April 2021
Online Course: Spring Ephemeral Wildflowers with Grace Glynn
Wild leeks, trillium, spring beauty: each spring brings an explosion of wildlflowers to rich Northeastern forests. This course will equip you with tools to identify the plants in our spring flora and an ecological understanding of their place on the landscape. Topics will range from etymology of the spring flora to the potential effects of climate change on spring ephemerals and their pollinators.
Find out more »Robin’s Nest Nature Playgroup
April 1 - June 17 | 9:30 - 11:30 am For children ages 0-5 with parent or caregiver A Free, drop-in program | Registration not required (donations welcome) Robin’s Nest Nature Playgroup is a free activity for families to gather, learn, and play in nature. Guided by the idea that children need to spend ample time outdoors, we offer a community experience in the world of nature and will model ways the natural environment can be used as a tool for learning and…
Find out more »Green Mountain Meadowlarks: Ecology and Conservation of an Imperiled Grassland Bird
Eastern Meadowlarks in the Northeast are rapidly declining; based on the latest USGS Breeding Bird Survey results, they’re undergoing an estimated 8.7% annual decline in Vermont. With their recent designation of Threatened in New Hampshire, and imminent listing in Vermont, now is a golden opportunity for targeted survey efforts. The Vermont Center for Ecostudies is partnering up with New Hampshire Audubon to launch a bi-state “blitz” this spring to encourage birders and community scientists to target areas of grassland habitat with the goal of seeking out meadowlarks. Join North Branch and VCE to learn about these imperiled songbirds and what you can do to help keep them on the Vermont landscape.
Find out more »April Break Camp for K-3rd Grade
Spring is a great time to explore the Nature Center. Children in grades K-3 join us for one, two or three days of spring nature adventures and activities. We will make art using natural materials, explore the fields and forest for signs of wildlife, try our hands at wild edible cooking and give back to the land in celebration of Earth Day.
Find out more »Nature Trivia Night with Northeast Wilderness Trust
April 22 | 5:30 - 6:30 pm Free | Registration Required - Space is Limited MORE INFO & REGISTRATION Calling all Nature Nerds! Join Northeast Wilderness Trust and North Branch Nature Center to celebrate Earth Day the wild way, with a round of Nature Trivia. With a variety of topics and a range of easy, medium, and difficult questions, there will be something for everyone to enjoy. We’ll have prizes for the first, second, and third-place winners, and plenty of laughter and…
Find out more »Friday Morning Bird Walks
Weekly trips to birding hot spots around Central Vermont searching for spring migrants like warblers, vireos, thrushes, and waterfowl. Led by NBNC staff.
Find out more »May 2021
Nocturnal Migration: The birds flying over your bed while you sleep – by Larry Clarfeld
Presented by Larry Clarfeld Tuesday May 4 | 7:30 - 8:30 pm Free | Join via Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85469408269 Hosted by: Green Mountain Audubon Society and North Branch Nature Center Migration is one of the greatest spectacles of the natural world, and yet much of the migration of North America’s birds takes place under a cloak of darkness. This talk by Larry Clarfeld will illuminate nocturnal migration, delving into the historical context of the “night flight”, current techniques for studying this…
Find out more »Inside-Outside: Nature Based Educators of New England (Chapter Meeting)
Inside-Outside is a network of educators and organizations from throughout the northeast and beyond. We come together to connect and support one another in teaching and learning outdoors, while continuing to grow the nature-based education movement. NBNC hosts a once a month Central Vermont Chapter meeting for anyone interested in learning more about nature-based education for children in grades preK to 12th grade. We host our meetings on the second Tuesday of each month during the school year.
Find out more »Lady Beetles of Vermont: Invasions, Extirpations, & Discoveries – with the Vermont Center for Ecostudies
Thursday May 20 | 6 - 7 pm Free | Join via Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82792711468 Presented by: Vermont Center for Ecostudies Native lady beetles play an important role as biological pest control agents, yet native populations have been in decline across North America. Vermont's lady beetles seem to be following continental trends of decline, but due to lack of modern data, we do not understand what native lady beetles remain in Vermont, how their populations are doing, or what conservation initiatives…
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