Presentations
Willow: A Beaver’s Tale with Patti Smith – Naturalist Journeys Online Presentation Series
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontFollow the life of Willow, the remarkable matriarch of a beaver colony on a wild brook in southeastern Vermont. Naturalist Patti Smith has spent over a decade with Willow's clan, documenting their trials and triumphs. During this presentation she will share the stories, pictures and videos that celebrate this beaver and the world she created. Along the way, meet Terrible Jack, a lonely moose, and other wildlife drawn to the habitat created by the beavers.
The Real Dirt on Truffles with Rowan Jacobsen – Naturalist Journeys Online Presentation Series
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontTruffles are the world’s most mysterious and expensive food, but they are also an essential part of the forest ecosystem, linking trees and animals in a web of relationship that extends from the forest floor to the human communities around the world that depend on truffles for their livelihoods and celebrate them in their culinary traditions. Join award-winning writer Rowan Jacobsen on this deep dive into the world of truffles, from Italy and Istria to the wilds of the Northeast.
Life of a Conservation Photographer: Stories from the Field with Isabelle Groc – Naturalist Journeys Online Presentation Series
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontFrom photographing mountain caribou from a helicopter to working with scientists capturing narwhal in the freezing waters of the Arctic, Isabelle has many field stories and photographs to share. In this presentation she highlights her work with scientists in the field, how she develops trust, builds story angles, adapts to different working environments, and how her photography and stories can help build public exposure on important science and conservation work.
Atowi: Intersections of Culture, Language, Place, & Relationship with the Plant Nations from an Indigenous Perspective
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontRich Holschuh and Melody Mackin of the Atowi Project will discuss the intersections between culture, language, place, and relationship with the plant nations from an Indigenous perspective.
Lady Fern Evolution with Bertrand Black – Naturalist Journeys Online Presentation Series
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontFerns with Bertrand Black Part of the Naturalist Journeys 2021-22 Winter Presentation Series February 16 | 6 - 7 pm EST | Free | Live via ZOOM JOIN HERE: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89045735802 Lady ferns (Athyrium filix-femina) are one of the most common and widespread ferns in the temperate regions of the northern hemisphere, and are familiar to…
Racing the Clock with Bernd Heinrich – Naturalist Journeys Online Presentation Series
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontAn award-winning, much-loved biologist turns his gaze on himself, using his long-distance running to illuminate the changes to a human body over a lifetime. Part memoir, part scientific investigation, Racing the Clock is the book biologist and natural historian Bernd Heinrich has been waiting his entire life to write. A dedicated and accomplished marathon (and ultra-marathon) runner who won his first marathon at age thirty-nine, Heinrich looks deeply at running, aging, and the body, exploring the unresolved relationship between metabolism, diet, exercise, and age.
New England’s Roadside Ecology with Tom Wessels – Naturalist Journeys Online Presentation Series
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontNew England’s Roadside Ecology guides you through 30 spectacular natural sites, all within an easy walk from the road. The sites include the forests, wetlands, alpines, dunes, and geologic ecosystems that make up New England. Author Tom Wessels is the perfect guide...
Attracting Bees and Beneficial Insects with Native Plants by Heather Holm – Naturalist Journeys Online Presentation Series
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontMost insects have a positive impact in our landscapes. Native plants can be selected to attract specific bees and beneficial insects including predatory and parasitic wasps, beetles, flies, true bugs, and lacewings. Learn about the predator-prey relationships of these flower-visiting beneficial insects and how they help keep problem insect populations in balance. The life cycles, diversity, and nesting habitat of native bees will also be covered along with examples of native plants for different site conditions.
Alpine Habitats, Climate Change, and Rosy-Finches with Carl Brown – Naturalist Journeys Online Presentation Series
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontAlpine ecosystems are rapidly changing in the face of climate change, with their avian occupants relatively understudied. From cliff nesting rosy-finches, to tundra obligate pipits and generalist sparrows, these communities face the potential for massive change in a warming environment. In this presentation, Carl Brown will discuss habitat associations that lend to climate vulnerability, potential arctic parallels, and the adventures of nest searching on alpine cliffs in the Rocky Mountains.
