Connecting people and native plants for a healthy planet.
The Youngstown Area Chapter of Wild Ones is a small, passionate group focused on promoting native plants and natural landscaping across northeastern Ohio and western Pennsylvania.
Our Mission
We are a local chapter of Wild Ones® Native Plants, Natural Landscapes, working to inspire and empower residents in northeastern Ohio and western Pennsylvania to create habitat-friendly landscapes using native plants.
Our work spans Youngstown, OH, Mercer, PA, and surrounding communities—uniting a region through ecology, education, and action.
What We Do
🌱 Education – Public workshops, speaker events, and garden tours
🐝 Habitat Support – Promoting pollinator gardens and sustainable landscapes
🌎 Community Engagement – Collaborating with local groups and municipalities
🌾 Restoration – Encouraging the removal of invasives and rewilding of spaces
Our Region
We serve communities throughout the Upper Ohio River Basin, including:
- Youngstown & Mahoning Valley, OH
- Mercer, Sharon, and Grove City, PA
- And surrounding rural and suburban areas
Our Story
Our chapter began with one woman. She built up our amazing chapter from 2022 – 2024 before passing her leadership role onto Bobbi.
{Bobbi: Since I don’t currently know the origins of our chapter, I can share a little bit about how I got it into it.}
Chapter Director, Bobbi’s journey into native plants started in her own backyard—quite literally. What began as “accidental sustainability” melded into building a natural ecosystem in her yard for pollinators and fireflies, and has become a deep passion for habitat restoration and ecological gardening (alongside sustainability and conservation). After seeing firsthand how native plants attract life, heal the land, and transform even the smallest space, she knew she wanted to help others do the same.
Since our founding, we’ve grown through grassroots efforts, community education, and native plant enthusiasm. We believe everyone can make a difference—starting right outside their door.
The idea is a simple one: restore what’s been lost, one plant at a time.
Meet Our Leadership
Chapter Director: Bobbi Hartsock
Bobbi is a sustainability advocate, educator, and everyday earth enthusiast who first discovered the power of native plants through her own journey toward a more intentional, eco-conscious lifestyle. With a background in environmental communication and a passion for community engagement, she is excited (and a little nervous) to be given the opportunity Chapter leadership and bring native plant education and habitat restoration to the forefront in northeastern Ohio and western Pennsylvania.
Whether she’s recording her podcast, writing for her blog, or driving her partner insane with her chaos gardening, Bobbi’s mission is simple: to help others reconnect with the natural world—one native plant at a time.
We have open leadership positions! Reach out to us if you are interested!
Join the Movement
Whether you’re new to native plants or a seasoned gardener, we welcome you!
📝 Become a Member
💬 Contact us with questions or ideas
“Just keep planting. Planting, planting, planting.”
Together, we’re rebuilding habitat and restoring hope—one native plant at a time.