop a native garden that will be an educational and aesthetic asset to their school. If you are a Wild Ones member, love gardening, have experience gardening with native plants, and would like to help children enjoy gardening, please consider applying to become a garden mentor. We are looking for mentors with some or all the following qualifications:

  • Membership in Tennessee Valley Wild Ones,
  • Enjoy working with educators and/or children,
  • Commitment of one morning or afternoon per month,
  • Commitment to one year of service,
  • Willingness to complete an orientation program to prepare for the position.

Please email Kate George at tnvalleywildones@gmail.com if you are interested in applying for this volunteer opportunity. Thanks for your interest in becoming a mentor!

Native Garden Design

Wild Ones Introduces
New Garden Design Website
Wild Ones has launched a new website that provides practical, educationally-sound information on native landscaping developed specifically for first-time native plant gardeners looking for help getting started.

The site also features a growing number of free, downloadable native garden designs created by professional landscape designers for multiple ecoregions in the United States, taking into account various light, soil and moisture conditions.

A plant list accompanies each design and provides a quick preview of the diversity and beauty of the native plants incorporated in each design. Both the designs and the plant lists are printer-friendly.

A garden design specifically for the Chattanooga area is featured on the site.
Online Programs of Interest
Middle Tennessee Chapter
Soil and Understanding Soil Testing
with Lucas Holman,
UT Extension agent for Wilson County
Monday, February 22
7:00pm Central time
Coming Soon in Chattanooga
Save Water, Drink Wine!
Saturday, March 27th
5:00 - 8:00pm EDST

Save Water Drink Wine, presented by WaterWays, is just around the corner. Tickets will be on sale soon. This event will be a fun celebration after the Wild Ones Plant Natives Outdoor Native Plant Marketplace from 9am - 3pm.

New this year: 
  • CRABTREE FARMS! To safely accommodate guests this year, the event will be OUTDOORS at Crabtree Farms!
  • MORE BEER! We love our local breweries and we think you should too.. P.S. Don't worry, there will still be LOTS of wine, too!
  • FOOD! Locally sourced tapas with special treats prepared onsite by Fud Vybz and Lupis, including lasagna bites, bruschetta, and Jamaican patties.

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


Monday, February 8, 2021 - 6:00pm Eastern Time
FREE & Online via Zoom
Free and open to the public


Saturday, February 27, 2021
Members' Hike
FREE for members of the Tennessee Valley Chapter
More information coming soon!
_______________________________

Plant Natives 2021!

SPECIAL SEMINAR
Native Trees in a Time of Plant Change
with Tom Kimmerer
Online via Zoom
Friday, March 19, 9:00am - 12:00pm EDST

VIRTUAL SYMPOSIUM & EXPO
Online via Zoom
Friday, March 19 - 12:30 - 4:00pm EDST
Saturday, March 20 - 12:00 - 5:00pm EDST
Sunday, March 21 - 12:30 - 4:20 pm EDST
Recordings available for six months

OUTDOOR NATIVE PLANT MARKETPLACE
FREE & Open to the Public
First Horizon Pavilion
1801 Carter St., Chattanooga TN
Saturday, March 27, 2021 - 9:00am - 3:00pm EDST

_______________________________


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

Stay Connected
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