The next WPPC Walk on the Wild Side is Saturday, September 27, 2025 at 10am.
Walk on the Wild Side: The final yard walk of the 2025 season will be Saturday, September 27 at the home of Jim & Marlene Keenan. The walk will begin at 10am. Come see the results of Jim “the Native Seed Man” and Marlene’s efforts to reconstruct a native prairie in what was once a soy bean field. You’ve seen prairies in the exuberant flush of youth in the spring, and the robust health of middle age in summer; now experience this 4 acre prairie’s beauty as it settles into maturity at the beginning of fall. There will be asters, goldenrods, and gentians in bloom. Grasses and many flowers will have seed heads on display. Jim earned his Ecological Restoration Certificate from McHenry County Conservation District and has a wealth of information to share. If you would like to learn how to grow a prairie, or just be surrounded by it’s autumnal beauty, do not miss this walk! This is not an open house. The guided walk led by the homeowners will start at 10am. More details and directions can be found on the Event Page for this walk. 6905 South Solon Rd, McHenry.
All Walks on the Wild side are free of charge and no pre-registration is required. A list of all walks for 2025 can be found on the Garden Walks Page.
This event sold out quickly and registration is closed. The WPPC will sponsor a bus trip to Nachusa Grasslands on Sunday, July 27. Nachusa is located south of Rockford near Oregon, IL and consists of 4000 acres of restored and remnant prairie which is home to more than 700 plant species, 180 species of birds and a herd of bison. The restoration work there has been ongoing for over 30 years with spectacular results. Many of the plant and bird species are rare in Illinois. The bison herd was added in 2014. The Nachusa volunteers have enthusiastically offered us a guided tour out to see the bison as well as a visit to their seed collection/storage area where they plan future restoration efforts. There will also be an opportunity to explore some of the trails near the visitor’s center.
