June 2024 Newsletter

Connecting people

and native plants

for a healthy planet

FREE PUBLIC PROGRAMS

with Jeffrey Schaarschmidt


Monday, June 10, 2024

6:00 pm EDT


green|spaces, 63 E. Main St., Chattanooga


The Baltimore Checkerspot butterfly is a species in rapid decline across its range, including Tennessee. In the year 2000, Baltimore Checkerspot butterflies were documented in 20 counties in Tennessee. Due to habitat loss and other factors, the majority of the Baltimore Checkerspot populations in Tennessee have disappeared entirely. In the last five years, only five of the former populations have been documented to still be in existence. One of those populations existed at McDonald Farm in Hamilton County.


At the June 10th meeting, local butterflier Jeffrey Schaarschmidt will discuss the current state of the Baltimore Checkerspot butterfly in Tennessee, and specifically at McDonald Farm in Hamilton County. 


FREE and Open to the Public



Program Information

This year, the Tennessee Valley Chapter of Wild Ones is presenting Gardening with Native Plants, a series of six introductory classes about how to garden with native plants. These classes, led by experienced gardeners from the Tennessee Valley, are free and open to the public. The classes cover everything from why to use native plants to how to plan and maintain native gardens. 


Join us for all of the classes, several, or even just one. The classes are complimentary and together will greatly add to your understanding of native plant gardening. The next class is on Monday, June 17th.

For many, “plan” is a 4-letter word. However, taking stock of your landscape and other inputs is an important first step and can save you time and money in the short and long run. In this session, we will go over basic steps on how to begin converting (more of) your landscape into a “Homegrown National Park.”

View/Download the "Gardening with Native Plants" Brochure
Program Info & Schedule

with Debora Rosenthal


Monday, July 8, 2024

6:00 pm EDT


green|spaces, 63 E. Main St., Chattanooga TN


FREE and open to the public


Debora Rosenthal will share with us how she successfully established a prairie on her property in one attempt. She will also talk about what she has learned since about installing prairies.


Program Information

Do you want to receive a reminder email

in advance of our free public programs?

If so, join our Meetup group.


For event details and Zoom links, visit TNValleyWildOnes.org

Under the Programs & Events tab, click on Calendar.

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.


For more info about the Certificate in Native Plants program, click HERE.

Rain Gardens, Wetlands and Riparian Areas

Instructor:  Andrea Ludwig, PhD


Saturday, June 15, 2024

9:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. EDT


Tennessee Aquarium Conservation Institute

175 Baylor School Road, Chattanooga, TN 37405


ELECTIVE CLASS (4 Credits)


Tennessee is a wet state, with nearly 50 inches of rain falling in any given year. Managing water in our landscapes is important for healthy, resilient yards. We will examine a suite of strategies to address all that rainwater to beneficial ends.

INFO & REGISTER

Summer Tree Identification

Instructor: Benjamin Moore


Saturday, July 13, 2024

9:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. EDT


Reflection Riding Arboretum and Nature Center

400 Garden Road, Chattanooga TN


ELECTIVE CLASS (4 Credits)


In Chattanooga, we have the privilege of an extremely diverse and ecologically convergent location which makes identification engaging and fun. By the end of this class, you should confidently be able to ID common trees within their Family and use advanced techniques to get down to Genus and Species.


INFO & REGISTER

More CNP classes will be open for registration soon!

Save the Dates!



MEMBERS-ONLY EVENTS

Landscapes in Progress


Saturday, June 15, 2024

10:00 am - 1:45 pm EDT


Free for members of the Tennessee Valley Chapter of Wild Ones


Join members of the Tennessee Valley Chapter of Wild Ones for a tour of two of our members' gardens on Signal Mountain.

INFO & REGISTER

UPCOMING CALENDAR OF EVENTS

To view all upcoming programs, classes, hikes and members-only events presented by the Tennessee Valley Chapter of Wild Ones, click below:

LIST View
MONTHLY CALENDAR View

MEMBER NEWS

Wild Ones is a community of native planters growing healthier landscapes. This program honors the dedication and hard work of members who actively participate in this transformative journey, recognizing their efforts as crucial contributions to environmental restoration and sustainability.


Wild Ones Certified Native Habitats are symbols of dedication to biodiversity, ecological restoration, and the nurturing of environments where native flora and fauna can thrive. Join Wild Ones in spreading the message and inspiring others, showcasing your habitat as a beacon of environmental stewardship.

Learn More & Certify Your Native Habitat

SUPPORT THE WORK OF OUR CHAPTER

A healthy planet starts with native plants.


Dwindling biodiversity is a threat to the foundation of life on earth. In the last century alone, we’ve lost millions of acres of diverse ecosystems to urbanization. Native plants help protect and restore biodiversity, improve air and water quality and provide wildlife with quality food and shelter.


Our vision is native plants and natural landscapes in every community. Let’s create a movement of native planters growing healthier landscapes. With your help, Tennessee Valley Wild Ones can accomplish the Wild Ones mission in the Tennessee Valley community. We are a 100% volunteer force for good, and donations will go directly to our work in the community.


Please help if you can. Every donation makes a difference.

DONATE

PROGRAMS, CLASSES & EVENTS

Online and in the Region

Tennessee Native Plant Society Seminars


The Tennessee Native Plant Society hosts monthly Native Plant Seminars via Zoom on the third Tuesday of each month at 6:30 p.m. Central (7:30 p.m. Eastern) and lasting about one hour. All members, and potential members, are welcome to attend the seminars. Videos of previous seminars are available via the link below.


