Events

Co-hosted by Adkins Arboretum. In-person presentation with virtual participation option.

60-minute presentation will be followed by a trail walk for in-person participants only to see the Beaver Deceiver device at Adkins Arboretum. 

In-person RSVP here

Virtual registration required here

Beavers, once nearly eliminated from the Chesapeake Bay watershed, are returning and becoming central to Maryland’s modern, ecology‑driven stream restoration efforts. Their natural dam‑building slows water, traps sediment, filters nutrients, and creates wetlands that support diverse wildlife — making them a keystone species.  

We will discuss how beavers and homeowners can work together to restore habitat on private land, including making their land friendly to beavers so that the restoration happens in tandem, instead of thinking of beavers as a nuisance or just paying contractors to do the beavers' jobs.

The talk will cover:

Intro Beaver Coexistence 

Beaver 101 – an ecological engineer 

Problems with the Chesapeake Bay and our regional watersheds 

Understanding the rodent that shaped America’s landscapes 

The role that the beaver played in maintaining water quality and habitat 

Post-Colonial alteration of Maryland’s hydrologic systems 

Promoting restoration techniques that emulate beaver ecology 

How you can help

About our speaker, Claudia Donegan:

Claudia Donegan has worked over 36 years throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed as educator, stream scientist, public policy coordinator and implementing ecological restoration projects in tidal and nontidal environments. Presently she serves as the Director of the Center for Habitat Restoration and Conservation in Maryland’s Department of Natural Resources Chesapeake and Coastal Service, spearheading and implementing ecosystem restoration projects throughout the state. Claudia lives in Tunis Mills, MD.

Join Joey Santore, creator of Crime Pays But Botany Doesn’t, for a candid Wild Ones National Webinar examining how inherited garden aesthetics shape native plant landscapes. Drawing on field experience and real ecology, Joey challenges tidy design norms and explores why dense, irregular plant communities are often the most resilient and ecologically sound.

Co-hosted by Wild Ones Delmarva Chapter, Inland Bays Garden Center, and Story Hill Farm

Please join us at Inland Bays Garden Center for a special presentation by Helen Raleigh of Story Hill Farm   where she will talk about rewilding meadows and pollinator habitat restoration projects at the farm. RSVP here

You will also have the chance to meet local representatives from:

Inland Bays Garden Center
A local nursery specializing in native plants and helping gardeners transform their landscapes into thriving native habitats.

Wild Ones Delmarva
A chapter of Wild Ones, a national organization promoting native landscapes through education, advocacy, and collaborative action.

10:00 AM – Welcome and Introductions
10:30 AM – Presentation by Helen Raleigh, Story Hill Farm
11:30 AM – Self‑Guided Tour of Inland Bay Gardens
12:00 PM – Lunch at Ocean View Brewery (pay your own way)

Afterwards, plan a visit to Story Hill Farm & Store and Delaware Botanic Gardens.

About Helen E. Raleigh, Story Hill Farm/Henlopen Sea Salt:

Delaware native Helen Raleigh approaches Story Hill Farm with the understanding that land reflects our choices back to us. Her "Cows Save Butterflies" initiative demonstrates that small changes to land management can yield results. Changing what and how we plant and inviting grazing animals back into partnership with the land opens niches not simply for preserving endangered species, but for bringing them into actionable economically viable use. From backyard meadows to acres of wildflowers, she's shown how simply changing what and how we plant creates cascading benefits for pollinators, livestock, and watersheds—as evidenced by her work with endangered American Heritage Randall Cattle and Delaware's native pollinators. As an artisan salt maker, with Henlopen Sea Salt she seeks to deepen understanding of water's relationship with the land through "Water Remembers"—exploring ocean health and land stewardship. For her it's clear: everything the land does, water remembers. She serves on Bays to Backyards and Southern Delaware Agricultural committees and is a member of the Delaware Farm Bureau, Heritage Breed Conservation and Xerces Society. A sought-after speaker who makes environmental stewardship irresistible and sends audiences home ready to roll up their sleeves.

Ephemeral plants bloom early and for a short period time before the canopies above them begin to grow again. Come see some of our lovely native plants in season showcased in shade and swale plantings.

Address will be provided after your RSVP is approved.

Inclement weather date: Sunday, April 26

Click here to request RSVP

Visit a new construction home that focuses on native landscaping. Hear about some of the unique issues that arose along the way and what has been involved with undertaking this project.

Bring your own chair and cup for refreshments.

Details coming soon! 

Details coming soon! 

Details coming soon! 

Join Chapter President Concetta Gibson to discuss choosing and using beneficial native plants that look attractive at your home and neighborhood. Topics will include what to consider when designing plant bed layouts, methods for designing, and container and small space gardening.