Wild Ones moved into the WILD Center on July 15, 2008. Thanks to a variety of donors and the hard work of multiple volunteers, it grew into a wonderful educational center that included a prairie and a rain garden. You can find a detailed history of the evolution of the WILD Center here.
The Wild Ones national organization announced in 2024 that it was seeking long-term stewardship solutions for the property, which resulted in a resolution to survey and subdivide the property, giving the national organization the ability to explore various options for the future of the building and conservancy land, including the possibility of transfer by gift, sale or bequest.
A group of interested individuals, including members of the Fox Valley Chapter of Wild Ones, maintained that the Wild Center had significant value to the organization and desired further pursuit of sustainable stewardship solutions. As a result of a series of productive conversations between these individuals and the National Office, the decision to form a committee to actively develop a model for maintaining and sustaining the property was made. In June of 2025, an official Wild Center Committee (WCC) was established under the direction of Jen Ainsworth. The purpose of this committee is to support and help create plans for the long-term stewardship, development, and sustainability of the WILD Center building and property aligned with the organization’s national vision and mission.
If you have questions, email us at [email protected].