Events

Join us for a fun day with pizza provided by Wild Ones Smoky Mountains Chapter! There will be a plant swap from our seed sowing event; additionally, new plants for sale, local art for sale, and our brand new T-Shirts for sale (donated by Borderland Tees)!

If you have a bumper crop of native plants in your winter sowing jugs, bring them so that you can swap plants with others who also have lots of seedlings! We will swap plants, eat lunch, AND you can purchase plants grown by Wild Ones Smoky Mountains Chapter. You will also have the opportunity to purchase works from a local artist (MaceyLou, A Wild Approach) - there's something for everyone! Please be sure to bring something waterproof to transport your new plants!

To Pre-Order your shirt, send us an email to let us know what size, color and style you would like and reserve your apparel. You can pick up your shirt at this event. To view the shirts, click here: https://smokymountains.wildones.org/we-have-t-shirts-sweatshirts-for-sale/  

​Payments for plants and apparel can only be taken by cash or check at this time; art purchases can be made via cash, card, and PayPal. For this event, 5% of MaceyLou's sales will go to Wild Ones Smoky Mountains Chapter. 

​Address: 4806 Jenkins Road, Knoxville, TN. The Adair Park Shelter is located at the park entrance off of Jenkins Road Northeast (just past the main park entrance off Carol Drive).

Register Here: https://smokymountains.wildones.org/register-for-event/

Join us for a dynamic discussion with Melissa Hinten, Executive Director of Trees Knoxville, as she explores the ecological connections between trees, prairies, and native landscapes.

 Drawing from her research on tallgrass prairies in Oklahoma and her current work in Knoxville, Melissa will provide an overview of native prairies in Tennessee and then will lead a discussion on the connections between trees, prairies, and other native landscapes.

With a background in sustainability, ecology, and land use change, Melissa brings a wealth of knowledge to this conversation on preserving and restoring native habitats. Whether you're passionate about trees, prairies, or the broader landscape of Tennessee, this talk will offer valuable insights into the role of native ecosystems in supporting biodiversity.

Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from an expert dedicated to protecting and expanding our natural spaces!

About Melissa

Melissa Hinten serves as the Executive Director of Trees Knoxville, a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving and expanding the urban tree canopy in Knoxville and Knox County. With a deep commitment to sustainability and environmental stewardship, Melissa joined Trees Knoxville in 2024 to further its mission of fostering greener, healthier communities.

Before her role at Trees Knoxville, Melissa was the Sustainability Program Director and a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Geography & Sustainability at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Over her tenure, she taught courses spanning human-environment interactions, weather and climate, ecology, and sustainability.

Melissa holds a Ph.D. in Geography from the University of Oklahoma, where her research focused on land use change in the tallgrass prairie ecosystem. Her academic background and professional experience reflect a lifelong dedication to understanding and protecting the natural world.

Due to unforeseen circumstances, this event has been cancelled. We are working on rescheduling at a later date. Thank you for your understanding. 

Register here: https://smokymountains.wildones.org/may-registration/

Join us and Allana Funderburk as she details the steps we can all take toward a fire-wise landscape that also supports our wildlife.

How can you help keep Tennessee’s forests—and your own backyard—healthy and resilient? This talk will explore The Nature Conservancy’s work in Tennessee, including their role in shaping the state’s 2020-2030 Forest Action Plan. We’ll focus on practical steps homeowners can take to support native species, maintain a thriving landscape, and reduce wildfire risks. Using insights from the Post-Wildfire Restoration Manual, we’ll discuss the importance of creating defensible space and landscaping with native fire-resilient plants to protect your home and surrounding habitat. Whether you have a small yard or acres of land, this session will provide useful guidance for managing your property with nature in mind.

About the speaker

Allana Funderburk serves as the Forest Action Plan Coordinator with The Nature Conservancy, working in collaboration with the Tennessee Division of Forestry. In this role she leads the 5-Year Review of Tennessee’s 2020 Forest Action Plan and is developing a Post-Wildfire Restoration Manual for landowners.

She is passionate about all aspects of forest management in the southeast- from landscape level restoration to sustainable timber harvesting and believes in the power of partnerships to advance shared conservation goals.

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Details coming soon! 

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Details coming soon! 

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