Amphibian Road Crossing Program – Ecology & Training Night
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontFind out how you can help Vermont’s frogs and salamanders safely cross the road during their annual spring movements. Did you know that Wood Frogs freeze solid all winter long? Did you know that Eastern Red-backed Salamanders are the most common vertebrate in the whole forest? Tonight will also feature a dive into the amazing ecology and life history of these semi-aquatic critters.
Birdability: because birding is for everybody and every body! – Naturalist Journeys Online Presentation Series
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontBirding is an activity that can bring so much joy and empowerment to everybody, but not everybody is able to go birding easily. Birdability is a brand new non-profit, based in the US but with a global reach. Through education, outreach and advocacy, Birdability works to ensure the birding community and the outdoors are welcoming, inclusive, safe and accessible for everybody. We focus on people with mobility challenges, blindness or low vision, chronic illness, intellectual or developmental disabilities, mental illness, and those who are neurodivergent, deaf or hard of hearing or who have other health concerns. In addition to current birders, we strive to introduce birding to people with disabilities and other health concerns who are not yet birders so they too can experience the joys of birding.
Public Owl Banding Demonstration
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontNBNC is part of a national network of scientists working to better understand the migration of the Northern Saw-whet Owl, a common yet elusive member of our Vermont forests. Join NBNC biologists as they capture, tag, and release these pint-sized owls. NBNC naturalists and educators will also discuss the highlights of recent research here and across the country, then share what’s been discovered about this mysterious little predator. Open to all ages.
Public Owl Banding Demonstration
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontNBNC is part of a national network of scientists working to better understand the migration of the Northern Saw-whet Owl, a common yet elusive member of our Vermont forests. Join NBNC biologists as they capture, tag, and release these pint-sized owls. NBNC naturalists and educators will also discuss the highlights of recent research here and across the country, then share what’s been discovered about this mysterious little predator. Open to all ages.
Public Owl Banding Demonstration
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontNBNC is part of a national network of scientists working to better understand the migration of the Northern Saw-whet Owl, a common yet elusive member of our Vermont forests. Join NBNC biologists as they capture, tag, and release these pint-sized owls. NBNC naturalists and educators will also discuss the highlights of recent research here and across the country, then share what’s been discovered about this mysterious little predator. Open to all ages.
“This Land Was Saved for You and Me” with Author Jeffrey Ryan (Vermont)
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontNortheast Wilderness Trust, in partnership with North Branch Nature Center and Bear Pond Books, welcomes author Jeffrey Ryan to share his new book about the creation of public lands in America: This Land Was Saved for You and Me. Jeffrey will read highlights from “This Land,” which traces the protection of America’s public lands by identifying a series of critical generational handoffs — from Frederick Law Olmsted to Gifford Pinchot to the generation of foresters that would lead the movement to preserve some lands as forever wild. Ryan’s book features many notable names, but importantly many lesser-known people whose efforts broke new ground by recognizing that America’s resources were not inexhaustible, calling for a means of protecting and managing them before it became too late.
Montpelier PLACE – Montpelier’s Built Environment
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontDiscover the history of downtown Montpelier with Paul Carnahan, author of Montpelier: Images of Vermont’s Capital City. We will examine how the city’s buildings and bridges have responded to the natural environment and defined our community.
Montpelier PLACE – Montpelier Underfoot (Presentation)
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontDiscover how Montpelier’s local geologic and geographic setting has shaped the city’s modern infrastructure, architecture and personality. Led by Sean Beckett of North Branch Nature Center. This two part event includes a Friday evening presentation followed by a field outing on Saturday morning. Attendance at one day of the event is not mandatory for participation in the other. The field outing will include less than ½ mile of walking on mostly flat, wide trails.
