Wild Ones Natural Landscapers, Ltd. is a non-profit environmental education and advocacy organization. Wild Ones educates people on the importance of native plants for the health of the environment and everything living in it.
The goal of Wild Ones is to get more native plants in the ground in all landscapes–homes, businesses, schools, and along roadways. Wild Ones promotes environmentally sound landscaping practices to preserve biodiversity through the preservation, restoration, and establishment of native plant communities.
Wild Ones provides educational resources and learning opportunities with respected experts like Wild Ones honorary directors Neil Diboll, Heather Holm, Doug Tallamy, and Larry Weaner.
Wild Ones History
In the 1960s, Citizens for Natural Resources of Wisconsin, the Environmental Defense Fund, and Lorrie Otto formed an alliance that led to the banning of DDT in Wisconsin. Similar legislation followed in other states and, ultimately, DDT was outlawed for good nationally. After this success, Lorrie Otto went on to become a prominent Wisconsin environmentalist and a national figure in the natural landscaping movement. It was due to Lorrie’s efforts that, in 1977, nine people attended a natural landscaping workshop offered by the Schlitz Audubon Center of Milwaukee. They became intensely interested in the (then) new concept of landscaping with native plants, and their enthusiasm blossomed into The Wild Ones Garden Club, with Lorrie as their philosophical leader.
Wild Ones Facts
As of 2023, Wild Ones has 82 Chapters and 32 Seedling Chapters in 34 states.
Chapters hosted over 740 educational programs and activities during the pandemic.
Our Lorrie Otto Seeds for Education Program awarded funds to youth organizations in 19 states in 2021 for native garden projects.Wild Ones is a partner of Two-Thirds for Birds, a community of organizations who aim to revive thriving bird populations. 234birds.org
Connecting with the native plant community through your local Wild Ones chapter can prove invaluable on your native garden journey.
Member Benefits
- Receive newsletters and journals with the latest native plant and gardening information
- Meet and and learn from other Wild Ones at member garden tours
- Discover local native plants at seed and plant sharing events
- Attend members-only webinars, workshops, expert talks, and field trips
- Support local action through community outreach, volunteering, and networking opportunities