June 18 – Sandra Villasenor, Cane Brakes

July 16 – Alisha Millican, Fungus Among Us – An Intro to Fungi for the Home Gardner

August 20 – Connie Deegan, Snakes in Your Garden


TNPS Seminars

Regional Wild Ones Chapters

Wild Ones is growing in Tennessee and the Southeast!

Check out the events at nearby chapters!

Middle Tennessee Chapter
Smoky Mountains Chapter
North Alabama Chapter
Georgia Piedmont Chapter

INTERESTING INFORMATION

The yucca moth has a fascinating life cycle that is intricately linked to the yucca plant


In the Tennessee Valley, our native Yucca filamentosa will be blooming soon. If you look carefully inside the white flowers atop the tall stalks, you may be lucky enough to see a small white yucca moth. The mutualistic relationship between the plant and the moth is fascinating and has existed for over 40 million years.


See Mike O'Brien's photo of yucca moths below.


Read more.



Many Animals Actually Have a Third, Transparent Eyelid.

Here's Why.


You may have noticed these "third" eyelids on your pets appear occasionally, perhaps during their sleepy moments, or when they're enjoying a bit of affection. They're found in many mammalian species, but are not unique to them. Birds, reptiles, amphibians and fish can also have a third eyelid. But what does this unusual structure actually do? And why don't we have one as well?


Read more.



Ten Amazing Facts About Tornados


In anticipation of the July 19 release of Twisters, three scientists were contacted to help unravel some of the secrets wrapped within these catastrophic cyclones.


Read the article from Smithsonian Magazine.

Tornado Alley is moving eastward. In the past decade, twisters have been inching their way into the Midwest and hitting states such as Missouri in record-breaking severity.


Read more in another article: "Watch Out: Tornado Alley is Migrating Eastward"



Animals self-medicate with plants − behavior people have observed and emulated for millennia


Animal self-medication has become a rapidly growing scientific discipline. Observers report observations of animals, from birds and rates to porcupines and chimpanzees, deliberately employing an impressive repertoire of medicinal substances.


Read more.



Why Gardening Is So Good For You


Digging holes can be a workout and mood booster all rolled into one.


Read more in this article from the New York Times.



Avocados are a ‘green gold’ export for Mexico, but growing them is harming forests and waters


As U.S. eaters’ tastes become more adventurous, sampling avocados of different sizes, shapes, textures, tastes and origins could become a decision that’s both epicurean and environmentally conscious.


Read more.




PHOTOS FROM THE FIELD

Three Yucca moths in the flower of Yucca filamentosa


Yucca moth caterpillars eat the seeds of the yucca plant, and the yucca plant can only be pollinated by the yucca moth. The larvae of the yucca moth are fully-grown after a few weeks, and then drop to the ground, bury themselves, and create a cocoon. They stay underground until the next spring, but some pupae remain dormant for more than a year. Note that the distal portion of the antennae are black and the wing edges are fringed.


Photo by Mike O'Brien.


Pipevine Swallowtail on Butterflyweed

Photo by Mike O'Brien.

Northern Pearly-Eye, a woods and mostly damp areas butterfly

Photo by Mike O'Brien.

Great Spangled Fritillary on Coneflower

Photo by Mike O'Brien.

Ebony Jewelwing Damselfly, female,

found near streams and damp areas in the woods.

Photo by Mike O'Brien.

JOIN WILD ONES

Becoming a Wild Ones member shows your commitment to the native plant movement and is a great way to connect with a helpful and knowledgeable native plant community that will prove invaluable in your native garden journey!


Benefits of a Wild Ones membership include:


  • Access to the current electronic issue of the quarterly Wild Ones Journal
  • Invitations to workshops, garden tours, seed exchanges, plants sales, and stewardship project
  • Discounts for partner educational webinars such as NDAL, etc. and Wild Ones chapter programs
  • Participation in an annual national photo contest
  • Access to the Wild Ones Member Center for learning resources
  • Participation in Wild for Monarchs and Native Garden recognition programs
  • Involvement in citizen science and networking with conservation partners
  • Receiving Wild Ones National e-Newsletters
  • Invitation to Wild Ones' private Facebook discussion group and the national Wild Ones Annual Member Meeting
  • Networking opportunities and camaraderie with like-minded people who care about native plants and our planet


Additional benefits for members of the Tennessee Valley chapter:



  • Discounted admission to all Certificate in Native Plants classes year-round.
  • Free admission at members-only programs, including local and regional guided hikes, garden visits (Landscapes in Progress), the annual meeting, an annual plant swap, and other member social events.
  • Annual Welcome Party and Orientation for new members.
  • Monthly email Member Update, with news about chapter activities.
  • All members of the family who live at the same address are entitled to member benefits!


Your membership dollars help forward our mission of promoting the restoration of native landscapes by allowing us to:


  • Provide free, educational resources and learning opportunities that are open to the public from respected experts like Wild Ones Honorary Directors Doug Tallamy, Neil Diboll, Heather Holm and Donna VanBuecken
  • Support the efforts of over 65 local Wild Ones chapters in 23 states
  • Publish a quarterly, award-winning, online journal featuring current native plant information and resources
  • Share free, professionally-designed native garden templates for multiple regions in the United States.
Join Wild Ones

Get More Involved with Us!

The Tennessee Valley Chapter of Wild Ones is 100% volunteer run!
Here are a few ways you can get more involved in the chapter
and in our Chattanooga Pollinator Partnership.
Volunteer Opportunities
Learn About the Chattanooga Area Pollinator Partnership (CHAPP)
Seeds for Education Grants
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