Wild Ones, a national not-for-profit environmental education and advocacy organization, promotes environmentally sound landscaping practices to preserve biodiversity through the preservation, restoration and establishment of native plant communities. Wild Ones Columbus, an established chapter for over 25 years, serves the central and north-central areas of Ohio.
Wild Ones Columbus (WOC) offers a variety of free monthly educational programs that are open to the public. These events typically take place on Saturdays, from 10 am to noon. We’d love to have you join us! Please note that programs will be canceled in the event of a Level 2 snow emergency. Previous programs include:
- Presentations by local experts on Ohio native plants, growing techniques, and native wildlife
- Guided seasonal hikes at parks and nature preserves
- Tours of gardens and native plant nurseries
- Seed collection events
WOC is also involved in starting and maintaining local native plant gardens. The Whetstone Prairie, a project started in 2004, is now a 3.5-acre urban prairie maintained by Columbus Recreation and Parks. Currently, our chapter maintains a native garden at the Nationwide & Ohio Farm Bureau 4-H Center on the Ohio State University campus. We also host an annual native plant sale in May and a seed exchange in the winter to help you get started. And new in 2022, Wild Ones Columbus initiated a Native Pollinator Garden Program that funds the establishment of new native plant gardens in public-facing locations across central Ohio. Click here for more information on this exciting program!
Members are forwarded an Ohio-based monthly newsletter, Nature Scoop, and also get access to the Wild Ones National quarterly journal. See what we’re up to on our social media pages, and don’t forget to join our Facebook group, Wild Ones Columbus Native Plant Talk, and subscribe to our YouTube Channel!