Juneteenth Celebration
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontJoin North Branch Nature Center in a Juneteenth celebration, featuring music and dance by Shidaa Projects and a BYO picnic.
The Caterpillar Lab @ NBNC
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontCaterpillars take over the Nature Center! The Caterpillar Lab is a traveling world-class education organization that transforms nature centers into a spectacular living museum, zoo, research laboratory, incubator, circus, art studio, classroom, and all-around nature party.
Moth Lighting With The Caterpillar Lab
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontThe Caterpillar Lab will guide us on an investigation of our awe-inspiring nocturnal neighbors: the huge, tiny, regal, absurd, furry, shiny, gorgeous, perplexing, audacious and outrageous moths that Vermont has to offer!
Robin’s Nest Nature Playgroup (Summer Sessions)
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontRobin’s Nest Nature Playgroup is a free activity for families to gather, learn, and play in nature.
The Caterpillar Lab @ NBNC
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontCaterpillars take over the Nature Center! The Caterpillar Lab is a traveling world-class education organization that transforms nature centers into a spectacular living museum, zoo, research laboratory, incubator, circus, art studio, classroom, and all-around nature party.
Songs and S’mores
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontCome join us for an evening of songs and s’mores as we gather around the campfire to share each other's company and revel in the joy of summer! This is a family friendly event and we welcome people of all ages!
The Northern Forest Atlas Traveling School of Botany & Ecology
Groton State Forest Groton, VT, United StatesThe school will be part course and part seminar: We will teach plant identification through classes and field work, and study ecology as a group by exercises and discussions. Our field sites will be about a dozen wild Northern Forest habitats: rich woods, ledges, fertile coves, rich and poor fens, cedar swamps, boreal forests, granite hills, a large acid bog and a giant raised one, a river delta and swamp forest, and a dry-rich ledgy hill. It will we staffed by Jerry Jenkins alongside a rotating pool of five instructors—the best botanists in the north woods.
Monthly Birding Outing (NBNC)
A casual morning of birding for all interests and experience levels at various locations around the Montpelier area. Spend time enjoying our resident wild birds!
Educator Institute: Nature-Based Routines for Outdoor Classrooms
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontFor elementary and middle school teachers. The purpose of this ECO introductory course for elementary and middle school educators is to apply integrated academic curricula beyond the classroom, while immersing in and participating with nature as a learning partner.
Introduction to Dragonflies & Damselflies – Biodiversity University
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontDesigned for naturalists and scientists of varied abilities and interests, this field seminar covers dragonfly and damselfly taxonomy, biology, behavior, and identification.
ECO Institute: Natural History Fundamentals for Educators
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontFor elementary and middle school educators. This goal of this course is to deepen our understanding of the natural landscape and learn how to utilize this knowledge to build a partnership with the land that meets the needs of all students. Participants will develop a foundation of natural history knowledge through immersive study of bird language, tree and plant identification, wild edible safety, geology, and stream ecology. We will practice techniques for achieving a deeper level of inquiry and observation in nature while learning hands-on methods for embedding this knowledge into outdoor lessons and making classroom connections. The routines that we build throughout the week are designed to deepen your class’s sense of place within the outdoor learning environment.
How to use eBird Workshop
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontA two-part introduction to using eBird that will teach you to submit checklists according to eBird best practices, explore other users’ sightings to help you find birds, and navigate around the eBird website.
Songs and S’mores
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontCome join us for an evening of songs and s’mores as we gather around the campfire to share each other's company and revel in the joy of summer! This is a family friendly event and we welcome people of all ages!
The Northern Forest Atlas Traveling School of Botany & Ecology
Paul Smith's VIC Paul Smith's, NY, United StatesThe school will be part course and part seminar: We will teach plant identification through classes and field work, and study ecology as a group by exercises and discussions. Our field sites will be about a dozen wild Northern Forest habitats: rich woods, ledges, fertile coves, rich and poor fens, cedar swamps, boreal forests, granite hills, a large acid bog and a giant raised one, a river delta and swamp forest, and a dry-rich ledgy hill. It will we staffed by Jerry Jenkins alongside a rotating pool of five instructors—the best botanists in the north woods.
