Please check back here regularly for an upcoming schedule of events that we will be hosting, attending, or promoting.

Upcoming event:

Workshop on winter sowing of native plant seed. Gardening season seems a long way off in these cold January days, but the seeds of many of our native plants are well adapted to winter weather and even need a period of cold temperatures – known as cold stratification – in order to germinate.  Planting in your garden in the fall is one approach, but winter sowing in containers is likely to result in more seedlings, come spring.

To follow up on our seed collecting event back in October, we are going to hold a free winter seed sowing workshop next Sat January 25^th from 10 am to noon at the Soil Factory at 142 Ithaca Beer Drive, Ithaca, NY 14850. We will be demonstrating how to plant seeds in containers and store them outdoors, protected from drying out or being consumed by critters.  You’ill have the opportunity to sow some seeds yourself – we’ll have seeds we’ve collected from local gardens, some pots and recycled containers, and soil.  After planting, we can put the containers in a protected outdoor area at the Soil Factory or you can take yours home and find a suitable outdoor spot for them. We hope you can join us!

• Cornell Cooperative Extension’s Plant Sale at the Ithaca Farmers Market; May 19, 2023
• Seminar by Kass Urban-Mead of the Xerces Society, highlighting the research done by Pollinator Conservation Specialist, and NRCS Partner Biologist. The seminar focused on pollinators and their need for native woodland trees and wildflowers. It also highlighted the surprisingly important role these woodland native bee species play in supporting forest-edge agriculture through pollination. You can watch the entire talk here: https://youtu.be/TfrpEBmSG0E
• National Pollinator Week, hosted by Pollinator Partnership; June 19 to June 25, 2023
• Tompkins Pollinator Pathway’s National Pollinator Week event at the Marshy Garden; June 23, 2023
• Finger Lakes Native Plant Society Sustainable Garden Tour; August 19, 2023
• NYSACC Conference – September 20 to September 22, 2023; Last year’s conference for the environment was hosted in Ithaca by the Environmental Management Council. NYSACC, The New York State Association of Conservation Commissions, is an independent, not-for-profit education organization established in 1971 by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation to provide leadership in the development of vital environmental programs for cities, towns, and villages throughout the State of New York. The organization brings together millions of people—government officials, environmentalists, students, and citizens—committed to preserving, protecting, and enhancing the built and natural environments in New York communities. The conference serves as an opportunity to link everyone together and explore the exciting work being done across the state!
• Goldenrod & Asters at Grow Wild Native Plant Nursery; September 29, 2023. To wrap up the exciting pollinator season we held an end-of-season celebration at Grow Wild Native Nursery. This coincided with the nursery’s Friday learning series, which seeks to introduce folks to native plants and methods for ecological restoration. The event involved tours of the restoration efforts and pollinator gardens on the land, as well as a chance to be involved in actual planting, for those who are interested. 
• Ithaca Native Plant Symposium; March 1, 2024: Kristi Sullivan and Brandon Hoak of the Tompkins Pollinator Pathway shared experiences and strategies for engaging community members and partner organizations in creating pollinator gardens, promoting local conservation, and mapping and sharing information on native plantings to develop a pollinator pathway.
• Wednesday, April 17th at 7pm: Friends of Stewart Park, one of our community partners, hosted a free, virtual Pollinator Pathway talk presented by the Tompkins Pollinator Pathway’s very own Brandon Hoak. In this talk, Brandon introduced attendees to the Tompkins Pollinator Pathway Project, which aims to connect local gardens, parks, trails, and landscapes to improve habitat corridors for pollinators in the county. You can access the talk here.
• Saturday, April 20th 10am-2pm Earth Day Event at the Trumansburg Farmers Market: TPP had a booth beside the Bee-friendly Community folks. There were also activities like making no-mow May signs, seedballs, and more.
• Saturday, April 27th 9am-12pm Earth Day Event: TPP tabled on the Waterfront Trail at the Ithaca Farmers Market as part of an event sponsored by Zero Waste Ithaca.
• Friday, May 17th 1-7pm: Cornell Cooperative Extension 2024 Garden Fair and Plant Sale at the Ithaca Farmers Market Pavilion at Steamboat Landing. TPP had have information and signs to share.
• Friday, May 17th 6-8pm: Soil Factory was an event about the value and production of biochar. A potluck also followed this event.
• TPP at Trumansburg Farmers Market; September 4, 2024: TPP tabled at the Trumansburg Farmers Market, providing resources on supporting pollinators throughout the winter and presenting interactive pollinator games. Signs were also given to individuals who have added their garden or habitat to the pathway.
• Guided Contemplation in the First Baptist Church Pollinator Garden; September 14, 2024: The First Baptist Church Native Plant Garden is an oasis of diverse plants and insects. Quiet time spent in the garden offers an opportunity to open the senses and experience a vibrant community of interrelated species. Gathering at a time of day most likely to catch pollinators enjoying the flowers, Debbie Allen and Darcey Laine led participants in noticing and enjoying the flowers, a time for quiet observation of our favorite plants, and time to reflect with others. After the contemplation, gardeners were available for questions about the garden, plants and pollinators.