Events

Hickory Hill Park is a wonderful wildlife park within Iowa City. We will meet at the Conklin lane entrance to the park to gather any tools we need and then hike to the worksite. Because this is a mid summer work event, we will find a shady spot to work, and we will ensure we have extra water. 

The closing event of this year’s Less Lawn More Life Challenge, will be led by Lisa Olsen, Chapter Liaison at Wild Ones. In this webinar, you’ll learn how small, personal actions like planting native species and removing invasives, can ripple outward to inspire neighbors, change policies, and reshape communities. 

During the premiere, native plant experts from Wild Ones and collaborating organizations will be active in the live chat. They’ll be ready to answer questions, share tips, and connect viewers with resources. The live chat will remain open for 30 minutes after the webinar, giving you plenty of time to ask questions and engage. Please note: You must be logged into a YouTube account to participate in the chat. 

The Less Lawn More Life Challenge is a free, 12-week action series designed to help people transform traditional lawns into vibrant, life-supporting native plant habitat. Each week, participants complete a simple challenge like planting a native shrub, removing invasives, or observing pollinators to reimagine their outdoor space and take meaningful steps toward restoring biodiversity at home. 

It’s not too late to get involved. Catch up on the weekly videos and start your rewilding journey today at https://www.lesslawnmorelife.com/ 

Field Trip to Rochester Cemetery. This small cemetary has a number of small prairies and large oaks. The prairies here have many uncommon species like Spider Milkweed, Prairie Willow, and Wild Quinine.

Let's tour some member gardens! This event is a chance to exchange ideas and education about our shared passion, landscaping with native plants.

Please note that these members' gardens are opened for our visit with the understanding that they are shared "AS IS" and no extra preparation will be done, and the ravages of such factors as the weather, vacation neglect, and works-in-progress will be evident!

Details coming soon! 

Prairie Seed Collection Event in October. Date, time, location are tbd

Details coming soon! 

The 120-acre Etzel Sugar Grove Farm was donated to Indian Creek Nature Center to establish an environmentally and economically self-sufficient farm, which uses regenerative and organic practices to model the future of agriculture for a more resilient, sustainable world.

After a farm tour with Jean Wiedenheft, Director of Land Stewardship, we will collect seeds for use by ICNC and for the Wild Ones Cedar Rapids-Iowa City Chapter seed library.

The farm includes a mature woodland, a pasture, tillable fields, vegetable beds, berry bushes, and fruit and nut trees. The farm team are weaving prairie buffer strips throughout the cropland and restoring the woodlands to encourage ecological diversity and wildlife.

The prairie forbs are diverse and concentrated, making seed collection very rewarding! A restroom is available.

Annual meeting to elect chapter officers and board of directors. The date and time here are placeholders for now, but we will likely hold this meeting in November. This time can also be used to plan events in 2026.

Details coming soon!