This event is part of the Montpelier PLACE program, a series of community events celebrating the sites and stories in Montpelier’s unique heritage and ecology. Join us this fall on a citywide exploration to discover what makes our Capital City so special! All events are free with no registration required.
Bird Brother: An Evening with Master Falconer Rodney Stotts (Virtual Presentation)
Online(Live via ZOOM) | Rodney Stotts is a master falconer from Southeast Washington D.C. One of the nation's few Black falconers, Rodney creates interactive and educational programming, to share the healing power of nature for anyone in need through his organization, Rodney's Raptors.
Upstream–Downstream: A River Resilience Film Festival & Panel Discussion (Montpelier PLACE)
Pavilion Building Auditorium 109 State Street, Montpelier, Vermont, United StatesA community celebration of Montpelier’s watershed and our place within it. From the Winooski headwaters to Lake Champlain, we’ll travel upstream and downstream showcasing endeavors in conservation, education, and recreation along our local waterways. We’ll begin the evening with a series of 5- to 40-minute films, then transition into a discussion about the health of our local rivers with panelists who bring different perspectives about our waterways.
Science Communication Through Art with Jill Pelto (Virtual Presentation)
Online(Live via Zoom) | Jill Pelto is an artist and scientist whose work focuses on communicating human-environment connections. She incorporates scientific data directly into her paintings — from local trends to global changes. Jill creates artwork that engages broad audiences with climate change data in ways that are emotionally relevant.
Indigenous Plant Uses in Southern Greenland with Dr. Simone Whitecloud (Virtual Presentation)
Online(Live via Zoom) | Dr. Whitecloud will discuss the role of plant knowledge among the Inuit of Southern Greenland. She and her collaborator, Dr. Lenore Grenoble, documented more than 50 taxa and 205 plant uses in seven broad categories: medicine, beverages, food, herbs and spices, fuel, ritual, and material culture, the last category consisting primarily of decorative uses.
On Safari: Wildlife Adventures Around the World with Sean Beckett (IN-PERSON)
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, Vermont(IN PERSON) | In the true tradition of Naturalist Journeys, join Sean Beckett on a photographic odyssey around the globe, from the rainforests of Panama to the Savannas of Africa to the mountains of Yellowstone.
Upstream–Downstream: A River Resilience Panel Discussion (Online)
Online(Note: This panel discussion, originally scheduled to follow January 19th's film festival, was postponed due to severe weather). A community celebration of the Winooski watershed and our place within it. This discussion about the health of our local rivers features panelists who bring different perspectives about our waterways. The panelists will be addressing river-related questions and concerns submitted by over 100 community members during our January film festival.
The Spread of Deer Ticks in North America with Lucas Price (IN-PERSON)
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, Vermont(IN PERSON) | Black-legged ticks are the primary tick species responsible for spreading Borrelia burgdorferi, the bacterium that causes Lyme disease, in the northeastern United States. This talk will provide an overview of the tick life cycle, how ticks obtain and spread pathogens, and what habitats they live in.
The Wolves and Moose of Isle Royale with Ky and Lisa Koitzsch (IN-PERSON)
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, Vermont(IN PERSON) | Join wildlife biologists Ky and Lisa Koitzsch as they share their experiences studying wolves and moose in Isle Royale National Park. Isle Royale is a remote island wilderness located 15 miles from the shores of Ontario and Minnesota in the frigid waters of Lake Superior.
Vermont’s Wild Bees: past, present, and future with Spencer Hardy (IN-PERSON)
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, Vermont(IN PERSON) | The new State of Vermont's Bees provides the first detailed look at the conservation status and needs of these important pollinators. Included in this presentation will be advice and suggestions for improving the habitat in your community, through both consumer decisions and land management.
North Branch Nature Center’s History on the Land with Samantha Ford (IN-PERSON)
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, Vermont(IN PERSON) | Uncover the history of the historic farmhouse and farm that North Branch Nature Center calls home. Learn how to read the landscape to reveal history hidden in plain sight. Peel back the layers of time with landscape historian Samantha Ford of Turn Stone Research to learn how past generations have shaped the land at the NBNC property.
