Diane Hilscher, President: e-mail or (651) 436-3836
Roger Miller, Programs: e-mail or (651) 275-0526

Our St. Croix Oak Savanna Chapter sponsors monthly programs by enthusiasts and experts on native plants and natural landscapes. Meetings are normally free and open to the public. Special events may include a registration fee to help cover costs. Cold weather (indoor) meetings are held the third Thursday of the month, 7 pm, at the FamilyMeans building in Stillwater (Click for a Map). Warm weather garden tours and field trips are typically held Thursday evenings and Saturday mornings. See our Chapter Calendar below for details. We welcome all levels of plant and gardening enthusiast. Join us to learn more about Minnesota and Wisconsin native plants and how they can enhance our outdoor spaces.

Our chapter president Diane Hilscher is a registered landscape architect and native plant ecologist. She founded Hilscher Design and Ecology in 1991, specializing in landscape design with a strong environmental emphasis. Diane has over twenty-five years of experience in ecological design and construction management, and has served as vice president of the Minnesota Native Plant Society. She enjoys native plant gardening and restoration on two acres of oak savanna near Stillwater.

    May 31, 2008 (Sat)    

SPECIAL EVENT
Nature’s Pixels “Discovering More about Your Garden through Photography”
Landscape Alternatives, Shafer, MN
Saturday, May 31st, 2008, 10:00 AM

John Arthur and Pamela Deerwood from Twin Cities Wild Ones will share their experiences combining native gardening with photography. NOTE: Space is limited. Please call ahead (651) 257-4460 to reserve a spot.

Your garden is more than just the flowers and plants that were planted lovingly. Bugs and birds, pollinators, predators, and so much more is happening in the garden than meets the eye. Discover what lies in wait through the glass eye of the camera lens. Learn about that Syrphid Fly that looks like a bee. Learn about that Sphinx moth that looks like a hummingbird. Learn about the dragonfly that comes to the garden to harden its wings and feed on those insects that pollinate your flowers. Photographing your garden can lead learning about the natural world around us all. It’s more than just pretty pictures.

    Jun 07, 2008 (Sat)    

Tour of Standing Cedars Community Land Conservancy, Osceola, WI
Saturday, June 7th, 2008, 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM

Space may be limited. To reserve a spot, RSVP to Joan at wildonescedarstour@gmail.com
or phone (651) 436-5329. Joan can provide carpooling info and details of our hike.

Lupines and prairie wildflowers will be in bloom. Join us for a guided tour of some of the 1600 acres of virgin and restored prairie and oak savanna along the east shore of the St. Croix owned or managed by this community-based land conservancy. We'll learn how recent restoration activities have affected the preserve. See Standing Cedars' web site for more on our destination. This field trip involves easy to moderately difficult walking on established trails on level to steeply hilly terrain. We suggest bringing a lunch, hiking shoes, and insect repellant to protect against deer ticks. Directions to the site, details of our hiking route, and carpooling info will be provided when you make your reservation. Troy Meacham, Land Manager at Standing Cedars, will be our guide.

    Jun 21, 2008 (Sat)    

Tour of Hild & Associates, native prairie and wetland plant nursery, River Falls, WI
Saturday, June 21st, 2008, 10:00 AM – Noon, Summer Solstice lunch to follow
326 South Glover Road, River Falls, WI Click for a Map

    Aug 21, 2008 (Thu)    

Bird & Native Plant Tour of St. Croix Savanna Scientific & Natural Area (SNA)
Bayport, MN
Thursday, August 21st, 6:30 to 8:30 PM (storm date Sunday, August 24th, 3:00 to 5:00 PM)

NOTE: Space is limited. To reserve a spot, RSVP to Joan at wildones.texlersnatour@gmail.com or phone (651) 436-5329. Joan will confirm reservations, provide driving directions, parking information, and details of our hike. If all our spaces fill, a short wait-list may be compiled; please release your reservation if your plans change.

Join us for a guided field trip through the sand-gravel prairie and oak savanna of St. Croix Savanna Scientific and Natural Area (SNA). The savanna occurs along the top and side of a south-facing bluff just south of Bayport, with stunning views of the St. Croix River. DNR describes this as the best sand-gravel prairie and oak savanna along the Lower St. Croix National Scenic Riverway. Difficulty: Easy walk wholly off-trail.

The tour is jointly sponsored by the St. Croix Oak Savanna Chapter of Wild Ones and the St. Paul Audubon Society. Bring your favorite native prairie plant and bird field guides and binoculars. Our guides include Hannah Dunevitz Texler, MN DNR Regional Plant Ecologist, and Chase Davies, naturalist and field guide with the St. Paul Audubon Society. Additional information on the SNA, including plant and bird lists, can be found HERE.