Monthly Birding Outing (NBNC)
A casual morning of birding for all interests and experience levels at various locations around the Montpelier area. Spend time enjoying our resident wild birds!
Vermont Master Naturalist for Educators
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontThis course for middle and high school educators is a unique collaboration between North Branch Nature Center and Vermont Master Naturalist. It is a place-based, integrated training in interpreting the local landscape and applying that training to 5th-12th grade classrooms and curricula. Each day immerses in a different ecosystem, exploring the pieces, patterns, and processes driving local ecology. We’ll practice field-based activities and classroom-based extensions aligned with Next Generation Science Standards and Proficiency-Based Learning frameworks.
Art Gallery Reception: Katama Murray – Light & Shadow: Botanical Dualities
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontPlease join us for an evening celebrating our summer art exhibit, Light & Shadow: Botanical Dualities by Katama Murray. Browse the gallery, meet the artist, and enjoy some light refreshments. Katama will give a short artist talk at 5:30 pm.
Capturing Shadows with Cyanotype Printing – Art Workshop with Katama Murray
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontExperiment with natural patterns and mindful making through this hands-on workshop focused on cyanotypes! This class will explore the basics of cyanotype printing techniques with fabric and paper to create a series of prints and fabric patches.
Songs and S’mores
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontCome join us for an evening of songs and s’mores as we gather around the campfire to share each other's company and revel in the joy of summer! This is a family friendly event and we welcome people of all ages!
The Northern Forest Atlas Traveling School of Botany & Ecology
Bonnyvale Environmental Education Center West Brattleboro, VT, United StatesThe school will be part course and part seminar: We will teach plant identification through classes and field work, and study ecology as a group by exercises and discussions. Our field sites will be about a dozen wild Northern Forest habitats: rich woods, ledges, fertile coves, rich and poor fens, cedar swamps, boreal forests, granite hills, a large acid bog and a giant raised one, a river delta and swamp forest, and a dry-rich ledgy hill. It will we staffed by Jerry Jenkins alongside a rotating pool of five instructors—the best botanists in the north woods.
Gardening for Biodiversity – Biodiversity University
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontTraditional gardens are often pretty, but rarely beneficial to the plants, pollinators, birds, and other creatures in our landscape. Gardening for Biodiversity is about rethinking and revaluing these traditional landscape aesthetics, and designing ecologically functional gardens that contribute to local ecosystems.
Mushrooms: Field Identification and Fungal Ecology – Biodiversity University
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontMushrooms have fascinated and mystified humankind for ages. From ancient origin stories and shamanic practice to modern systematic analysis, fungi captivate us. In this course, participants will explore the diversity and ecological importance of the kingdom of fungi.
North Woods Natural History – Biodiversity University
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontA weekend of natural history investigation through the lens of the North Woods! Northern Vermont is situated in the overlap zone between the temperate deciduous forest to our south and the boreal forest to our north.
The Northern Forest Atlas Traveling School of Botany & Ecology
Ausable Point State Park NY, United StatesThe school will be part course and part seminar: We will teach plant identification through classes and field work, and study ecology as a group by exercises and discussions. Our field sites will be about a dozen wild Northern Forest habitats: rich woods, ledges, fertile coves, rich and poor fens, cedar swamps, boreal forests, granite hills, a large acid bog and a giant raised one, a river delta and swamp forest, and a dry-rich ledgy hill. It will we staffed by Jerry Jenkins alongside a rotating pool of five instructors—the best botanists in the north woods.
Northwoods Paddling in Maine
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontThe West Branch of the Penobscot River offers a wilderness paddling experience rich in wildlife, history, and nature immersion. Guided by NBNC Executive Director Naomi Heindel
Mammal Ecology, Taxonomy & Natural History – Biodiversity University
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontThis field-based course will cover the natural and cultural history of mammals in Vermont, with a focus on techniques to observe and identify species in the field. Topics will include mammal evolution, behavior, and topics in current and historical conservation, as well as techniques for observing reclusive mammal species using camera or audio recorders.
Fall Mushroom Outing
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontJoin NBNC naturalist and educator Dave Muska for a morning mushroom outing to learn about local fungi and mushrooms, what they’re up to, and how you can contribute to the Fungi of Vermont Community Science program.