Amphibian Road Crossing Program – Ecology & Training Night (ZOOM)
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontFind out how you can help Vermont’s frogs and salamanders safely cross the road during their annual spring movements. Did you know that Wood Frogs freeze solid all winter long? Did you know that Eastern Red-backed Salamanders are the most common vertebrate in the whole forest? Tonight will also feature a dive into the amazing ecology and life history of these semi-aquatic critters.
Vermont Almanac Vol. IV: Book Launch & Celebration
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontJoin us to celebrate the release of Volume IV of the Vermont Almanac! Meet the editors and many of the book’s contributors, listen to readings from the book by authors, and enjoy a panel discussion on the year that was in rural Vermont. Registration Required.
Dam It: Partnering with Beavers to Heal the Planet with Ben Goldfarb (VIRTUAL)
Online(VIRTUAL) | Author Ben Goldfarb will discuss the history of this world-changing species; how beavers can help us fight drought, flooding, wildfire, and climate change; and how we can coexist with this challenging but vital rodent.
Wool Rugs, Grazing Sheep, and Climate Change: What’s the Connection? with Kimberly Hagen (IN-PERSON)
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, Vermont(IN-PERSON) | What does a wool rug have to do with climate change? A lot!
Under the Smoke: Boreal Forest Wildfire, Ecology, and Culture in Northern Quebec with Naomi Heindel (IN-PERSON)
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, Vermont(IN-PERSON) | Visit the boreal forest, learn some fire ecology, take a look at the wildfires' impacts on the James Bay Cree, and explore the complicated mix of climate change and logging at play in these forests.
Coming Back Home: Turning Towards Uncertainty, Wonder and Connection with Amy Butler (IN-PERSON)
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, Vermont(IN-PERSON) | In a time of compounded stress and anxiety about our current climate crisis, nature is our guide to restoring a healthy and balanced dynamic between ourselves, one another and the earth.
Stories from the Poles: Science and Adventure in Greenland and Antarctica with Ruth Heindel (VIRTUAL)
Online(VIRTUAL) | Dr. Ruth Heindel will share stories about her experience conducting fieldwork along the margin of the Greenland Ice Sheet and in the McMurdo Dry Valleys of Antarctica, two locations that are shaped by their extreme climate.
Understanding Forest Carbon: How Forests Mitigate Climate Change with Ali Kosiba (IN-PERSON)
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, Vermont(IN-PERSON) | Learn all about forests and the carbon they sequester and store. Dr. Kosiba will showcase the complex forest carbon cycle, from living trees down to the soil.
Ben Cosgrove: Music of the Environment SOLD OUT
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, Vermont(IN-PERSON) | Ben Cosgrove is a traveling composer-performer whose music explores themes of landscape, place, and environment.
All Things Eclipse: a presentation by the Vermont Astronomical Society
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontJoin Jack St. Louis, president of the Vermont Astronomical Society, to learn why eclipses happen, where to look, what to expect, and how to safely view the eclipse.
Amphibian Road Crossing Program – Ecology & Training Night (ZOOM)
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontJoin North Branch Nature Center scientists to learn about our Amphibian Road Crossing program, and find out how you can help Vermont’s frogs and salamanders safely cross the road during their annual spring movements.
Art Gallery Reception – Wool and Water
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontPlease join us at North Branch Nature Center for an evening celebrating our fall art exhibit, Wool and Water. Tour the gallery, meet Michale Glennon, the organizer of this collaborative project and creator of many of the pieces, and enjoy some light refreshments.
Data Art for Yarn Lovers
North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier, VermontJoin Michale Glennon, organizer of the Wool and Water Project currently on view in the NBNC gallery, to learn how to create knitting and crochet projects that represent scientific data in beautiful and approachable ways.
