Opening Keynote: The ABCs of Butterfly Gardening with Jane Hurwitz
Saturday 6:00 pm - ALL
Seasoned gardeners may begin listing asters, bee balm, cenizo…all the flowering plants that attract and sustain butterflies, while the less experienced may wonder what the “A” stands for, with “B” for butterfly and “C” for caterpillars; but we’re here to talk about so much more! Today, butterfly gardening has become a broad term for best practices in creating healthy habitat; in restoring or preserving landscapes that bolster resources, rather than deplete them; and in growing appreciation for those often disparaged native plants that deserve cultivation.
Migration Station with Anne Trumble
Sunday 9:00 am - Track A
Native grasslands (tall grass prairies) and meadows (short grass prairies with forbs) are endangered ecosystems on the American landscape that have been replaced over the last century by agro-industry, urban development and the residential lawn. Well, it’s time to roll back the lawn and the clock with “pocket prairies” and larger projects, like Anne Trumble’s 13 acres of reclaimed cropland in Papillion, Nebraska. Not sure where to start? Let Trumble show you the way!
Gardening by Color & Other Games with Max Munoz
Sunday 9:00 am - Track B
At the National Butterfly Center, we get lots of interesting requests. From, “My favorite color is blue, so all my flowers must be, too!” to “My husband graduated from U.T., so everything at our house is burnt orange,” we’ve heard it all. Whether it’s matching the exterior paint or a person’s aura, there’s a plant for that. And guess what, the flowers and the pollinators play games, too. Max Munoz knows what the birds, butterflies and bees prefer in terms of color. Why not let him show you how to build a beautiful garden with winning colors for everyone?
Can’t Afford to Sprawl with Kate Stone
Sunday 10:45 am - Track A
Where space is limited, pollinators often suffer the most; so, people must be exceptionally resourceful in carving out room to enhance the built environment. Clever city dwellers, like Kate Stone, have valuable lessons for the rest of us on making and maximizing greenspace for horticulture and healthy habitats. “Look upward!” urges Stone, who will guide us on a photographic tour of creative and collaborative urban gardens, rooftop parks and pocket-sized pollinator places, where people pay a premium per square foot.
The Belittled Beetle with Mike Quinn
Sunday 10:45 am - Track B
Tuesday 1:15 pm Track A
Almost 200 million years ago, beetles appeared on planet Earth. Their presence as pollinators predates bees by a good 50 million years and coincides with the rise of butterflies and moths during the Mesozoic era, but beetles don’t get a fraction of the recognition their insect cousins do for performing the same critical function. In fact, many people seek to destroy these “mess-and-soil” pollinators in their gardens instead of welcoming them with open blooms, perhaps because the flowers that depend on beetles the most often emit over-ripe or spicy fragrances; but the foul-smelling ones are their favorites. Join Quinn, former entomologist for the State of Texas and leading “bug” expert, in a quest to identify and appreciate members of the soldier, blister, checkered, scarab, long-horned, sap and jewel families of beetles, just to name a few.
Weslaco Awaits
Sunday 1:15 pm - Track A
This field trip will take you 30 minutes down the road to explore several mid-Valley gardens developed and maintained for conservation, education and personal pleasure. Each is an island of refuge for wild things in a sea of residential, agricultural and commercial growth, where sanctuary and sustenance are becoming harder to find.
Mission: Gardens
Sunday 1:15 pm - Track B
Cruise around Mission to learn about the role native plants play in the development of benefits for three distinct properties. This tour will focus on the preservation of a historic landmark, the achievement of tax exemptions, and the marketing of a lifestyle ‘in harmony with nature’ at enterprises that incorporate a bit of wilderness to shelter and support creatures that would otherwise be displaced.
Sip & Stroll: Method & Madness in the National Butterfly Center Gardens
Sunday 5:30 pm - ALL
Following a full day or workshops and excursions, stick around for dinner al fresco and a lively discussion of wild gardening successes and defeats at the NBC. We’re more than happy to share all we’ve learned from this experiment that has exceeded our greatest dreams and frustrated us to no end; so, you, too, may understand how Mother Nature mocks the strategies Man, overcomes many an obstacle and rewards those who do little more than try, just try!
Wildscaping: What, Why & How with Lauren Simpson
Monday 9:00 am - Track A
Tuesday 9:00 am - Track A
The average neighborhood landscape looks pretty, but doesn’t support the wide range of wildlife that is crucial to a healthy environment and community. The good news is that landscaping can be both beautiful and beneficial by incorporating the native plants that support our local wildlife! Ms. Lauren Simpson, a veritable evangelist for eliminating lawns, allowing “weeds” and enhancing the ‘hood with a colorful carpet of host and nectar plants that are bringing back the bees, butterflies and birds will share the story of St. Julian’s Crossing Wildlife Habitat, her family’s home wildscape. Join us for handy tips on how to create a wildscape at your own home and learn more about how St. Julian's Crossing has blossomed into community outreach and education, home garden tours, seed exchanges and fantastic photo documentaries. We're excited to teach you how to transform your own yard into an attractive and productive, native-plant paradise‒one that both supports wildlife and pleases neighbors--with the potential to transform mindsets and build a local movement that benefits everyone.
