Events

Patrick Higgins of Patrick Goes Native will lead a tour of his property, which he has transformed from lawn into a thriving native habitat.  The tour location is near the Sugarcreek and Beavercreek Township boundary, southwest of Xenia. The address will be provided upon registration. 

(Bonus: After the tour, Patrick will have native plants for sale!)

You planted native. Your neighbor has opinions. Maybe your HOA does too. If you’ve ever felt like the hardest part of native plant gardening is the conversations, not the gardening, you’re not alone.

Wild Ones is thrilled to share this upcoming free webinar as part of the 2026 Less Lawn More Life Challenge. Join Lorraine Johnson for a practical conversation on navigating HOA rules, addressing neighbor concerns, and fostering community conversations about native plant gardening and ecological landscapes.

Dayton Area Wild Ones will have an information table at the Everything Environmental Festival. The festival will focus on sustainability, conservation, environmental education, outdoor recreation, and community engagement. We are bringing together a wide range of organizations, vendors, and educational partners to help connect the community with environmental initiatives and career pathways.

This educational, community-focused event brings together native plant enthusiasts, gardeners, and nature lovers for a weekend of learning and exploration. 

Dayton Area Wild Ones will have an information table at this event on Friday afternoon and throughout the day on Saturday.

(The conference is sold out.)

Native plants are the foundation of habitat, but wildlife need more than food to thrive. Join ecologist and Certified Wildlife Biologist Shaun McCoshum, PhD, to explore how nesting sites, shelter, water, soil conditions, and other often-overlooked resources can transform a yard into a functioning ecosystem that supports biodiversity year-round.

Registration link coming soon.

Join DAWO board members and friends for the Dayton Area Wild Ones book club, where we will focus on books (non-fiction and fiction) for nature lovers. Each month we will also learn a bit about a chosen native plant.   September's book pick is Bicycling with Butterflies: My 10,201-Mile Journey Following the Monarch Migration by Sara Dykman.

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.

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.

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.