Fighting the Powers that Bee with Auntie D.
Monday 10:45 am - Track A
Tuesday 10:45 am - Track B
Early adopter Auntie D. began to go wild in her Detroit suburb years ago, but when the bees showed up, the city destroyed the hives and fined her for her “weedy lot.” Her yard was labeled a public nuisance, a hazard, unkept and outlawed. This happened not once, but three times before Auntie D. called for back up. Her desperate plea for assistance reached the executive director of the National Butterfly Center who made many suggestions, some practical and some a person might presume ridiculous. You won’t believe which saved her home for bees and butterflies, C.J.’s Place, or how her battle against city hall came to a close. Auntie D.’s advice to anyone whose commitment to wild gardening may be an affront to the powers that be? Attend this workshop to BEE PREPARED.
Lens on Discovery with Luciano Guerra
Monday 1:15 pm - Track A
If you plant it, they will come—and then you have to figure out who THEY are! The best way to discover who is visiting your garden is to get out there with a camera and capture images of the insects, reptiles and birds that may inhabit the vibrant, inviting habitat you establish. Award-winning wildlife photographer Guerra loves to share hot tips and pro hacks on how to search, where to set up, how to stage, when to shoot, what to use and more, so that your time behind the lens results in images that help you identify and document what can be seen. If you sign up for this field course, bring your camera and laptop with you to the center.
Mild & Wild: Adventures on the Arroyo with Christina Mild and the Arroyo Colorado Audubon Society
Monday 9:00 am - ALL DAY - Track B
This all-day affair begins with Christina Mild’s introduction to edible natives you need to know, then travels forty-five minutes away to the heart of Harlingen. Here, you will experience two very special wild places, Hugh Ramsey Nature Center and World Birding Center, and the Harlingen Thicket. Together these two forests, one primarily Texas Ebony and one primarily Mesquite (upland thornscrub), on the banks of the Arroyo Colorado connect almost 100 acres, anchor the city’s hike-and-bike trails and provide a refuge of critical habitat-in-restoration in a rapidly changing world. Let this project inform and inspire similar undertakings where you live and work!
Keynote Speakers Banquet: Better for the Bees with Paula Sharp & Ross Eatman
Monday 5:30 pm - ALL
While the whole world seemed to be talking about honeybees, Sharp and Eatman set out to survey our nation’s native bees, which, it turns out, really matter to the future of the planet and the survivability of life on Earth. Their beautiful photos of native bees in their natural habitats, hauling pollen, robbing nectar, napping in a poppy…have grown into an artful and educational exhibit coming soon to a museum near you. Sharp and Eatman are not shy about saying we have a responsibility to make the world a better place for the bees. Learn what needs to be done and how wild gardening offers a lifeline for them and for us.
Sharing & Spreading with the Masters with Stephanie Lopez
Tuesday 9:00 am - Track B
Almost every state has a Master Naturalist program open to anyone interested in gaining exceptional knowledge of the wildlife and natural resources in their region. Becoming a Master Naturalist involves classroom and field instruction, as well as volunteer work, and opens access to a vast network of likeminded (often expert) individuals. The goal of the program is to develop participants into a well-informed corps of citizen conservationists and environmental educators who have the opportunity to achieve certification through this intensive course. Master Naturalists, like our own Nursery Manager Stephanie Lopez, are leaders and do-ers in their communities. If you’ve ever considered joining a class of Master Naturalists, here’s your chance to quiz a master and find out more, without the risk of being drafted and deployed.
Getting to Know You with iNaturalist and Stephanie Lopez
Tuesday 10:45 am - Track B
One of the greatest tools we all have for learning about the plants and animals we encounter is our cell phone. Simply photographing what you see and noting the location constitutes harvesting important data and contributing to scientific research via this free application anyone can use with ease. Join Lopez for this hands-on tutorial of iNaturalist, a rewarding way to increase your awareness of the world around you and leave your mark on it.
Plant Apropos with Raziel Flores Burquez
Tuesday 1:15 pm - Track B
Wild gardening should revolve around native plants, the plants endemic to a region. Typically, these plants have history, cultural relevance and usefulness, such as homeopathy and industry. When planning your garden, it’s always a good idea to incorporate plants that are pertinent to the place AND relevant to a lifestyle; plants that promote benefits for all who may enjoy, inhabit and consume them. Flores Burquez is a student of these plants in South Texas. Join him for an inspiring showcase of plants apropos to healthy ecosystems that include humans.
Protect & Enhance: Native Habitat How-To
Tuesday 8:00 am - Track C
This field trip to South Padre Island, Brownsville and McAllen highlights three distinct case studies in conservation. Expert naturalists at multiple projects will share highs tales of conflicts and resolutions, partners and rivals, as their efforts to preserve and restore valuable habitats have evolved over the years. Wild gardening isn’t always easy or pretty, so we’re offering a crash course in community organizing, opposition, obstacles and persistence, as applied to the political landscape. Whether you are working to save a special place or secure support for an important undertaking, this field trip is essential to forecasting what you may come up against, today and tomorrow.